davidbowerkingwood

God’s Solution for Our Sin Problem!

The world is entirely populated by sinners who all desperately need help! You’re one of those sinners and so am I! It really doesn’t matter what the nature of your sin might be, I’m happy to report that Jesus Christ fully paid the penalty for that sin and, as a born-again Christian, it is not counted against you in the courts of heaven.

In Romans 8:1-4 it is written:

8 So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. ² And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. ³ The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. ⁴ He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.”

The Bible reveals another incredible truth and that is when Christ was crucified, he died for the sins of the entire world to the extent that personal sin is no longer the barrier between God and man that it had once been.

In 1 John 2:1-2 it is written:

“2 My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. ² He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.”

Jesus speaks to this when he explains to his disciples the ministry of the Holy Spirit in John 16:5-10 where it is written:

⁵ “But now I am going away to the one who sent me, and not one of you is asking where I am going. ⁶ Instead, you grieve because of what I’ve told you. ⁷ But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you. ⁸ And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment. ⁹ The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me. ¹⁰ Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more. ¹¹ Judgment will come because the ruler of this world has already been judged.

We have been placed in the same situation Adam faced, there is only one sin we can commit that will keep us out of heaven; Adam could not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; we must receive Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord if we are to ever get to heaven! Rejection of Jesus Christ as Savior is the one sin that will send an individual to the Lake of Fire!

Yes, this means what I’m suggesting, all of the hideous sins we have heard about, all over the world, were forgiven when Jesus died on the cross! Personal sins, no matter how bad, have all been covered by the shed blood of Jesus Christ!

While on earth, there may well be penalties associated with various sins and it could become necessary for individuals who have committed those sins to pay the price demanded by society. That price may have to be paid, but from God’s viewpoint, it does not separate the born-again sinner from his God.

Our struggle with sin is summarized in 1 John 1:8-10 where it is written:

“⁸ If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. ⁹ But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. ¹⁰ If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.”

Although this has nothing to do with salvation, it has everything to do with a Spirit-led life and the joys of our salvation.

As Christians, we restore the power of the Holy Spirit when we confess our sins to God; with the Holy Spirit in control of our lives, we have the opportunity to live out the “Fruit of the Spirit” in our daily walk with Jesus!

In Galatians 5:22-26 it is written:

“²² But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! ²⁴ Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. ²⁵ Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. ²⁶ Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.”

How should we respond to God’s gracious gift of salvation to all who receive Jesus Christ as Savior? Here is some guidance from Philippians 4:4-7:

⁴ Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! ⁵ Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.

⁶ Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. ⁷ Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.