Rom 1:28-32 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; (29) Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, (30) Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, (31) Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: (32) Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
Today’s topic has to do with disobedience. Is it me, or are there more disobedient children in our society? It makes me so sad when I see children left to their own devices and they rule the house with their tantrums. Rather than deal with teaching them and disciplining them at that moment, they are too tired and leave them alone. The problem with that is that no directions from Dad and Mom let the children know that your silence means accepting their behavior.
But today’s devotional is not about a child’s disobedience, although it fits in nicely. It’s about adults’ disobedience. Notice verses 29, 30 and 31! Look at all those sins! They are not normally committed by young children but by grown adults! Verse 32 even attributes it to those who know the judgment of God!!! Children do not know in the early years, but adults sure do.
Paul told Timothy in 1 Timothy 1:9-10 that disobedience to the Law, meaning the Ten Commandments, is contrary to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In his second letter to Timothy (2 Timothy 2:1-5), Paul says that these sins will increase in the end times. These warnings are not in the Bible for nothing, Reader. You must take heed to what God wants you to know! You commit these sins because you have not repented of your sin to be saved. Repentance is a reversal of one’s direction in life. When you were born, you inherited a sinful nature handed down to you by Adam and Eve. You don’t have to teach a toddler to do wrong because it is part of him from birth. You DO have to teach that toddler to do right. Jesus said:
Luk 5:32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
Friend, repentance means that you must consciously make a decision to follow Christ and His teachings. The Law, the Ten Commandments, prove to us that we are sinners because there is not a day that goes by in a person’s life where he doesn’t break at least one of those commandments. The first of those commandments is to love the Lord God with all your heart, mind and soul. Do you? Ding, ding, ding! You have broken one. Have you lied to someone today? Ding, ding, ding! There’s another. They add up after a while. But even if you only had ONE sin (which is virtually impossible), you are found guilty before God of breaking all the commandments!
Jas 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
So know that the Ten Commandments teach us about sin. That was God’s old covenant to the Jewish people. People needed to realize that they could not possibly live a sin-free life, a righteous life, because they failed every day. Israel had to sacrifice lambs to “cover” their sins. They had to shed the innocent blood of a lamb.
From the beginning of time, God provided a way to be reconciled to Him. He gave us a new covenant. Jesus became the Perfect Sacrificial Lamb to die for our sins. The blood of goats and lambs could not wash away our sins. But the blood of Jesus can. When we repent and confess our sins, Jesus hears us. His blood on that cross gives Him the power to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us from all sin. Furthermore, He is faithful so this will always be!
1 Jn 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
1 Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Some believe you can go to confession and tell a priest your sins and that is it. You’re good to go. But that is not repentance, friend. So what exactly is the repentance? The Greek word is:
μετάνοια
Strong’s concordance
metanoia
met-an’-oy-ah
From G3340; (subjectively) compunction (for guilt, including reformation); by implication reversal (of [another’s] decision): – repentance.
Notice the one in needs to have repentance must feel the guilt and shame of his sin. Secondly, that person must be reformed (John 3:3, 3:7, 2 Corinthians 5:17). Thirdly, to be repentant means to change directions. If you were facing South and wanted to go in the opposite direction, you would go North. In the case of repentance, means you turn around from your current sinful path and go in the exact opposite direction – meaning, you go toward the Lord. Fourthly, you change your mind completely. Instead of giving in to sin, you seek salvation through Jesus Christ and say no to sin. There is no other way to be saved!
Act 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Sin is a choice after salvation. You are no longer a slave to sin. You can now say no to it.
Rom 6:20-23 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. (21) What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. (22) But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. (23) For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Friend, do you know how many so-called “Christians” are out there that have not repented? They go to church and think about God during the service (if they are not sleeping or reading their phone). But after church, they go back to their lifestyle and they’re happy with that. That is not repentance. These people do not feel guilty or remorse for their sin.
After you have read today’s devotional, do you see the difference of what believers call nominal Christianity and true Christianity? You can call yourself a Christian, but if you haven’t changed from your old life, you are not. (2 Corinthians 5:17)
If you are not truly born-again, you won’t see today’s topic as a sin. But there is coming a time when it will be too late for you to repent and be saved. It is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab You Can Be Born Again and Know It!
