This is the revelation that is shaping my life today- embracing my sin is how I follow Jesus.
1 John 1:8-9 TPT
[8] If we boast that we have no sin, we’re only fooling ourselves and are strangers to the truth. But if we freely admit our sins when his light uncovers them, he will be faithful to forgive us every time. God is just to forgive us our sins because of Christ, and he will continue to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Observation
Walking with Jesus is a walk into the uncovering of my sin so that I can walk out of my sin. Sin is – living in ways that are not full of the life of the Kingdom of God. So don’t avoid your sin, rejoice when “his light uncovers them.” All that awaits me when my sin is exposed is forgiveness, freedom and cleansing. Forget trying to be sinless, that’s foolishness. The closer you walk to the light the more your darkness will be exposed, and its exposure is time to celebrate for the table is being set for your freedom party.
Often Christians believe that sin is bad and that they are bad followers of Jesus if they have sin in their lives. And this leads so deceptively into the most dangerous place of cover-up. Trying to look good we cover up exactly what God is uncovering. We miss the party, healing, forgiveness, and cleansing because we are covering up sin rather than rejoicing in its exposure. Imagine if we saw sin in our lives as an opportunity to celebrate the new level of freedom God is about to bring. Imagine if we saw the presence of sin as an opportunity to bring glory and thanks to God for His amazing forgiveness. Our fear of sin being exposed keeps us from God.
Our foolishness in not embracing our sin means that we become “strangers to the truth.” The truth of God always confronts sin in my life. The kingdom comes through death and resurrection, death to sin and resurrection into kingdom truth. If I won’t embrace my sin then I cannot die to it, and if I cannot die through repentance then I cannot be resurrected into truth. My foolishness keeps me as a stranger to truth. The church becomes weak and ineffective because it has shaped sin as something to keep hidden, and in this hiddenness, God’s people have become strangers to His truth.
Application
No more boasting in sinlessness that’s just for fools. I will embrace sin when God brings it into view and see it as an opportunity for new life in His truth. I will freely, without hesitation and without embarrassment or shame, embrace my sin and celebrate that forgiveness has already covered my sin in Jesus and then receive the healing of His truth.
Response
Thank you that I don’t need to hide out, rather I can come out. I am a sinner who walks beautifully free and intimately with my God because of His forgiveness. And thank you that any place of brokenness that you expose is so that your truth can bring healing and freedom. Thank you that sin has no hold on me, no power over me. Thank you that I don’t need to be a fool, rather I can be honest in my life with you always. I am blessed.
Meditation
How often do you hide your sin away? What lies behind this response?
JOURNEY DEEPER
