Acknowledging Sin – Mark 2:17
And hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick;I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Deceived, dangerously deceived,are those who believe they have no sin. Thinking themselves righteous of their own accord, they see no need of a Savior since Jesus came to reconcile sinners to the Father, not “good” people such as they. Therefore, they shut themselves off from eternal life.
Sad is the state of these rebellious souls, for by their refusal to confess their sin and to seek forgiveness, they are forfeiting the gift of salvation. They are denying that Jesus came to lead them into the sheepfold,[1] to give them sight,[2] and to allow them to stand in the light.[3] They shun Jesus’ kind offer to give them a peace that is a shadowy illusion, unattainable and unknowable, to those without Christ. By refusing to call upon Jesus’ name in faith and to receive Him as Lord, they continue as broken pots, unable to hold water, rather than allowing Jesus to make them holy and useful vessels worthy to serve in His kingdom.
Tragically, fatally, those who think they can attain righteousness apart from the redeeming power of Jesus Christ are condemning themselves to an eternity separated from God. Considering themselves pure and honorable with good works as their claim to heaven, they refuse to allow the Truth to live within them,[4] so He may teach them that they cannot cleanse their own hearts and purify themselves from their transgressions.[5] They deny Jesus Christ, the only One who can redeem their souls and wash away the ugly, deadly stain of the sins, which they, like every person, have committed.[6]
Only Jesus can set us free from the law of sin and death and make us right with God,[7] for just as sin entered the world through Adam, Christ conquered sin, making us eternally alive by His grace.[8] Just as we fall short of God’s glory, in Christ, we are His glory.[9]
Do not forgo so marvelous a blessing. If you have never acknowledged hat you are a sinner in need of a Savior, do not spend another hour apart from God. Confess your sin, and invite the Light of the world, Jesus Christ, into your heart. You will find His fellowship pleasing and His cleansing welcome, as He dresses you in a white robe, and leads you into His Father’s throne room where you will take your place among the saints in the joy of heaven.[10]
Can you find your dreams today, my friend,
Or have your expectations melted into pain,
Leaving questions where answers once had been
And your confidence severely on the wane
Though I’ve walked not in your shoes, I’ve walked in mine,
So I think I can relate to how you feel.
For the paths I’ve traveled on were rough some time,
But I overcame the false to gain the real.
There came a day when I was stripped of my veneer
And I stood before the world exposed and bare.
At loss were many things I’d once held dear,
And for all the crowds, there seemed no friend to care.
Had I not my faith, I would have gladly died,
But I knew the Lord, and He was my Delight.
Great was the pain and flood of tears I cried,
But I always knew that I would be all right.
When I look at what I’ve kept and thrown away
And at all the things that I’ve the hard way learned,
I just thank the Lord, for whom I am today,
And that by His death, He my redemption earned
What’s important in your life today, my friend?
You know that all but love will someday pass away.
As Christ stands and knocks, would you away Him send,
Or invite Him in to dine with you today?
[1] John 10:28
[2] John 9:13-14
[3] Isaiah 9:2
[4] 1 John 1:8
[5] Proverbs 20:9
[6] Romans 5:12
[7] Romans 8:2
[8] 1 Corinthians 15:22
[9] John 17:9-10
[10] Revelation 7:9
