Dealing with Sin

 Sin starts in the mind, at least that is my experience. I think something selfish or untoward about others. I might start verbalizing my thoughts, depending on that inner drive to get some attention or make my complaint (or boasting or whatever) known. I also might act on it, like avoid the person that upsets me, or be snippy with other people, or tell tales that are ought not to be told.

Most of the time I’m quickly aware of what I’m doing and want to make it right. Not always, but if joy is gone, I know that I’ve a need to confess. Here is where today’s devotional offers good advice. The verses about confession are clear:

If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. (1 John 1:6–10)

Even though I have known and made much of verse 9 being vital to spiritual growth, getting to it has a couple of detours. One is being surprised that I thought or did the selfish thing and am suddenly discouraged and want to give up thinking I will never able to conquer that thing, whatever it is. Usually a repeat.

The other problem is calling it an infirmity that is simply part of life and refusing to be candid and above-board about it. This is a reflection of Satan’s words: “Oh, it really isn’t so bad.”

Either of these two excuses is fatal to any real growth and progress in the life of holiness. The only way is to face the sad fact at once, call the thing by its right name, and discover, if possible, the reason and the remedy.

Rarely is the reason an infirmity. God promises to supply all my needs. I’m not physically infirm (blind, deaf, crippled, etc.) nor are we suffering poverty, difficulties with family or neighbors or in our church. I’m not lonely, afraid, depressed, nor struggling with anything more than a lot of ambition and less energy and time to take care of the necessities of being a wife, mom, gran, homemaker, etc. I am also thankful for God’s goodness and yet I still can be overcome with selfishness.

This says much about the latent power of that old dead nature. It does keep trying to rise again, yet Jesus declares it dead to Him and me alive to God. Such a war, yet that Word of God promises victory, if not now, certainly eventually.

Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. (1 John 3:2–3)

Again, life with Christ requires total honesty with Him and with myself. Sin is only a momentarily disturbance as long as I deal with it honestly. Today’s devotional reminds me that any failure, sudden or otherwise, is no reason for being discouraged and giving up all as lost. The integrity of what I believe is not touched by my failures. Because of Christ, this is my walk, not my state before God. The highway of holiness is not a place but a way. Sanctification is not a thing to be picked up at a certain stage of our experience and forever after possessed; it is a life to be lived day by day and hour by hour. I may for a moment turn aside from a path, but the path is not obliterated by my wandering and can be instantly regained. Such is the grace of God.

PRAY: Salvation is complete and assured. Not because of my performance but because of Your shed blood, Your grace and forgiveness. Jesus, You are the reason I live and my hope. Even when I stumble, You pick me up, dust me off, hear my prayers, and give me deep joy. For this, I love You and eagerly look to You, even when flat on my face. Thank You so much for all that You are and do.

What to do with the sin I see . . .

 

When God reveals the sin in my life to me, I know what I’m supposed to do: “If I confess my sins, He is faithful and just to forgive me my sins and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). This is personal; I cannot pray that when I see sin in the life of others, at least the last part. They must see and confess their own sin. But what if they do not see it?

Convicting others of sin is the work of the Holy Spirit. While God instructs us with: “If anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted” (Galatians 6:1) the last part is easy to ignore. We are all in the same boat in this battle against sin. It is too easy to fall into a ‘holier than thou’ attitude when I see sin in someone else. I’m sure this is part of what Jesus had in mind when He said:

“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” (Matthew 7:1–5)

Often the things I see in others are simply reflections of what I don’t like in my own life. That ‘log’ keeps me from seeing clearly, from knowing how to help someone else with the same sin. This is a big reason for keeping short accounts with God, for asking Him to:

Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! (Psalm 139:23–24)

As Christians, we are to put others first, but not in this case. I must deal with my own issues, or I will not have any right or ability to help others with the same issue. While I can share my problem with them, I’ve no ground to talk about their problem — with them or with anyone else.

Today’s devotional is about the joy of intercession, of praying for others, taking concerns to God rather than stew over them or share my concerns with anyone else. As Paul wrote, I’m to “thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy” (Philippians 1:3–4).

The devotional writer tells of a nurse who used her hands to represent those needing prayer. She knew the joy of praying for others as did Paul. He did what he told his readers to do: “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:4). James agreed and wrote this:

Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. (James 5:16)

The devotional writer rightly says that lack of Holy Spirit joy debilitates compassion and hinders prayer. I can come to the Lord accusing others of sin, which is something Satan does (see Revelation 12:10) instead of interceding for them, which is what Jesus does.

Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. (Romans 8:34)

My prayers and my words ought to be full of praise to God for His goodness to others, as well as for their needs and full of thankfulness for what He is doing, not criticism for what people are doing . . . as if God does not already know all about that. Never forget that Jesus died for those things — rather than shaking a finger at them.

Lord, You show me reflections of myself that bother me. I need to deal with that. You also show me needs in the lives of others. I need to intercede for them. Give me clarity, that I don’t mix the two, get annoyed with Christians who sin, think I am better than they are, or worse yet, gossip with other about what You have revealed to me for intercession, not for any other reason. Thank You for Your unconditional love. Grant me more of that so I may glorify You.

STUDY: Read John 17, Christ’s intercessory prayer for His disciples. What is eternal life? What was Christ’s mission? How does the world react to us? What is the best way to convince people that God sent Jesus?