Sin and Consequences
Father, what then? Shall I sin because I am not under law but under grace? Certainly not! I have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that I may be married to another—to Jesus who was raised from the dead, that I should bear fruit to God. I am not without Your law, Father, for I am under Christ’s law. The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But I thank You, Lord God, who give me the victory through my Lord Jesus Christ. The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. Whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. If the Son makes me free, I shall be free indeed. Therefore, I will stand fast in the liberty by which Christ has made me free, and not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage to sin. May I never cheapen Your costly grace, Lord, by sinning intentionally knowing that You will forgive me. Instead, enable me to avoid sin and glorify You. ROMANS 6:14; ROMANS 6:15; ROMANS 7:4; 1 CORINTHIANS 9:21; 1 CORINTHIANS 15:56–57; ROMANS 8:2; JOHN 8:34, 36; GALATIANS 5:1 - Dr. David Jeremiah Life-Changing Moments with God
If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. ROMANS 10:9
When we hear the word confess, we probably think of sin. We know we’re to confess our sin so we can be forgiven and enjoy fellowship with a holy God. From Genesis through Revelation, we read about the dreadfulness of sin and the importance of confession. Notice how confess is used in Romans 10:9. The Greek behind this word means “to say the same thing” or “to agree.” In the context of acknowledging sin, confess means agreeing with God about our sinful condition. In the context of Romans 10:9, confess means agreeing with God about the importance of His Son’s death and resurrection. The simple but profound phrase “Jesus is Lord” is considered the earliest Christian confession. Confessions of faith and of sin, however, involve more than intellectual assent; these confessions include the desire to align our lives with God’s truth. Confession of sin is perhaps motivated initially by the knowledge of divine judgment and our need for cleansing. But believers whose relationship with Jesus is deepening are moved to confession out of their heartfelt desire to allow nothing in their lives to separate them from their Savior. - Blackaby Being Still With God
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:26
From our hearts comes our response to God. Apart from the cleansing work of the Holy Spirit, our hearts are extremely deceitful (Prov. 17:9). David prayed that God would cleanse him from the ravages of his sin and purify his heart (Ps. 51:10). God's greatest desire is that His people love Him with all their hearts (Deut. 6:5). Jesus said we are blessed if our hearts are pure (Matt. 5:8). Sin hardens the heart (Matt. 13:4, 19). The more sin we allow to pass over our hearts and through our lives, the more resistant we become to a word from God. The sin of unforgiveness stiffens our hearts. We cannot continue to resist the prompting of the Holy Spirit without becoming hardened against Him. Exposing ourselves to evil and ungodly influences desensitizes us to God and His word. Over time, our hearts become like stone, unreceptive to a fresh word from God. We become anesthetized to sin. Has your heart grown hard toward God? Do you feel as though nothing could soften it? God has a solution. He will separate you from the influences that are destroying you (Ezek. 36:24). He will cleanse you from all filthiness and remove everything that has taken His place in your affections (Ezek. 36:25). He will remove your heart of stone and replace it with a heart of flesh, tender toward Him and His Word. If your love for God is not what it should be, ask Him to renew your heart and restore your devotion to Him. - Blackaby Experiencing God Day by Day
My Dear Reader, do you see the path these 3 devotionals take? The first mentions intentionally sinning because we know we can be forgiven. The second goes on to teach us to really agree with God concerning sin. The third emphasizes why we shouldn't allow sin to have a foothold in our lives. It hardens the heart.
It's never a good thing, at least emotionally, to have a wrong pointed out. To have an error revealed. Be it a big one or a small one. But have you really looked at your level of acceptance of things that are wrong the more it's repeated? This shows a hardening of a heart towards that particular thing.
20 plus years ago we moved to the 'big city' in which we live now. I can look back on those days so long ago and remember how the daily driving behaviors of people scared the life out of me. Today? The same things just annoy me or don't even phase me. Why? My heart or mind has been hardened towards it.
In your life have you been selectively agreeing with God concerning sin in your life?
Are you no where near as sensitive to sin as you once were when you came to Christ? Or if you are just 'dead' to the reality of the consequences of sin?
If you haven't yet come to Christ, have you ever wondered why bad things aren't bothering you in your life? Of why you so often feel like it's you against the world? That more often than not your response is if you can't beat them join them? My Friend it has everything to do with sin and its consequences. It is sinful people we meet every day who are either fighting sin or giving in to it.
We choose to sin or not to, after we come to Christ Jesus, those who are saved by Him that is. Those who have not yet accepted or believed are fighting a battle in a dark room against a foe they will never see. Only the light of Jesus Christ illuminates sin in all its sinfulness.
Paul describes what God's Word did in him. If it wasn't for the light of God's truth he never would have known what coveting was. Never would have known what any sin was.
We have to choose to follow Jesus. Not when it's convenient to do so, but immediately.
Jesus told of several who basically had other things to do before coming to follow Him. He told it this way:
Luke 9:57-62 As they were going on the road, someone said to Him, “I will follow You wherever You go.” And Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” And He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.” But He said to him, “Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God.” Another also said, “I will follow You, Lord; but first permit me to say goodbye to those at my home.” But Jesus said to him, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”
You cannot effectively serve two with all your heart. You cannot have two agendas. Cannot have zeal, fervor and passion for God and an equal amount to give to things in this world.
You must strive to do away with sin and sinful behavior. Agreeing with God concerning sin. Rejecting sins foothold in your life and living a life that honors your relationship with Christ Jesus.
Look at your life and be honest. Because in the here and now you have the chance, the opportunity, to do something about it. Those in Christ can turn and repent. Those not yet in Christ Jesus can come, be saved, and receive the power over sin that they can never obtain on their own. Measure the hardness of your heart towards sin and do something about it today.
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