If we are honest, there is not a single day that we can say “I’m good enough”. We may be born again Christians and sin no longer has reign over our souls, but we still fight with the flesh daily and have to surrender our motives, our desires, our whims  and fancies over to the grace of God. Paul who called himself “ chief of sinners” expressed this spiritual battle: “For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.” Romans‬ ‭7:22-23‬ 

God doesn’t want sin to have any dominion or hold on us. He longs for us to be free of its crippling grasp. The Bible devotes much to the topic of sin and righteousness to make us aware of its toxic effects. He doesn’t want us to cover up and hide our sin but He wants to expose and uproot it. If we ignore sin or try to hide it, it will just fester under the surface and spread like a metastatic cancer until it is destroying us from deep within. The reason it is so destructive is because it hinders our relationship with God and hinders us from being able to glorify Him. 

We may be sinners but the wonderful news of the gospel is that we have forgiveness and atonement for our sin through the shed blood of Christ. Because we know that God will forgive us, we can stop trying to put forward a false image of being “ a good person” and we can ask God to shine the spotlight into the deepest, darkest recesses of our being to expose any unrecognized or unrelinquished sin. Even if we fool other people or fool ourselves, God knows our true motives and agendas. “O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.”  Psalm‬ ‭139:1-5‬ 

How uplifting it is to meet with God in prayer and confess sin so that He can cleanse our hearts, restoring sweet, unhindered fellowship with Him.  What peace and rest we can experience when we let God cleanse us. If we are struggling with a particular area of sin we can ask God to give us victory. As we surrender to the process of being made more and more into the image of Christ we will be renewed, strengthened, and refreshed. 

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” Psalm‬ ‭51:10‬ ‭

 Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God; ²⁰ because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for  through the Law comes the knowledge of sin. Romans 3:19-20                                       

The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, ²¹ so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 5:20-21

Why the Law then? [what was its purpose] It was added [after the promise to Abraham, to reveal to people their guilt] because of transgressions [that is, to make people conscious of the sinfulness of sin], and [the Law] was ordained through angels and delivered to Israel by the hand of a mediator [Moses, the mediator between God and Israel, to be in effect] until the Seed would come to whom the promise had been made. Galatians 3:19-22 AMP

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, ⁷ having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude. Colossians 2:6-7

We are all sinners before God.  The law shows us that we are sinners and cannot be saved by it.  Our salvation is in Christ Jesus alone.  Even though we sin we are covered by God’s grace.  There will always be sin in this world and we will sin till the day we die but His Grace is sufficient to cover all of our sins.    

Selah,

Lyn

The new year brings with it new resolutions, and promises of change. How does letting go of anxiety sound? Or how about growing in your relationship with God? And who doesn’t want to become a more powerful prayer warrior? If these are changes you’re looking to make, join us starting in January for the WitW monthly challenges. Challenges designed to make us better, stronger, and closer to God. And don’t forget to check us out on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/womenintheword2