No Justification for Sin

No justification for sin
Titus D’ Cruz, Trivandrum

IF WE SAY WE HAVE NO SIN, WE DECEIVE OURSELVES
Everyone in this world is a sinner. The evangelist says, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and there is no truth in us. But if we confess our sins to God, He will forgive us our sins and purify us from all our wrong doing.” (I Jn. 1: 8-9)
The consciousness that we are sinners makes us worthy to approach Jesus. Jesus said, “I have not come to call respectable people to repent, but outcasts.” (Lk. 5: 32) These words give great hope and expectation to us, sinners. God has no sin. Therefore, those who believe in Jesus can never justify sin. Because, “He has not commanded anyone to be ungodly, and has not given anyone permission to sin” (Eccl. 15: 20). We find people creating problems for themselves, their families, their societies, their countries and even to whole world by doing great sins and justifying themselves without any remorse. All over the world we find people and organizations justifying sins. They bind themselves with the shackles of sin. Only Jesus Christ and his words can save them from the slavery of sin. That is why Jesus said that his words should be preached all over the world. The reason is that Jesus Christ is the sole atonement for the sins of the entire world. God says “he is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 Jn. 2:2).

Those who live under the slavery of sin will never have peace, nor give peace to others. Take the case of the prodigal son. He returned to God only when he lost his inner peace. Jesus alone can give us back our lost peace.

“Peace is what I give you; it is my own peace that I give you. I do not give it as the world does” (John 14:27).

The peace Jesus gives us is not the same as the world gives. The peace world gives is what we get when we disobey the words and do as we like. Whereas the peace we get from Jesus Christ is by obeying the words of God. The peace which the world gives us will lead us to wounds, pains, miseries, and disappointment.

“Be sure, your sin will find you out” (Num. 32: 23). God says through the prophet Isaiah “If only you had listened to my command! Then blessings would have flowed for you like a stream that never goes dry” (Isa. 48: 18). Man has a tendency to do sin. The Word of God warns us, “Sin is crouching at your door; it wants to rule you, but you must overcome it” (Gen. 4: 7). We are surrounded by people and circumstances that tempt us to commit sin. Hence wisely avoid such people. “Flee from sin as from a snake for if you approach sin it will bite you. Its teeth are lion’s teeth and destroy the souls of men”. (Eccl. 21:2).

God will be with us when we keep away from sin. When God is with us prosperity and success will follow. When we become the slaves of sin and justify sin we will face failures. God says, “As long as they didn’t sin against their God, they prospered, for God who hates iniquity is with them. But when they departed from the way in which he had appointed for them, they were utterly defeated in many battles and were led away captive to a foreign country.” (Judith 5: 17-18)

Jesus is so kind and compassionate. He is ready to receive any great sinner wholeheartedly and shower His blessings if he returns to Him with true repentance. If we have taken decision to live with Jesus and for Jesus as per his words, at least now on, Jesus will tell us so, “As you have been a byword of cursing among the nations, O! How house of Juda and house of Israel, so will I save you and you shall be a blessing. Fear not, but let your hands be strong” (Zach. 8:13). “Surely I will bless you and multiply you” (Heb. 6: 14). “And I will make of you a great nation and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing” (Gen. 12: 2).

To obtain the showers of blessing from God, let us approach Jesus Christ, the Saviour of man kind with repentance.
“Keep your life free from love of money and content with what you have for he said I will never fail you nor forsake you. Hence we can confidently say the Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid, what can man do to me?” (Heb. 13: 5-6).