Showing posts with label Sinful Nature. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sinful Nature. Show all posts

Monday, June 3, 2024

Walk Not in Darkness

 1 John 1:8
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

From the fall of Adam and Eve, man is born with the sin nature. The Adamic nature is passed on to every person born into this world. We can deny this truth, but it does not change the reality that we are all sinners in need of forgiveness. Some teach that man is hereditary good. We must cultivate this goodness in us and overcome the evil that we face each day. Don’t believe this lie, all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.  John writes to set the foundation for why man needs a Savior.  As sinners, we confess our sins, and Jesus, who shed His blood for the remission of sin, cleanses our heart from sin. We no longer walk in darkness, we walk in the light, we walk with God without sin. As long as we continue to walk with God, the blood of Jesus will continue to cover us from all sin. A Christian no longer lives in sin because he is walking in God’s light, and the path that God provides is without sin. No darkness at all. We still live in a fallen world, and Satan works, tempting us to fulfill the desire of the flesh. We still have human desires, and God has a plan for those desires to be fulfilled. As we walk in the light, His will is accomplished in our lives. The promise of God is that He will not leave us or forsake us. If we fall into the temptation of Satan, His word says to confess our sin, and He is faithful to restore us to the light. It is not God’s desire that we walk in darkness, we can live each day in the light of God. We don’t have to sin and walk in darkness. God does not have fellowship with darkness. That is why John says, “My little children… sin not.” Eternal security is provided to all believers as long as they remain in the light. Keep walking in the light.

Thursday, April 27, 2023

Walk in the Spirit

 Gal 5:24,25
And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts…If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

It is the lust of the flesh, the carnal sinful nature of man that wars against us walking in the Spirit. Having accepted the gift of God, salvation through Christ, our lives have been transformed. Our sins have been washed away in the blood of Jesus. Those things that we have done in the past have all been put to death. We no longer live to gratify the lust of sinful flesh. The experience of holiness, or sanctification provides us with the filling of the Holy Spirit in our lives. As we walk in the light of God, we come to a place in our lives that we have not only put to death the lust of our flesh, but we surrender the totality of our being. Everything we have, everything we are given to God. We learn to live and walk in the Spirit, giving us the power to triumph over sin and the temptations that Satan brings before us. What does it mean to walk in the Spirit? Walking in the Spirit is to yield ourselves to what God wants and desires of us, to live blameless and without filling the lust of the flesh. If we fail to walk in the Spirit, He is faithful to call us back to Him. Paul was clear that if we continue to live a life fulfilling the lust of the flesh, that we cannot inherit the kingdom (heaven). Living, and walking in the Spirit will keep us faithful to the way God wants us to live.

Friday, January 27, 2023

Plenteous in Mercy

 Psalm 103:8,9
The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.  He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.
Because God is a holy God, His anger toward sin and rebellion is evident throughout scripture. Humanity was born in sin and with a nature that is in enmity against God. Every child born into this world has inherited this nature. At some point in a person’s life, God holds us accountable for our sinfulness. The simple Gospel message is that Jesus came to earth, died, and rose again to provide a remedy for this sinful nature. It is God’s love and mercy for us that it is now possible to turn away the anger of the Lord. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us or our sins.” It is not our fault that Adam and Eve yielded to temptation and cursed the human race, but we are given the choice to believe in Jesus for the remission of sin and be made reconciled back to God. This free gift from God shows that He will not reprove us or scold us. His mercy is plenteous to those who call out to Him for forgiveness. He will not turn away a repented heart who cries out for mercy. He is loving and gracious.

Wednesday, June 15, 2022

Follow Your Heart

Proverbs 23;7

For as he thinks in his heart, so is he [in behavior—one who manipulates].


Outward appearance and action can be deceiving. Jesus speaks of the Pharisees who appear to be spotless on the outside keeping all the rules and religious practices, but they were filthy and dirty inside. Even acts of charity and good deeds do not speak to the real condition of the heart. From the heart, springs the true nature of humanity. In its natural state, the heart is sinful and self-serving. That is why following your heart is not always the best answer for making life changing choices. It is a heart that seeks first the kingdom of God, and sees the need for a cleansing of the heart, then it can be trusted. A heart that follows God will manifest behaviors that truly demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit. Always follow your heart if your heart is right with God