Believers Do Not Practice Sin (1 John 5:18-19)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 01/13/2005

 

My Worship Time                                          Focus:  Believers, do not Practice Sin

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                         Reference:  1John 5:18-19

 

            Message of the verse:  18 We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the one who was born of God keeps him safe, and the evil one cannot harm him. 19 We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.  (NIV)  18 We know that none of the God-begotten makes a practice of sin—fatal sin. The God-begotten are also the God-protected. The Evil One can’t lay a hand on them.  19 We know that we are held firm by God; it’s only the people of the world who continue in the grip of the Evil One.  (Message)

            It seems that the key word that John is using is the word “practice,” because he has  written in an earlier chapter that if the believer says that he is without sin he is a liar.  All believers sin because of the enemies that they face; the world, the flesh, and the Devil. 

            God said of David that he was a man after God’s own heart, yet the OT records some of the sins that David committed.  After the sin with Bathsheba, and after Nathan came and talked to him about what he had done, and how it displeased God, David wrote Psalm 32, and Psalm 51, which show the grief that he had gone through because of his sin.  David did not continue to practice the sins of adultery and murder, for he confessed them to the Lord and he learned from these mistakes.  He also knew of God’s grace and  mercy.  This is an example of how a believer is to react when convicted by God of his sin, and the believer is not to continually practice sin, but learn and grow by applying God’s word to each situation for God will never allow us to be tempted beyond that which we are able to handle, (1Cor. 10:13).

            Unbelievers sin because that is the only nature that they have, and also because they are in the grip of the evil one, (verse 19).

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  God’s grace does not give me a license to sin, but because of God’s grace I can be forgiven my sins.  I know it is wrong to practice sin, and yet there are certain sins that are much more attractive to me and I have a harder time to stay away from them, however because these temptations cause me much conflict in my heart I know that God is continuing to work in my heart to give me the grace to stand.

 

The Word of God has given me a challenge as I read it this morning.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  Have confidence that God will get all of us through the trial of Kim’s pregnancy, as it is all so very upsetting to us.  Trust the Lord will give us all the grace we need to survive the trial.