The Hard Way

This scripture is carefully said. It's positive and then not so positive. It doesn't say the transgressors. It just says transgressors. If Solomon had written it that way it would seem that he excluded himself from transgressors. He's not saying how bad others are or the world is. He includes himself. I am part of it too. All of us are basically the same. The Lord inspired Solomon to write it the way it is. Plain and simple–the way of transgressors is hard.

The way of a sinner–yes. The way of the wicked–yes. It is hard for those. It also points us to the fact that is has something of us in the word. Sin is not transgression. Transgression is sin. We generalize with God, and He wants us to be specific. You don't catch sin as you would a cold or virus. Sin is what happens when we transgress, when we go beyond the limits God has set. When we ignore the signs, we trespass. God has put boundaries for our good. There are fences and we are not to go beyond that limit. When we do, we trespass and it is sin!

A transgression is to deliberately break a set and known rule. We all live by rules. Our bodies work with the set of rules God has set. When one part of our body breaks down, something else breaks down in response. The laws of the universe are rules. If the earth didn't rotate on its axis as it does this would not be habitable world. There are rules at home. We have personal rules. There are rules to follow as a citizen of the U.S. The county, state and national governments have all set rules. We don't get out the rule books. We just know the rules.

The traffic rules are there for our protection. Signs tell us what is ahead. Most automatically obey the traffic rules or the blue light comes on. God has set rules in His Word. The rules for our soul are eternal. God knows what we don't. He knows past, present, and future. God knows what is best to get us from here to heaven. God knows how to get us through a day. The rules are not there to be mean. God understands our human tendencies. When we obey the rules, we are content and satisfied. We have a joyful life with assurance and peace of where we're going. God didn't make the rules for himself but for us. God obeys those very laws because they are himself. God is the rule and the rule is God. Without the rules of the highway many of us would be dead. God's rules are meant to make life better. He understands how much we do need them.

We can't say I'm free and can do anything I want. That is not right thinking. Wrong thinking has been the problem since Adam and Eve pushed God away. Every generation has done the same thing and took it the hard way. A transgressor deliberately break a set rule. We can't change right and wrong. God knows it, but we think we do. We conflict with God; we're fools; we don't know a thing. We MUST listen to God. When we transgress life immediately becomes hard. The way of transgressors is hard. It's not a maybe hard. IT IS HARD. We have and will transgress if we don't accept and live by the rules. We don't catch sin–it is sin; it is a transgression.

I have transgressed. Am I transgressing right now? Is there something in my life that ought not be. Sometimes we don't pay attention to the rules. We may take a look at the green, red and yellow traffic lights and not really pay attention; we may avoid them to get further along down the road. Sometimes we avoid looking at God's rules. We don't pay attention.Maybe we don't read God's Word as we should because it tells us how it is. We can transgress openly or secretly and be so used to doing it we don't think a thing about it. We don't consider the full scope of it. But the moment we transgress it happens, not later but then. If affects tomorrow; we'll be worse off than today. It also affects right now. We are separated from God. Samson didn't realize he was separated, but he was. Did we used to feel guilty but have become so used to it that we think nothing of it now? We have changed because of it. I have gotten a speeding ticket before and looked at like a criminal. I have a record in Richmond. I am a criminal to them.

We can't cast the rules aside and think we are not changed. It's sad to say that many don't realize they have changed. A murderer doesn't set out in life to be a murderer. Don't say I'd never do that. We all have the potential to be a murderer. In the eyes of God a lie is the same as a murder. Hard feelings in a heart is the same as murder in the eyes of God. Transgression is sin and makes us guilty before God. There is a loss and life is hard. The way of transgressors is hard.

The good understanding means given favor. There is goodness, rightness, and purpose in life. But by breaking the rules we make it hard on ourselves. We need the favor of God. God makes us happy and happy with ourselves.

I'm not going to ask if you have transgressed. We have transgressed. What are we going to do about it? It's time we start following the rules. Remember the Lord's prayer. Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day, our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses (our transgressions) as we forgive those who have trespassed (transgressed) against us.