Christian Living
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I John 1:9
What sins do Christians commit? Most of us have not meditated murder. We have not robbed the local drug store, or gone into Wal-Mart and taken a box of chocolate without paying for it. We have not committed adultery or had an affair with our husband’s boss, nor have we posed in nude for the centerfold in some racy magazine.
We try not to lie or gossip, and certainly we are so careful not to judge anyone. We don't swear or curse (well, we try not to anyway, and you are so much better than you used to be, right?) We drink no alcohol and we don't smoke; most certainly we don't do street drugs. We are good employees at work and are in church every Sunday. We read our bibles and pray, and we might even tithe and give money to special projects. We are very, very careful to observe the Ten Commandments.
Like John, beloved, these things write I unto you, that your joy may be full. This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. (I John 1:4-5).
Furthermore, John says to believers: If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
So beloved, do you walk in darkness, deceiving yourself that all is well with your soul and your relationship with the LORD because you do not those things that are against the law? Have you become so Pharisaical in your self-righteousness, that you thank God that you are not like those heathens who do such things as God hates? How much of your prayer time is spent confessing unrighteousness; for John says by the power of the Holy Spirit, that we are lying if we say we have no sin.
And he was writing to the believers.
We may ask God to forgive us for not reading our bibles. Maybe we ask for forgiveness for not witnessing to our friends and family. We ask for forgiveness because we skipped church for no good reason, and maybe we watched a movie or TV show with sexual innuendos, nudity, and a few curse words. We laughed at a joke that did not glorify the character and nature of a Holy God.
But to truly confess our sins and restore intimate fellowship, we must give the right name to our offense. We must allow the LIGHT to shine in our darkness to reveal the truth. And the truth is: We do not love the LORD will ALL our hearts, our souls,our mind and strength. That is the first and great commandment in the Law and we fail every day. Let's stop deceiving ourselves.
We need to admit self-righteousness and pride for most of us think more highly of ourselves than we should. We have forgotten the pit from which we were digged and how undeserving we are of grace on a daily basis. We must admit that we have allowed our eyes to behold things in the darkness that the LORD would never endure in His light. We must admit our growing apathy to the sin around us while blaming it on the culture. We fail to pray and read the Word, because other things and people are more important to us. We must confess having other gods before Him that we would rather give our time, money, and energy to. We would rather ask for forgiveness rather than wisdom, and abuse the grace of God. We have become weary in well doing, and now we are just going through the motions. We are just acting.
We are hypocrites.
We say we will follow and do whatever the LORD wants, but we don't want to be homeless, hungry, sick, or in pain. We offer conditional obedience and again, we fail to love Him with ALL our heart, soul, mind, and strength.
We worry.
We fear.
We are unthankful and take the air we breathe for granted.
More is expected of us, than those who do not believe, and yet we have grown at ease in Zion. If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (v.7) In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. (John 1: 4-5)
But we no longer are walking in the dark. Ephesians 5:8-17 tells us this truth. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth ;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord.
It is the will of the LORD beloved, that we confess our sins. It is His will that we wake up.
Let's redeem the time and let's be wise.
May we sincerely seek fellowship with our Father and our God, and purpose to have NO fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness.
You are light in the LORD beloved.
Walk as children of the LIGHT!
My son, my daughter - the LORD pleads with you - forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee. Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart. (Proverbs 3:1-3).
That you might not sin against God.
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