The Devotional - A Look at the Book #892

by Jesse Abel

 

Thoughts from Papa “J”

 

Love the sinner, hate the sin; this we hear often. The wisest man who ever lived; Solomon has a lot to say about morality. One problem with our human nature, even as believers; we will lean to hating the sinner who repents and ignoring the sin that leads to the pathway of death. Proverbs 6:1-27

 

Good Morning

 

2 Corinthians 7:9-12 – Taking a look back to 1 Corinthians 7:6 we see that Titus comes to Corinth to visit with the apostle Paul and the church. It is interesting to me and even for further study to identify this connection of Titus to the church. The reason is simple really, he comes at a time when the apostle is commending the Corinthians about the sins of the church that were not dealt with properly, but now are.

 

In 1 Corinthians 5 we have the chilling story of immorality and the casting out of the unidentified involved person. In 2 Corinthians 7 we see the proper restoration of the church through the godly sorrow that resulted by having to deal with sin. Sin is one of the hardest things for believers to deal with; within the church and within our families. Harder still, even to write about it when within one’s own self sin can reign and has reigned in times past.

 

Now you say as a pious church person. “Not me; I am a sinner but certainly not to the degree of anything found in the Corinthian church”. Okay, let’s take a look at the bottom line. 1 Corinthians 3:1-4 and 6:9-11. Do you not see yourself listed in that lists of sinning souls? These two passages are only a partial list, dig deeper; I am sure you will find yourself as sinner in church.

 

Understand too that the apostle does say in verse 11, “and such were some of you” but take a look at Titus 3:3-7 a parallel statement that identifies the body of believers as regenerated and renewed through the Power of the Holy Spirit and justified through the grace of God through Jesus Christ our Savior.

 

Sin for the sinner is wrong; the sin of another will also harm a person who has been done wrong. Sin harms the church, sin ruins a community like Newtown and sin harms a nation like ours. Sin happens in the lives of people; people identified and people unidentified for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Romans 3:23

 

Forgiveness is a comfort that should happen to all of us; this is the only mercy that restores the glory of God in the lives of people. Oh the joy when Forgiven Saints are forgiven by saints in church. Proverbs 10:12; James 5:20 and 1 Peter 4:8.

 

And yes you are correct; I am not qualified to speak to you this way, so go ahead… get mad at me, now read Matthew 6:1-14 the Words of the LORD Jesus; He is qualified!