Mistakes or Sins

“Have mercy upon me, Oh God, according to thy loving kindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.” (Psalm 51:1)

The difference in a “mistake” and “sin” is that mistakes can be corrected with a little “white-out” or an eraser.  Sin requires confession, repentance and the blood of Jesus to cleanse.

David had committed his terrible sin with Bathsheba, another man’s wife, and then had him murdered to try to cover up his sin of adultery.  Nathan, the prophet of God came to David and confronted him.  David’s confession and contrition are found in Psalm 51.

In looking at David’s confession, nowhere does he say that he made a “mistake.”  He uses five strong words in his confession. He calls it “transgressions” twice in verse one. He calls it “iniquity” three times, and he calls it “sin” four times, “evil” once and “sins” (plural) once.

If we are going to be real and serious with God we must call sin what it is and let Him deal with it on that basis.  In my opinion it is an insult to God, who sent His Son to die on the cross and to shed His blood to pay our sin debt, to class sin as a mistake.