“If we deliberately
keep on sinning after we
have received the
knowledge of the
truth, no sacrifice
for sins is left. . .”
Hebrews 10:26 (NIV)
It was one of those moments that, years later, still
makes me shake my head and smile. Noah and Lola, both 4 years old, were having
a heavy conversation over a lunch of mac ‘n cheese and chocolate milk.
“Noah, when I’m 10, I’m going to see an R-rated
movie,” Lola informed him.
Noah immediately answered. “You can’t see an R-rated movie. If you do you
will go to “hail,” Lola.”
But she shook her head “Yes I CAN see an R-rated
movie. I won’t go to “hail” if I do.” Noah totally disagreed. “Yes, you will,
Lola. You will go straight to “hail” if you see one.”
The conversation went back and forth for several
minutes. Finally Lola sighed and raised up both her hands in the air. “Okay,
fine. I’ll go see an R-rated movie and then after it’s over, I’ll ask God to
forgive me.” Mercy.
Obviously, at 4 years of age, Lola had no concept
of Hebrews 10:12. But evidently she had heard a conversation somewhere about
doing something you should not be doing and THEN asking God to forgive you.
So what does it mean to “deliberately keep on
sinning”? I believe it comes down to this: knowing the clear commands of
Scripture but choosing to ignore them and do what we want to do instead. Not
confessing but continuing our sin; not battling against it but willingly surrendering
to it day after day.
For example, do we focus on loving money to the
point that every day is filled with how to obtain more and more wealth? We are
told in I Timothy 6:10 that the love of money only leads to all kinds of evil. We
know that. But yet we continue holding it up as our god.
Or perhaps we are in a relationship outside of our
marriage. We know that we are clearly warned in I Corinthians 6:18 to run from
sexual immorality and yet we ignore the word of God and continue in our sin.
Before you say “Yes, but no one is perfect! We all
sin!” I completely agree. We all mess up. But as Christians, we know our trust and
faith are in the only One who died for us and who promises forgiveness when we
confess our sins to Him.
Jesus became the Ultimate Sacrifice for our sins with
His death on the cross. Resolve today, not to deliberately keep on sinning but
to deliberately keep on turning to Him for forgiveness and renewal.
Father,
thank you for your grace and forgiveness. I do not want to ever deliberately
sin against you. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
R.A.P. it
up . . .
Reflect
- Can you recall a time in your life
when you knew you were deliberately sinning but you didn’t repent?
Apply
- Journal anything in your life that
you think might be “deliberate sin.”
- Read through the Word and write
Scripture verses that speak to each entry.
- Ask the Lord to forgive you and help
you begin anew by His grace and mercy.
Power
- Hebrews
10:26 (NIV) “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the
knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left. . .”
- II Peter
2:21 (NIV) “It would have been better for them not to have known the way
of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on
the sacred command that was passed on to them.”
- Ephesians
2:8 (NIV) “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and
this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God . . .”
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