We have been learning that God desires relationship and fellowship with people. However, there is a natural tendency toward sin (walking in darkness) in every person. Without the removal of that sin nature, man cannot walk with God. Isaiah the prophet said it this way in chapter fifty nine verses one and two in his book,:
Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid [his] face from you, that he will not hear.
That was the purpose of Jesus coming. He came to remove the sin nature from people. They would no longer be separated from God but would rather have fellowship with Him. We learned yesterday “if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” The sin nature no longer separates, and fellowship with God is enjoyed.
Three is, however, a role we must play in this sin removal process. John the apostle continues his exposition in first John chapter one verse nine:
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
In order to have a relationship with the Heavenly Father, a person must confess his or her sins. The idea behind this word “confess” is not just to admit them and declare that sins are present, but to declare them with the full intent to turn from them, repent of them, and desire to never do them again. This is where the problem lies with many people. They like their sins, enjoy their sins, and to turn from them in their eyes would not be living at all.
Nonetheless, according to John, for a person to have full fellowship with God, that person must admit, turn from, and be removed from all sins. If, and notice the word “if” (there is a choice) a person confesses their sins, there are great promises for them of which I shall write about at a later time.
Until tomorrow...there is more...
Look for the new devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation” in all major bookstore sites, www.amazon.com ; www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, find locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore
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