What Is The Worst Sin?
by Herbert W. Armstrong
What is the greatest possible sin anyone could commit? Certainly a lack of gratitude is one of the most prevalent of sins. Few have learned to really appreciate what they have.
But what is the worst of all sins? The most awful sin that can be committed is, perhaps, one of the very last that most people would name.
Think! Every good thing comes from GOD! He is Creator, Sustainer, Ruler. His Glory is beyond human imagination. His is the perfect holy and righteous character. He is, and is the very source of, love, wisdom, goodness, might and power.
And yet, he, so great, so mighty, so glorious, is extremely mindful of each one of us! He loves us so very much he gave his only begotten Son to pay the penalty in our stead of our folly-our sins. He raised his begotten Son Jesus Christ from the dead, born very GOD by his resurrection, and gave to him all the POWER and the GLORY of the entire universe, making him, the risen ever-living CHRIST, the Administrator and Chief Executive over the supreme government of the limitless UNIVERSE!
More than that, through Jesus Christ, God has made it possible for us to receive the very Spirit-the LIFE-the divine NATURE of GOD! Thus we become coheirs with Christ, that we, too, may be BORN by a resurrection as very SONS of GOD. Jesus Christ was made the firstborn of many brethren! He, Christ, already has inherited-and we through him may become joint heirs to later inherit all that is God's-the UNIVERSE ENTIRELY!
Can your mind grasp it? All that is God's, we may share!
A portion of this we may imbibe, drink in, be filled with and enjoy here and now, even in this temporary life! Every good thing comes from GOD!
Now consider what this contact with the living God means.
Even now, in this frail human life, we may receive from him guidance and wisdom, protection from physical harm, healing when ill, peace of mind, deliverance from trouble and all the attributes of his character-his divine love, faith, patience, assurance, goodness, power to overcome.
From him and from him alone, we may drink in real happiness and joy! From him we may receive the knowledge of the TRUE VALUES-we may know the PURPOSE of life-the WAY to every good thing. We may receive every good and perfect gift that comes down from above!
Now what would be the worst, the most terrible sin one could possibly commit? It is self evident. It is to have another god before the true living GOD!
Whatever occupies your interest more than God and his Word is the idol you are putting before him. None can be truly converted-actually begotten of God-until whatever is his IDOL has been smashed, and torn root and branch from his affection and mind and heart.
What is it that you just can't give up? You'll have to give it up, you know-or you are committing the most awful sin it is possible to commit! It is the sin that shuts you off from that personal contact with GOD!
God tells us that his ear is not deaf that he cannot hear our petitions. His arm is not short that it cannot respond-but OUR SINS have separated between him and us, that he will not hear!
The greatest possible sin is that which shuts you out from the greatest possible acquirement!
The most terrible possible PUNISHMENT that could be sentenced and carried out on any human would be to permanently and irrevocably cut one off from all possible access to GOD!
This world is cut off from God-it has cut itself off! Yet, not irrevocably. You may have free access to the Great God-through Jesus Christ our Lord! The WAY is unconditional surrender of your rebellious will to HIS-to HIS WAY-his right and perfect laws. The WAY, then, is by faith in Jesus Christ as personal Savior. ?