Monday, October 19, 2009

Sinfully Aware

Sinfully Aware
October 12, 2009
Leviticus 4:14 "When they become aware of the sin they committed, the assembly must bring . . . a sin offering. . ."

Have you ever watched the look on a person's face when they got caught in the act? You know the look, when they get caught in a lie or with their hand in the cookie jar? It's the look of astonishment and surprise, with eyebrows raised, like when a child is being naughty and turns around to see the parent quietly observing the crime. The surprised look, of being caught in the act, isn't always an expression of regret, but often of regret for getting caught. Everyone knows what I'm talking about; you've, undoubtedly, been caught more times that you'd care to admit. I know I have.

With God, though, there are no "caught in the act" moments. He doesn't stand there, waiting to jump out and shout, "Ah ha!" God has been watching you the whole time, whether you know it or not. God knows what you are doing, WHEN and WHILE you are doing it. It is as if He was standing next to you when you committed the offense. He wants you to know that He is aware of your sin and wants you to come to a point of admitting it, being sinfully aware of your actions. He makes you aware for a reason, though, and it is not to surprise you.

Jesus was thirsty and saw a woman drawing water from a well. He asked her for a drink of water but she refused him. Jesus never got a drink that moment, and in fact, ended up offering her water. Except the water that Jesus offered her was Living Water, the Living Water of eternal salvation (John 4). The woman wanted the gift of Living Water and asked Jesus how to obtain it. Jesus, though, did not tell her how to obtain this Living Water (salvation); He first made her aware of her sin. He asked the woman to bring her husband to Him, where she admitted she did not have one. The discourse continued and Jesus made her aware of her sin of living with 5 different men. The point Jesus was trying to make was that her sin made her ineligible to receive the Living Water.

Despite her asking for it, Jesus basically told her she was not qualified to receive salvation because of her sinful life. He had to make her sinfully aware, FIRST, in order to convince her of the next steps to obtaining the Living Water. The next steps, as you know, Christian, are to confess your sins to Jesus and accept His forgiveness, BEFORE you can obtain Living Water (eternal salvation).

You can have the Living Water of Jesus Christ but not if you continue to sin, after being made aware of your sin. Your continued offenses can make you ineligible to receive the gift of eternal life, unless you confess them to Jesus and apply the sacrificial sin offering of Jesus' blood to your life. You may not have committed adultery or murder, but there are sins that each of us struggles with everyday. It might be bitterness or an unclean thought life. It might be an attitude of complaining or acts of selfishness. Today, God wants to make you aware of the sin in your life that you need to eliminate, in order to maintain your eligibility for salvation.

I'm not arguing that you have lost your salvation, I'm arguing that you might have unconfessed sin in your life and God wants to make you aware of it. This is not to surprise you or make you feel guilty; it is so you might stop sinning. As you read this, I know there are one or two things that instantly come to your mind, sins you've committed. This is the Holy Spirit bringing conviction to you, showing you where your offenses lie. It is His effort to make you sinfully aware, so you may confess and repent of your sins, applying the sin offering of Jesus' blood to your actions. Confess your sins and drink of the Living Water.

1. What sins came to mind as you read this?
2. Confess those sins right now and ask God to give you a repentant heart?
3. How can you ask God, on a daily basis, to show you those sins?

Add. Scriptures for Study: Lev 5:5, Psalm 32:5, Proverbs 28:13, Mark 1:5, John 4, Acts 19:18, 1 John 1:9

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