Facing the Truth: Everyone Is Guilty
Tuesday, November 21, 2023
Living Free Every Day®
A ministry of LivingFree.org
Today's Scripture
“No one is righteous—not even one. No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God. All have turned away; all have become useless. No one does good, not a single one.”
Romans 3:10-12 NLT
Thoughts for Today
“We all like to think we are basically good people—and we often resent being told otherwise. But today’s scripture makes it clear that everyone has sinned. If we think we are the exception, we are not facing the truth.
Consider this . . .
Everyone has sinned. God is perfect. He is holy. There can be no sin in his presence. He wants us to spend eternity in heaven with him, so he provided a way. Jesus, God’s only Son, paid the penalty for our sin by dying on the cross. He rose again the third day to eternal life. When we are willing to admit that we have sinned and receive the sacrifice Jesus made for us, God forgives our sin.
We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood.
Romans 3:22-25 NLT
What about those of us who have received Jesus? Does that mean we never sin? John is addressing Christians in the passage below. Yes, we still sin. And when we confess that sin, God forgives us. But when we hide the sin, we put a wedge between our Lord and us. We become ineffective in serving him. We lose the peace and joy he paid such a great price to give us.
If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.
1 John 1:8-10 NLT
Prayer
Father, I know I am not perfect. I’ve slipped into this thing that I know doesn’t please you. I confess my sin now and ask you to forgive me. Help me to turn from it. In Jesus’ name . . .
These thoughts were drawn from … Completely Free! A Group Study of Romans 1-8 by Dan Strickland. Everyone struggles from time-to-time, but we can have confidence that in Christ we are completely free from sin's slavery, from condemnation, and from fear of failure. This group study of Romans 1-8 and 12 helps Christians break out of the dull routine of a stagnant spiritual life. Applying the truths found in Romans can transform any believer into a person eager to follow God's will. This study can also serve as a powerful evangelistic tool by explaining the message of salvation as presented in Romans. Suggested uses include home Bible studies, cell groups, Sunday school classes, support groups and personal enrichment.
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