These are the words of Jesus in Matthew 4:17 (NIV). Repentance is not a word we hear much in this modern day. Even in the pulpit pastors avoid using ‘Repent’.
Another word that is not always said is, ‘Sin’. We tend to use words such as, mistakes or make excuses like, “I couldn’t help it.” or “I was born that way”. But the Bible doesn’t say any of these things-it calls it ‘sin’.
As Christians we struggle with sin. This was me. I felt like I was never good enough, I had to try harder to please God. When I failed, then I would feel guilty, unworthy and discouraged. Sometimes I would avoid praying, because the guilt would be so great that I thought even God couldn’t forgive me.
Did you know Paul, the apostle, also struggled to do what was right?
In Romans 7:15 Paul says, “….For what I want to do I do not do but what I hate I do.” Paul goes on to say, “For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do: NO! the evil I do not want to do-this I keep on doing.” (Romans 7:18-19 NIV).
It’s like a tug of war inside, with two sides battling against each other. It’s a struggle Christians have. I know I did ( and still do). That’s why it’s important to acknowledge our sin and confess, ‘If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.’ (1 John 1:9).
Sin is real, not a mistake. John makes it very clear in the next verse, ‘If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him a out to be a liar and His Word has no place in our hearts.’
The good news is Jesus died for us. It doesn’t sound good until we understand the cross, the blood and His sacrifice. This is for another blog post.
Think About It With Matty! 