Acknowledging Sin

Background Scripture: Jeremiah 14
Lesson Scripture: Jeremiah 14:13-22

Introduction

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). The Bible is clear that “there is none righteous, no, not one” (Rom. 3:10). Not only do we carry the inherent seed of sin, but also by nature we are predisposed to willful sin. It is important to embrace a personal acceptance of this basic truth. To do so does not doom us to defeat and hopeless despondency. Rather, it is the first step in repentance and forgiveness, freeing our souls from guilt. This opens the door to a secure relationship with the heavenly Father and brings power and grace to successfully live a Christian life, overcoming the flesh.

Key Verse

The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good (Ps. 53:1).

Lesson Scripture

Studying the Lesson

Today we continue our study of the book of Jeremiah. Approximately seven hundred years had passed from the time the children of Israel had begun their conquest of the land of Canaan. As the Israelites claimed the promised land, God directed them and helped them fight their battles to victory. When we read the book of Jeremiah, we get a starkly different picture. Somewhere along the way, the people forsook God and began to live life according to their own plans and wishes.

What was it that was wrong and displeasing to God? Jeremiah is not silent concerning the specifics. “Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not” (Jer. 7:9). “And they have built the high places of Tophet . . . to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I commanded them not” (v. 31). Indeed, the people had departed in great measure from God’s way. They had been repeatedly warned and yet refused the needed correction. Even some of the prophets of God had been destroyed in a vain effort to silence the convicting voice of God.

Through the book of Jeremiah, it becomes clear that widespread idolatry had taken hold and become the social norm. The people rejected the warnings that God sent, listening rather to that which soothed their conscience and dismissed their sin. “Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit” (Jer. 7:8). “For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace” (Jer. 8:11).

Though God’s people were in a sad state, they were not left without hope. As a loving God always does, He offers a remedy. “For if ye throughly amend your ways and your doings . . . Then will I cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, for ever and ever” (Jer. 7:5-7).

Practical Truths for Today

The way to true freedom begins with our acknowledgement of sin. Despite Christ’s remedy for sin, we tend to hold on to our wrongdoing. It is contrary to every part of our proud heart to acknowledge our personal sin. We make excuses, blame others, blame the devil, and even at times blame God. When our sin is exposed, we may make a certain admission of guilt, but honest contrition can still be missing. Unfortunately, it is often difficult to simply say, “I was wrong; I am sorry.”

What makes us reluctant to take our sins to the Savior? We might fear that He could berate and humiliate us. Will He disdain and deride us, even while we are crushed with guilt? Will He turn away, refusing to consider our pleas for forgiveness? No, He will never do that! Our Father loves us even as we approach his throne with our ugliness—of this we can always be sure. “A broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise” (Ps. 51:17).

To properly repent of sin, we must understand that we sin primarily against God. David, in remorse for his awful sin, pled with God for forgiveness and said, “Against thee, thee only, have I sinned” (Ps. 51:4). Like David, our sin may hurt others, destroy relationships, and spread misery—our words and actions can do much damage. However, sin separates me from my Creator and blots my name out of the Book of Life. An apology to my fellow man, no matter how heartfelt or necessary, does not erase my sin. Sin is forgiven only by the blood of Jesus at Calvary. It is true, of course, that we will often need to tell others, “I’m sorry.” However, only at Calvary is a relationship with the Father restored.

We need to readily admit our mistakes. This is much easier if, in our hearts, there is a continuous awareness of our fallen nature. This is not the same as living in a state of inferiority and defeat. Rather, being aware of our fallibility allows us to contemplate the fact that in any situation I may be wrong. Living with this awareness is a rewarding way to live. Others will be much more at home with us, correction will be easier, and forgiveness and restoration will much sooner be ours. Sincerity will be a mark of our character.

Acknowledging sin is not as difficult for the one who is secure in the Father’s care. Security is promised to those who come to Jesus. “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). Indeed, trusting in God’s promises gives us confidence to approach Him with our sin. When we are forgiven, our burdens are lifted, and we enjoy the freedom of forgiving others. We are set to live a victorious Christian life in the grace of God.

Illustration

An experienced teacher has suggested that teachers should cultivate an atmosphere in the classroom that allows for some error. A teacher who has established a culture of accepting mistakes has made it allowable to be wrong. Students can be comfortable with the idea that they will not get it right every time as they learn to solve problems. This frees them to respond to their mistakes, not with defensiveness and denial, but with acceptance. Once errors are comfortably exposed, teacher and student can study the mistakes to learn from them. Efficient learning requires an admission of mistakes.

As Christians in the classroom of life, how free are we to acknowledge our mistakes? Whatever our position may be, we should not try to minimize and deny our mistakes but rather possess that beautiful, genuine, and humble spirit that says, “I may be mistaken.”

Questions

1. What is wrong if failures discourage us rather than motivate us to seek forgiveness, move forward, and do better?
2. When, if ever, should weaknesses of the flesh become exceeding sinful? (Rom. 7:13).
3. A self-defensive attitude makes it difficult to acknowledge sin. What in the heart generates self-defense?
4. How much change can we expect in a fellow Christian who sincerely acknowledges his sin?
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Source: COGICM Daily Bible Readings (Daily Bible Readings, PO Box 124, Glenn, CA 95943).