Ezekiel 8:17 - Homiletics.

Making light of sin.

I. SINNERS MAKE LIGHT OF SIN . This is a commonly observed fact. Let us see how it is caused.

1 . As an attempt to excuse the sinner. This, of course, is the most obvious and palpable reason why many people try to minimize their own sin. The prisoner pleads "Not guilty" simply to save himself. The same is done even before the private bar of a man's own conscience; for we wish to excuse ourselves to ourselves. Thus there may be no conscious deception, no hypocrisy. We may really persuade ourselves that we are not so bad as we seem to be. The wish is father to the thought.

2 . By the force of habit. We grow accustomed to the worst companions if we are much with them, as we scarcely notice the ugliness of what is constantly with us, though strangers would be struck with their first sight of it. So while we become familiar with our sins, their supreme and most dreadful wickedness ceases to affect us, as the fearful sight of mutilated bodies ceases to affect hospital surgeons. The horror dies out of the aspect of wickedness, and a look of familiarity takes its place.

3 . Through the influence of example. If a man stood alone in his sin, he would he appalled at the singular horror of it. But he sees it reflected in the lives of his neighbours, and, judging himself by the average standard of society, instead of taking the Law of God for his measure, he passes an easy sentence.

4 . In the deadening of conscience. This is the worst and the most dangerous effect of sin. The sense for perceiving its guilt is blunted. Until conscience is reawakened by the Spirit of God, no man truly appreciates his own guilt.

II. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR GOD TO MAKE LIGHT OF SIN .

1 . He sees it as it truly is. God is not deceived by our excuses. He sees into the true nature of our thought and conduct with an all-searching eye, and he is perfectly true and just to judge according to fact.

2 . God measures it by the law of holiness. He knows our weakness, our ignorance, our temptation; and he does not judge men as he would judge angels—of that we may be sure; for "shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" But according as we have light he will estimate our conduct, measuring it against that light, and not against the darkness of our neighbours. God cannot endure iniquity. In his sight it is hideous and hateful and utterly deserving of condemnation. Let us remember that we shall not be judged by man's standards of conventionality, but by God's pure law of righteousness.

3 . If God forgives sin, he does not make light of it. Forgiveness is not excusing evil. It recognizes the whole black guilt of it. Jesus who brought free forgiveness denounced sin itself as no stern Hebrew prophet had ventured to denounce it. In pardoning the penitent he carefully hotel that her sins were "many" ( Luke 7:47 ). The publican is commended for his humiliation in the confession of sin ( Luke 18:13 ). We can only judge of God's horror of sin by the darkness and agony of Gethsemane and Calvary. God forgives sin at the cost of his own Son. The great atonement of Christ was rendered necessary because God could not make light of sin, though he desired to save the sinner. We can be saved from our sin, not by making light of it, but when we fully confess its whole guilt and shame.