The phrase that forms the title of today’s thoughts is part of the first chapter of John’s first epistle. Here’s are some thoughts from other online writers…
Because a biblically-managed life depends on maintaining an eternal perspective while living in a temporal world, we must consistently examine our lives…
Dealing With My Sin
As a believer, the penalty of sin is gone but the propensity to sin remains. We will sin in word, thought, and deed. But the great truth is this: When we confess our sins, He forgives us. We need to confess our sins daily to the Lord.
Read the following passages and then list those sins that seem to continually raise their ugly heads in your life. Confess them to God and experience His forgiveness based on the promises of His Word.
For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD.” And you forgave the guilt of my sin.
–Psalm 32:4-5
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
–1 John 1:8-9
~Ron Moore at The Journey
Part of the sickness we can observe in our culture is the need to be good, or to seem innocent where guilt should be admitted. As long as no one catches us, we tell ourselves we really haven’t done anything bad. As long as we can find some problem in our background to explain our pain, we act as though we’re not responsible for our lives of addiction and irresponsibility. As long as some lawyer can find a reasonable judge or a technicality that can get us off, we think we don’t have to worry about the cheating, stealing and assaulting that we’ve committed. If we deny we do bad things, we suffer on the inside even if our reputation seems to hold together for a while on the outside. God clearly tells us that one of the great gifts of true goodness is the cleansing we feel after we’ve admitted our faults and our sins.
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:8-9 NIV)
Keeping the rules and checking the “balance sheet” is another favorite method of tricking ourselves into thinking we are good people. We follow the rules but push and shove anyone who gets in our way while we do it. We use all the times we’ve done the right thing to excuse ourselves from taking responsibility for the rules we break. We do good things for others and tell ourselves we are “pretty good people” even though we know we have bad attitudes and hidden resentments.
The Bible makes a clear distinction between doing good things and goodness as a character quality. Jesus taught His follower,
“Why do you call me good? No one is good—except God alone.” (Luke 18:19 NIV)
In spite of the challenges and ethical confusion, as followers of Jesus, we are taught to do good. Also we are told that one of the signs that God lives in us is that our lives demonstrate “goodness.” God has created us for good work, flowing from a good heart. The challenging question for us is: Are we just “looking good” or are we really good?
“I’m wrong.”
It is hard for these words to roll off the tongue.
Pride doesn’t want to admit it. Fear won’t allow us to admit it.
Our pride tells us we are basically good people. Admitting that we are wrong might sully that good reputation.
Our fear doesn’t want to deal with the “potential” consequences.
Neither is of the Lord.
God calls us to walk in truth. Often times that means admitting we are wrong. The Bible calls this confession. It is simply agreeing with God.
Knowing that Jesus loves us puts our fleshly pride and fear in their place. Trust Him. Walk in truth. Go ahead and say those dreaded words, “I’m wrong.”
It will work together for good, just as He promised.
~Bob Christopher at Basic Gospel
“When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having cancelled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross.”
(Colossians 2:13-14)
Reflection:
Paul has a way with words! There was a time when we were both dead and dying because of sin and our sins. Like the uncircumcised person we were spiritually unclean and seen to be outside the provisions and scope of the covenant. There was nothing we could do to alter this state – it was as if we carried within us a written conviction and sentence of death. Then God did something – Jesus Christ came and took into Himself our sin, our sins and our conviction and sentence, and went to death on our behalf. The sentence has been paid and, when accepted, our sins can no longer be held against us in God’s judgement court – “He forgave all our sins.”
As believers we no longer live under the law, we live in the grace of God – we live in forgiveness as those who have been forgiven, even in advance. Instead of facing death we have entered into life. That is not a mandate for us to live carelessly or to indulge ourselves in sin – that can never be acceptable when we look at the terrible cost to God of our forgiveness. It does, however, mean that when we do sin we can go to the Father and ask for forgiveness, a forgiveness that has already been achieved for us. But let us never forget that it is ‘the blood of Jesus’ that ‘purifies us from all sin,’
“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, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:7-9)
Although this amazing grace is extended and available to all people it is not a blanket provision acquired by all. It is a gift to be recognized, accepted, treasured and received. Those who reject the gift, reject God. Those who reject God reject the gift. Those who believe and put their faith and trust in the Saviour enter into the grace and love of God, as His sons and daughters, for eternity.
As believing Christians, no matter how difficult we find it to live pure and holy and faithful lives, the grace of God and the blood of Jesus have purified and continue to purify us. When we live in the grace of God we live in forgiveness, and in the new life and relationship that He has given to us. How wonderful is that! Learn to live in it every day – you are made right with God!
Response:
Take time to acknowledge and accept the truth.
Prayer:
Thank You so much Father for Your wonderful love and grace. Please help me to believe, accept and live in it every day – for Jesus sake, Amen.
~Soaring Eagle at the blog Softly Spoke the River
Christianity 201 
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