How do I respond to sin?
How do I respond to sin?
How do I respond to my sin? After I am born again, my consciousness became so sensitive. I used to condemn myself so much and go into guilt for days, especially when I lose my temper with my husband. In those days it was hard even to touch the Bible, I went through these cycles many times, I read people saying you shouldn’t be like that enemy will use those moments to keep you away from God. But I do see people praying to cleanse me with your blood and forgive me of my sins, and then they go on doing the very same thing they repented of. So I do not want to be like that, I really want to get rid of anger, my temper, my impatience. It was the season of guilt and condemnation. Until one day I was reading about how Judas betrayed Jesus and Hang himself, It hit me hard I wondered why someone who betrayed hang himself. That question was there for a few days. I compared Juda with Peter, and God revealed great truths. He reminded me of Saul and David, and I examined all 4 Men of God.that cleared all the clouds in my head. This happened 3 years back. Guess what I never had those moments of condemnation again, yes, of course! I lost temper many times after that. But loving God more passionately with all of my heart and growing in knowing his heart and when I fall repented immediately and seeking him for help helped me! And that part of me that easily get angered disappeared slowly without my notice. The more I focus on God, my self-will and self is gone. I am more calm and peaceful person than before. Praise the Lord for his mercy on me.
Here I want to share how God helped me to overcome my guilt and condemnation by examining the four Men of God.
Saul: 1 Samuel 15
10 Then the word of the Lord came to Samuel, saying, 11 “I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from [f]following Me and has not carried out My commands.”
Repeatedly Saul disobeyed God. He obeyed partially and justified himself that he followed .when we read Saul’s story, you don’t see much of a genuine heart for God and no repentance. What are the consequences? God left him.
David: Psalm 51
When we examine the life of David. We see a genuine love for God, he really knows the heart of God, and he has Godly wisdom to make the right decisions. He knows what pleases God and what God hates.
But when it comes to his flesh, he fell so badly and to cover that he sinned again because his love for God made him weep with repentance, and knowing his heart, he knows he will forgive him.
In Psalm 51 we see how David heart of repentance.
He trusted God that he will forgive him.
He knows how merciful God is
He knows how faithful god is…
He knows he was born with sinful nature.
He knows God only can clean him, and he can not do it by himself.
He is asking willing sprint to obey him.
He knows the importance of the holy sprint.
He has a broken heart, and he utterly dependent on God.
Peter: Luke 22: 54–61
Peter loves Jesus. If we observe Peter how his responses are with Jesus, we can see his eagerness and enthusiasm. He has a genuine heart for God. He understood the heart of Jesus. So in his flesh with fear, Peter sinned by disowning Jesus, not once 3 times. But his response is bitter weeping.
Luke 22:62 — He wept bitterly.
Peter has the conviction of sin.
He has FAITH that God can forgive him.
He accepted he is weaker.
He wept and repented for denying God..
Juda: Mathew 27: 1–5
Juda was with Jesus, never knowing Jesus’s heart at all. He did not understand the fundamental truth that God can forgive any sinner. He has seen with his own eyes how Jesus dealt with sinners. What it tells me is he has never followed Jesus with heart, but physically, he was following Jesus. So with guilt Judas killed himself.If he believed that Jesus can forgive any sin, he would have asked forgiveness. Lack of FAITH or not even knowing Jesus with heart put him in that position.
Judas never followed Jesus heartfully
Judas only followed Jesus physically ( outwardly, as many people go to Church not knowing Jesus heartfully)
Judas felt guilty for handing over Jesus…
He has seen all the miracles Jesus did.
He did not have FAITH that Jesus can forgive him.
He doesn’t know Jesus at all!
If we see all 4 Men of God (Interesting all are Men of God)
We see similarities in Saul and Juda and similarities in David and Peter.
Sumamry :
Saul and Juda
Followed God outwardly
No repentance
No FAITH
No Genuine Love for God
Don’t know God’s heart
David and Peter
Followed God wholeheartedly
Repented whenever God convicted them
Have great Faith
Loved God passionately
Know God’s heart
So if I am following God wholeheartedly and know God. When I fall, I won’t go into condemnation or guilt, but instead, I have FAITH that God can forgive me when I repent. Holy Spirit will help me to overcome my sin.
This thought really helped me to understand God’s heart
I started
knowing God more → By reading Word of GOD
loving God more passionately →By Obeying God
When I fall → Repent immediately
Seek → Holy Spirit Help
And Remember We have a…..
FORGIVING GOD.
No matter how much I mess up, still, God can forgive. Do not listen to devil accusations. When I get these kinds of thoughts, I tell devil my father loves me no matter what…He knows me and accepts me the way I am, and He helps me to overcome whatever I am struggling with.
LOVING GOD.
He loves me and cares for me. He can never stop loving me.
If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all — how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? (Romans 8:31–32)
FAITHFUL GOD
He is faithful always, even though I am not faithful many times. He is still faithful.
CARING GOD
He cares for me! He cares no matter how rebellious I am yet time not to obey him, but still, he cares!!
He is forgiving God
He is loving God
He is faithful God
He cares for us.
The more we are willing to love him more and know him more and obey him more… This willingness of us make God super happy, and he comes down 100 steps or moves mountains … or do whatever he needs to do to help us!!! This is my experience !!Can we ask these questions ourselves?
Am I following God outwardly?
Do I love God with all of my heart?
Do I know God’s heart?
Do I have FAITH in every situation?
I am like Saul/Judas or like Peter/David?
May God reveal where we stand and help us to grow in all these areas!!
Just an overview of the above study!
