Anyone read "The Purpose Driven Church"? I'm really enjoying this great book - given me lots of ideas, but really challenges what we go to church for. It really makes me wonder, are we too comfortable? On this note, I've also been (trying) to read some theological articles in www.bible.org regarding crucifying sin - giving it up to God with His Spirit's help. So often I find that I try to do it on my own - earn my way into heaven. So often, we're told in society to rely on our own strength to achieve. Actually, The Bible says that we can't do it on our own - we need God's help. How do we do this? Through recognising our failings for what they are and telling God about them.
1 John 1:9-10, 2:1-2
If we claim that we're free of sin, we're only fooling ourselves. A claim like that is errant nonsense. On the other hand, if we admit our sins—make a clean breast of them—he won't let us down; he'll be true to himself. He'll forgive our sins and purge us of all wrongdoing. If we claim that we've never sinned, we out-and-out contradict God—make a liar out of him. A claim like that only shows off our ignorance of God.
I write this, dear children, to guide you out of sin. But if anyone does sin, we have a Priest-Friend in the presence of the Father: Jesus Christ, righteous Jesus. When he served as a sacrifice for our sins, he solved the sin problem for good—not only ours, but the whole world's.
1 John 1:9-10, 2:1-2
If we claim that we're free of sin, we're only fooling ourselves. A claim like that is errant nonsense. On the other hand, if we admit our sins—make a clean breast of them—he won't let us down; he'll be true to himself. He'll forgive our sins and purge us of all wrongdoing. If we claim that we've never sinned, we out-and-out contradict God—make a liar out of him. A claim like that only shows off our ignorance of God.
I write this, dear children, to guide you out of sin. But if anyone does sin, we have a Priest-Friend in the presence of the Father: Jesus Christ, righteous Jesus. When he served as a sacrifice for our sins, he solved the sin problem for good—not only ours, but the whole world's.
The Message
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