Identifying Sin – Sin is disobeying what God says. The very
word “sin” is defined as “to do something that is considered wrong”. God
defines what a good life looks like in His Word. We wouldn't know who we
ought to be if He didn't tell us. We are made in His image (Gen 1:26
Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our
likeness) and created for His glory (Col 1:16 For by Him all things were
created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible,
whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created
through Him and for Him). We are the creation, and He is the
Creator. Understanding His supreme authority is crucial. We must
realize and accept that we are designed with a purpose and that the Creator
understands how to properly guide our lives to fulfill that purpose and it does
not include sin.
Sin can be doing something that God has condemned. David
sinned by laying with Bathsheba, (2 Sam 11:4 Then David sent messengers, and
took her; and she came to him, and he lay with her, for she was cleansed from
her impurity; and she returned to her house, 12:13 So David said to Nathan, “I
have sinned against the Lord”). Sin can also be failing to do what
you ought to such as Jonah refusing to preach to the Ninevites in verse 1:3
But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down
to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so, he paid the fare, and went
down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord).
Sin is profiting from what God has given us for free (Matthew 10:8 Heal the
sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have
received, freely give). So many have become rich from the sale of
books, songs, concerts, and tours. As well as Christian nonprofits and
televangelists.
Sin is not modeling our lives after God's commandments, statutes,
and teachings. Our lives must bear fruit (John 15:12 “I am the vine, you are
the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without
Me you can do nothing and Luke 3:8 Therefore bear fruits worthy of
repentance), and we must flee from wickedness (1 Tim 6:11 But you, O man
of God, flee these things (sin) and pursue righteousness, godliness,
faith, love, patience, gentleness). It is our adherence to both the
positive and negative commandments of God that shows our friendship with Him (John
15:14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you). The Bible
is God's road map for life; follow it to avoid the pitfalls of sin.
Sin must be identified, but sin is such a major problem in our
lives because we struggle knowing what sin is. We struggle with
knowing how it operates in our lives because sin has been a central part of our
lives since we were born. Sin has become our normal and we are in darkness
to a point that we can’t identify sin. We have accepted sin and we are in
the process of being destroyed by Satan because of our sin (John 10:10 The
thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come
that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly).
Acknowledging Sin – We have a propensity to sin and at the same time
we are in denial of our sin, even though deep down we and others know that we
have sin issues. Don’t we tend to try and ignore our sin? We just
don’t want to accept the truth that we are sinners. We don’t want to
confess our sins to ourselves, others, and God because we don’t want to be
judged. We fear that we will be an outcast. We don’t want to feel
the embarrassment and shame of being a sinner. We want to hide our sin.
We just want to be people pleasers and ignore the problems that sin
causes. Running to and fro as we reside in captivity and darkness.
We fail to believe what it says in the Bible that we are born into
sin (Psalm 51:5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity (wickedness),
And in sin my mother conceived me) and we all fall short of the glory of
God (Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God).
We fail to believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for the remission
(forgiveness) of sin (Matthew 26:28 For this is My blood of the new
covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins). We fail
to understand how important it is to repent so that we can receive the gift of
the Holy Spirit to navigate this evil world (Acts 2:38 Then Peter said to
them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ
for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit).
The million-dollar question is: How do we identify and acknowledge
sin?
- Admit we have problem with sin.
- Acknowledge that sin is a problem and can dominate our lives.
- Get down on your knees, surrender to Him and make Him first in your life.
- Eliminate distractions so we can get closer to God and hear from Him.
- Put an intense inner focus on what we say, think and do and determine if it brings glory to God.
- Confess all sin, repent, and ask for God’s forgiveness.
- Seek other believers and confess your sin to them and pray together (James 5:16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed).
This is not a complicated formula. In reality, God is pretty
basic in what He wants us to do. He does not complicate things. Nor, does
He bring confusion to us (1 Corinthians 14:33 For God is not the author of
confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints). He
wants us to have peace and sin will not allow peace. Only torment,
sickness, and disease.
We cannot become dull of hearing. We must discern both good
and evil!
Hebrews 5:1-14 For
every high priest taken from among men is appointed for men in things
pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. He
can have compassion on those who are ignorant and going astray, since he
himself is also subject to weakness. Because of this he is
required as for the people, so also for himself, to offer sacrifices for sins. And
no man takes this honor to himself, but he who is called by God, just as Aaron
was. So also, Christ did not glorify Himself to become High Priest, but it was
He who said to Him: “You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.” As
He also says in another place: “You are a priest forever According to the order
of Melchizedek”; who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up
prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to
save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, though He
was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And
having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who
obey Him, called by God as High Priest “according to the order of
Melchizedek,” of whom we have much to say, and hard to explain, since you have
become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be
teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the
oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For
everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness,
for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of
full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern
both good and evil.
We praise You Father. We worship You Father. We honor You
Father. We glorify You Father.
Psalm 71:8 Let my mouth be filled with Your praise And with Your
glory all the day.
Blessings to you all,
Tony Sanchez, A humble servant of the Lord
