Sin - Malachi 3:5

Malachi 3:5 (ESV)

Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the LORD of hosts.

When the “Messenger of the Covenant” comes, he comes with judgment against his people. The judgment is for the purpose of purifying his people. It is, however, the categories of sins that cause us to wonder. If we, as Anglo Evangelicals, were to list our top five sins it would likely be something like, Abortion, Child Abuse, Sexual Deviancy, Drugs and Alcohol abuse, and Violence. Maybe not in that order, but it would likely include all of those. Of the five that God accuses Israel of none are on our top five. He lists Sorcerers, Adulterers, those who Swear Falsely, Oppressors of hired workers, widows, and orphans, and those Unwilling to Help aliens and immigrants. It makes me wonder why God’s list is different from ours.

It also makes me wonder if I need to rethink my own understanding of sin and injustice. Certainly, different sins tend to rise to the top at different times in different cultures, yet throughout the Scriptures these five things are addressed repeatedly even in the New Testament. But sometimes I think we miss them. For example, several times in the New Testament Epistles hospitality is mentioned. When we think of hospitality, we think of hosting friends for a dinner party. Those with a “gift of hospitality” are those who are quick to welcome people into their home and provide a meal. But in the Bible hospitality was about more than just welcoming people into their home. It was about welcoming strangers into their home. It was about how aliens and immigrants were treated. That’s just one misunderstanding that has developed. As we celebrate the time when God immigrated from Heaven to earth as a man, perhaps we need to rethink what sins grieve heart.