Is it hard for you to admit that you're a sinner? Or is it so easy that it becomes of little consequence? Either extreme is dangerous. Arrogance (which all of us are prone to) can prevent us from humbling ourselves to admit that we fall so very short of God's holiness...that we are not acceptable in His sight in our sinful states. On the other hand, it is very easy for us to say (and easier all the time it seems), "hey - I'm just a regular guy, I'm only human...God can't expect me to be perfect, so, yeah, I'm a sinner...God knows that's how I am, and He really doesn't expect me to be any better." Sorry - yes, He does.
Another popular concept is that the things that we're doing that are clearly against God's will, really aren't sins. They are just weaknesses, or tendencies, or "just the way we are"...so a propensity towards immorality (promiscuity, adultery), or towards lying (cheating on tests, taxes, job applications), or idolatory (materialism, covetousness, envy) aren't really sins --- they are just aspects of our personalities, a matter of our genetics, and don't qualify as "sin."
In 1 John 1:8 we are told, "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us."
I think John was pointing out to us that no matter what excuses we make, if we come before God with an attitude of self-produced righteousness, or with no guilt for our shortcomings, then we've been duped---and we've been duped by the biggest con artist of all time, the father of lies. (John 8:44 Jesus states, "You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.")
It is only when we recognize that everything within us that opposes God's will is sin, that we can come before Him and truly confess, repent, and be restored. For God has promised that when we do that, He is committed to forgiving us because of what Christ has done for us. In the very next verse follwing the one first quoted above, John gives us the cure for our dilemma..."If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."
Why are we so stubborn? Why can we not see that the rebellion in us is what causes our problems and our lack of peace and contentment? God is ready to cure us of all of that...He wants us to have lives of harmony with Him, of peace, contentment, and confidence. But those things can never be ours when we insist on holding on to the sin in our lives.
Satan tells us, "this is what makes you happy"...but when we realize that we've been listening to the father of lies, rather than listening to our Father of Truth, and we give up our hearts of stone for a heart that is ready to house the Spirit of the Living God, then we can receive His forgiveness and begin to live the life that Christ promised, "I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of." (John 10:10, The Message)
Don't be afraid to let go of the sin in your life...Jesus is holding something so much more...something "more and better" than you've ever dreamed of. He is good, He is loving, and He is ready to offer you something so much more.
1 comment:
It is not hard for me to admit than I am a sinner. I pray each day for God's forgiveness. We all imagine what Heaven might be like. But, it is better than anything we can imagine or dream of. I can't realize God's Power and his Glory. We will never know what Heaven is like until we die from our earthly lives and go to live eternity with God. I believe God is Good and He is Loving and Kind. I pray for Him to watch over me and comfort me until the day comes for me to rise up and Live with Him.
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