“If we say
that we have no
sin, we deceive
ourselves, and
the truth is not
in us. If we
confess our
sins, He is
faithful and
just to forgive
us our sins, and
to cleanse us
from all
unrighteousness.
If we say that
we have not
sinned, we make
Him a liar, and
His word is not
in us” (1 John
1:8-10).
I’m a miserable
failure when it
comes to not
committing sin.
I’ll be the
first one to
jump up and say,
“Yup, I’m a
sinner!” I fail
every day. I’m
disappointed in
myself, like the
apostle Paul who
said:
“For that which
I do I allow
not: for what I
would, that do I
not; but what I
hate, that do I.
If then I do
that which I
would not, I
consent unto the
law that it is
good. Now then
it is no more I
that do it, but
sin that
dwelleth in me.
For I know that
in me (that is,
in my flesh,)
dwelleth no good
thing: for to
will is present
with me; but how
to perform that
which is good I
find not. For
the good that I
would I do not:
but the evil
which I would
not, that I do
.Now if I do
that I would
not, it is no
more I that do
it, but sin that
dwelleth in me”
(Romans
7:15-20).
I sometimes
forget that I’m
not perfect. The
enemy tries to
use the idea of
perfection as a
weapon against
me, sneaking
thoughts into my
head that if I’m
not perfect,
then I’m not
loved by Jesus
and I am not
saved unto
Glory. It’s a
slippery slope
of thought if I
get sucked into
that error of
thinking. I must
remember that
being sinless is
impossible for
us mere humans.
Only Christ is
perfect and
sinless. All we
can do is strive
to be like Him,
even though we
will miss the
mark.
When I do
what I don’t
want to do, I
always feel so
guilty. I knew I
shouldn’t have
done what I did
but I did it
anyway. After I
beat myself up I
remember and I
tell myself that
I am of flesh
thanks to Adam,
and I am by
nature a sinful
creature. All I
can do is repent
and pray for
strength not to
give into that
fleshly desire
again; seems
like I do this a
lot though.
Being a
follower of
Christ is not to
expect
perfection in
our selves or
our brothers and
sisters in this
world. Nor are
we to judge
people because
they aren’t
perfect. I’m
reminded of the
story in John
chapter eight
about the
adulteress that
was about to be
stoned. Jesus
admonished the
crowd that
whoever was
without sin
should cast the
first stone. No
one did and they
all left. Jesus
told the
adulteress to
leave and leave
her life of sin
(adultery). I
certainly will
never throw a
stone at someone
who has
committed a sin,
for I am just as
guilty as every
other human.
Knowing we are
human and
therefore
destined to sin,
we should not
continue to sin?
No. As Paul says
in Romans 6:1-2:
“What shall we
say then? Shall
we continue in
sin, that Grace
may abound? God
forbid. How
shall we, that
are dead to sin,
live any longer
therein?”
We should strive
to live a
sinless life,
but also knowing
we will slip and
fall along the
way. Does this
make us any less
of a follower of
Christ? Does
this mean if we
slip up we will
go to hell? No.
We won't be
perfect in this
life and only by
grace through
our belief in
Christ will we
spend eternity
with Him as
perfect
creatures.
I’m trying to
make a point
here. I think
that
non-believers
and some
believers get
the idea that
Christians have
to be perfect to
be saved. I also
believe that
some Christians
portend to be
perfect and are
judgmental to
others and
therefore turn
non-believers
off to
investigating
Christ. I’m not
saying every
Christian
believes they
are perfect, but
we all know of
one or two in
church who think
and act like
they are without
sin and are
judgmental
towards everyone
else based on
their false
belief of their
perceived
self-perfection.
I want both
unbelievers and
believers to
know that you
don’t have to be
perfect to be a
Christian. In
fact it is
impossible. You
can never be
perfectly
sinless. Only
one Person is
perfect─Jesus.
You will never
measure up to
the perfect
standard
expected from
God. That is why
we have Jesus.
Jesus is the
mediator between
us, and God the
Father. Jesus
was the ultimate
sacrifice for
our sins, past,
present, and
future. Through
faith in Jesus
we are assured
that He was our
sin offering to
God so that by
grace we may be
seen as
righteous in the
eyes of God.
“Therefore by
the deeds of the
law there shall
no flesh be
justified in His
sight: for by
the law is the
knowledge of
sin. But now the
righteousness of
God without the
law is
manifested,
being witnessed
by the law and
the prophets;
even the
righteousness of
God which is by
faith of Jesus
Christ unto all
and upon all
them that
believe: for
there is no
difference:
For all have
sinned, and come
short of the
glory of God;
Being justified
freely by His
Grace through
the redemption
that is in
Christ Jesus:
Whom God hath
set forth to be
a propitiation
through faith in
His blood, to
declare His
righteousness
for the
remission of
sins that are
past, through
the forbearance
of God; To
declare, I say,
at this time His
righteousness:
that He might be
just, and the
justifier of Him
which believeth
in Jesus”
(Romans
3:20-26).
I want people
who are still
reading -- to
become believers
in the promise
of eternity in
heaven through
Jesus. I want
you to know that
God is real,
that Jesus is
real, and that
the eternity of
heaven and hell
is real. Where
you go, heaven
or hell is
ultimately your
choice. The
choice is pretty
simple. You get
eternal life in
heaven if you
believe and have
faith that Jesus
died for your
sins and
ascended to
heaven after
being
resurrected. If
you don't have
faith in Jesus,
you still have
eternal life,
but it will be
in hell,
separated from
the love and
peace of God.
I hope you
are a little
uncomfortable
with what I just
stated. I hope
that you are
thinking of your
two choices.
That is good.
What you should
do now is pray.
It doesn’t have
to be an
eloquent prayer;
it is just you
talking to God,
your Creator.
Pray to the Lord
to reveal to you
the truth about
Jesus. Do this
and your heart
will speak to
you regarding
this. Also, get
a Bible, or find
an on-line one,
and read at
least one of the
four gospels
books of the
Bible: Matthew,
Mark, Luke,
and/or John to
learn about
Jesus for
yourself. Don’t
take my word for
it, read the
Scriptures.
As you read,
pray to receive
Jesus into your
heart and to
help you
understand Him
and His message.
Do this and I
believe you will
no longer be an
unbeliever, but
a believer in:
Jesus. Reading
one of the
gospel books
won’t take long
to read and
praying is easy.
Try it and see
what happens to
you. I’m sure
you won't be
disappointed.
Once Christ
is in your life,
the Holy Spirit
will work on
your heart and
you will begin
to see changes
in the way you
think, act, and
look at the
world around
you. The worldly
ways you once
lived won’t seem
as important and
your heart will
change to want
to please
Christ. This is
a good thing.
After you begin
to grow with
Jesus and the
Holy Spirit,
your old self
will be put
aside and you
will think of
the things of
Christ and
salvation more
and more. If you
allow the Holy
Spirit to work
in your heart
and mind, you
will be a new
creation with a
firm
confirmation of
your salvation
in Christ
leading to
heaven.
If you think
you are too full
of sin to be
forgiven, push
those thoughts
out of your
mind. Satan will
want you to
think you are
too sinful to be
accepted by
Christ. Know
that Satan is
wrong. He wants
to destroy your
relationship
with Christ. He
wants you to
believe in lies
about Christ and
Christianity
that are
floating around
in society and
throughout the
world. Don’t
entertain those
thoughts. Keep
your mind
focused on
Christ and your
heart to the
peace and rest
Jesus offers to
His people─that
includes you.
Know that the
world will be
against you as
well. This is a
daily challenge
that all
followers of
Christ face. The
world hates
Christ and when
you accept
Christ you will
begin to hate
the things of
the world. You
will see the
world through
the eyes of
Christ and will
be dumbfounded
at how you used
to live in your
old life before
you knew Christ.
You may not
believe me now,
but you will see
what I mean as
your grow with
the help of the
Holy Spirit in
your walk with
Jesus.
If you are
sitting on the
fence with the
world on one
side and Christ
on the other, I
urge you, no, I
plead with you
to look at Jesus
more in-depth.
Seek Him and you
will find Him.
Ask for His
guidance and
strength to
believe in Him
and His saving
grace. God gave
His only Son as
a living
sacrifice for
you and me to
have a way to
heaven. Christ
was sacrificed
on a cross so
that our sins
are paid for, so
we are blameless
before God─if
only you believe
in Him and His
grace offer of
eternity through
Him. Take this
new journey for
your salvation.
Accept Christ.
Study His
Word─the Bible,
and pray
continuously.
God Bless.
John Lysaught
All Scripture
cited is from
the King James
Version of the
Bible.
John_lysaught@yahoo.com