Hello precious child of God, I hope you’re fine by God’s grace.
During this Lenten season, we’ve talked about the issue of sin in the life of a Christian.
When you really love God, and you really want to serve Him, you definitely feel horrible about yourself when you sin against Him, mostly when you promised you would change.
It’s not difficult for me to believe that God has forgiven me for the sins that I have committed before I became a Christian, but it is unbelievable for me to accept the fact that God forgives even the sins I have commited after I became a Christian.
In my journey of learning to confess my sins to God, and receive His forgiveness, I learned a wonderful lesson from “Uncontainable love” by Elevation Worship.
“Sin is serious but Christ is enough”
-Pastor Steven Furtick
There’s so much to learn from this song, and I’ll try to share a few things with you which I found really reassuring.
1.God still loves you even though you sinned
Nothing can separate us from God’s love for us. His love is true love. He believes the best of us, He keeps forgiving us though we sin against Him, because He loves us.
1 Corinthians 13:4-5, 7 NLT
Love is patient and kind…It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
I know this is difficult to believe but no matter what you did in your life 5 years ago, 10 years ago, or 2 minutes ago, God still loves you. Nothing can change His love for you
Romans 8:38-39 NLT
And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
2. We Are No More Under The Law But Under Grace
By our own efforts, we will never reach sanctification. This is something which is only possible in Christ Jesus, through His grace.
For sure God’s law applies to us. But since we are sinners, we are condemned by the law. However, God’s grace is enough, to forgive us when we confess our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousnessness.
Yes, I sinned and I feel horrible about it. But it’s because of God’s grace that He forgives me. As such, I can gratefully turn to Him to praise Him, instead of lamenting on how pityfull I am.
Romans 6:14-15, 18 NLT
Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace. Well then, since God’s grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not! Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living.
Ephesians 2:5, 9 NLT
…even though we were dead because of our sins, He gave us life when He raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.
3. God’s Love is Going to Change Me
Have you ever heard the saying “Love can change anyone” ?
It is definitely true about God, God is love and He can change anyone.
You can’t change God’s love for you, but God’s love for you can change you.
-Victoria Eyog
If you’re still bothered by a sin you’re struggling with and asking yourself what’s going to deliver you and make you change, let me tell you something.
- Guilt won’t take the sin away, it’ll mask it for some time
- Shame won’t take the sin away, it’ll just make you feel bad about it but it won’t produce lasting change
- Denial won’t take the sin away, it’ll exacerbate it
- Hiding it from God, won’t take the sin away, it will only create more sin, more guilt, more shame
- Rules won’t take the sin away, they may protect you for some time but they have no power to change your heart
- Beating yourself up won’t take the sin away, it’ll only help you feel bad long enough till the next sin episode
But….
God’s love will take the sin away.
Ezekiel 36:25-27 NLT
“Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols. And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations.
It’s because God loves you that He still forgives you and that He has a plan and that He will change your heart so that you serve Him and obey Him.
When someone loves you and keeps forgiving you, you begin to love and respect the person even more, and this stirs a natural willful desire in you to do everything to please this person.
Luke 7:41-44, 47-48 NLT
Then Jesus told him this story: “A man loaned money to two people—500 pieces of silver to one and 50 pieces to the other. But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do you suppose loved him more after that?” Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the larger debt.” “That’s right,” Jesus said. Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Look at this woman kneeling here. When I entered your home, you didn’t offer me water to wash the dust from my feet, but she has washed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. “I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love.” Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.”
It goes the same with your relationship with God. The more God forgives you and demonstrates His love for you, the more your natural response should be to love Him and want to obey Him. With time, you’ll realize that some sins you were struggling with have disappeared completely because God’s love made a radical change in you. Keep believing, and it will happen.
His love is the solution to all your problems.
Next time you sin, don’t focus on how bad you are, focus on how good God’s love is.
Exercise
- Think of the sins you commited today. Ask God’s Holy Spirit to show them to you.
- Confess (tell) all of them to God, don’t try to hide anything or to beautify anything with a filter, God knows what you did and He knows your heart. He is ready to forgive you.
- Receive His forgiveness
- Praise Him tremendously with joy, thanking Him for His love and grace for you which is available on Christ Jesus
- Tell Him that you have faith that His love will change you and make you overcome sin
Prayer
Father Lord God Almighty , thank You so much for loving me with an everlasting love. I choose to believe today Lord, that Your love will reach the deepest parts of me and completely change my heart, so that I may live in obedience and submission to You. Thank You so much for not letting go, and for keeping me with You, in Jesus Christ’s Name. Amen.
It’s Now Your Turn
How does it make you feel to know that God’s love for you is what will make you change? Please let us know in the comments section.
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Thank you so much for reading
God bless you
Victoria Eyog
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