I was thinking through the list of the works of the flesh. 

[19] Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, [20] idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, [21] envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

(Galatians 5:19-21 ESV)

Rather than focusing on the ones I were guilty with, I made a checklist of those I did not struggle with, i.e., sorcery, orgies, etc, etc. In my mind, since everyone struggles with idolatry, enmity, and others like these, I simply convince myself “it’s not that bad.” 

In coming up with a checklist, I believe, the Spirit gently nudged me “jessica, you think too highly of yourself.”

Then, I realized, Adam and Eve only bit into a fruit.  Have you ever thought about that? Did they yell at someone? Did they commit sexual immorality, drunkenness, sorcery, idolatry, rivalries, dissensions, divisions? I’m sure those who are “technicalists” would say yes. But, for those who aren’t such annoying sticklers, from the naked eye - all Adam and Eve did was bite into a fruit. Yet, all hell broke lose. One bite is all it took for this world to turn into Satan’s playground. Seriously, one bite. 

You see, as I look at the list of the works of flesh, being guilty of one sin on that list makes me equally guilty of all those other sins - yes, even sorcery, orgies, and the like. 

[10] For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it.  (James 2:10 ESV)

See, many of us can read the list of the works of flesh and be like “oh I’m not guilty of this or that.” Yet, James says, if you fail at one point, you have become accountable for all of it. Yes, gasp, as if I was even guilty of orgies. How does that make sense? I credit much of this explanation to a fellow Westminster peer Mike Suh.

“…you may think, “How can that be? How can disobeying 1 command be the same as disobeying all the commands?” Well, James provides an answer in the next verse. He explains that what he’s just said in v.10 is true because all the commands have the same source, i.e. God. In noting this, I believe James points us past the Law itself to the One whose character the Law reflects and whose Kingship the Law administers. Therefore, there’s equivalence between violating 1 part of the Law and the entire Law because either case is really about something more fundamental, which is rebellion against the King Himself. Sin isn’t just the violation of a commandment or principle; rather, it’s more fundamentally relational, for it’s rebellion against God, your Creator and King.”

the end.