Sin Not

My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

                                                                                      (1 John 2:1-2 KJV)

It would be best for us all if we do not sin. Sadly, we are sinners and we will continue to sin until our dying breaths. "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." (1 John 1:18) Our sins have separated us from God and from one another. They bring much division.

Yet, there is hope. For Christ came to unite us. On the night in which he was betrayed, Jesus prayed this prayer: "That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me." (John 17:21-23)

So that we might be forgiven our sins and reconciled to our Father and to one another, Jesus offered his own life up for our sins. He died for us and not just for you and me. He died for all who would believe in his life giving sacrifice for them. He loves us that much and because he does; he stands between us and judgment declaring us innocent. He is our advocate, for it is by his blood that we are saved. 

We are sinners. That is a fact. There is nothing we can do to save ourselves. Only Jesus can save us. Trust in him for it is by his blood that our sins are washed away.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Your Sins Are Forgiven!

The power of sin has been destroyed.

"My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One." 1 John 2:1 NIV

It doesn't hurt to be reminded that we are to refrain from sinning. We are to refrain from doing anything that would separate us from God and one from one another. But: sometimes, we can get so caught up in pleasing one another that we do not realize that what we are doing to please the world around us is actually sin. We fall into the trap of saying that what is sin is not sin because it becomes so commonplace. Sometimes, we need to be reminded that what we are doing is sin.

Justifying our sins or the sins of another when they fall off of the path by saying "there's nothing wrong with that" or "everyone does is doing it" does not make it right. The only way things we can be right with God our Father is through the Son who for our sake was willing to suffer and die on the cross that we might be forgiven our sins.

For the sake of the Righteous One who on the cross suffered and died, destroying the power of sin, death, and of the devil, Our Father hears our prayers and answers. Your sins are forgiven!

God's Peace - Pr. J