The Last Day Of Sin

What a wonderful though that is, the last day of sin. A world with no more sin would be peace, out next topic and actually, heaven or the new heaven and earth. Perhaps, salvation cleanses us and saves us and frees us from the control of sin, yet some remain willing sinners, abusing grace, other ignorant sinners, not realizing what it is, and still some, myself included, fail on a daily basis but remain repentant.

Whatever your situation I hope this series has been helpful, and is here for further study. We are not to dwell on what that precious blood has covered, we all have to move forward, and look forward to His return. And still be a light to sinners.

Just to recap, here are some of the verses about sin. And the greater one belongs to Judas, that spirit still works in the earth, there are not a list of seven, Pope Gregory gave this list, pride, envy, wrath, gluttony, lust, sloth, and greed. The abominations God hates including lies is in Proverbs 6:16, excessive fear is sin. Please share any of these, I believe the Man of Sin to be a timely word and people may not understand Revelation.

For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has also rejected you from being king. 1 Samuel 15:23 – referring to Saul, but relevant today – rebellion, drug use, it is tied to witchcraft.

Wash me clean of my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. Psalm 51:2

Whoever conceals an offense promotes love, but he who brings it up separates friends. Proverbs 17:9   ( This does not mean you are to be abused or a doormat, if you need help get it, God hates for this to be misinterpreted. )

Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. Isaiah 1:18

Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Matthew 7:3  ( judging )

The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me. John 16:9

We have all sinned and come short of His glory, Roman 3:23 24 offer grace.

For one who has died ( by being saved ) has been set free from sin. Romans 6:7

For sin will not rule over you, for you are not under law, but under grace? What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Romans 6:14.15

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23

For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:2

Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil. Ephesians 4:26, 27

Death gets its power to hurt from sin, and sin gets its power from the Law. 1 Corinthians 15:56          ( Why Jesus fulfilled it and we are under grace. )

So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin. James 4:17

Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and cover over a multitude of sins. James 5:20

He ( Jesus ) committed no sin, neither was deceit found in His mouth. 1 Peter 2:2 ( deceit is deception or lies )

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:8

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. f we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. 1 John 1:8,9

He Himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. 1 John 2:2

You know that He appeared in order to take away sins, and in Him there is no sin. 1 John 3:5

Little children, let no one deceive you: The one who practices righteousness is righteous. The one who practices sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the very start. This is why the Son of God was revealed, to destroy the works of the devil.  Anyone born of God refuses to practice sin, because God’s seed abides in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. 1 John 3:7-9

I hope I included them all, just go to Bible Hub and type in sin to search. I had such a wave of writing overtake me to do this series way back in August, and I hope I have helped us to be aware of sin and to sin less, September or otherwise. I am looking forward to the last day of sin in reality but many still don’t know His love, and I pray they have a revelation of it.

God bless thank you for reading, sharing and the comments. Join me tomorrow as we take another look at His peace.

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Remission Of Sin

 

Indeed we may almost say that in obedience to the Law everything is sprinkled with blood, and that apart from the outpouring of blood there is no remission of sins. Hebrews 9:22 Weymouth

A lot of the translations say forgiveness of sin and that is accurate, growing up hearing mostly King James, I chose to use remission, meaning absolution, amnesty, forgiveness and pardon. excuse, plead and atone. All this w brought about by the shed blood of Christ on the cross. A willing Savior, He was a freewill, guilt, sin, grain, drink and even burnt offering, all of them once and for all who would believe.

He explains this as He institutes Holy Communion, many people  turned away from Him after that, and many remain terrified of taking part, which they should not if they aren’t repentant, if you are continually sinning, I would not. I take communion, many people have experienced healing from it, you can even take it at home. Don’t you need a priest? The Bible calls believers kings and priests. 

But you do have to know the meaning, the people that sleep or have died, didn’t understand it. His blood covers the sin, His body, healing. So, how did it all start? Back in the garden after the fall, the Bible says that God walked there in the cool of the day, personally, I think it was Jesus even then, because God is Spirit and Jesus was given authority and came in the flesh. And later as the Angel of the Lord.

However, it was, there was no asking forgiveness, fear had overwhelmed them and it would take an animal sacrifice to cover the sin, and likely it could have been a lamb even then, just my own speculation that it was Jesus making the sacrifice even then His heart wrenching. 

And so for thousands of years, and millions of sacrifices later, John will point out Jesus and then say  ” Behold , the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. ” And He did, He was the once and for all sacrifice for those who would believe. He brought grace and truth, by fulfilling the law.

Now, there were all kinds of sacrifices, Jesus covers them all. The high priest wound enter in to the Holy of Holies, and sprinkle blood. Jesus is now our High Priest and does the same on Yom Kippor, the Day of Atonement, it was almost two weeks ago, His blood is in heaven, the devil can’t run up there accusing us like he did Job, now he accuses us night and day, but we don’t have to listen to his nonsense.

We have weapons of spiritual warfare, the patriarchs and prophets could only dream of, His name, His Word and we can plead His blood, and then there is the Holy Spirit in us as believers, He only came upon people in the old days, now He resides in us, and the blood of Jesus is over the mercy seat  of our hearts, actually, all three abide will us as we accept and welcome Him, our heart is His home.

So, I hope you understand a little more about the importance of His blood, and the offering of His body, the Eucharist, or Communion, it is not to be taken lightly, how awful to think that we can by our turning away from His love that we can crucify Him  afresh. One day on a cross and three days and nights in tomb, was enough, no place for the beloved Son. ( it was three from Thursday  to Sunday, as Jews counted twelve hours for day and night ) 

It should never be far from our thoughts or hearts that Jesus paid the ultimate price to redeem us and is worthy of our praise, it should be in our very souls, the cost of our salvation, without His shed blood, no remission or forgiveness of sin.

Silas Hao / Unsplash

 

 

Victory Over Sin

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:56,57

When I was younger, in church would often sing Victory In Jesus. I never knew how much victory I truly had until I overcame so many things only by He is grace and through Him. This is why I try to explain His Word and love as simply as possible.

Jesus completed the work on the cross and that is our victory, it was then and is now. And He is not there now but seated at the Father’s right hand making intercession for us, the Spirit also prays for us Romans 8:26, when we don’t know what to pray, and I am seldom at a loss for words but I am in many cases, I could not have imagined the spiritual warfare and the victory that was mine all along.

He has given us victory of sin, the understanding of what it is and the ability to learn and discern by the Spirit. As a believer we are not to keep willfully sinning, we should not practice sin, have no desire to or want to sin, even to hurt Jesus by doing it.

While we are human and will sin, probably even everyday, we are under grace and must keep a repentant heart, that is entirely different to being a willing sinner, you just can’t be a believer and do this, or at least not a good one, you may not be saved at all, but that He will judge.

Here is why we have victory in Jesus.

Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.  1 John 3:8

The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. It is worth repeating. And I suggest reading all of this chapter. https://biblehub.com/esv/1_john/3.htm

Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord will never count against them. Romans 4:8

For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: Romans 8:3

But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 1:7

James 4:17 reminds us that knowing to do good and not is a sin. While there is a lot of sin He offers more grace, but that is not a license to sin, especially knowing Jesus took it, believers will not abuse that grace.

Praise you Lord for victory in Jesus, victory over sin and death, and no condemnation, Romans 8:1

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Scarlet Sins

We’ve all heard the expression of being a scapegoat haven’t we? But how much do we really understand about that? It was an ancient Jewish practice to offer a goat up a Passover, the priest would actually lay hands on the goat’s head and transfer the sins of Israel.

One goat was  for the Lord and and one for Azazel, an evil spirit. Afterward the scapegoat was driven out into the wilderness where was to die or be helped to, being pushed off a cliff, it was chaos to see him wander back into the city.

So why this story? It relates to Jesus, though He was the spotless, sinless, lamb of God, He was also the scapegoat, our sin was transferred to Him, and He was innocent, and He was offered for us, the devil threw everything at Him away from the city, He too, was helped to die, taking punishment after punishment, on a hill called Golgotha, He willingly gave His life. No one could have but He loved us agave His life for us.

There was a scarlet thread that put on the door of the temple, and when the scapegoat was dead the thread turned a pure white. That is what Jesus died for us as well, our scarlet sins when we are born again are white as snow. Let’s see what the Word says.

Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. Isaiah 1:18

So, now you know the story behind how our sins become white as snow by His sacrifice, And while these sacrifices were yearly, Jesus was the once and for all one for who would believe. His blood and His worth were so much more than all the offerings to cover the sins of so many.

Wash me clean of my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. Psalm 51:2

Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Psalm 51:7

Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before His throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. Revelation 1:4,5

I said to him, ( an elder ) “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Revelation 7:14 – referring to the 144,000.

What blessing and peace of mind to have accepted Jesus as Lord and the sacrifice that made us white as  snow, and we can walk in white before Him, in or rove of his righteousness.

Shane Devlin / Unsplash

The Unpardonable Sin

 

Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Matthew 12: 31

I know this terrifies a lot of believers, I was one of them. I even went to a healing service once hoping I would not offend the Lord, that was silly, He loves me and knows my heart. This sin is one of the tricks the enemy loves torment you with as a believer. Mature or not, it can happen.

Let’s look at it in context, Jesus is being accused of casting out the devil by being the devil. He is understandably angry and doesn’t sin but explains it. If the devil casts himself out, he is destroying his own kingdom. A house divided will not stand. Period.

And He means a literal house or a body. He told this to the scribes and said that the unpardonable sin would not be forgiven in this life or the next. So it was a certain group He considered guilty of it. Or was warning them about it..

Believers should not be consumed with this. If you are even worried about it, you are not guilty, except of wasting time worrying. People who have done this, spoken out against the Spirit would not even care, much less think it over.

I saw a website with lots of young people joking, saying they were committing the unpardonable sin and would see each other in hell. They could actually be guilty of it. I know I have wondered about so called faith healers, I don’t like that term. Unless you are an out and out fraud and your sins will find you out, healing takes faith, Jesus said so, it also takes His peace and not troubling your heart over things like this. It takes entering His rest. I teach faith and healing, many topics and heling close to my heart.

I would hope He would look at their hearts, in fact I know He does and considers, if they knew what they were saying. The scribes should have, and other Jews. If you don’t understand, it is better to just keep quiet.

There are many workings of the Spirit, listed in 1 Corinthians 12,13,14, many gifts from tongues to working miracles, the Spirit decides as He sees fit and hears from the Father and Son. He sees your heart and God’s love for you, the sacrifice of the Son, if you are believer, having truly accepted that love, you won’t ever do this.

And yes, there are faith ministers, healing ministers, grace ministers, and you may not understand or agree with them but let the Holy Spirit teach you discernment, though those who truly love Christ will not commit this sin, there is an unpardonable sin, whether just for that group He was speaking or even for now. Be respectful and repentant, not worried.

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Sin And Ashes

Do you know anything about the ancient practices of repenting or grieving in sackcloth and ashes, it is like self abhorrence or loathing. You read of people in the Bible rending or ripping their garments, and even putting ashes on their heads. Men and women.

Jacob did it as a form of grief and mourning when the brothers brought Joseph’s coat of many colors stained with blood, even though it was a lie, he believed he was dead. Mordecai was another after learning of Haman’s plot. And of course, Job.

The ashes of the burnt offering were also used, even put in water. It was for purification of the unclean, but what does this have to do with Jesus, He wasn’t burned though He was a offering? Oh, but He was! Taking all that wrath upon Him and even going into hell to retrieve Adam’s earthly authority, the keys of death, hell and the grave. But it could not hold Him, the Spirit returned Him to the tomb and opened it, rolling away the stone. Jesus was our offering, and he purifies us giving us beauty for ashes.

Now, Jesus was put into the tomb of Joseph of Aramathea, who was rich, fulfilling a prophecy from Isaiah 53, otherwise His body would have been thrown into the firepit like so much garbage, but that did not happen, because God had a plan. Jesus was, in effect, all the offerings including burnt, no doubt there were ashes of the sins He took swirling around the cross.

And if you need more proof, look at the matzah bread, it is unleavened, representing no sin, it has both stripes and holes, and is a little brown. Jesus was beaten and pierced. In communion it represents the body of Christ.

Jesus, Himself, pronounces woes on cities that will not repent and compares them to those that would have had they seen the miracles, Chorazin and Bethsaida. I definitely would not to have a woe pronounced on me, though there are perhaps many people and cities, countries, who are under that same proclamation. 

But one of my favorite passages is in Isaiah 61, and the promise of beauty for ashes. Who is more capable than Jesus of take the ashes of our sins and grief and turning what was ugly into something beautiful?

He gives us the oil of joy for mourning, a garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, and we are a crown of beauty in the hand of our Lord. The one who loved us and suffered so, who went so far as to give His life, and pour out His very soul as if on an altar, is the one worthy of al praise and He makes things beautiful in His time and gives us beauty for ashes.

If you’d like to read more about ashes, here is a link with forty verses.

https://www.openbible.info/topics/ashes

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Without Sin?

I used to hear this message and preachers would be guessing what Jesus knelt to write as they were gathering stones. There were various answers, but the place where was would not have been ground but stone, was it a commandment? Or His new one to love?

I somehow doubt it was their sins or the names of women they had been with. Whatever it was was powerful enough to make a group of religious men, drop their stones in unison or one by one. There were non left to condemn, and Jesus wouldn’t.

The message is more about the forgiveness than sin. Jesus has every right to condemn, especially, coming to earth and being crucified. He could but He won’t, Romans 8:1 says that there is now no condemnation in Christ Jesus.

We are so quick to condemn others, and even have trouble forgiving ourselves, and others will condemn us, and the enemy certainly will, isn’t it then a blessing that Jesus won’t? He paid the price and offers us grace.

Now, that doesn’t mean you can keep being a willing sinner, but that if you do you can ask for forgiveness. I tell people to keep a repentant heart, and the Spirit will convict, just like at salvation, you know when you are wrong, and you can get back on track.

Women were mistreated in Bible times, just as they are now. They were considered property, and passed to a brother or family member if their husband died. Jesus reaches out here and gives the answer, that He does not condemn.

Those who would have are gone, for they were not without sin. There are lots of topics we could cover here. Divorce was permitted, because of adultery Jesus said in Matthew 5:8, that to look upon a woman with lust made you guilty of adultery already. So, He is not soft on the topic. Men are told how to treat wives in Galatians 5, and women who are loved respond in kind with faithfulness.

You can read a lot of the moral rules about this topic in the Old Testament. But Jesus freed women long before there were women’s rights. That does not mean they can go and sin. His response here is to sin no more. Sins against your body as a believer are worse to me being the temple of the Spirit. You can pass along more than you realize, including spiritual traps, I have seen the results on women and children in domestic violence.

Friends with benefits or one night stands are not worth the damage to you, body or soul but especially as a believer. You have but to look at the woman at the well, who may not have been a prostitute but just passed along, to see His concern for women.

I have seen a widower whose wife died of cancer, marry another woman, who died of cancer and within weeks, marry a third woman. I understand not wanting to be alone, but something was just wrong here, and he went to church. And I have seen a woman lose her husband and know that Jesus is loving her and caring for her. And a young man, a missionary and lover of Christ, stricken in another country, he never married, but he was loved. A woman who knew it was wrong to goo with a man, did and he killed her son. You can [ick up spirits, violent, evil and addictive ones with sins against the body, as an unbeliever, but Christians, knowing better are inviting trouble.

I tell people to wait for the right person, Jesus can bring the very person you are looking for, shouldn’t you be faithful? Just let Him love you until then, these sins are deceptive and cruel, give stronghold to people and enemies we do not want or need in our lives. Don’t trust these decisions to just anyone’s choosing or believer everyone claiming to be a Christian, the Spirit will guide you if you let Him, Jesus was the only one without sin, let’s let Him love and forgive us and sin no more. He really was without sin, and wants us to be.

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Sin Unto Death

If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life—to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for that. 1 John 5:16

What in the world is a sin unto death you might ask? I used the KJV, but sin leading to death is appropriate. I have to say that I had to read a little more about it. A sin unto death is one that causes literal or spiritual death, some are sins that cause the person to have been excommunicated from the synagogue or church.

Most likely, you would think that is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, and I believe that could well be true. However, that was said to a certain group of people and in that context true believers in Christ would never willingly or knowingly do that. The fact you are even concerned about committing such a sin proves He is in you, Someone who had done this would not care. So, it is more.

Sins that lead to death are sins that you could be sentenced to death for, or stoned in those days, and there a lot of them. Even the returning prodigal son could have been stoned, and we know what the main ones were, murder, adultery, prostitution, idolatry. Without Jesus and having a chance, lots of people would be stoned now.

If we see them committing a sin that is not one to death, we can pray for them and God will give them a chance. He can restore them to the fold, if it is one that is to death, it says not to pray. Like I said, I had to think this through.

I lived close to a federal prison, in Atlanta. And there is one close to where I live that electrocutes people. I used to worry hearing that one was coming up, I hate to see anyone face an eternity of hell.  It worried me, so I would pray for the person. And lots of others some famous and some not, but now I don’t go to extremes, I know that God is merciful and offers everyone, every chance to repent. I am thankful He does. These super heinous crimes that have become standard as television shows, the kinds of people, even children, men and women too, have like committed this sin and pay with their life, or a life in prison.

Jesus never mentioned to my knowledge, the death penalty, but He forgave the thief on the cross, He didn’t say to let him down now, not that they would have. I believe in grace and forgiveness but people have to want to change, and you should see it. Some many red flags pop up in these kinds of sinners and I do believe that they have way to many chances and some people just have to be locked away.

People who remain in continual sins, drug use, promiscuity, alcoholism, just unbelief. There are many sins that will lead to death, eventually. The people who refuse to acknowledge any sin, never attempting to change or make amends, they are the ones guilty of this, and  pray a general prayer over them, I have dealt with sinful people, willing sinners, who are often given to lies, now the Lord has blessed me to pray for and encourage other believers.

It has been a load off my heart, the Spirit moved the mountains, the burden for lost souls included. For we know God sees hearts, and I cannot. Ultimately, He knows who will change or not.  I got into a conversation with a woman who believed that only a few certain people will be saved, and it is true that He calls many but chooses few. And true, that the road to heaven is straight, you have to stay on course and that the gate is narrow. But Jesus made the sacrifice and everyone has the chance to believe, He sent His Son to seek and save, and He included the world, but the world’s sin is that it rejects Him, why we who know Him, know His voice, and will make mistakes of be forgiven them, of but not sin unto death. Sounds like you are not repentant.

Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. Matthew 7:13

We all need to be aware of sin, and ask the Spirit to help us and pray for us, so we will never fall into traps that could lead to the sin of death, even ignoring the urge to drive home a different way or not to go to work, I could tell you stories, both of these instance of not listening to the Spirit, ended in death, but not the second, he did listen and it was a co-worker. instead.

Power Over Sin

Death gets its power to hurt from sin, and sin gets its power from the Law. 1 Corinthians 15:56

This is a powerful verse isn’t it? This is from the Good News, others use the word sting for hurt. I had to simplify the subject because it is a deep one and people will complicate it with doctrine and their own take, but this its what the word says and God is coming full circle.

In the beginning, the was grace, even though people made sacrifices. But the Jews bragged and said they could obey any law. So they got ten and broke them right away, Moses even tossed them down as his own brother had given in to their demands for idolatry.

These demons and false practices were totally against His will just as they are now. There are still ancient spirits making a play for the souls of many in the end days, but the ancient of days is far above that.

People were not sin conscious until there was a law that pointed it out, and the more they focused on it or the more they tried not to sin, it was if they sinned all the more. God is patient for sure, it took a long time to bring Christ in, and then the ministry of grace.

Paul calls the law and what Christ fulfilled, the ministry of death. And people were saved. So how man more should be if they understood true grace, and the ministry of the Spirit? Jesus was the only perfect man, He was without sin and the perfect sacrifice. There was no need of more. But sin needed to be pointed out in order for us to be redeemed, Jesus even explains that in His ministry, to an even greater detail, they were putting more trust in the law, and their ability to keep it, than God.

Not only is that self righteous and hypocritical, but in a way, idolatrous. And people do put more faith into many things other than God, including money, government, and though vitamins can be good, people who follow certain diets or food rituals, are not necessarily following God.

Sin and death reigned from Adam to Christ, and now grace and truth reign in Christ, He took the sting and hurt of death, sin and death had no power over Him and now that He reigns in us, We have the power of the Holy Spirit, to resist and break the power of sin, tear down the strongholds the demonic forces and sin that brings death.

People still die, or better still just enter the presence of God because of His mercy and their belief in the Son, but man of us will be alive and remaining when He comes, because we know Him and have believed in His love, we are walking free indeed from the law of sin and death. There are people still who want no law, but they don’t really want grace or Christ, that is why there be those will follow a future Antichrist, but I believe the church is taken out first. That will be a time of a false peace that erupts into chaos and death. Don’t wait to make a decision about the love of Jesus.

Real grace is the love of Jesus that washes away sin by the power of His blood, and we are not bragging on ourselves but Him if we realize that. We are not so foolish as to say we have no sin and make Him a liar but we are wise enough to accept His wonderful gift of grace and His above and beyond sacrifice, that we receive His love and forgiveness, knowing He atoned for our sin and remembers them no longer. He has power over it and through Him we do.

And because you belong to Him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. Romans 8:2 NLT

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The Wages Of Sin

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23

This is a verse we grew up with, those of us that were churched or especially in some southern churches, but it is true. You know the saying, ” You get what you pay for. ” I have heard that expression all my life, and I am sure you have too.

And you know there are things I won’t compromise on. Cheese is one of them, I want a name brand, not one that tastes like oil. But that is just an example of mine, sometimes, I make casseroles and I will buy different name brands on sale. And sometimes, cheaper is better, or at least passable. Faith is something else you can’t compromise on either, I do believe in His grace, and He paid a price that was definitely not cheap, for people to abuse it with willful sin and dabbling a little here and there, is unacceptable to God, People settle for much less than God’s best and on a lot more important things, than cheese.

God keeps books, or perhaps angels do, I know love is not supposed to keep score but you know He will have to judge people sometime and sins add up. They start off as being something leading us astray, out of our desire, it is conceived and born, and is acted upon, grows and brings death as payment.

People don’t just wake up one morning and go out shooting others, it has been given a lot of thought and there are red flags that are missed by family and professionals. Isn’t it sad that unless angels are at work for us or we are listening to the Spirit, that we can be ” paid ” in a sense by the sins of others.

And of course our own, not sins we are forgiven of, still they have consequences, though they add up and catch up to us, but the willful, continuing practice of sin, really catches up. Lies will add up and trap you, they can even get you killed, being in denial of a problem or person in your life. Sins against the body can get you, those of adultery and outside of marriage, pushing yourself to work hard, drug and alcohol abuse, binging and purging, self medicating. You get the idea, not taking care of yourself, spirit, soul and body.

We tend to define sin in categories of seriousness, and true some are worse, Judas sin was greater, are we selling Jesus short, by not believing? I am careful not to take His grace for granted. We tell ourselves lies, so do others, so does the world, and the devil will be happy to oblige.

Just one more big score and someone will stop stealing, but they can go to prison or be shot and killed by police. The lie that you can stop drinking or drugs anytime. If you could why haven’t you already? We all need Jesus, no matter what anyone thinks.

Perhaps, the worse lie is believing that you have time to be saved before you die. I heard of a man who passed away in a room full of people, he was a lifelong alcoholic, he told them the devil was sitting in the window laughing at him, and later that his feet were burning. Not one of them had the presence of mind to tell him to call on Jesus. They had heard of Him and probably didn’t believe in Him but even if the Spirit was right there, or Jesus waiting for him to cry out to God, it was too late. When fear and death is gripping, are you sure you have time. Mr. D. may have but didn’t know it.

That story is not meant to scare you into salvation, that never works, being afraid to go to hell is one thing and a reason to want to be saved but Jesus sacrifice and love is too precious to waste, love is what it is about that He loved us first, and enough to die for us. That is why we should believe. If love doesn’t save you, fear won’t. And we don’t want to be paid off with the wages of sin, it is like the counterfeit Christianity that some are trying to live, mixing religions, doctrines of devils, even a false grace if people do not change, the devil is a liar. Jesus is the way and we want to be paid with eternal life and life more abundantly.

Clard /Pixabay