Sin against who?



I'm sure you know the whole story about Joseph (Genesis 37-50) and the part where Joseph's brothers, being envious of him, decided to kill him,  but because Big brother Reuben interceded on his behalf,  they decided to throw him into a pit. 

While Big brother Reuben was away,  they decided to sell him as a slave (because according to God's plan Joseph had to be in Egypt one way or the other).
13 years after the incident, Joseph became Prime Minister of Egypt  (at age 30) and his brothers went shopping in Egypt  because of the famine. During an interrogation session between PM Joseph and his brothers,  Reuben said "Did I not speak to you saying 'Do not sin against the boy'?"  (Gen 42:22)
Sin against who?  The boy.

Rewind back to when Joseph was in Potiphar's house and Mrs Potiphar wanted to sleep with the handsome and dashing Hebrew boy. In his conversation with her,  he said "How then can I do this great wickedness,  and sin against God? "
Sin against who? God.

If weighed on a scale,  you'll agree with me that what Joseph's brothers had in mind against him i.e death, would weigh more. Yet, Joseph considered adultery more grievous; not against man,  but against God.

Talk about the fear of God, Joseph had it, and walked in it.

But Joseph didn't FLEE from temptation because he didn't want his Boss to sack him if he found out that he slept with his wife, or because he didn't want to go back to being a slave.  No! He fled because he didn't want to tamper with the sweet heartfelt fellowship he had with his Maker,  he wanted a conscience void of sin. He fled because he knew about the covenant God had with his Fathers   i.e Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Lemme take a quick detour here:
Joseph, being his father's favourite would have spent a lot of time at home with his dad who would have told him stories of how Abram left his father's house, down to when "Abram and Sarai" had an identity change to "Abraham and Sarah" and bore Isaac (to birth the Promise there must be a change in your identity and your mindset); down to when Jacob and Esau were born to when Jacob became Israel, and when Joseph and Benjamin were born.
These stories put in Joseph's heart, a reverence for his God,  the God of his fathers, and a desire to be a partaker of the blessings of the covenant.

We, although under a New covenant and having Better Promises, must have the same mindset.

God doesn't hate sinners, but He hates that nature of sin. So He dealt with that sin nature once and for all when The Price for our Redemption, Jesus Christ, was paid IN FULL.

Yes you have been forgiven of all your sins.
Yes you are a New creature in Christ Jesus.
Yes God The Father doesn't count your sin against you,  because whenever he looks at you  He sees the blood of our Mediator which covers you.

But wait, Grace didn't just do these  on your behalf,  for Christ's sake Grace empowered you over sin and death that they might no longer have dominion over you.

You need to be like Joseph and fear God by fleeing from every appearance of evil.

Paul instructed us to work out (not work For)  our salvation with fear and trembling.In other words,  you need to give expression to the Life and Power stored up in your inner man to dominate sin and death, and mature into SONship.

In closing, dearly beloved, like Joseph let not sin be pleasing in your eyes,  rather delight yourself in the Lord for  He longs for fellowship, communion, even partnership with you. 

Stay conscious of the Covenant and the Promises, hold fast to them,  for in Him they are Yea and Amen.

I commend you to God, and to the Word of His Grace which is able to build you up,  and to give you an inheritance amongst the saints. Amen.

#SHALOM