Dear Girls...
It is so easy to see another's sin. It is also very easy to remember that the other guy is the sinner especially when you are the one being hurt by his/her sin. Not so much when it comes to seeing our own sin. The same is true for forgiveness...we accept Christ's forgiveness for our own sin (as we should) but do not deal out our own forgiveness to others so easily. Why...again...because it is so easy to understand the consequences of sin when it is happening to you! When you are not the perpetrator. When you are the one being offended. OUCH!! HOW DARE HE!! Not so much when we are the one doing the offending. Then we can find a 1000 reasons to justify our actions so we can deny our sin and continue to do that which is right in our own eyes.
I think the biggest danger for me if I dwell on an offense is the risk of becoming self-righteous. The risk of being unforgiving. The risk of forgetting my own depravity. I am a victim of sin, yes, but I must also remember that I am also a perpetrator of it. We all are...you do not have to look far into the news to see the tragedy and the utter depravity of man. There are mountains of hurt inside one person due to their own sin and the offenses of others; never mind thinking on the avalanche that occurs when we think of it in cosmic terms. Sin is devastating, cruel, vicious and enslaving. God would truly be justified in making nothing of us all. He, however, chooses the way of love. He dwells there, in fact. So much so that He took our sin upon Himself and paid the price. You have probably heard stories like this one before but I think it really paints the picture we need to see.
It would be like one of you going before a judge because you are guilty of murder...the gavel comes down and you are declared guilty. The sentence...death. Your world closes in on you...but then the judge comes around the bench...takes off his robe and tells you that he will die in your stead. He will pay the price. You are set free. Continuing the picture...what if when the judge came around you despised his offer...telling him that you would not accept his offer and that you thought it was harsh and that his sentence was unfair. No one would feel sorry for you at your execution...the offer was there and you rejected it.
Thinking of it in those terms makes it so much more meaningful to me. We are not able to keep the law. We already stand condemned before the judge. Maybe you are not guilty of murder, but with the law it doesn't matter. The purpose of the law in Galatians 3:24 is to bring us to Christ. In fact, Galatians 3:31 says that through faith the law is established. Belief in Christ accomplishes the very purpose of the law...to show us our need for a Savior. James 2:10 says this: "For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all." Not good news! The mercy seat covered the ark of the covenant. The ark of the covenant contained the law. The mercy seat came between us and the law. Christ is our mercy seat...He is the propitiation for our sin. He comes between us and certain death...He took our sentence on Himself. Wow!
Dwelling in mercy and love as Jesus truly did, is so where I want to be....to remember always the cross...to remember the pit in which He lifted me out of. To remember that all that stands between me and hell is Jesus' sacrificial death on the cross. I never want to esteem it lightly by the sin of unforgiveness. God poured out His wrath on His Son, who knew no sin, for my sin and yours. To lose sight of the cross of Jesus Christ and the forgiveness and redemption bought there, is to lose sight of EVERYTHING you believe. You can only be one of these two things girls...forever grateful that Jesus Christ stands between you and your sin...or self-righteous thinking that you can stand before God in your own righteousness.
The antidote for this is what the antidote always is...immersing yourself in His word daily and allowing it to penetrate. Allowing Him to gaze deeply into your heart by His Spirit. There are no shortcuts...our walk with Jesus is daily...fruit is grown slowly over time.
Hebrews 4: 12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
Love
Mom
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