If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
New International Version (NIV)
What do we do about our sin? John saw that we have two basic responses: deny or confess. Something within us wants to justify our own behavior. John is clear: if we claim to be without sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. David said in Psalm 32 that when he denied his sin his bones ached. He knew what he had done but pretended like he had not done it. When we were young, one of our dogs yelped and my dad said, "Daniel, what did you do to the dog." My brother responded, "I don't know. I didn't even pull his tail." Then my parents knew exactly what he had done.
On the other hand we could confess -- literally say the same thing God says. When we agree with God that we have sinned, we open our hearts to the possibility of forgiveness and transformation. Not everyone is open to that kind of honesty. A wonderful lady in my second pastorate had grown up with the idea that Christians no longer sin. I confessed in a sermon one morning, "I sin. You sin. We all sin." I was telling the truth though I was not proud of it or happy about it. She was shocked. "You sin?" she asked. She lowered her eyes and walked away sadly.
When we confess we discover that God is faithful and just even if we are not. God forgives us when we confess our sins and he cleanses us not from part of our sin but from all. Remember the words to the song Grace That Is Greater: "Dark is the stain that we cannot hide. What can avail to wash it away? Look! There is flowing a crimson tide, brighter than snow you may be today." Karl Barth said, "Every day we may begin the day, we should begin the day with the confession, 'I believe in the forgiveness of sin.'"
Pray with me:
Father, we marvel at the price Christ paid for our cleansing. Help us to receive your grace today. Even though we deceive ourselves, we can never fool you. We confess our sin and turn from it to you. Thank you for forgiving us and cleansing us from all unrighteousness. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
I want to invite you to join me in memorizing 52 passages this year from the 2017 set of Fighter Verses. You can find the Fighter Verses App at the App Store on your phones or via this link http://fighterverses.com/the-verses/fighter-verses/. As we study the Bible this year, let's look at each text and learn what it says about God.
Joyfully,
Duane
Copyright 2017. All Rights Reserved.
Share this email:
Manage your preferences | Opt out using TrueRemove™
Got this as a forward? Sign up to receive our future emails.
View this email online.
