James certainly thinks he has the answer as he wrote: “Anyone then, who knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, COMMITS SIN.” (4:17) It might be better to change it from anyone, to everyone, because we all know we sin. If you know what is the right thing to do and you fail to do it you are committing sin. I’m talking as much to myself as to anyone else, we are all sinners because we know the right thing to do, but in most cases fail to do it. Wham, we are sinning.

From the very beginning of Genesis to the last word in Revelation, the whole bible completely explains how humanity has continued to sin by failing to do what is the right thing to do. James goes on to explain even further, the more we learn about Christ and the life He lived, the more we need to live as Christ Himself taught and lived! Through Jesus we learn how life ought to be lived, but then we have the freedom to live up to our convictions, and this is where our sin comes in to play.

For every one of us who confess a faith directed by Christ Himself, it is double jeopardy if we should live against the very thing that we believe. When you think about it, double jeopardy is sinning with a witness; and it is the worse sin we can commit. That is to sin against our own conscience. It is double trouble as we do the very thing we know we ought not to do. This could very well be labeled double jeopardy, doing the very thing we hate because while still knowing of the love we have in Christ.

Prayer

O Lord Jesus, You gave Your very life to die upon the cross because of Your love for us, yet, we though in faith continue to do the very thing we hate. Lord, forgive us. Amen.