Those Times of Straying and Restoral
Jesus dealt with our sins on the Cross, one time done, period! That was for any sin past, present, or future that we might or will do - praise be to God! We are told in Romans chapters 7 and 8 that there is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ:
[7:23] but I see a different law in *the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner *of the law of sin which is in my members. [24] Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from *the body of this death? [25] Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.
[8:1] Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. [2] For the law of the Spirit of life *in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.
But that doesn't seem to clear us from the guilt that occurs when we sin and break fellowship with the Almighty. The lead in to the book of I John gives us a picture of what occurs:
[1Jn 1:1] What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life— [2] and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us— [3] what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.
The picture is one of the following: You, the Father, and the Son sitting around a table having fellowship with one another. That is pretty impressive. We have a God who desires fellowship with each of us. A one on one basis, which normally occurs in this life through prayer.
However, we can break this chain of fellowship through our sin. But, we have a way in which fellowship can be restored and that is through confession of our sins:
[1Jn 1:5] This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. [6] If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; [7] but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. [8] If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. [9] If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. [10] If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.
"If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in darkness (sin) ..." lets us know that we are walking in darkness. Since God is Light, without darkness we cannot possibly be in a close fellowship with Him. According to verse 9 here, confession of our sins brings us back.
Just a tidbit for the day to enable us to have a closer walk with Him.
- LW
[7:23] but I see a different law in *the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner *of the law of sin which is in my members. [24] Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from *the body of this death? [25] Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.
[8:1] Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. [2] For the law of the Spirit of life *in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.
But that doesn't seem to clear us from the guilt that occurs when we sin and break fellowship with the Almighty. The lead in to the book of I John gives us a picture of what occurs:
[1Jn 1:1] What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life— [2] and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us— [3] what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.
The picture is one of the following: You, the Father, and the Son sitting around a table having fellowship with one another. That is pretty impressive. We have a God who desires fellowship with each of us. A one on one basis, which normally occurs in this life through prayer.
However, we can break this chain of fellowship through our sin. But, we have a way in which fellowship can be restored and that is through confession of our sins:
[1Jn 1:5] This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. [6] If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; [7] but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. [8] If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. [9] If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. [10] If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.
"If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in darkness (sin) ..." lets us know that we are walking in darkness. Since God is Light, without darkness we cannot possibly be in a close fellowship with Him. According to verse 9 here, confession of our sins brings us back.
Just a tidbit for the day to enable us to have a closer walk with Him.
- LW