“I prayed, “O my God, I am utterly ashamed; I blush to lift up my face to you. For our sins are piled higher than our heads, and our guilt has reached to the heavens. From the days of our ancestors until now, we have been steeped in sin. That is why we and our kings and our priests have been at the mercy of the pagan kings of the land. We have been killed, captured, robbed, and disgraced, just as we are today.”
Ezra 9:6-7 NLT
The adage goes that “Confession is good for the soul.” Some may say that it is inappropriate for Ezra to take the blame for something he did not do. But we must understand that sin is a toxic venture that spreads by extension, regardless of who actuated it. It is like an unwanted guest that will not leave. You may not have invited it to stay, but if you do not show solidarity with the owner, it will never let go. This has always been true of our sinful state. Indeed, it was our ancestors who invited sin into our lives. We are not responsible for the original sin of Adam and Eve. Yet, they acted on our behalf, and sin is our problem to exorcise. Once it enters, it is no longer Adam’s problem. It is everyone’s problem. If we don’t accept this fact, than we condemn us all. This is hard to accept, but it is also a double edged sword. Just as sin is pervasive, so is the solution. Through one man sin entered our lives. Through one man sin can be destroyed. Christ invites us to start with owning the sin of Adam in our lives, so that we can overcome it through faith in him. This solution starts by accepting the actuality of our corporate guilt, by accepting the fact of our personal nature, and by giving it to God instead of seeking to overcome this ancient evil on our own. Ezra may not have committed the sins of the people, but he could’ve and his approach to God was righteous because he acknowledged this fact, stood in humble solidarity with his sinful brethren and then repented on all of their behalf’s. This is the gospel lived out. Jesus, too, accepted solidarity with his brethren and the burden of sin, and then nailed it to the cross.
JOSH McGARY. COM 