Everyday Christianity: Testing (3)
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
When will we ever learn?
The Lord, Who tests us every moment of every day, will allow us sometimes to fall through temptation into sin. Not that He approves of the sin, but He has His purposes for us. If we deny that we sin, we’re kidding ourselves. And worse, we’re making God a liar, as John says.
Why does this happen? Two reasons. First, because, although we have been redeemed and born again into the Kingdom of righteousness, we still carry old sinful baggage with us. A law of sin is and will be at work within us as long as we are in this life (Rom. 7.21-23). Only when we have received our new, glorified bodies will the chronic presence of sin be removed. And this means that, from time to time, we will fail to pass one of the Lord’s daily tests and lapse into our old sinful ways.
But second, when we fail a test, we must remember that there is “no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit” (Rom. 8.1). Giving into some sinful inclination—an angry outburst, evil thought or desire, ugly word or mean-spirited deed—does not cancel the work that Jesus has done in redeeming us. God uses lapses as course corrections, to strengthen faith in and love for Him. Such lapses are like a pothole we were sure we could drive through, and now we have a flat tire, bent wheel rim, or broken axel to repair. We said to ourselves, “Oh, it’s just a small thing.” But then the small thing ends up being deeper, wider, more vicious and more involved than we thought.
So now, having tried the fleshly, self-trusting route, we’re ready to return to the path of God and His Spirit, precisely as He intends. How can we do that?
Don’t plan for sin
First, though, and first thing in the day, let’s make sure we’re not planning to sin. We should think ahead to the people and situations ahead of us. Yes, there will be some unpleasant or irritating people to deal with, or some impossible or disagreeable task. But we must not plan on being grouchy or angry or snobbish or aloof or snotty or any of those things we wouldn’t want someone to do or think toward us.
Don’t plan for sin. Instead, let’s turn to thanksgiving to make sure we see and can drive around each pothole in our road. We can seek grace and the strength of the Lord for everything we will do all day long. Since every moment of our time is our time of need, mercy and grace are available for the asking. If we fail to ask, we’re planning to fail. Be filled with the Spirit, then proceed cautiously.
We must refuse to plan on giving in to the flesh. Instead, let’s plan to walk according to the Spirit, and see that plan in our mind as we commit our day to the Lord with thanksgiving.
Deal with it
When we do sin, however, we must deal with it. First, we must admit the wrong. We confess to the Lord our self-centeredness, indifference, meanness, or neglect. Agree with the Holy Spirit—which is the meaning of “confess”—as He prods and pokes at our conscience to help us see where we have transgressed God’s holy and righteous and good Law.
All sin is, in the first instance, sin against God (Ps. 51.3, 4). By scorning His Law, we have turned our back on Him. The only way to begin getting right is to look Jesus in His face, see the glory of God radiating there (2 Cor. 4.6), and admit our transgression, in specific detail, to Him. We must seek the forgiveness we have but which we feel as if we have lost, and He will grant it readily.
But someone else may have borne some of the brunt of our sin. We may need to seek forgiveness for something wicked we have said or done. If we have merely thought ill of someone, we have not yet injured them, so let’s not do so by telling them how awful we thought they were. But if we have said or done anything not consistent with the love of Jesus, by all means, we must confess to those we have offended, and humbly ask for forgiveness.
Learn from it
Then we will want to chart a course to make sure this lapse doesn’t happen again. This begins with repentance—seeking a new heart and mind. But repentance must give rise to something more. The old Celtic monastics had a saying: “Contraries are by contraries cured.” If we have done something contrary to God’s Law and love, we must determine a course which is contrary to that to help us in getting back on the righteous road. Work on that snippy tongue! Put those lustful thoughts to death by singing the praises of God instead! Overcome that chronic crankiness by memorizing psalms of joy! We must resolve to drive around whatever pothole appears in the road, giving thanks to God for reminding us not to do the stupid thing.
In theological terms, this is the work of penance.
We don’t want to sin. We don’t seek it. But we cannot avoid it. If we know what might cause us to lapse into sin, then, when we do, we will seek forgiveness and look to the Lord to learn the lesson He intends. Thus we will grow closer to Him as we resume our walk in the Spirit of God.
For reflection or discussion
1. When was the last time you confessed a sin to the Lord? Should confession be a more frequent discipline?
2. How do you know when the Spirit of God is convicting you of some sin?
3. What can we do to help our fellow believers when they fail a test and lapse into sin?
Next steps—Transformation: Set aside some time, at various parts of your day, to listen in silence for the convicting voice of the Holy Spirit. Confess, repent, and return to the Lord accordingly.
T. M. Moore
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment to give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
This week: Our Read Moore podcast is from the book, Patrick: A Devotional History. In our Crosfigell teaching letter, we are studying examples of the spiritual poetry of the Celtic Revival. And in the daily Scriptorium column we are working our way through the Gospel of Matthew. Click here to see all the other columns and writers available to you.
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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
