Whenever I am scheduled to go to the dentist, I spend extra time brushing and flossing my teeth to impress him. Don’t tell me you don’t do it too. But he doesn’t buy my superficial cleaning. He x-rays my teeth and reveals plaque or some other bad news I can’t see. My mouth shows up in an entirely different light when my dentist gets through with me.
The dentist brings these problems to my attention so he can address them. In order to receive the help that I need, I must agree with him that the problems are there, even though I can’t see them myself. I must confess that I need the help he offers.
In the same way, when God x-rays our hearts His holiness reveals our sin, confessing those sins means we don’t run or ignore them, but we stand exposed and say, “Yes, Lord, I agree that this was sin, and I confess it to You.”
Read Romans 3:23. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
As believers we struggle with sin because our new nature is living in the old house of our sin-contaminated flesh. The former resident of that house, the old sinful nature, is gone. So while we still battle with sin, it is no longer in the control center of our lives. I want to be clear that we are addressing the sin that contaminates the life of a believer and hinders communion with God and usefulness for Him. Those who are outside of Christ must deal with the sin that condemns a person to eternal separation from God.
Read 1 John 1:5-6. This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.
Reflect: List some characteristics of “Light."
Reflect: What are you doing to walk in God’s light?
God and sin are completely separate and incompatible because sin is totally against His nature. Sin cuts us off from fellowship with God. And if fellowship with God is severed, our growth is stunted. Confession and repentance are necessary for renewed and continued fellowship with Christ.
Reflect: As a follower of Christ, how does the presence of sin affect your spiritual growth?
Reflect: Ask God to search your heart and reveal any sin that you need to address.
For His Kingdom,
Tony Evans
Prayer: When I start to feel that sin has the upper hand in my battles, help me to hang on, believing that You have good things in store. I know that You have made a wonderful provision to remove the hindrance of sin from my life and restore the free flow of Your grace. In Christ's name, Amen.
