Guiding Light!
Sin!
........"What comes out of a man is what makes him 'unclean.' For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man 'unclean.'" Mark 7:20-23
Sin is an incurable disease and we all have it. Only Christ's healing touch can miraculously take away our sins and restore us to real living. But first, we must realize our inability to cure ourselves and ask for Christ's saving help.
Sin has an inward as well as an outward aspect. Do we worry more about what is in our diet than what is in our heart and mind? As they interpreted the dietary laws (Lev 11), the Jews believed they could be clean before God because of what they refused to eat. But Jesus pointed out that sin actually begins in the attitudes and intentions of the inner person. Jesus did not degrade the law, but he paved the way for the change made clear in (Acts 10:9-29) when God removed the cultural restrictions regarding food. We are not pure because of outward acts, we become pure on the inside as Christ renews our mind and transforms us into his image.
Sin is the universal separation of people from God. Paul uses these Old Testament references to show that humanity in general, in its present sinful condition, is unacceptable before God. Have you ever thought to yourself, Well, I'm not too bad. I'm a pretty good person? Look at these verses (Roman 3:9-20) and see if any of them apply to you. Have you ever lied? Have you ever hurt someone's feelings by your words or tone of voice? Are you bitter toward anyone? Do you become angry with those who strongly disagree with you? In thought, word, and deed, you, like everyone else in the world, stand guilty before God. We must remember who we are in His sight, alienated sinners. Don't deny that you are a sinner. Instead, allow your desperate need to point you toward Christ.
Sin is in our nature and must be faced by every person. The last time someone accused you of wrongdoing, what was your reaction? Denial, argument, and defensiveness? The Bible tells us the world stands silent and accountable before almighty God. No excuses or arguments are left. Have you reached the point with God where you are ready to hang up your defenses and await his decision? If you haven't, stop now and admit your sin to him.
Sin deserves punishment. God was willing to forgive those who made unintentional errors if they realized their mistakes quickly and corrected them. However, those who defiantly and deliberately sinned received a harsher judgment. Intentional sin grows out of an improper attitude toward God. A child who knowingly disobeys his parents challenges their authority and dares them to respond. Both the act and the attitude have to be dealt with.
Without Christ, the results of sin are death. You are free to choose between two masters, but you are not free to manipulate the consequences of your choice. Each of the two masters pays with his own kind of currency. The currency of sin is death. That is all you can expect or hope for in life without God. Christ's currency is eternal life, new life with God that begins on earth and continues forever with God. What choice have you made?
With Christ, sins are forgiven and eternal life is given. Eternal life is a free gift from God. If it is a gift, then it is not something that we earn, nor something that must be paid back. Consider the foolishness of someone who receives a gift given out of love and then offers to pay for it. A gift cannot be purchased by the recipient. A more appropriate response to a loved one who offers a gift is graceful acceptance with gratitude. Our salvation is a gift from God, not something of our own doing (Eph 2:8-9). He saved us because of his kindness and pity, not because we were good enough to be saved (Titus 3:5). How much more we should accept with thanksgiving the gift that God has freely given to us.
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalms 139:23-24
Heavenly Father, we come to you now in humble adoration seeking your presence, forgive us Lord for the sins we have committed unto you and you alone. Cleanse us as clean an new fallen snow, see us in Christ's image and we will be forgiven. We thank you for your forgiveness and we vow to try harder to follow your instructions. Blessed be the name of Jesus.............amen
In Christ's Service,
Kenny Millhouse
kenny@guidinglightministry.com
Guiding Light Ministry - an evangelistic outreach!
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