1 John 2: 1-6 Dealing With Sin In The Life Of A Believer

Wow, what awesome stuff!  Dealing with sin in our lives as believers.  “Sin is not simply outward disobedience; sin is also inner rebellion or desire … Our receiving the new nature does not eliminate the old nature we are born with.  The old nature fights against the new nature.  No amount of self-discipline can control the old nature.  Only the Holy Spirit can …”

We often try to deal with sin by covering it up and pretending nothing is happening, but God knows and won’t stand for that in a Christian’s life.  He can’t be part of sin, so our fellowship with Him suffers.  We often think that we can be the exception to the rule, applying God’s Word to others, but not to ourselves.

We can confess our sins; this means much more than simply admitting them.  We instead must call them what God calls them and agree with Him about them.  It’s being honest with ourselves and with God about them.  “It means judging sin and facing it squarely,” my commentary said.

The best thing, though, is to conquer our sin.  When we sin (and we will), we should immediately confess it to God and claim His forgiveness, realizing what it cost Him to do so – Jesus’ death.  We should spend time in His Word daily to know Him better and to ascertain His will, and then obey that will, not out of fear or out of our own needs, but out of our love for Him.  We do this with the help of the Holy Spirit living in our hearts and with Jesus interceding (praying) for us at God’s throne.  That’s incredible for a sinner to think about – I did this while they are doing that for me!

We do this best by abiding in Christ – “depending completely on Him for all that we need in order to live for Him and serve Him,” my commentary said.  “God has made provision for us in these ways to conquer sin.  We can never lose or change the sin nature that we were born with, but we need not obey its desires.  As we walk in the light and see sin as it actually is, we will hate it and turn from it.  And if we sin, we immediately confess it to God and claim His cleansing … The life that is real has no love for sin … If we say, then we ought also to do.”

Father, thanks for this booster shot today.  I so needed it.  Help me to re-examine my life and agree with You in honesty about areas of sin I struggle with.  Then help me to give them up in total surrender to You.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford