I really enjoyed worshiping God with you on Sunday. I hope that you enjoyed God’s Word to us as much as I did.
I think that behind all that God taught me from 1 John 1:5-2:2, the main take away that I needed to hear was: “don’t beat yourself up when you sin, Jesus was beat up and crucified on the Cross for you. Believe it! He’s here to help you when you sin, not push you further down or condemn you.”
I need to hear that as a perfectionist and as somebody who is very aware of my own sin. As I said on Sunday, if we don’t believe lies #1, 2 & 3 (1 John 1:6, 8, 10) about sin, we’re only half way to believing the truth. Christians, yes, we are those who walk in the light and that means we are aware of our sin, but what a dismal illumination it is if God only casts the light on our sin. He doesn’t. He shines the light on the Gospel, His Son Jesus! (John 16:14). And when we sin, what we most need to believe in once again as Christians who don’t like sinning, Jesus is my Savior and the One Who cleanses me from all unrighteousness, forgives me, helps me, propitiates my sin, and I’m secure because of that.
Christians, we are those who know our sin, confess it, repent (constantly) and are continually thankfully reminded that Jesus still serves us with His cleansing ministry. He is always applying His finished work on the Cross on our behalf! (Read Hebrews 4:14-16 & 7:25 for more assurance in this area).
I hope that you all feel more confidence and love in your relationship with the Lord as a result of 1 John’s comforting message to us. Let’s continue believing in sin together because God tells us to, but let’s believe that Jesus is greater than our sins!
With love in Christ
Aaron
