"Sins Power"

  Sin is powerful and if you don't think it is, you don't understand sin. Sometimes our understanding of sin is shallow, even empty. There are the self-righteous who just move along and find someone who fails, often many times, and they cast an insult about their not being sincere or something like that. Those who do such do not even realize that sin is using them to cast down others! 

  Just listen to us when fighting against sin. We think we can defeat it. Positive thinking, prayer, church attendance, promises and resolutions are our ways of dealing with it. Rubbish! Sin is something only the Lord can defeat! Sin is what the death of Jesus saves us from! It's not something we can overcome by a few 'religious' moves and it's done. Take some time and read carefully Rom. 7. Paul expresses there the power of sin in his life, before he came to Christ, while he was trying to keep the Law. Paul exclaimed he was "sold into bondage of sin." (Rom. 7:14) That doesn't sound like someone in control of anything but a slave only to do what the master sin said. It led to his confusion, (how many become confused in their struggles?), knowing that he would like to do what's right but the power to do right wasn't there. There wasn't anyone desiring more than Paul to do what was right! But sin dwelt in him and mastered him and there was nothing he could do on his own. Can't we see us in that? We see through this that human knowledge, human diagnosis and human resolve CANNOT master sin! What do we do? Start comparing our lives with others who we believe to be worse than us. That's how we feel better. Sin gets pushed aside and we start thinking we have done well compared to others. In this is sins greatest deceit toward us. And off we go thinking we have done well compared to them. 

  The solution? Be honest and own up to your sin. That's where it begins. We have to be willing to face our sins in order for God to defeat sin in us. A person baptized into union with Jesus is not about a religious act so we can go to heaven. It is where Jesus and you (I) come together with His redeeming power and work. It's His blood that cleanses from all unrighteousness. Jesus paid the price and defeated sin. Does it end there? No! We must be willing to confess when we do sin (I John 1:9). Confession means that we acknowledge we have sinned. Confession means we are to blame. Confession means we have grieved God. Confession means we turn away from our sins looking to His faithfulness. Confession means we are turning to His grace and mercy. God loves to forgive!! When are we going to believe that? Yes, I'll say it clearly...GOD LOVES TO FORGIVE! It thrills Him when people turn to Him. Just read Micah 7:18-19 or Luke 15. And God forgives not because of us but because of the perfect and willing sacrifice of Jesus who overcame sin in His death and life by being resurrected. He is our life!! He is the answer. Don't be afraid any longer. Don't be arrogant. Go ahead, believe God wants to forgive you and run as fast as you can to His arms. No delaying! No excuses! Just plain and simply cleansing from all unrighteousness. Thank you Lord.