I don't drink, I don't smoke, I don't cheat on my wife, I don't swear, steal, murder, embezzle or do drugs. I do however go to church every Sunday, I am part of a small group, I am an elder in my church. I meet with my Pastor once a week. One would think that I am just an overall "good" guy." I would at times be inclined to agree, if it was not for the most convicting (at least for me) verse in the entire Bible, James 4:17 which says:
17 Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.
One of my jobs where I work is to enforce the rules. When I walk up to someone the most common response I get even before I say a word is "I didn't do it" most times my answer is: "I know the reason I need to talk to you is because of what you didn't do."
That is also what this verse is saying because when we think of sin we think about the bad things that we do. These are called sins of commission the bad things we do. What James addresses here are called sins of omission, the good things we fail to do.
Out of all of the things I listed in the beginning which made me out to be a "good guy" I am afraid the list of things I knew I should do and did not would be much, much longer.
For all of us the list could be endless. Helping someone in need, praying more, giving a kind word, encouraging someone, sharing the Gospel, stopping gossip, reading God's word, telling someone they are wrong, using the gifts God has given you, serving in your community. You get the idea.
Here is the question you must ask yourself.
What do I know that I should be doing that I am not?
Remember every time you don't it's a sin.
strange (not really though) how much easier it is to refrain from the sins of commission compared to the sins of omission. you are right, the omission list is much longer. good topic.
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