Sinner

Exposing Our Own Sin

Exposing Our Own Sin

John 8:7When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”

Confident Condemnation

The Pharisees eagerly condemned the adulterous woman, demanding her execution.

They arrogantly assumed the role of judge, blind to their own guilt.

The Mirror Turns Inward

Jesus’ response exposed their hypocrisy. Were they without sin themselves?

None could claim a spotless record. They recoiled as the mirror turned inward.

Revealing Self-Righteous Hearts

It’s easy to denounce others while excusing our own subtle sins. But Jesus’ words reveal self-focused hearts.

We all fall desperately short of God’s standard.

Examining Ourselves First

As sinners saved by grace, we must remove planks from our eyes before addressing specks in another.

Merciful truth exposes and heals.

Posted by onthesolidrock in Daily Inspiration
The Worst Sinner

The Worst Sinner

Have you ever felt unworthy of God’s love and forgiveness?

Perhaps you’ve made mistakes or struggled with certain sins, and you find it difficult to believe that God could still accept and embrace you. If that resonates with you, I want to share some encouraging words from the apostle Paul. He writes,

“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.” (1 Timothy 1:15)

Paul’s words remind us that no one is beyond the reach of God’s grace. In fact, Jesus came into the world specifically to save sinners like you and me.

Regardless of our past mistakes or the extent of our brokenness, Jesus offers forgiveness, redemption, and a new beginning.

Paul himself, who was once a persecutor of Christians, experienced this transformative power firsthand. He recognized his own need for God’s mercy and acknowledged that he was the worst of sinners.

Yet, it was precisely in his brokenness that he encountered the overwhelming love and grace of Jesus.

So, if you ever find yourself feeling unworthy or burdened by your past, remember that Jesus came to save sinners.

There is no sin too great, no mistake too monumental that His grace cannot cover. Embrace the truth that you are never beyond redemption and that God’s love knows no limits.

Allow His forgiveness to wash over you, and let His grace empower you to live a life transformed by His love.

Posted by onthesolidrock
Watch Out For – Hypocrisy

Watch Out For – Hypocrisy

Jesus never condemned sinners; He did however denounce and deplore hypocrites!

A hypocrite is a person who excuses his own sin, while condemning the sins of others.

The hypocrite does not see his own hypocrisy, because he cannot see, or refuses to see, the flaws in himself.

The one who cannot see their own flaws, rarely if ever, seek mercy. Since he does not seek mercy, he has no mercy to give; and since he is always under God’s judgment, he passes judgment on others.

If we are to be seekers of holiness, we cannot remain as hypocrites; or better stated; hypocrites cannot find holiness.

The first step in pursuing holiness is to admit that we are not as holy as we appear to be; this first step is called humility.

As we draw near to God, each one of us will become aware of the sins in our own heart. The Holy Spirit is not revealing these sins in order to condemn us, but rather to establish humility, and to deepen our knowledge of our own need for more grace.

Anyone choosing to follow God, will humble themselves before God, asking God for grace to deliver them from the sin that has entangled them.

For those who will try to excuse their sin, the title hypocrite is, justly deserved. Jesus used a parable to highlight this very issue.

“To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.  I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’

“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”  

“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. Luke 18:9-14

Holiness is not about obeying a set of rules and regulations; that only breeds more hypocrisy. Holiness is about getting rid of pride; which enables us to come to terms with the true condition of our heart.

Have you humbled yourself before God, lately?

Posted by onthesolidrock in Discipline, Faith, Holiness, Humility, 0 comments