“Falling into Sin” – A Phrase We Need to Drop

I hear it all the time. It sounds so passive. I did it again…I fell into sin. It’s like a “woops” or an “uh oh.” I was walking along just doing the best I could and the next thing I knew I was flat on my back looking up at the sky…I slipped. I fell into sin. It sounds so accidental, so casual. It sounds like we really didn’t have a choice, as if it was something that happened to us rather than something we conceived and acted out in an evil and deathly way.

“¹³When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; ¹⁴but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. ¹⁵Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” – James 1:13-15

Let’s work backward through the James passage. Death results from sin which results from OUR evil desire. This is no accidental slip up. It is a choice and because it is a choice we have responsibility for our actions. No one faults anyone for slipping on a banana peel or falling in a hole because no one means to do that. But we have to be honest with ourselves when it comes to sin. We choose it. We plan it. We do it. We reap the consequences. So let’s rid ourselves of that phrase once and for all and own up to our own weaknesses and faults and also realize that God is gracious and good. But as long as we just want to make excuses will just keep making the same mistakes and feel like we were the victim rather than the perpetrator. So let’s drop the falling bit. It is beneath us.