The Sin Problem - Lamentations 1-2 and Hebrews 10:1-18
We just don't get it. Sin is the problem. God is holy, and He hates all sin. He will not have anything to do with sin. He knows the results of sin drive people away from Him and the truth. Therefore, He does everything He can do to get us to forsake sin and cling to Him and what is right. However, we want to excuse sin. We want to justify our sins. We want God to bless us while we sin. What kind of God would He be if He did that? He would be teaching us to do the wrong thing.
The book of Lamentations was written to weep over the destruction of Jerusalem, the Temple, and the people of Israel. Why did all of this happen? It happened because of sin. Do you think Israel set out to sin from the beginning? I think they wanted to follow God, but the compromised with sin. They thought a little sin would not be too bad. They thought God would excuse a certain amount of sin. Look what that attitude brought about. There were thousands who died, the walls of the city were destroyed, and there was no more Temple, so there were no sacrifices or feasts. How could God do that? He hates sin. We need to hear that loud and clear.
Jesus had to die, because of sin. It was not just to take us to heaven. It was to save us from sin. Therefore, when He died once and for all for sin, the writer of Hebrews tells us that "He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified." What does that tell you? Our sins are forgiven in Christ, so we are in right standing with God forever. However, when we are saved, we are then, in the process of being sanctified. There is no salvation that does not lead to sanctification. Why is that true? God hates sin. He does not just forgive sin, and then tell us to go ahead and sin some more. He wants us to repent of sin and grow more and more like Christ. That means we will have less and less sin. That is why Paul says in Romans 6 that we are dead to sin, and so why would we want to keep living in it?
Israel was God's people, and they were destroyed because of sin. We are God's people today, and we will be destroyed if we sin today. God does not compromise with sin. He is holy, completely separated from sin. That is why it grieves me when I hear a Christian tell a dirty joke or talk about driving too fast. You say, "Oh, Stan, that's not so bad." That is what caused Jesus to have to die for us, and He wants us to stay completely away from any kind of sin. Let's never forget that sin is the problem, and we are called to be sanctified once we are saved by the precious blood of the Lamb.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Lamentations 3-5 and Hebrews 10:19-39.
The book of Lamentations was written to weep over the destruction of Jerusalem, the Temple, and the people of Israel. Why did all of this happen? It happened because of sin. Do you think Israel set out to sin from the beginning? I think they wanted to follow God, but the compromised with sin. They thought a little sin would not be too bad. They thought God would excuse a certain amount of sin. Look what that attitude brought about. There were thousands who died, the walls of the city were destroyed, and there was no more Temple, so there were no sacrifices or feasts. How could God do that? He hates sin. We need to hear that loud and clear.
Jesus had to die, because of sin. It was not just to take us to heaven. It was to save us from sin. Therefore, when He died once and for all for sin, the writer of Hebrews tells us that "He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified." What does that tell you? Our sins are forgiven in Christ, so we are in right standing with God forever. However, when we are saved, we are then, in the process of being sanctified. There is no salvation that does not lead to sanctification. Why is that true? God hates sin. He does not just forgive sin, and then tell us to go ahead and sin some more. He wants us to repent of sin and grow more and more like Christ. That means we will have less and less sin. That is why Paul says in Romans 6 that we are dead to sin, and so why would we want to keep living in it?
Israel was God's people, and they were destroyed because of sin. We are God's people today, and we will be destroyed if we sin today. God does not compromise with sin. He is holy, completely separated from sin. That is why it grieves me when I hear a Christian tell a dirty joke or talk about driving too fast. You say, "Oh, Stan, that's not so bad." That is what caused Jesus to have to die for us, and He wants us to stay completely away from any kind of sin. Let's never forget that sin is the problem, and we are called to be sanctified once we are saved by the precious blood of the Lamb.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Lamentations 3-5 and Hebrews 10:19-39.