FOUNTAINS OF WISDOM—A STUDY IN PROVERBS PART 46—What do I do with this Sin?
It is by grace that we are saved and by grace that our salvation is sustained in the mighty hand of God. At times we find ourselves resting on that fact to the point of becoming flippant about our grace, much like David when he was walking on his rooftop and saw Bathsheba. After all, it was the time when as the King he was suppose to be leading his army; but, instead he was leisurely enjoying his palace, sleeping late and enjoying the position God had given him.
photo courtesy of istockphoto.com
Much like David, sometimes we become complacent in the fact that we are saved by Grace, while sin lurks at our door. There are other times when we have battled sin within our own hearts daily until we tire of that fight and lay down our sword.
After all, our works can’t save us—so I will rest in the truth of that salvation by grace and just go about my life, awaiting my death one day-miserable and frustrated. What do we do? Do we work or do we just wait? If I work, then how do I avoid pride in my work? What did James mean when he said, “14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?…17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.” (James 2)
Let us look at what Proverbs has to say.
Proverbs 28: (amp) 9 He who turns away his ear from hearing the law [of God and man], even his prayer is an abomination, hateful and revolting [to God]….13 He who covers his transgressions will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes his sins will obtain mercy….14 Blessed (happy, fortunate, and to be envied) is the man who reverently and worshipfully fears [the Lord] at all times [regardless of circumstances], but he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity…
If we ignore the words of God’s laws as unimportant with no desire to follow them, even our prayers are an abomination to God. If we do not mourn over our own sins, then do we really love God? Genuine salvation must first see our utter unworthiness before a Holy God. As Jonathan Edwards wrote,
· Your wickedness makes you as it were heavy as lead, and to tend downwards with great weight and pressure towards hell; and if God should let you go, you would immediately sink and swiftly descend and plunge into the bottomless gulf, and your healthy constitution, and your own care and prudence, and best contrivance, and all your righteousness, would have no more influence to uphold you and keep you out of hell, than a spider’s web would have to stop a fallen rock.
· Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, sermon delivered in Enfield, Connecticut (July 8, 1741)
To truly repent of a sin one must abhor the very nature of that sin and thus to abhor our own sin nature because we recognize how it is an abomination against God. We must not try to cover it over or pretend it doesn’t matter. It does matter. Once I proclaim that I am a Child of the King, I should desire that everyone I meet become acquainted with my wonderful Father. How can I bring Glory to His name if I continue to live as a rude, uneducated street child?
We learn a lot from David’s prayers for repentance. Look at these from the Psalms.
Psalm 25 (GNV) 6 Remember, O Lord, thy tender mercies, and thy loving kindness: for they have been forever.7 Remember not the [a]sins of my youth, nor my rebellions, but according to thy kindness remember thou me, even for thy goodness sake, O Lord.8 Gracious and righteous is the Lord: therefore will he [b]teach sinners in the way.
Psalm 69 (AMP) 5 O God, You know my folly and blundering; my sins and my guilt are not hidden from You.6 Let not those who wait and hope and look for You, O Lord of hosts, be put to shame through me; let not those who seek and inquire for and require You [as their vital necessity] be brought to confusion and dishonor through me, O God of Israel
Psalm 79: ( AMP) 9 Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of Your name! Deliver us, forgive us, and purge away our sins for Your name’s sake.
So, what are we to do?
1. Remember that Salvation is by Grace—a gift of God; yet, with that gift He has also given us the victory over Sin. We need to ask for the freshness of those mercies every morning to face whatever trial we must face.
2. Study His word and study some more. That is the only offensive weapon against sin that we have in this battle and we wield it with the help of the Holy Spirit—not alone. (Ephesians6:17; Hebrews 4:12)
3. We labor because of devotion and love—an act of gratitude. It is not for our salvation we labor. It is because of our Salvation that we are compelled and must labor—our hearts are not satisfied until we do.
4. Do not let the guilt of sin weigh you down into depression. Claim the victory in Christ and arise in His Strength; knowing He will accomplish all that He planned in and through You. That is really what faith is. He will finish the work through me—I can rest assured of that fact.
I Give You My Heart by Hillsong
Amplified Bible (AMP)
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
1599 Geneva Bible (GNV)
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
© 2014 Effie Darlene Barba
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to any brands, products or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides regarding the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”