After a couple failures in my life this week, I pondered some scripture and thought about how to reconcile them. One says, “But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written, be holy as I am Holy.” 1Pet 1:15-16 The other says, “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate, I do.” Romans 7:15
As believers we have two natures warring with in us. Paul vividly describes this battle of our two natures, in light of God’s grace, in Romans 6, 7 and 8. I encourage you all to give it a read, even if you’ve read it many times before. You know we always get something different shown to us from the scriptures when we read them.
Paul, like we do, confessed his sin saying, “But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of coveting.” Rom 7:8 It’s important to be accountable for our sin, but we can’t let it define us. Paul wrote, of this saying, “As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me.” Rom. 7:17
Sin is like that bad roommate. It makes sloppy messes that only Jesus can clean up. It makes us super uncomfortable as we so often carry its excess baggage of guilt and shame. It eats all our effort and throws out all our goodness. And although we evict it over and over by the blood of our precious Savior, it just won’t move out! So, what’s a fed-up roomie to do?
We must think of the “how much more” of God’s word! Romans 5:6-11 says, ”You see at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person some might possiby dare to die. But God demonstrated His love for us in this; that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by His blood. How much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through Him. For if while we were God's enemies wewere reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life. Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord, Jesus Christ. through whom we have now received reconcilation."
If God saved us as enemies, how much more does He love us and save us as His reconciled children! When sin snags our souls, how much more do we love God and cling to Jesus Christ our beloved Savior! We serve a great and mighty God Whom requires justice, yet is full of compassion and love. Jesus saved us through His death. He helps us live through His life! He teaches us through His word. That's exciting!
As for sin in our daily lives, King David dealt with his sin in his prayer Psalm 51…
“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge. Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb; you taught me wisdom in that secret place. Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.” Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, so that sinners will turn back to you. Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, you who are God my Savior, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. Open my lips, Lord, and my mouth will declare your praise. You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.” Psalm 51:1-17
This prayer is timeless, as is all of God’s word. We can draw on the words of our spiritual forefathers and talk to God. Remember how much more our loving Father wants to talk with us, His word says, "Come now, let us settle the matter," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.” Isaiah 1:18
Jesus paid the price for all the damages that bad roommate, sin, has caused. Lift Jesus up, draw on His forgiveness and be thankful! By Christ sacrifice, our sins have been forgiven. By His life, we live!