Those nagging sins...

Why is it that we only really look to examine ourselves when we are not walking according to the correct level we understand that we should be in relation to the call of obedience in our lives? The sickly needs the help of a physician and not the healthy! And yet to our own detriment we can live in denial, no differently to many HIV patients; may God help us and bring us to our senses!

However with that said who has ever been able to resist the will of God? “For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.” (Romans 9:15) – And yet we must not use this mind-set as an excuse for our sin! We are accountable for our own actions!

We also know that doctrinally, the Lord Jesus Christ has paid the ultimate price for sin; no other sacrifice will ever be needed to satisfy God’s need for justice! So many wayward actions from all of his creation and yet the Lord Jesus has satisfied the retribution of all sins; that includes past, present and even future sins have been accounted for by the Lord Jesus’ sacrifice! Those that now belong to Him, those who have been born again, must all learn to kick any form of denial; we can no longer excuse our 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 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.” (1John 1:7-10)

So with that established… what happens if we continue to sin in certain areas of our lives without ever seeming to have victory? Are we covered by the blood of the lamb? The answer should be a simple one, but it needs some serious reflection, not using the “excusing or accusing” technique that we so readily find ourselves applying as we seek our own justification for our sin. Each one will have to give an account of himself to God. It is a lot easier to find freedom in the Lord when our lives are full of obedience, but are there times when disobedience has its part to play? I speak for myself, I am guilty as charged! Where does that then leave me? Am I a son or not? I obviously would like to believe I am! How can anyone ever continue in hope if doubt reigns? But we must seriously look at ourselves with transparency that hopefully will set us free when we find our own reality in the light of the will of God for those nagging besetting sins...

This is a topic that is not easily considered; nevertheless it must be seriously measured! There will be those that believe themselves to be saved but in fact were always the enemies of the cross; “"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.'” (Matthew 7:21-23) - It is clear to see that they weren't once saved and then lost their salvation along the way, or why would the Lord say, “I never knew you”? – So then it is obviously all about the will of the Father. Those who claim to belong to God and habitually continue in their sin as if it is acceptable will no doubt find themselves in the camp of the enemy. Hell will be their final destination!

I acknowledge this stern warning, a warning that I must seriously consider for my life, as I have been found wanting. I wonder will my actions in those areas that I detest ever find victory to the degree I am hopeful for. God knows! forgive me for my sin Father God, I am guilty as charged, help me put off the old nagging sinful nature that doesn’t want to leave me, I pray this needful prayer for my life in the mighty name of Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour.

What I have found helpful over the last couple of weeks is the seriousness that God has laid upon my heart in relation to the patterns of my life. Where have I gone wrong? Where did I lose my way in certain areas, and I trust in and through the mercies of God and by His wonderful fountain of grace I will now finally be able to put some things to rest. Without being specific in relation to the sin, here was my mistake; I was no longer careful about certain aspects that were once taboo in my life as a Christian.  Proverbs will help with this clarification; “There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers. My son, keep your father's commandment, and forsake not your mother's teaching. Bind them on your heart always; tie them around your neck. When you walk, they will lead you; when you lie down, they will watch over you; and when you awake, they will talk with you.” (Proverbs 6:16-22)

Let us break this down; let’s say I have a heart that is prone to devising wicked plans and I have a companion that brings that trait out in me whenever we are together. Would it be enough to stay away from him but keep his number on my phone just in case I ever needed it? Staying away would only be half the solution to me finding victory, I must be serious about my Fathers will and eradicate all the potential filth in my life to prove to Him that I am serious about my sin, I must then remove the number from my phone and cut all ties from the temptation that could lead me into sin. The apostle Paul puts it like this; “For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! At every point you have proved yourselves innocent in the matter.” (2Corinthians 7:10-11)

It may be time to revisit certain areas in your life, just as I have needed to earnestly confess my sin by revisiting those areas in my life that have caused me to be weak and feeble; we must find grace to clear and purge all those nagging sins that so easily rob us from walking a victorious Christian life.

We service our cars regularly, why then shouldn't we put time aside and do “a 120 point check” on our lives, we must! As it will one day be worth it all!

What is the greatest hope the Christian has? It will obviously be, to ever be with the Lord Jesus and the triune God. The hope that one day we shall receive a body that will be incapable of sin is such a wonderful expectation.

Make me more like my Lord and Saviour even now I pray…

Signing off

Tyrone