God’s word, the Bible, tells us that He wants to have a personal and intimate relationship with each and every one of us. Unfortunately, sin separates us from the Creator of all that is – the heavens and the earth, the birds of the sky, the animals that scurry among us, the inhabitants of the oceans, as well as man and woman. His handiwork, my friend, includes you and me, and our Creator wants us to personally know Him.
So, what is sin? It merely means to miss the mark – God’s mark – like an archer misses the bull’s eye. Truth is, even if we miss the intended target (His ways) by merely a hair, we’ve still missed the mark completely, we’ve sinned.
You may be asking, what does this have to do with me? Well, let me ask you this, have you ever told a lie? Come on now, tell the truth, even if you justified it be calling it a little white lie like telling your spouse or friend they looked great in that outfit you never liked. The ninth commandment is thou shall not bear false witness, and yet every one of us has told a lie at one time or another. Well, haven’t you?
Likewise, if I asked you if you’ve ever stolen anything, you would have to tell me yes. Wouldn’t you? Truth told, we’ve all stolen something – a piece of candy, a pen, maybe photocopies from work, the wrong change dispensed by a store clerk, someone’s heart via lies, or someone’s virginity. Maybe you’ve stolen from God by withholding your tithes and offerings. Again, truth told, we’ve all broken the eighth commandment as well.
Here’s another one. The seventh commandment tells us not to commit adultery, and when Christ dwelt among us, he said those who have looked at another with lust in their heart have already committed adultery. What about the sixth commandment, thou shall not murder? Christ said if you’ve harbored anger in your heart against another, you’ve already committed murder.
If we are honest with ourselves, we are all lying, thieving, adulterous, murders at heart, and that’s just four of His commandments. Surely, there were times when you dishonored your parents, too, and the list of our sins goes on and on and on. You see, when we are judged by God’s standards, we all fall short – very short.
That’s made clear in Romans 3:23, which states, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
Then, in Romans 6:23, we learn the wages or consequence of our sin is death, eternal separation from God.
In Genesis 4:7, God’s word states, “If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at your door, and it’s desire is for you, but you should rule over it.”
But how can we do that? Fortunately, for you and me, Jesus Christ came to offer each of us new life.
In the often quoted scripture, John 3:16, we learn that “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
God’s love for you is unconditional, it’s everlasting and it has nothing to do with your own merits. Despite your rejections, in spite of your sins, God is reaching down from heaven for you at this very moment. There’s nothing you can do to prevent God’s love – not your lying, not your thieving, not your adulterous ways. Murder can’t stand in the way of God’s love. Drunkenness is no match for the Creator’s love. Gossiping, debauchery, gluttony, pornography, prostitution, divorce – no matter what your sin – God’s all consuming love can overcome.
Romans 5:8 says, “God demonstrates His love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
That’s right, the only man to ever live a perfect, sinless life – Jesus Christ, God Among Us – came down from heaven and died for you. Friend, it was a brutal death, and you must understand that it was your sins, and mine, that nailed Christ to the cross. It was the times we missed the mark that caused the lashes, our sins that yanked flesh from his back as the crowd yelled out, “Crucify Him, Crucify Him”. We placed the thorn of crowns upon His head; we drove the nails into his hands and feet. We hung the world’s Savior on the dead wooden tree more than 2,000 years ago, and yet he overcame the cross, rising from the dead three days later and walking from the tomb to offer each and every one of us forgiveness for our sins.
We all stand before God as beggars at the door of His mercy, and yet our heavenly Father’s all encompassing love meets us there with Grace. One of the best definitions I’ve ever heard for grace uses the word’s letters as an acronym, spelling out God’s riches at Christ’s expense, and that grace is available to all who will confess their sins, repent, accept Jesus Christ as their Savior, and submit to Him as Lord.
I Corinthians 1:18 says, “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God.”
I say to you reading this right now – that power, that love can be yours. God is extending His hands down from heaven, inviting you to into his kingdom through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
In John 14:6, Jesus said it this way, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No ones comes to the Father except through me.”
That’s right – Christ is our one and only Savior.
Before I go any further, I want to make it clear that the only way to be righteous – to have a right relationship with God – is to be covered by the forgiveness offered through Jesus Christ. Your works, your ways will never save you.
That said, those who love God with all their heart, soul and mind, those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, those who have repented of this sins, must have a changed life. We must become a new creation.
II Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things are new.”
Right now, this very minute, I invite you to become a new creation. Speak to the Creator, admitting to yourself that you are indeed a sinner in need of Christ while also confessing those sins to the loving God who made you. Tell Him that you repent – turn from those sins – and desire to walk in a new direction, His direction. Now, express your love to God for His forgiveness made possible through Jesus Christ.
If you said those words with your lips and your heart, then you have truly entered into a new relationship with God. I encourage you to find a local church, a Christian friend or message me, Brad Harrington, at Outrider Ministries to share that Good News.
If you like and are blessed by the content created by Outrider Ministries for Christ, we encourage you to regularly visit our website while also telling your family and friends about us. Never forget – you are important to us and vital to our success at spreading the word of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all the world. May His abounding love, mercy, and grace be upon you.