Sin
Google says the meaning of sin is regrettable action, nothing more nothing less.
The world has watered down the word sin so much that it in no way lines up with the Word of God. We can’t tell the difference right and wrong let alone right and almost right.
The Biblical definition of sin in both the Old and New Testaments says sin is deviating from the obedience to God’s character and will. The Bible describes sin as a transgression of the law of God and rebellion against God.
1 John 3:4
'Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. '
Deuteronomy 9:7
'“Remember! Do not forget how you provoked the Lord your God to wrath in the wilderness. From the day that you departed from the land of Egypt until you came to this place, you have been rebellious against the Lord . '
Joshua 1:8
'This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. '
Charles Spurgeon said:
“True repentance is a turning of the heart, as well as of the life; it is the giving up of the whole soul to God, to be His forever and ever; it is the renunciation of the sins of the heart as well as the crimes of the life.”
1John 1:8-10
8 'If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.'
These verses, hold the keys to understanding our human nature, our need for repentance and the promise of restoration through God’s grace.
God calls us to not only turn from sin but to turn our whole heart not just the little closet some want to put Him into. He wants us to not only confess with our mouths but with our lives.
If we do, He promises to not just forgiveness but a mind renewal and restoration that only His grace can give.
2 Chronicles 7:14
'if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. '
1 John 1:8-10 tells us “if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. So many times, we don’t want to recognize our own sin and we want to say but I am a good person. We have to realize we are not perfect and that we make mistakes, and we need God’s grace.
I agree this is not an easy task and requires humility and deep soul searching on our part. We have to let go of our pride and self-righteousness. We have to face the truth about our selves no matter how much it hurts.
But you know what, think of how free you will feel when you admit you are not perfect and let God’s grace give you peace. No more struggling to put on the show of a perfect person.
The scriptures also say “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” It is a promise that if we are willing to admit our mistakes and seek forgiveness, we will find it in the boundless grace of God.
Now the promise of forgiveness and cleansing is not a license to sin, its not a license to continue the sinful life. It is a call to turn our hearts from our sinful ways and turn toward God. We are to strive to live a righteous life not by our power but by the grace of God.
No matter how good we think we are or how self-righteous, we are all sinners! These verses are a warning against the temptation to ignore our sinful ways and say things like “well I am human, or God knows my heart”.
All too often we want to down play our sinful nature and believe we are above sin. How many times have you heard sinful I have been going to church since I was a little kid?
This is a warning that we are all sinners, that we all fall short, and we all are in need of God’s grace.
It is a reminder that no matter how good we think we are or how righteous we believe ourselves to be we are all in need of a savior!
It is a reminder that our righteousness does not come from us it comes from God who forgives us and cleanses us from all unrighteousness.
It is in His forgiveness that we realize really who we are and recognize ourselves as children of God. We are redeemed by His grace, restored by His love, and renewed by His Spirit.
When we turn our entire Hearts to God we are at the crossroad of repentance and confession. This is a place where we can find liberation from sin and our shortcomings and lay it all at the foot of the Cross.
Repentance and confession are not two separate things they are together. Repentance is a heart response and confession is the mouth’s response to repentance. Without repentance confession is just a bunch of empty words and without confession repentance is a hidden change of heart.
This intersection is a place to claim the victory and the restoration of God’s grace!
Sin is a condition that is in all of us. It is what separates us from God. Romans 3:23 says “we all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” This is the reality of our human condition. The good news is God is His infinite love and grace He made a way for us to be restored to Him. This is the beauty of God’s grace!
His grace is His love in action, reaching out to us in our sinfulness, offering us forgiveness and restoring us to a relationship with Him!
The restoration of that relationship isn’t something we deserve or can earn. It is a free gift that God gives us out of His love for us.
Restoration through God’s grace we need to understand involves a transformation. When we accept God’s forgiveness we are not just forgiven; we are changed. We are made new. Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come; The old has gone, the new is here.
- S. Lewis said “ The Christian does not think God will love us because we are good, but that God will make us good because He love us”
Restoration is not a single event, but a process. It is a journey of growth and transformation that continues throughout our lives. As we walk with God our relationship with Him grows, shaping us, molding us and making us more like Christ.
This restoration is not a job half done it is a complete restoration Philippians 1:6 says “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
God’s love for us is so vast, so deep, so wide, that He willingly forgives us when we come to Him with a remorseful heart. He does not just forgive, He cleanses us, He restores us, He makes us new. That my friends is the kind of God we serve, a God of second chances and of new beginnings.