Sin and Repentance

Heb 8;10 "For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel: After those days,'' says the Lord, "I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people:

These are God's laws that have been imprinted on man's heart and mind since Jesus came and heralded the New Covenant. So although we are saved through grace, we are still bound by God's law in our hearts when we fall, and we become instinctively aware of our sin. We feel the guilt and shame that accompanies sin which leaves us in no doubt that we have done wrong. We will feel like this while ever we try to hide our faults, and cause nothing but sorrow and pain for ourselves and others, and create an ever widening barrier between ourselves and God.

These feelings though, have to be taken before God and the subject of our wrongdoing, rather than the fact that we have sinned. We are bound to sin occasionally. We inherit that from Adam and the fact that we are bound in the flesh. We will only become sinless when we join Jesus in heaven. So repentance is the necessary process of agreeing with God, and those on the receiving end, that we have indeed sinned and then ask them and pray to God for forgiveness.

Phil 3;12-14 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

We can sin in different ways. Firstly we can sin during our everyday living, the odd cuss word for example; we sin through inheritance, both from Adam and our more immediate family. These sins are sins of our character and form adverse life patterns and behaviours which we need to address continually. We can also be a party to sin through our church or group of friends. We are just as guilty when we're part of a wrong group decision as we are when we manage to transgress all on our own! What we can be sure of though, is that God will forgive us if we're honest and open with Him:

Ps 32;1-5 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no guile. When I kept silent, my bones grew old Through my groaning all the day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; My vitality was turned into the drought of summer. Selah
I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,'' And You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah

Sin not only covers the wrong things that we do, but also the right things which we don't do. In other words, sins of comission and sins of omission. Also we have to remember that it is God that defines sin and not man, so it is also possible to sin and not know it! But although sin is a part of us, it does not stop the Lord seeing the child of God within, just as a parent still sees the child she loves through the grime on his dirty face:

Rom 7;14-22 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man.

Sometimes we need to confide in someone about our transgressions. Maybe your pastor or a church deacon for example. But we need to choose very carefully who we talk to. We need to ensure that the person is going to respect your right to confidentiality, that they are mature enough spiritually and have an honest commitment to your wellbeing. Also we must ensure that the person understands fully both the need and way to true repentance.

Jas 5;16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

Above all remember that we are still chosen by God to be His ambassadors while we walk this earth despite our shortcomings. Yes we need to repent when we do wrong, but above all else we need to have the faith and true belief that God forgive's us and we can then press onwards with a clear conscience, all the time learning from our mistakes.

Ps 51;1-17 Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is ever before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight That You may be found just when You speak, And blameless when You judge. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me. Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness, That the bones which You have broken may rejoice. Hide Your face from my sins, And blot out all my iniquities.

Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me with Your generous Spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners shall be converted to You. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, The God of my salvation, And my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, And my mouth shall show forth Your praise. For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart These, O God, You will not despise.