WHAT DO PEOPLE DO ABOUT THEIR SIN
LUKE 3:1-20
OVER THE CENTURIES A QUESTION THAT IS CONTINUALLY ASKED IN CHURCH LIFE IS “WHAT DO WE DO ABOUT OUR SIN?” WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR AN EASY ANSWER TO DEAL WITH THIS DIFFICULT QUESTION. OUR ANSWERS HAVE RANGED FROM DOING NOTHING, TO BOASTING ABOUT OUR SIN, AS IF BEING BAD IS SOME FORM OT STATUS SYMBOL.
HOWEVER WE DEFINE IT, AND BY WHATEVER NAME WE CALL IT, WE CANNOT ESCAPE THE FACT THAT SIN, AS IT IS DEFINED IN THE BIBLE, IS SOMETHING THAT WE WILL ALL HAVE TO DEAL WITH. IT WILL BE WHAT WE DO ABOUT OUR SINFUL NATURE, THAT WILL DETERMINE OUR ETERNAL DESTINY.
JESUS CAME INTO THE WORLD AS THE BIBLICAL ANSWER FOR SIN. HIS SACRIFICE ON THE CROSS CREATED THE ONE AND ONLY OPPORTUNITY TO BEGIN AN ETERNAL RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM AND FOREVER CHANGE OUR SIN NATURE, SHOULD WE CHOOSE TO ACCEPT HIM AS LORD AND SAVIOR.
JOHN THE BAPTIST, OR THE BAPTIZER AS HE IS ALSO KNOWN, CAME INTO THE WORLD AS THE FORERUNNER OF CHRIST. HE PREACHED A FRESH MESSAGE OF REPENTANCE AND BAPTISM. THE ACCOUNT OF JOHN’S MINISTRY IS MENTIONED IN ALL OF THE SYNOPTIC GOSPELS, BUT IS MOST DETAILED HERE IN LUKE.
WHEN IT COMES TO SIN, THE MOST COMMON PROBLEM PEOPLE HAVE WITH IT IS THAT THEY WANT TO DEAL WITH IT IN WAYS OTHER THAN WAYS THE BIBLE TEACHES. THHEY HAVE A PROBLEM COMMITTING TO A BELIEF THAT IS GOING TO CHANGE THEIR LIFE, AND THAT IS PRECISELY WHAT REPENTANCE ASKS US TO DO.
JUST BY WAY OF INTRODUCTION LET ME TELL YOU THAT IN THE FIRST TWO VERSES, LUKE THE HISTORIAN, IS SEEKING TO GIVE US THE TIMELINE FOR JOHN’S MINISTRY. THE LIST OF OFFICIALS HE PRESENTS ALLOWS US TO DATE HIS MINISTRY AT APPROXIMATELY A.D. 28-30 . THE MORE INTERSETING FACT ABOUT THESE OFFICIALS IS THAT MANY OF THEM WILL BE IN POWER AT THE TIME OF JESUS’ TRIAL AND CRUCIFIXION.
THE CONTEXT FOR OUR PASSAGE BEGINS AT V. 2 WHERE LUKE RECORDS THE PHRASE “THE WORD OF GOD CAME TO JOHN…..IN THE DESERT.”
IT HAD BEEN 400 YEARS SINCE THE TIME OF THE PROPHET MALACHI. JOHN THE BAPTIST WOULD IN FACT BE THE LAST OF THE OLD TESTAMENT PROPHETS.
HE WAS A UNIQUE PROPHET WITH A UNIQUE TASK. HE WAS ROUGH AND RUGGED, LIKE ONE YOU WOULD EXPECT LIVING IN THE JUDAEN DESERT REGION.
HIS METHOD WAS BLUNT AND TO THE POIONT. HIS DIET WAS ECCENTRIC. HE WAS ANTI-ESTABLISHMENT. HE WAS FEARLESS IN THE FACE OF POWERFUL AND DANGEROUS PEOPLE. HE WAS VERY MUCH LIKE THE OLD TESTAMENT PROPHETS. HE WAS A TRANSITIONAL PROPHET FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT TO THE NEW THESTAMENT.
LUKE 16:16: 16 “THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS WERE PROCLAIMED UNTIL JOHN. SINCE THAT TIME, THE GOOD NEWS OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS BEING PREACHED, AND EVERYONE IS FORCING THEIR WAY INTO IT
WHAT EFFECT JOHN HAD ON THE PEOPLE! HIS REVIVAL IN THE JUDAEN WILDERNESS DREW BIG CROWDS. HIS MESSAGE DREW THEM. IT WAS SIMPLE BUT HAUNTING, MUCH LIKE BILLY GRAHAM BACK IN THE 1900’S. REPENT AND BE BAPTIZED.
JOHN CALLED FOR MORE THAT THE IMNMERSING OF ONE’S BODY IN WATER. JEWS WERE USED TO THIS. IT WAS A RITE OF PURIFICATION FOR TOHSE GENTILES WHO WISHED TO BE JEWS. JOHN CALLED ON EVERYONE TO CLEANSE ONE’S SOUL, ADMITTING TO WRONGS DONE AGAINST GOD AND AGAINST OTHER PEOPLE, AND TURNING AWAY FROM SUCH ACTIVITIES AND ATTITUDES THROUGH REPENTANCE. PIOUS JEWS MUST NOW ADMIT THAT THEY, AS WELL AS THE GENTILES, WERE SINNERS.
JOHN PREACHED IN THE WILDERNESS OR THE DESERT REGIONS AROUND JUDEA, UP AND DOWN THE JORDAN RIVER, THE ONLY PLACE WITH SUFFICIENT WATER RESOURCES TO PERFORM BAPTISMS.
FRED CRADDOCK SAID OF THE DESERT WHERE JOHN PREACHED “THE DESERT IS NOT….SIMPLY A PLACE OF DESIGNATION, IT RECALLS ISRAEL FORMATION AS GOD’S COVENANT PEOPLE AND HENCE IMPLIES A RETURN TO GOD.
GOD MADE A COVENANT WITH HIS PEOPLE WHILE THEY WERE ON THE SINAI. CENTURIES LATER JOHN WAS IN THE WILDERNESS CALLING PEOPLE TO REMEMBER WHAT THEY HAD PROMISED IN EXODUS 19:3-6.
EXODUS 19:3-6:
3 THEN MOSES WENT UP TO GOD, AND THE LORD CALLED TO HIM FROM THE MOUNTAIN AND SAID, “THIS IS WHAT YOU ARE TO SAY TO THE DESCENDANTS OF JACOB AND WHAT YOU ARE TO TELL THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL: 4 ‘YOU YOURSELVES HAVE SEEN WHAT I DID TO EGYPT, AND HOW I CARRIED YOU ON EAGLES’ WINGS AND BROUGHT YOU TO MYSELF. 5 NOW IF YOU OBEY ME FULLY AND KEEP MY COVENANT, THEN OUT OF ALL NATIONS YOU WILL BE MY TREASURED POSSESSION. ALTHOUGH THE WHOLE EARTH IS MINE, 6 YOU WILL BE FOR ME A KINGDOM OF PRIESTS AND A HOLY NATION.’ THESE ARE THE WORDS YOU ARE TO SPEAK TO THE ISRAELITES.”
ONCE GOD SAVED HIS PEOPLE FROM EGYPT. IN CHRIST GOD WOULD SAVE ALL HUMANITY FROM THEMSELVES, FROM SIN, FROM ETERNAL SEPARATION FROM GOD.
IF THIS WAS A NEW BEGINNING OR A REBIRTH FOR GOD’S PEOPLE, WHAT WAS THE DIFFERENT EMPHASIS THAT JOHN WAS SENT TO PREACH. JOHN’S PREACHING CENTERED AROUND THREE AREAS:
1. REPENTANCE OF SIN
2. BAPTISM
3. INTRODUCING JESUS EARTHLY MINISTRY
TODAY WE ARE GOING TO FOCUS ON JOHN’S MINISTRY OF REPENTANCE AND BAPTISM.
REPENTANCE IS A SLIPPERY WORD IN THEOLOGICAL CIRCLES TODAY. SOME FEEL IT MEANS ONLY TO FEEL SORROW OR REMORSE ABOUT SOMETHING DONE, OR PERHAPS TO CONFESS THE SIN WITHOUT ANY DESIRE TO STOP THE SIN.
ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE THOUGH, TO REPENT MEANS TO ALTER ONE’S DIRECTION, TO CHANGE SIDES OR POINT OF VIEW.
1 THESSALONIANS 1:9-10:
9 FOR THEY THEMSELVES REPORT WHAT KIND OF RECEPTION YOU GAVE US. THEY TELL HOW YOU TURNED TO GOD FROM IDOLS TO SERVE THE LIVING AND TRUE GOD, 10 AND TO WAIT FOR HIS SON FROM HEAVEN, WHOM HE RAISED FROM THE DEAD—JESUS, WHO RESCUES US FROM THE COMING WRATH.
THEY CHANGED THEIR ALLEGIANCE FROM IDOLS TO SERVE THE LIVING GOD.
REPENTANCE REFERS MORE BROADLY TO THE HUMAN DIMENSION OF SALVATION. THE MORE DIVINE DIMENSION OF SALVATION IS REGENERATION. WITHOUT REGENERATION THERE WOULD BE NO CONVICTION OF SIN TO REPENT.
REPENTANCE IS OUR RESPONSE AS GOD ALLOWS US TO SEE THE TRUE NATURE OF OUR SIN. WE CAN UNDERSTAND THE TERRIBLE COST CHRIST HAD TO PAY, NOT ONLY FOR OUR SIN, BUT FOR THAT OF THE ENTIRE WORLD THROUGHOUT ALL OF HISTORY RIGHT UP TO THE SECOND COMING.
HOW CAN WE NOT FEEL SORRY FOR WHAT WE HAVE DONE IN THE LIGHT OF WHAT CHRIST HAS DONE FOR US. MORE IMPORTANTLY HOW CAN WE INSULT CHRIST AND DISRESPECT HIM BY KNOWINGLY CONTINUE IN SINFUL LIVING.
M.O. TORBERT STATES:
“REPENTANCE IS A DECISIVE ACT, AFFECTING ALL OF LIFE. IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN THE WAY A PERSON SPEAKS, ACTS, THINKS, EARNS HIS LIVING, AND RELATES TO OTHER PEOPLE. NO DOUBT JOHN WOULD CALL ON MANY MODERN CHURCH MEMBERS TO BRING FORTH FRUITS WORTHY OF REPENTANCE, WERE HE AMONG US TODAY. THERE ARE FAR TOO MANY CONTRADICTIONS BETWEEN WHAT WE SAY WE BELIEVE AND THE WAY WE LIVE IN THE WORLD.”
JOHN SPOKE TO THE PEOPLE WITH A TENASICTY AND AUTHORITY THAT THEY HAD NOT SEEN BEFORE. SOME WOULD SAY THAT HE WAS RUDE IF HE SPOKE TO US THE WAY THAT HE SPOKE TO THE CROWDS THEN. JOHN WAS FACING A PEOPLE LULLED TO SLEEP BY COMPLACANCY AND APATHY. IT WAS MUCH LIKE THE WORLD TODAY. PEOPLE DON’T DENY THAT GOD EXISTS, THEY DON’T CARE THAT GOD EXISTS.
HE NEEDED TO GET THEIR ATTENTION. HE NEEDED TO MAKE THEM WAKE UP TO THEIR NEED. THAT IS WHY HE CALLED THEM A BUNCH OF POISONOUS SNAKES, AND THAT IS WHY LUKE USED THE PASSAGE FROM ISAIAH.
ISAIAH 40:3-5:
3 A VOICE OF ONE CALLING: “IN THE WILDERNESS PREPARE THE WAY FOR THE LORD; MAKE STRAIGHT IN THE DESERT A HIGHWAY FOR OUR GOD. B 4 EVERY VALLEY SHALL BE RAISED UP, EVERY MOUNTAIN AND HILL MADE LOW; THE ROUGH GROUND SHALL BECOME LEVEL, THE RUGGED PLACES A PLAIN. 5 AND THE GLORY OF THE LORD WILL BE REVEALED, AND ALL PEOPLE WILL SEE IT TOGETHER. FOR THE MOUTH OF THE LORD HAS SPOKEN.”
WHEN HIGH POSITIONSED OFFICIAL WOULD VISIT THE LAND, COURIERS WOULD BE SENT OUT AHEAD, TO LET THE INHABITIANTS KNOW A SPECIAL PERSON WAS COMING. THE INHABITANTS WOULD COME OUT AND GATHER THE ROCKS OFF THE ROAD, FILL IN ANY HOLES, MAKE THE ROAD STRAIGHT AND BASCIALLY FIX ANY PROBLEMS WITH IT BEFORE THE OFFICIAL WOULD COME.
WHAT LUKE IS WRITING IS THAT THE MESSIAH SENT HIS COURIER JOHN BEFORE HIM TO GET THE PEOPLE TO PREPARE THEIR HEARTS FOR THE MESSIAH.
ONE WOULD EXPECT JOHN TO WELCOME THE CROWDS WITH OPEN ARMS. INSTEAD HE CALLED THEM A BUNCH OF POISONOUS SNAKES. WHATS EVEN STRANGER IS THAT THE PEOPLE KEPT COMING BACK TO HEAR MORE FROM JOHN.
JOHN PRESENTED BAPTISM AS A NEW RITE AS WELL. JEWS SAW BAAPTISM AS A RITE FOR GENTILES AND NOT NECESSARY FOR JEWS. JEWS WERE PART OF GOD’S CHOSEN PEOPLE. THEY WERE THEREFORE SAVED ALREADY, ON THE BASIS OF THEIR HERITAGE. THEIR WILLINGNESS TO BE BAPTIZED WAS JUST AN ADDITIONAL SUPPORT ON THEIR HEAVENLY TREK. THERE WAS NO REPENTANCE INVOLVED WITH THEIR ACTIONS.
WHEN CONVERTS CAME TO JUDAISM, THEY WERE BAPTIZED. IT WAS FOR THEM A RITE OF PURIFICATION AND AN ACT OF DEDICATION TO THE GOD OF THE HEBREWS.
JOHN LED THE HEBREWS TO THE FACT THAT BAPTISM WAS FOR THEM AS WELL. IT WAS A PUBLIC DECLARATION OF A CHANGE THAT HAD HAPPENED IN THEIR LIFE, AND AS SUCH JOHN WOULD NOT BAPTIZE ANYONE UNTIL THAT CHANGE OCCURRED AND COULD BE TESTED TRUE.
IF THEY WERE SORRY FOR THEIR SINS THEIR ACT OF BAPTISM WOULD BE AN INDICATOR OF THEIR COMMITMENT TO LIVE TO A HIGHER STANDARD. IT WOULD BE FOLLOWING REPENTANCE AND BAPTISM THAT GODLY FORGIVENESS COULD FOLLOW.
T.C.BUTLER STATES:
“JUST AS THE PROPHETS OF OLD TRIED TO WARN THE NATION AND PREVENT GOD’S DISCIPLINE AND JUDGMENT, SO JOHN PLAYED OUT THE PROPHET’S ROLE. IF YOU WANT TO GO THROUGH THE RITUAL, BE READY TO LIVE THE LIFE. GAINING GOD’S FORGIVENESS, REQUIRES MORE THAN CARRYING OUT ANOTHER RELIGIOUS RITUAL. FORGIVENESS MEANS CHANGING YOUR WAY OF LIVING, PRODUCING NEW FRUIT IN YOUR LIFE. REPENTANCE IS NOT A ONE-TIME PERFORMANCE. REPENTANCE IS A CONTINUING WAY OF LIFE - A LIFE TOTALLY DIFFERENT FROM THE ONE THAT REQUIRED REPENTANCE IN THE FIRST PLACE. REPENTANCE IS A CHANGE OF LIFE, NOT JUST AN EXCHANGE OF WORDS. REPENTANCE DEPENDS ON MUCH MORE THAN KEEPING UP FAMILY TRADITIONS AND RELYING ON PROUD AND PROPER FAMILY TIES.”
JOHN’S BAPTISM WAS NOT “CHRISTIAN BAPTISM” BUT LOOKED FORWARD TO IT. IT WAS A PREPARATORY BLESSING AND A PHYSICAL SYMBOL OF A RECOMMITMENT ON THE PART OF THE HEBREWS TO FOLLOW GOD.
WHAT DO WE REFER TO WHEN WE SPEAK OF “THE REMISSION OF SINS” LET ME BEGIN BY REITERATING THAT BAPTISM ALONE WITHOUT REPENTANCE DOES NOT LEAD TO DIVINE FORGIVENESS.
REMISSION IS A WORD THAT OCCURS IN LUKE MORE THAN ANY OTHER OF THE NEW TESTAMENT AUTHORS COMBINED. THIS SHOULD NOT BE SURPRISING AS LUKE, A MEDICAL DOCTOR, SHOULD USE A MEDICAL TERM INDICATING A RELAXATION OF DISEASE, NOT ITS ELIMINATION, BUT ITS RELAXATION.
JOHN’S BAPTISM LOOKED FORWARD TO THE FORGIVENESS OR REMISSION OF SINS BASED ON THE PERSON’S REPENTANCE. THEIR CHOOSING TO TURN TOWARD GOD AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM.
IF THEE PLEDGE GIVEN AT THE TIME OF BAPTISM WAS TRULY KEPT, FORGIVENESS WOULD FOLLOW AT THE COMING OF THE MESSIAH. THE FORGIVENESS SPOKEN OF HERE CAN ALSO BE A PRESENT REALIZATION OF THE FUTURE FORGIVENESS OF SINS AT THE FINAL JUDGMENT.
THIS FORGIVENESS WOULD BE SHOWN AS THE RESULT OF THE FRUIT OF A REPENTANT LIFE. JOHN PREACHED THAT THE FRUIT OF REPENTANCE IS SHOWN IN OUR DAILY WALK. HE TAUGHT THAT PEOPLE SHOULD LIVE HONEST ETHICAL LIVES, AND PLACE THEIR DEPENDANCE ON GOD TO MEET THEIR NEEDS.
HE GAVE THREE EXAMPLES IN THIS PASSAGE. A COMMON POINT OF JESUS’ MINISTRY WAS TO USE PEOPLE WHO CAME FROM THE LOWER CLASSES, OR WHO WER DOWN-TRODDEN. JOHN DOES THE SAME THING HERE.
1. THE PENITANT IS COMMITTED TO FAIRNESS TO NEIGHBORS, SENSITIVITY AND RESPONSIVENESS TO OTHERS NEEDS, TO THE POINT OF ACCEPTING A LESSER STANDARD OF LIVING IN ORDER TO HELP OTHERS. SO JOHN’S FIRST EXAMPLE COMES FROM A CHANGE IN ATTITUDE TO THE NEEDS OF OTHERS, AND OUR ATTITUDE TO THEIR NEEDS.
I’M PROUD OF THE RECOMMENDATION THE BOARD OF MANAGEMENT IS BRINGING TO YOU TODAY. THEY HAVE WORKED HARD ON THIS ISSUE, RESEARCHED IT WELL. I FEEL IT IS A PRACTICAL EXAMPLE OF THIS ATTITUDE.
NOTE THAT IN THE EXAMPLE JOHN GIVES HE USES A TAX COLLECTOR AND A SOLDIER, BUT DOES NOT ASK EITHER OF THEM TO LEAVE THEIR JOBS. HE ASKS THEM TO PERFORM THEIR TASKS IN AN ETHICAL WAY.
TAX COLLECTORS AND SOLDIERS WERE PROBABLY HEBREWS WHO WORKED FOR THE ROMANS. THIS MADE THEM DOUBLY HATED BY THEIR SOCIETY. WHEN YOU ARE CONSTANTLY PUT DOWN, YOU SOON LEARN NOT TO CARE ABOUT ANYONE, AND THAT WAS THE ATTITUDE OF THE TAX COLLECTORS AND SOLDIERS.
TAX COLLECTORS WERE HEBREWS WHO WORKED FOR THE ROMAN GOVERNMENT COLLECTING TAXES. THEY COULD MAKE A GOOD LIVING BECAUSE THEY WOULD CHARGE MORE THAN THE GOVERNMENT DEMANDED, PAID THE GOVERNMENT, AND KEPT WHAT WAS LEFT.
REPENTANCE TO THEM MEANT THAT THEY COULD ONLY CHARGE WHAT WAS DEMANDED BY ROME. THEY WOULD HAVE TO DEPEND ON GOD TO MEET THEIR NEEDS.
THE HEBREW SOLDIERS WERE USUALLY ASSIGNED TO PROTECT THE HEBREW TAX COLLECTORS. THEY WOULD RECEIVE SMALL WAGES, BUT COULD USE THEIR AUTHORITY AND THE FEAR OF ROME TO FORCE PEOPLE TO GIVE THEM MONEY.
REPENTANCE FOR THEM MEANT LIVING ON WHAT THEY HAD AGREED TO WORK FOR, WHETHER IT PROVED TO BE A LIVING WAGE OR NOT. THEY TOO WOULD HAVE TO LEARN TO DEPEND ON GOD FOR THEIR DAILY BREAD.
JOHN WAS TRYING TO MAKE THE PEOPLE REALIZE THAT THEY WERE ALL SINNERS AND IN NEED OF THE LORD. TODAY WE WALK IN THE SAME PLACE THAT THE HEBREWS WERE WALKING. TODAY WE NEED TO ASK AND ANSWER THE QUESTION
“WHAT ARE YOU DOING ABOUT YOUR SIN?”
1. NOTHING AT ALL: THE HEBREWS OF JOHN’S DAY WERE CHOOSING TO DO NOTHING ABOUT THEIR SINFUL STATE. THEY WERE THE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF ABRAHAM AND AS SUCH WERE ALREADY PART OF GOD’S CHOSEN PEOPLE. THE GENTILES WERE THE ONES WHO NEEDED THE PURIFICUATION RITES. THEY NEEDED TO CONVERT TO JUDIASM, THE HEBREWS WERE ALREADY THERE.
HOW MANY PEOPLE IN THE WORLD TODAY ARE PLANNING FOR THEIR ETERNITY BASED ON THE SAME THOUGHT. HOW DISAPPOINTED THEY WILL BE WITH THE OUTCOME. MANY A PERENT WOULD GLADLY DIE FOR THEIR CHILDREN, BUT THE BIBLE TEACHES THAT WE MUST ALL MAKE AN INDIVIDUAL CHOICE FOR CHRIST.
I AM ALWAYS PUZZLED BY PARENTS WHO INSIST ON LETTING THEIR CHILDREN OR TEENS MAKE UP THEIR OWN MINDS ABOUT CHURCH AND GOD. IF THOSE SAME CHILDREN DECIDED TO PLAY IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY STREET JUST HOW QUICKLY WOULD A PARENT ACT THEN? WHY DO WE TAKE SUCH A WISHY-WASHY STANCE ON OUR CHILDREN’S ETERNITY?
2. SOMETIMES WE TRY TO HIDE OUR SIN: WHEN I WAS A CHILD, EASH EASTER, MY SISTER AND I WOULD GET A BALL TO PLAY WITH. IT WAS NOT MUCH OF A BALL, JUST RUBBER AND FILLED WITH AIR ON THE INSIDE. MINE WAS ALWAYS BLUE AND HERS PINK.
I WENT TO PLAY WITH MINE ONE DAY AND IT FELT STRANGE. IT WAS HEAVIER AND I SAW A SPLIT IN IT. I FOLDED BACK THE SPLIT TO FIND MY SISTER’S BALL. SHHE HAD USED MINE AND BROKEN IT AND TRIED TO HIDE THE FACT BY COVERING HER OWN BALL WITH MY BROKEN ONE.
WHY DID SHE DO THAT AND HOW DOES THIS RELATE TO HIDING SIN.
1. SHE KNEW IT WAS WRONG AND TRIED TO HIDE THE RESULT.
2. SHE FELT GULTY AND TRIED TO HIDE IT.
3. SHE DIDN’T WANT ME TO FIND OUT, SO SHE HID IT.
LIKE THE OSTRICH, WE CAN ONLY HIDE THINGS FOR AWHILE, BUT GOD WILL ALWAYS KNOW ABOUT OUR SIN.
3. SOME PEOPLE BOAST ABOUT THEIR SIN. IT BECOMES A MEANS OF ATTRACTING ATTENTION FOR THEM. THEY BRAG ABOUT HOW BAD THEY ARE.
4. SOME PEOPLE DENY THEIR SIN: A MOTHER TOLD HER LITTLE BOY NOT TO EAT ANY OF THE CHOCOLATE FUDGE SHE HAD JUST MADE. WHEN SHE CAME BACK INTO THE ROOM 2 PIECES WERE GONE. SHE ASKED HER SON IF HE HAD TAKEN THEM AND HE SAID NO.
SHE GOT OUT HER COSMETIC MIRROR AND SHOWED HER SON HIS CHOCOLATE COVERED FACE. “WANT TO CHANGE YOUR STORY” SHE ASKED.
AS THE BIBLE SAYS, BE SURE YOUR SINS WILL FIND YOU OUT.
5. SOME PEOPLE LIKE TO NOURISH AND GROW THEIR SIN.
PSALM 64:5: THEY ENCOURAGE EACH OTHER IN EVIL PLANS, THEY TALK ABOUT HIDING THEIR SNARES; THEY SAY, “WHO WILL SEE IT?”
6. SOME PEOPLE SHARE THEIR SIN. THEY GET OTHERS INVOLVED IT IT. WE TEMPT OTHERS OR FORCE THEM TO GET INVOLVED IN IT. WE DO NOT CARE FOR A WEAKER BROTHER.
WHAT SHALL I DO ABOUT MY SIN?
THERE IS ONLY ONE WISE AND HONORABLE CHOICE YOU CAN MAKE.
CONFESS YOUR SIN TO GOD AND CLAIM HIS PROMISE OF FORGIVENESS.
1 JOHN 1:8-10:
8 IF WE CLAIM TO BE WITHOUT SIN, WE DECEIVE OURSELVES AND THE TRUTH IS NOT IN US. 9 IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS, HE IS FAITHFUL AND JUST AND WILL FORGIVE US OUR SINS AND PURIFY US FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS. 10 IF WE CLAIM WE HAVE NOT SINNED, WE MAKE HIM OUT TO BE A LIAR AND HIS WORD IS NOT IN US.
THEN LIVE A RESPECTABLE LIFE WITH THE KNOWLEDGE THAT HIS `
THAT IS WHAT WE DO WITH OUR SIN.
