Fooling Ourselves – August 20, 2008

Fooling Ourselves

1 John 1:8-10

Jim Stephens

08-20-08

 

Scripture:

 

8 If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. 9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.  (1 John 1:8-10 NLT)

 

Observation & Application:

 

It really caught my attention reading through Jeremiah this time that in a couple of places God sorrowed over his people saying, “If only they would acknowledge and confess their sins so I could forgive them!”  The profound truth here is hard to grasp.  It’s easy to read about, easy to theologize about, but really hard to grasp.  God forgives sin!

 

David understood this truth and wrote about it in a couple of Psalms.  But that didn’t make it any easier for him to actually do it.  And us!  That God forgives honestly confessed sin is at the core of our theology, yet we bluster and deny and excuse our selves and all the while the wall between our hearts and God’s heart grows thicker and taller.

 

Fooling others, fooling ourselves.  Sometimes I act like a religious person.  When I do, I become less honest with God and with myself.  I attempt to justify myself with excuses or sacrifices.  I compare myself with others who are obviously “more sinful.”  Then when I finally fall on my face and say, “Father, I have sinned” and it all comes out in honest confession, he forgives me.  The wall comes down, I sorrow for my sin, God comforts and restores me.  It’s hard to believe!

 

It’s easy to say we believe it, but it’s hard to believe.  But I believe it!  God forgives sin.

 

Prayer:

 

Father forgive me for I have sinned.  Thank you for the power of those simple words and that I can always be freed from the prison of “fooling myself” by honest confession and repentance.  Thank you for an honest antidote to religion.  Amen.