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1 John 2:2, 2 Peter 3:9, Acts 4:10-12, Colossians 2:13-14, Following Jesus, Gospel, Hebrews 4:15-16, Hebrews 9:27, JESUS, John 14:6, John 1:29, John 1:35-37, Micah 7:18-19, Philippians 2:8-11, Repentance, Revelation 1:5, Revelation 20:11-15, Romans 3:10-12, Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23, Salvation, SIN, The Word
Bible Ballistics: Vol. 11 No. 18 Where’s Your Sin???
We talk a lot about sin, and what it is, but we haven’t talked about where it is, and scripture talks a lot about “where” sin is. The first thing that we must recognize is that sin is the issue and we all have it!
“As it is written,
There is none righteous,
no,
not one:
11 There is none that understandeth,
there is none that seeketh after God.
12 They are all gone out of the way,
they are together become unprofitable;
there is none that doeth good,
no,
not one.” Romans 3:10-12
Righteousness is the opposite of sin—doing right in God’s eyes, meeting His standard, and being able to receive His glory!
“For all have sinned,
and come short
of the glory of God;” Romans 3:23
All—that’s you and me—that’s every person born into this world, with the exception of the God Man, Jesus Christ the Lord, who came into this world to pay for our sin, so we wouldn’t have to pay for our own sin (for the only what that we could pay for our own sin is death and hell!).
“For the wages of sin
is death;
but the gift of God
is eternal life
through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23
All because Jesus is the only One who had the cure for sin—Himself, the sinless, perfect, Lamb of God—which was His life for yours and mine at Calvary. This sinless Son of God who came that we might live!
“For we have not an high priest
which cannot be touched
with the feeling of our infirmities;
but was in all points
tempted like as we are,
yet without sin.
16 Let us therefore come boldly
unto the throne of grace,
that we may obtain mercy,
and find grace to help
in time of need.” Hebrews 4:15-16
Because of the sacrifice of Jesus, we can have life, and an advocate—on who stands on our side—who bought our salvation and gives us ‘abundant life’ in this life and in the life to come with Him in heaven! All because HE cares for you! He cared enough to die that we might have life. He is the “Good Shepherd” who gives His life for the sheep, and for those who come to Him in repentance and faith, He gives His life ‘to’ to the sheep. That presence of His Holy Spirit within is us why we are can “come boldly unto the throne of grace”, and oh what a privilege it is to be welcomed into His presence and know that we can always find “grace to help in time of need”! I can never praise Him enough for His faithful provision that I have seen with my own eyes, and know in my own heart and life! Jesus cares for sinners, even though He had no sin, and lived a perfect life to be that sacrifice for us!
“The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith,
Behold the Lamb of God,
which taketh away the sin
of the world……
Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples;
36 And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith,
Behold the Lamb of God!
37 And the two disciples heard him speak,
and they followed Jesus.” John 1:29 & 35-37
Jesus came to be the One who “taketh away the sin of the world”, and the only One who could and would!
While the world had waited for God’s long-awaited Messiah, God had given His Law to Moses to point people to see that they could never save themselves! For, as my pastor says so aptly, the Law is good but it was ‘Partial, Preliminary, and Pointed to the coming Messiah’ this very “Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world”!!! Jesus takes our sin away, but where does He take it!
“Who is a God like unto thee,
that pardoneth iniquity,
and passeth by the transgression
of the remnant of his heritage?
he retaineth not his anger for ever,
because he delighteth in mercy.
19 He will turn again,
he will have compassion upon us;
he will subdue our iniquities;
and thou wilt cast all their sins
into the depths of the sea.” Micah 7:18-19
Jesus is the only One who can forgive and pardon our sin, and He casts them “into the depths of the sea”! Jesus does away with our sin!
“And you,
being dead in your sins
and the uncircumcision of your flesh,
hath he quickened
together with him,
having forgiven you all trespasses;
14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances
that was against us,
which was contrary to us,
and took it out of the way,
nailing it to his cross;” Colossians 2:13-14
Jesus blotted out our sin with His own blood—I praise HIS name that out of HIS great love HE took “MY” sin “out of the way, nailing it to his cross”!! Amen and Amen! What love is this? How can your refuse His call to you? He willingly, lovingly gave that which only His love could give:
“And from Jesus Christ,
who is the faithful witness,
and the first begotten of the dead,
and the prince of the kings of the earth.
Unto him that loved us,
and washed us from our sins
in his own blood,” Revelation 1:5
All this because He loves us and wants us to spend eternity with HIM, not to spend eternity in Hell paying for our own sin, when HE has already paid the price.
“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise,
as some men count slackness;
but is longsuffering to us-ward,
not willing that any should perish,
but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9
What have you done with your sin? Have you come to Jesus in repentance and faith, and let Him take your sin away—to forgive your sin and give you new life in HIM? Do you hear His voice calling to YOU? The price has already been paid—what have you done with that gift?
“And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” 1 John 2:2
Jesus is the “payment in full” for our sin, and “propitiation for our sins” simply means that Jesus has paid for sin in full, for all who will come to HIM. But HE is the Only Way to receive forgiveness of sin; there is no other way! Even as the Apostle John recorded the words of our Lord:
Jesus saith unto him,
I am the way,
the truth,
and the life:
no man cometh unto the Father,
but by me.“” John 14:6
And the Apostle Peter reiterated this same truth as He shared the Gospel after healing the impotent man!
“Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel,
that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth,
whom ye crucified,
whom God raised from the dead,
even by him
doth this man stand here before you
whole.
11 This is the stone
which was set at nought of you builders,
which is become the head of the corner.
12 Neither is there salvation in any other:
for there is none other name
under heaven
given among men,
whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:10-12
Only One Way then—only One Way now! No matter how men may try to water down the Gospel, it’s still about Jesus and Him alone. And unless you come to Jesus for salvation, you are carrying the debt of your own sin. And there is coming a day when that debt will be due! So my question for today is simple, “Where is your sin?” Is it under the blood, or will you have to pay for your own sin? It is a choice that you can make only in this life, for after we leave this world it is too late….
“And as it is appointed unto men once to die,
but after this
the judgment:” Hebrews 9:27
The question is not “will you bow”, because all will recognize Jesus as the Only Way when He comes, but then it will be too late for those who have refused to bow in life. The question isn’t “will you bow”, but “when will you bow”? Will you bow now before the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and receive His gift of eternal life, forgiveness of your sin, and have Jesus “cast them into the sea” (And as Corrie Ten Boom often said, “He casts them into the sea, and puts up a ‘no fishing’ sign!”) never to be considered again, or will you bow before Him then as your judge?
“And being found in fashion as a man,
he humbled himself,
and became obedient unto death,
even the death of the cross.
9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name
which is above every name:
10 That at the name of Jesus
every knee should bow,
of things in heaven,
and things in earth,
and things under the earth;
11 And that every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:8-11
Jesus paid your debt—will you receive it?
“And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
12 And I saw the dead,
small and great,
stand before God;
and the books were opened:
and another book was opened,
which is the book of life:
and the dead were judged out of those things
which were written in the books,
according to their works.
13 And the sea gave up the dead
which were in it;
and death and hell delivered up the dead
which were in them:
and they were judged
every man
according to their works.
14 And death and hell
were cast into the lake of fire.
This is the second death.
15 And whosoever was not found
written in the book of life
was cast into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:11-15
Where is your sin? Is it on you or on Jesus? The choice is yours, but choose wisely there is a test/judgment coming! Don’t wait and find that you come to Him “One Day Too Late!” (The title of an old Lanny Wolfe song!)! May you look to Jesus today—for salvation if you don’t know Him, and in total provision for your every need if you do know Him! For remember:
“For we have not an high priest
which cannot be touched
with the feeling of our infirmities;
but was in all points
tempted like as we are,
yet without sin.
16 Let us therefore come boldly
unto the throne of grace,
that we may obtain mercy,
and find grace to help
in time of need.” Hebrews 4:15-16
I’m praying for you! Amen and Amen!
