March 20, 2023

Passage Read: Psalm 35-38
Meditation Verses: 32:1-5

Thought

It is the man who confesses his sins who is forgiven, who enjoys the favor of the Lord. It is not the man who covers over his sin, who pretends he has not sinned or who redefines sin so that he considers himself to be not guilty. Those men have no freedom from guilt, they have to continually, regularly remind themselves that their deeds are not evil. The more they feel the weight of their guilt, the more they have to struggle against the truth about sin. But there is a simple solution to their problem: agree with God that their deeds are evil, confess that they have committed evil deeds, and turn away from their evil deeds. But it is that last step that is the hardest; it is the one thing that sends them on their journey to redefine sin in the first place. If a man is not willing to give up his evil deeds, there is no hope for him.

Application

So it is with me. If I really want freedom from condemnation, internally and externally, then the only real solution is to confess and renounce all my behaviors and actions that God calls evil. Then I can be truly and completely forgiven through the blood of Christ, and know it by the testimony of God's Spirit living in me. To overlook sin or downplay it or straight up deny that my deeds are sinful, there is no peace in that because there is no forgiveness. Especially if I belong to God, He will press on me until I am broken and brought to repentance. The alternative is to be crushed and left without hope. The quicker I agree with God about my evil deeds and renounce them, the quicker I can enjoy the freedom and peace that come from His forgiveness.