October 3, 2011 … The Importance of Confession

Passage of the Day: 1st John 1: 10 [see highlighted verse underlined and in bold] … 8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9If we confess our sins, He [God] is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His word has no place in our lives.

My Journal for Today: I agree with John MacArthur, from today’s Strength for Today, that there is a concerted effort in our post-modern culture to eradicate the concept of “sin” from our personal and cultural consciousness; and I’m afraid, by denial, that is also true in many of today’s churches. However, no human attempts to create a fog of denial can eliminate the truth that the evidence of sin is all around us, which began in the Garden of Eden (see Gen. 3: 11 – 13). That is why the Apostle John is so forceful and direct, exhorting Christians to “fess-up” to our sinfulness (above, as in 1st John 1: 8 – 10).

Today, MacArthur takes his devotional readers through a litany of heroes of the faith who recognized, some more easily than others, that confession and cleansing (see 1st John 1: 9) are essential to maintaining a right relationship with God. Many of you, right now as you read this, may be thinking of David, who needed Samuel’s help to unload his guilt (see 2nd Sam. 12: 13 and Ps. 51: 3 – 4). He had blinded himself in denial to his horrible sin; and he needed the eyes of a wiser believer, in the Prophet Samuel, to open his eyes to his (David’s) need for repentance and confession. One can also read Isaiah declaring his woeful sinfulness (in Isaiah 6: 5); and Daniel, who was such a man of Godly integrity; but he still confessed his sin nature (see Dan. 9: 20). In the New Testament, Peter, who after Pentecost became the leader of the Apostles, declared, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” (from Luke 5: 8) And of course, Paul, even after a life which powerfully honored God, labeled himself as the foremost of sinners (see 1st Tim. 1: 15).

So, all these men of God recognized what John ardently taught to us in 1st John 1: 9 … that the only way to be in God’s favor was to be cleansed by open and honest confession. Because, without that we deceive ourselves (1st John 1: 8) and actually label God to be a liar with our defense or denial (1st John 1: 10).

I, for one don’t want to be in that company. … Do you?

My Prayer Today: Cleanse me, O Lord, of my sinfulness – even this day. Amen

February 7, 2011 … God’s Holiness Revealed

Passage of the Day: Psalm 145: 17 … The LORD is righteous in all His ways and loving toward all He has made.

My Journal for Today: Today again we look at God’s primary over-encompassing attribute of HOLINESS. John MacArthur wrote this: “God’s holiness is evident in everything He does, particularly in creation, the law, His judgment, and through salvation.” In fact, all of the Old Testament proclaims God’s holiness, which was first made apparent in CREATION (see Genesis 1: 31), which reflected His perfect creative character. And then GOD’S LAW communicated His moral perfection to His people. So, we might say that God’s holiness and righteousness has been painted on the canvass of creation and codified and communicated in His Law.

But ultimately God’s holiness is manifest in the righteousness of His JUDGMENT against sin; and it becomes so readily apparent - in reverse - by the unholiness of His created and fallen creatures, both angels and men. As MacArthur puts it, “God’s holiness is so infinite, and our unholiness so great, that only the sacrifice of the God-Man could pay for the enormity of our sin.” And it was the provision of God’s Son, Who became the spotless, HOLY Lamb of God, the perfect sacrifice, dying on a cross to satisfy God’s perfect holiness, which most clearly depicts God’s holiness to mankind.

Jesus was, and is, the Holy and righteous One (see Acts 3: 14 below) and we, the unrighteous ones, disowned him in disobedience. Only Christ could have been that perfect sacrifice to take away the sins of mankind (Heb. 9: 26); and He did so in mercy and grace, though we certainly deserved Him not.

SCRIPTURE: Acts 3: 14 … You [God’s sinful people] disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you.
SCRIPTURE: Hebrews 9: 26 … Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself.

Miracle of miracles … blessing of blessings! Our sins are washed clean; and we become sanctified to the position of holiness when we accept, in humility, God’s saving grace, … truly repenting of our sinfulness and receiving the salvation of Christ’s atonement … FOREVER! What a deal!

Holy is our God; and we are saved by His Holy desire that we be one with Him forever. We deserved nothing but Hell; yet, in my choice of receiving His grace, I, like Paul, a sinner of sinners, become Holy in the eyes of God. It is incomprehensible … but true! … HALLELUJAH!!

My Prayer Today: To be and become holy is my desire, Lord, as You shape me into Your image. Amen