Holy Knowledge

I have a message from God in my heart
concerning the sinfulness of the wicked:

There is no fear of God
before their eyes.
In their own eyes they flatter themselves
too much to detect or hate their sin.
The words of their mouths are wicked and deceitful; they fail to act wisely or do good.
Even on their beds they plot evil;
They commit themselves to a sinful course
and do not reject what is wrong.

A friend told me last month that he didn't know he was sinning before he knew Christ. He knew he wasn't to kill or steal, but the other things, the human things, how could those be sin? He didn't know God, so he didn't know what God wanted, what God was like, what holiness is.

Jim may not have known what sin was but he also didn't know what love was. He didn't know forgiveness, deep, satisfying joy, goodness that asks nothing in return.

Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the skies.
Your righteousness is like the highest mountains,
your justice like the great deep.
you, Lord, preserve both people and animals.
How priceless is your unfailing love, O God!
People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
They feast on the abundance of your house;
you give them drink from your river of delights.
For with you is the fountain of life;
in your light we see light.

Once we know God, then we really know what it is to live. Then we experience true goodness, see beauty clearly. We understand holiness, and we reverently bow in its presence, determined to be holy as well.

Psalm 36