How do we live without sin in our lives? It seems that we are prone toward it, and try as we may, we seem to continually “miss the mark”. John the apostle has been sharing a lot with us about sin in this third chapter of First John. He has given us hope that one day Jesus will appear again and we shall be like Him for we shall see Him as He is. However, in the mean time, we have this struggle with transgressions, the willful disobedience of God's rules, and sin. Today John gives us a way that we can be without sins and transgressions. He shares with us in the same chapter and verse six:
Whosoever abides in him sins not: whosoever sins hath not seen him, neither known him.
Look closely with me at the key to staying away from sin: “abides in him”. It is imperative if we are going to stay away from sin, especially habitual sin, that we must abide with Him. We must stay close to Jesus, hang on to Jesus, learn of Jesus, and have Jesus be an intimate part of our lives. John says if do not do this we haven't even seen Him nor known Him. It's as if we are totally deceived if we think we can continue in habitual sin and believe that we know Jesus Christ.
God is everywhere. There is no where that we can go that He is not. David the King of Israel wrote it this way in the book of Psalms chapter one hundred thirty nine and verses seven through twelve:
Where shall I go from your spirit? or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend up into heaven, you are there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, you [are there]. [If] I take the wings of the morning, [and] dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall your hand lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yes, the darkness hides not from you; but the night shines as the day: the darkness and the light [are] both alike [to you].
We do not get away with sin. God sees it all, and those who desire within themselves to stay away from sin do so best when they abide in Him. In other words, realize that He is always around. He sees our every action. He hears our every word, and the actions and activities that are contrary to Him are like inviting Him to participate with us when we sin against Him This must not be. If somehow we don't know these things, then we do not know Him, and today is a great day to make a change in direction that begins to know Him and put away sins.
Next time we shall see what John has to say about deception about righteousness, so read ahead, and we will join together then.
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, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore
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