The Problem with Sin &#8230;

Nov

The Problem with Sin …

Posted on November 12th, 2009 in Faith by Fred McKinnon

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I shared this last night while leading worship and ministering at SSCC‘s youth meeting, “Inside Out”. It wasn’t a spontaneous revelation, by any means … it’s something I’ve been pondering a lot recently.

One of the big problems with sin?

The way it kills your confidence with the Lord.
The way the guilt holds you back, separating you from a loving God.
The way you second-guess everything that happens afterwards.
The way your prayers are hindered because of the confidence issue.

21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God;
22 and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.
(1 John 3:21-22, ESV)

You see, when you give in … when you allow yourself to cross that line, whatever it may be … the heart issue comes into play. Sure, you’re sorry (maybe, maybe not). Sure, you can ask for forgiveness. By faith, we know God gives forgives us … BY FAITH. But it’s hard to not have a condemning heart.

How many times have you allowed yourself to cross the line, only to have “something” happen later … a few hours, a few days. How many times has that little voice whispered “that probably wouldn’t have happened to you if you hadn’t have __________________”.

C’mon, now, am I alone?

Overcoming the guilt, the shame, and the condemnation is possible – God promises that. He isn’t the one condemning us. But that sin messes with our hearts. It messes with our communion, BIG-TIME.

I love the way “The Message” communicates the same verse:

21 And friends, once that’s taken care of and we’re no longer accusing or condemning ourselves, we’re bold and free before God!
22 We’re able to stretch our hands out and receive what we asked for because we’re doing what he said, doing what pleases him.

What do you think? Share your comments below.

http://yardonahill.blogspot.com/ HL McConnell

Fred, thanks for sharing. I love this lesson. One I need to hear often as most of us do. Thanks brother…HL

http://www.fredmckinnon.com Fred McKinnon

My Pleasure HL!

Tracie

I agree with you in the problem of the sin. But I also know in my own heart I struggle in how I deal with sin. We know we all sin, but how many of us really like to admit it. I feel the more huge problem is Silent Sin. How it’s easier to hide it. Or not even that, maybe we sin and we rationalize or justify it, compare it with someone else’s sin. I was thinking that jealousy or envy is a sin, and the times I have confessed that honestly people look at me like I am crazy for saying it. But it messes up my heart daily too. Not to devalue the importance of not sinning, but feel like more of the problem is in how we approach our sin afterwards. Hide it or confess?
James 5:16-
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

http://www.fredmckinnon.com Fred McKinnon

Tracie, I’m guilty on all those counts … and you’re so right … how we handle it afterwards is huge. That’s where all that guilt and condemnation lie.

http://www.robmckinnon.net Robert McKinnon

Man are you right! Until we understand why we are righteous and how that righteousness was achieved (and I’m not talking about just memorizing scripture here, but a real understanding) and the grace and mercies of a loving, patient and forgiving God, we will never be able to walk free from our own condemnation.

http://www.fredmckinnon.com Fred McKinnon

I hear ya bro … I feel like I have that revelation; yet … when I’m in that place, where my confidence is gone … it’s so true that it’s hard to ask or believe for anything!

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http://www.onevoiceworship.org Harold Forbis

Fred, this is good, and amen to the previous comments. This is something every Christian struggles with. Condemnation is the killer for me, in all the ways you mention.

I appreciate what Paul says in Rom. 8:1, that there no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, but with the condition that we follow after the Spirit and not after the flesh. There is therefore condemnation (although the guilt’s forgiven) when we follow after the flesh.

It’s great to know that our sins are forgiven, but it also helps me to remember that following after the flesh can still produce death in a number of ways, even if not eternally. Following after the Spirit really does produce life, and life free from the condemnation that robs us in so many ways. God is good.

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