Any way you slice it

Take a piece of fruit and a knife.

Cut the fruit into bite-size pieces, quarters, or halves.

It's still that piece of fruit, just changed into a different form for easy eating.

Any way we slice "sin" it's still sin.

Aren't there many kinds of sins? Romans 1:26-32; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Galatians 5:19-21; Colossians 3:5-9

Aren't there many degrees of sins, some that are worse than others? Matthew 12:31; John 19:11; 1 Corinthians 6:18

Whether we slice sin into small pieces ("Oh, that's not so bad") or large ones ("That's horrible! How could they do that!?"), it's still sin.

Think of a favorite food that you have.

You would love to eat a lot but for health reasons, well...

"I really shouldn't eat too much of this. I'll have just a LITTLE PIECE. That's okay, right?"

JESUS SUFFERED FOR OUR SINS

Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people. Proverbs 14:34

Jesus told His first disciples,

"I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before My suffering." Luke 22:15

"Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and then to enter His glory?" Luke 24:26

Paul wrote, 

What then shall we say? Shall we continue in sin so that grace may increase?

Certainly not! How can we who died to sin live in it any longer? Romans 6:1-2

Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven works through the whole batch of dough?

Get rid of the old leaven, that you may be a new unleavened batch, as you really are.

For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 1 Corinthians 5:6-7

Peter wrote,

He Himself [Jesus] bore our sins in His body on the tree,

so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.

"By His stripes you are healed." 1 Peter 2:24

John wrote,

And from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.

To Him Who loves us and has released us from our sins by His blood. Revelation 1:5

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you will not sin.

But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate before the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.

He Himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. 1 John 2:1-2

CROWN OF THORNS

Years ago I saw a wooden crown of thorns that was used for an Easter display. 

It was in a storage closet.

I accidentally brushed against it and yelled, "Ow!"

And they twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on His [Jesus] head.

They put a staff in His right hand and knelt down before Him to mock Him, saying,

"Hail, King of the Jews!"

Then they spit on Him and took the staff and struck Him on the head repeatedly. Matthew 27:29-30

It's painful to have one thorn stick the skin.

An unprotected head stuck by many thorns and hit again and again by a rod is too much suffering.

The Lord Jesus Christ felt that pain. John 19:2 

His back was whipped. John 19:1 

His face was punched. Luke 22:63-64 

He was spat on. Mark 15:19 

His body was nailed to a Roman cross. Mark 15:24-25; 1 Corinthians 1:18; Colossians 1:20; 2:14; Hebrews 12:2

God the Father laid on Him the sins, pains, diseases, and sicknesses of the world. Isaiah 52:13-15; 53:4-6

Jesus, the Savior of the world, John 4:40-42; 1 John 4:14 suffered for you; for me; for all. 1 Timothy 2:5

NOW HIGHLY EXALTED

And being found in appearance as a man, He [Jesus] humbled Himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross.

Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name above all names,

that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:8-11

"Why are you troubled," Jesus asked, "and why do doubts arise in your hearts?

Look at My hands and My feet. It is I Myself.

Touch Me and see—for a spirit does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have."

And when He had said this, He showed them His hands and feet. Luke 24:38-40

Jesus said to them,

"These are the words I spoke to you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms."

Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.

And He told them, "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day,

and in His name repentance and forgiveness of sins will be proclaimed to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem." Luke 24:44-47

I thought about how painful it was when one thorn from the crown of thorns stuck me.

"How can I treat sin as something other than what it COST the Lord Jesus Christ?"

I was ashamed that I wasn't more serious about turning from sins, small to large.

Maybe it's a good time to examine ourselves. Proverbs 28:13; 2 Corinthians 13:5; 1 John 1:5-10

For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. Romans 8:13

If we're willing and humble, He will give more favor to help us. James 4:4-7

Your thoughts?

R. Jason