Why Do I Sin?

Then some of the leaders of Israel visited me, and while they were sitting with me, this message came to me from the LORD: “Son of man, these leaders have set up idols in their hearts. They have embraced things that will make them fall into sin. Why should I listen to their requests? [Ezekiel 14.1-13]

There is an age-old question answered right here in Ezekiel. That question is: "Why do I sin?"

According to the Word of God through Ezekiel, we sin because we have set up , and have embraced, idols in our hearts.

What are those idols?

Perhaps we get some insight into what those idols are in the following discussion in Ezekiel. Ezekiel 16 speaks of God's fallen people as an unfaithful wife - like a prostitute, but worse because she pays her lovers instead of them paying her. Her sin is in constant and unabandoned pursuit of self-gratification. Idols are about self.

Furthermore, we see in chapter 16 a comparison to Sodom:

As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, Sodom and her daughters were never as wicked as you and your daughters. Sodom’s sins were pride, gluttony, and laziness, while the poor and needy suffered outside her door. She was proud and committed detestable sins, so I wiped her out, as you have seen. [Ezekiel 16.48-50]

What? Sodom's sin was not homosexuality? According to Ezekiel, no. Sodom's sin was selfishness and self-seeking (pride, gluttony, and laziness). Homosexuality is merely a symptom of a greater problem - pure selfishness. The apostle Paul bears this out in Romans 1.21-27:

Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles.

So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies. They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen. That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other. And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and as a result of this sin, they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved.

The root cause of sin is idolatry. Idolatry is choosing for ourselves who or what we will worship instead of worshiping God Who alone is worthy of praise. Idolatry is not necessarily overt in the outward pursuit of a false god to worship, but can be quite subtle in simply ignoring the God Who created the universe.

These things are worth thinking about.

Father, I feel like You have spoken directly to my heart today in very enlightening ways. Help me to consider Your Word today and my response to it.