If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1 John 1:8
Once they’re revealed to us, with the help of the Holy Spirit, we must repent (turn from, depart from, stop) of any sin in our lives in order to follow Jesus into the precious, amazing freedom He makes available to us. This is what being a disciple of Christ will do for us. We will be set free, indeed. And, oh, the joy that floods our souls when we’re no longer bound to our sins; when Satan’s hold on us – in any area of our lives – is broken…☺
Did you know that we can be deceived into thinking that we have no sin? It’s true. I know it firsthand.
I was so blind to the truth. But then, Jesus came to open the eyes of the blind, right? Hallelujah!
Besets: 1. To surround; to enclose; to hem in; to besiege; as, we are beset with enemies; a city is beset with troops. Hence, 2. To press on all sides, so as to perplex; to entangle, so as to render escape difficult or impossible.
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Hebrews 12:1
I am not ashamed of the gospel, because (for) it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes.
Romans 1:16
If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
John 1:7
Wow, what powerful scriptures. The gospel, the good news, is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes (we must believe the good news, the gospel, in order for it to save us from our sin). You see, even though I was a “Christian,” I wasn’t really believing it. I didn’t know how to believe it until God revealed “how to believe it” to me. His good news, the gospel, was what I needed to stop the sin of the fear of man, bitterness, dissatisfied with who God made me, angry about my health issues, not believing that He can work all things (our past included) for good, always seeing myself as a victim, shame, unforgiveness, inferior, insecurity, hardhearted, religious, confused, scared, jealousy, fear, worry, religious pride (and so many other sins), wanting to fit in, wanting the pleasures of this world that were ruining my life and the lives of those in my family that I was impacting. I was really hemmed in and sick in my sins. And, I was spreading it to others. Yep, sin is really ugly – and deadly.
But then, Jesus…☺
God’s Word, Jesus, became “life” to me. He began to save me (purify me) from all those sins I listed above that were making life miserable, and bringing death to me and my precious family. Jesus really is The Life. He removes the sin in our life that’s killing us, our relationships and everything else. As we learn about Him, we can choose to take on His character, His ways that bring life to us by separating us from our sins.
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
James 4:7
Now, all I really want to do is tell everyone about the power of the gospel that can save us (salvation) from the sin that so easily “besets” us – I was stuck in my sin with no perceivable way of escape. Then, Jesus came and shined His light (through His Word) into the darkness in my life exposing it so it could be dealt with, so I could begin to become free in Him.
Anyone who is being set free by/in Jesus would do the same. ☺ They can’t help it because it’s so wonderful to be on the path to true freedom in Jesus.
The people (like me) who walk in darkness Will see a great light; Those who live in a dark land, The light will shine on them.
Isaiah 9:2
To give light to them that sit in darkness (the sin in our lives the devil’s using to steal, kill and destroy us) and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Luke 1:79
“The people who were sitting in darkness (like me) saw a great light, and those who were sitting in the land and shadow of death, upon them (me too) a light dawned.”
Matthew 4:16
The Light (Jesus) shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it (Most people won’t comprehend or understand what Jesus has for them (Matthew 7:13-14). We want to be people who comprehend the Light, Jesus).
John 1:5
For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
2 Corinthians 4:6
But you are a chosen race, A royal priesthood, A holy nation, A people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
1 Peter 2:9
for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light (free from all sin)
Ephesians 5:8
Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”
John 8:12
to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified (set apart, unburdened, redeemed, make holy) by faith in Me.’
Acts 26:18
Let’s keep letting Christ’s light shine into every corner of our lives to expose any darkness that keeps us from living in His liberty.
God bless,
Mark