Sin as Separation
Don Wiley of Murrieta, CA, USA
The Lord judges the peoples;
judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness
and according to the integrity that is in me.
I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness,
and sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High. -Psalm 7:8, 17
Throughout my life I have struggled with the concept of sin. Early on I thought I had to earn God’s love and my salvation. Sin meant that I did things that were wrong, bad, or evil (sins of commission) or that I didn’t do things that I should have done (sins of omission). The more I came to learn that God’s love was a gift that I didn’t have to earn but instead I simply needed to receive, I began to see sin as the separation of myself from God. My focus turned from anxiety about what I was doing or not doing to building a relationship with God. The original sin was not God passing judgment on Adam and Eve and casting them out of the Garden of Eden, but rather it was Adam and Eve focusing on themselves and thereby separating themselves from God.
Jesus transcended the dualistic mentality of humanity-that of right and wrong, good and bad, success and failure, win and lose, etc. Jesus saw life from a different point of view-Godly-rather than the human way. Jesus opted for acceptance and inclusion without judgment.
The concept of perfection also changed. I began to see Jesus as perfect in that he was able to maintain his relationship with God so that he was “one” with God who was “one” with him. So, my efforts to perfection have changed to that of building relationships rather than competing with or knowing what is better (right) and judging others’ efforts or actions. Since treating others is really part of how I treat God, community has taken on a whole new relevance and importance. Separating myself from others in many ways separates me from God and who I am called to be as a human.
Sin has become “anything that separates me from God.” It does not have that negative/judgement connotation that it once had because it is not a punishable offense, but it is to be overcome through that growing relationship with God (the Trinity). Jesus has become a guide and I look to Jesus life as a model of how to relate to God and all creation, how to see others and all that is. And wow, do I have a long way to go.
Prayer Phrase
Let gratitude show you the way (Doctrine and Covenants Section 165:2b).
Spiritual Practice
Gratitude
Gratitude is an important spiritual practice that invites us to see all of life as a gift. We give thanks for our breath, the food we eat, people we love, and all that we have that truly matters. We remember that we are connected and sustained by a web of relationships with creation, God, and other people. Take time each day this month to practice giving thanks and to consider-for what am I most grateful?
Today’s Prayer for Peace
Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.
