A Daily Walk

Guest (Male): Today, on A Daily Walk, pastor John Randall speaks of God's mighty power over sin.

John Randall: No, it's not sinless, but prayerfully sin less than we used to. The closer you get to Jesus, hopefully you sin less, not sin more. You sin less. John said, I'm writing this to you so that you may know there is power over sin. Maybe there's some sin that you have been battling with and struggling with and just keeps you just keep repeating it. There's power over that sin. It's the power of the Holy Spirit to overcome it. You can with God's help if you look to him.

Guest (Male): From Calvary Chapel Oceanside, this is A Daily Walk. Pastor John Randall is in the early stages of a study in 1 John, as we'll be talking about the power of forgiveness. No matter what you've done in the past, there is complete forgiveness available and a remedy for sin. It's found in the finished work of Jesus at the cross. So, let's be encouraged by that now as we join pastor John in 1 John chapter 1.

John Randall: There were those who were on the receiving end of this letter that profess to have a relationship with Jesus Christ. Yet, by the way that they lived, they denied it. They made a claim that was followed by a contradiction, which in turn led to a conclusion. John cites each one of those examples with the words, if we say. First example, of course, was found in verse 6 as there was a group that ignored their sin. They claimed to have fellowship with God and yet they walked in darkness. And John said that was a contradiction and the conclusion is that they lied and they did not practice the truth.

But the next group now in verse 8 didn't just ignore their sin. They actually denied having a sin nature. In verse 8, if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. The word sin, it means to miss the mark. It is a departure from God's holy, perfect standard of what is right in word or indeed. The book of Genesis tells us how that sin entered the world. When God created the universe, created our planet, it says in Genesis chapter 1 and verse 31 that God saw all that he had made and it was very good.

However, it says that Satan tempted Adam and Eve and they chose in their free will to disobey God and they sinned. And since Adam's sin, humans have inherited Adam's spiritual corruption and have been born with a sin nature. Paul writes of this in Romans chapter 5 in verse 12 when he tells us, therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world and death through sin, thus death spread to all man. When we speak of the sin nature, we refer to the fact that we have within us a natural inclination to sin. Given the choice to do God's will or our own, we naturally, that is before relationship with Jesus, choose to do our own will.

And proof of that sin nature is clearly evident. Are you a parent today? Are you a grandparent? You know that when your children are born that you don't have to teach them, this is how you be selfish. Let me show you how this works. You don't have to teach them how to be rebellious. When I ask you something, say no. They know that. You don't have to teach them to say mine. You You don't have to teach them, listen, when I ask you something, tell me the exact opposite of what I ask you. That is called a lie.

Try it with me. You don't have to do that. It is a natural thing that just comes with the territory. They're born with this inherent sin. It's It's like It's scary as a parent when you see your sin running around on two legs. Like you just like, oh my goodness, who says that? Daddy says that. I never said that. You just lied. Like yes, they do. Just like we inherit physical characteristics from our parents, we inherit a sinful nature from Adam. King David, he was grieved by this. In fact, he writes about it in Psalm 51.

He said, surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. Folks, thankfully there is a remedy for inherited, imputed personal sin. Jesus went to the cross to deal with our sin. We have redemption through his blood. The forgiveness of sins, the Bible says, according to the riches of his grace. At the same time, John is writing, there is a false teaching called Gnosticism and the Gnostics said that man did not have a sin nature. And the reason they said that is because matter to them was evil. The soul inside of man separate from the body and therefore could not be affected by the sinful flesh.

Therefore, they said, we are without a sin nature. But that completely contradicts the scripture. The Bible tells us in Romans chapter 3, no doubt you're familiar with it. It says there is none righteous. No, not one. There's none who understands. There's none who seeks after God. They've all turned aside. They've all together become unprofitable. There is none who does good, no, not one. Notice this, all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. The Bible goes on to tell us that the wages of sin is death. But of course, the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

There is only one person who has ever existed, who was sinless, spotless. And it wasn't you or me. It was Jesus. Jesus was without sin. But these who were self-deceived said that they were without a sin nature. But John tells us the conclusion is the truth wasn't in them. They were deceived. By the way, let me say to you that the prerequisite for salvation is the realization that we are sinners in need of a savior. For some, they don't see themselves as sinners when they compare themselves to others. Now, they're sinners. I could see why.

I mean that evident. But I am a I'm not a bad person. I'm a good person. Of course, by their own definition, but they have a standard of morality. They have a code of personal ethics that is sufficient. And therefore, they consider themselves to be good when the Bible says there's none good. This too is self-deception and the fact that they don't see it only shows that the truth is not in them. Not everybody likes to hear that they are a sinner. In fact, some places you will We said sin a lot today. We're going to say it a few more times, but people don't like to hear that word.

These had denied a sinful nature, but also there was a denial of sins committed. That's the second thing John points out. Verse 10, look at it. If we say, there it is again, if we say this, if we say they we have not sinned, we make him a liar and his word is not in us. There were those claiming that they had never committed sins in their life. Can you imagine that? We've never sinned? Ever? Never until now when you lied. Everybody sins. You all do. We all do. But the Gnostics did not see their lifestyle in rebellion against the word of God as sin.

The truth wasn't in them. They were deceived. But also, I think there was a redefining of what sin is. It's not a sin. It a mistake. It's not a sin. It's an error. It's not a sin. It's something else. Actually, the Bible calls it sin. And what made it worse is that when they said that they had never sinned, it was more than just lying because they were not only deceiving themselves, but worse than that, this false claim that they had never sinned was actually blasphemous because they were making God a liar. God's word says all have sinned.

They said, I haven't sinned. Are you calling God a liar? If you say you haven't sinned and he says you have, you're calling God You're making God a liar, John says. And God does not lie. It It's denying the whole testimony of God's word and the need for his redemptive activity to be our savior. Listen, if if if we could somehow be saved because we've never sinned, then what is the point of the cross? There would be no point of having a savior. There would be no point for the cross. The fact is we are sinners, therefore we needed a savior.

We have a sin nature. We were born in sin and it's worse than that because the Bible says that we are dead in sin. Did you know that? Ephesians chapter 2 verse 1, Paul tells us what our former condition is before we are saved. Here's what he said, dead in trespasses in sin, which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, which is a reference to the devil, among whom also we once conducted ourselves. That is we lived according to the lust of our flesh and we just fulfilled the desires of the flesh and of the mind and we were by nature children of wrath just waiting to be judged.

Dead. That's where we were. Some of us were more dead than others, been dead longer, but all dead in sin. But these had denied it. I was sharing with the men yesterday at our conference that there was a famous preacher by the name of Donald Barnhouse. And Barnhouse after a message one morning on a Sunday was approached by a young man. He was an athletic man, young guy. Came to him after his message and he remarked to Barnhouse that when he sinned, this young man said it didn't bother him. He didn't feel anything that Barnhouse suggested he should feel.

This young man therefore saw no problem with this practice. Barnhouse responded, if I were to take an 800 lb dumbbell and drop it on a dead man, do you think he would feel it? The young athletic man said, certainly not. Barnhouse replied, the reason you don't feel pain is because you are dead. You're dead in sin. But friends, thankfully again, there is a remedy. Oh, there is a remedy for our sin. It's the blood of Jesus. We can be forgiven. We can be cleansed. We can be free because of the finished work of Christ on our behalf.

And that is why John says in verse 9, there is forgiveness of sin. There were those that denied the sinful nature, denied committing sin. John says we are sinners and great news, there is forgiveness. Where was it found? Verse 9. If It's a condition here, if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. The word confess that is used here means more than just admitting something. The definition actually means to say the same thing. That is to agree with what God has said about sin.

I'm agreeing with it. I realize what it says. I'm a sinner born with a sin nature. I need to I agree. I need to repent of sin. And therefore, when I realize this, I confess it to the Lord. And the context of this word implies a continuous action. There is an attitude that is in the Christian, a true believer towards sin that is humility and contrition. It's a desire to confess to the Lord anything that the Holy Spirit puts his finger on that would separate me from fellowship with him and quickly. I don't I Lord, forgive me for that.

In fact, Proverbs tells us in Proverbs 28 verse 13, he who covers his sin will not prosper. But whoever confesses and forsakes his sin will have mercy. That is what God desires. Do you cover your sin or do you confess it? To confess it is to find cleansing, is to find forgiveness, but to cover it is to find destruction and bondage. You know, there is an example of one such man who covered his sin. His name was Achan. Are you familiar? The nation of Israel crossed over the Jordan, standing outside of Jericho about ready to march around it several times.

And the Lord spoke through Joshua to the people saying, don't take any spoils of this victory. They all belong to the Lord. Don't touch it. Give it all to the Lord. And everybody understood what the plan was. Of course, they marched around the city. You remember, they blew the trumpets. The walls of the city came down. They went in and took Jericho. However, there was one man named Achan who saw a wedge of gold and a garment. And he took it and he hid it in his tent. The next battle was against AI, a much smaller area.

And Joshua didn't even send the whole army. Just said we just send a few people up there. And they went up and attacked AI and AI routed them, defeated them. And Joshua was so devastated that he got on his face and said, God, what's going on? What happened? The Lord said there's sin in the camp, Joshua. And the Lord began to narrow it down from tribe to tribe to tribe to family to individual to Achan. And Joshua, when he finally confronted Achan, he said, confess, what have you done? And he said, well, I saw a wedge of gold and a garment and I coveted them.

I took them and I hid them and there they are. I've often wondered myself, when would you ever have a chance to use those things? I mean really. You going to wear that garment out? I mean no one Everybody's going to recognize that you have it. What are you going to use the gold for? I mean what are you But that's the deceptive nature of it. You covered it. You hid it. And what happened to Achan? His whole family was destroyed as a result of him unwilling to confess it. There is no freedom in covering it, but there is freedom when you confess it.

I agree with what God 's word says. I am not only forgiven, but I am cleansed. And what a blessing that is. There is some misunderstanding concerning confession today. There are those that say you must go and sit in a booth and you must confess your sins to somebody on the other side of that booth who in turn will assign you some means of penance, perhaps a prayer, more than one, prayed more than once. Maybe something else, some task to absolve your transgression. And under that system, they say you receive forgiveness based upon your good works.

Not so. By the way, I don't need to go to a priest. I have a high priest that I go to and I confess my sin to him and he forgives and cleanses me. Others suggest that you are only forgiven of the sins that you confess. If there's any unconfessed sin that you didn't see or didn't notice or forgot about, listen, when you stand before the judgment seat it's going to be hanging over your head, you didn't confess it. Not so. The finished work of Christ on the cross means our sins have been forgiven. That's going to be hanging over me when I get to heaven.

Sometimes I've been asked the question many times, am I going to be judged for my sins? No, your sins my sins were judged at Calvary. They were judged there. But at the same time, we still do sin and therefore when we do, we confess it. We repent of it. We turn from it. David said this, blessed, Psalm 32 verse 1 and 2. He said, blessed is the is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity. Now, understand this. That's Old Testament. Covered, not imputed, blessed.

If you're forgiven, did you know that under the Old Testament sacrificial system that a high priest would go in to the tabernacle, that tent of meeting, and inside the holiest of all places, there was something called the ark of the covenant. Are you familiar? The ark of the covenant. The ark of the covenant represented the throne of God on the earth. Inside of the ark of the covenant were God's commandments, God's requirements. On top of the ark of the covenant, the lid over the Ten Commandments was called the mercy seat. And the priest would take the blood of a lamb and he would go in and he would place the blood on the mercy seat and around the ark of the covenant.

And the Lord said, when I see the blood, I will speak to you there. Mercy was on top of the law. A sacrifice had been made and the people's sins were, listen, covered, not removed, covered. Fast forward. Jesus comes as the lamb of God. And Jesus doesn't go into a temporary physical temple, but he goes to the very throne room of God, the actual throne room, not the template, not the picture, but the actual. He had offered himself. His blood had been shed. Therefore, our sins are now removed. The blood of the lamb has removed our sins, not covered, removed.

As far as the east is from the west, that is where our sins have gone, never to meet again because of his blood that was shed. Mercy triumphs over judgment in the cross. The law says we deserve judgment. We have broken God's law. Mercy says he can be merciful because the blood of the sacrifice was placed upon it. Do you understand? Now, your sins have been removed. I hope somebody's excited about that. I don't know. A couple of you. It's great news, especially if you know you're a sinner and you are. So, we all are.

But also John tells us that there is power over sin. Oh, we do sin. We confess it. But we have power over sin. Look at what it says in chapter 2 verse 1. My little children, these things I write to you so that you may not sin. Someone has rightly said concerning the word of God that sin will keep you from this book. But this book, it'll keep you from sin. The Bible says, your word I've hidden in my heart that I might not sin against thee. John says here, this is the second reason why he wrote this letter.

The first reason, you remember, that your joy may be full. Second reason, I've written this so that you may not sin. God's word that sword of the spirit that enables us to overcome and fight against the flesh, the offensive weapon, to be able to say when temptation comes, it is written. It is written. It is written just like Jesus using the word of God. John says, I'm writing this to you so that you may not sin. Now, when John says this, he's not saying that you're going to be sinless. You know, there was a false teaching called sinless perfection that you can right now experience sinless perfection.

I met a girl once who told me she was sinless. I said, that's impossible. And she said, no, I I am I could I was just like wait. So many scriptures. And I said, no, you're you're not sinless. There's only one person that was sinless and his name wasn't Julie. It was Jesus. So you you have sin. Her name was Julie. Sorry. No offense, ladies, that's your name, but that's that's what she said. No, it's not sinless, but prayerfully sin less than we used to. The closer you get to Jesus, hopefully you sin less, not sin more.

You sin less. John said, I'm writing this to you so that you may know there is power over sin. Maybe there's some sin that you have been battling with and struggling with and just keeps you just keep repeating it. There's power over that sin. It's the power of the Holy Spirit to overcome it. You can with God's help if you look to him.

Guest (Male): Thank God there is power over the sin that we battle with in our daily walk. Today, on A Daily Walk, we listened into a portion of pastor John Randall's new study of 1 John. It's titled The Power of Forgiveness. Visit our website to listen to today's message again or share it with someone who might benefit by hearing it. We're at adailywalk.org. And while you're there, check out pastor John's daily devotional. It's a video devo released each weekday morning just for you. It takes only 8 minutes to watch and it's a good way to start your day or watch on your break at work.

We're now able to send them to you by text if you wish. Simply text the word A Daily Walk to 877 242 0828 and be encouraged each morning with pastor John. Again, 877 242 0828. Today, we'd like to get an excellent resource into your hands from pastor Charles Stanley who is now with the Lord. It's titled How to Listen to God. His voice waits to be heard. You know, there are so many voices coming at us each day in the world coupled with the daily routine of life. It can sometimes leave us confused and frustrated.

How do you distinguish between God's voice and all the others? And how should you respond to it? Allow Charles Stanley to help using personal experiences from his life and ministry. And of course, the word of God too. We're making it available to our A Daily Walk listeners for the cost of just $12 at adailywalk.org or call us 877 242 0828. That's 877 242 0828 and adailywalk.org. Here at A Daily Walk, we look to the Lord to provide and very often he does so through our listeners. We are very grateful for that. We know these are difficult and challenging financial times for many of you, but if God has blessed you with a little extra this month, we'd very much appreciate your support.

This would be a wonderful time to hear from you. We try to make it easy to make a donation online at adailywalk.org or call 877 242 0828. And then join us next time when pastor John Randall picks up where we left off and are through the Bible study here on A Daily Walk. This program is made possible through your generosity and brought to you by Calvary Oceanside.