Day 3: If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:8-9
What are the three most difficult words for you to say? Perhaps they are the same as mine: “I am wrong.” As much as we would like to think we can be honest with ourselves, we have a very difficult time dealing with people who confront us about our sin, especially if they are right. Consider your own immediate reaction most of the time when someone correctly tells you that you’ve done something wrong. Is it, “You’re right. I shouldn’t have done that. I’m sorry.”? As for me, that is not usually my immediate response.
I think the immediate response most of us give tends to fall into one of three categories. One is to justify the sin and give excuses for why we did it. The second is to behave like Adam and Eve did when confronted with the first sin they ever committed — we blame someone else. The third way we respond when confronted with our own sin is to minimize it. “It wasn’t that bad!” “I didn’t lie. I just didn’t tell the truth.” “It was only $20.” “I only looked. I didn’t touch.” “I didn’t really gossip. People already knew.”
The truth is sin is ugly. God hates it — all of it. The ancient Israelites probably had a much better sense of that than we do in our present day anesthetized society. Consider the fact that the tabernacle was in the center of Israel’s camp in the wilderness, with three tribes stationed on each side of it. Sacrifices were made daily, with smoke rising and blood flowing from the altar throughout the day. For Passover the number of animals slaughtered would have been in the thousands. Imagine the stench! Consider also the following passage from Isaiah, “Surely he took up our pain, and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” We cannot look at Christ’s death on the cross and regard our sins as “not that bad.” He suffered insults and whips and thorns and thirst and one of the cruelest forms of execution humans have ever devised. Yet the greatest suffering probably came from the weight of all of our sins. Consider the pain of the guilt you feel for just one sin. After all, this is why we hate being confronted about it. Jesus suffered for all of the sins all of humanity has ever committed — including mine and yours.
Excusing, denying, and minimizing sin does not cure it. Praise God that there is a real cure! We are not left with that guilt just hanging over us. Christ died and rose again. The cure has been accomplished. Confess your sin. You are forgiven!
Bible Readings: Isaiah 53, 1 John 1:1-2:12, Psalm 32:1-5, Psalm 51
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