Chapter Two (III) The worst thing about sin...

I am confident that a proper understanding of the Doctrine of Sin is paramount. For me, it has driven me to to cross for God's grace and mercy as the only solution. How can I focus on Kay's sin when the knowledge of my own causes me to continually cry for forgiveness? How can I ever justify that her sin deserves judgement from me? Just the thought that I deserve my rights in our relationship is evidence of what a sinful man I am. May my only cry be for mercy!!

In the final portion of chapter two, Harvey makes such an important point. He states that what changes everything about sin is to realize it is first against God. My very nature (which is sinful) is against God's nature (which is holy). He is correct that what will change how we see our unkind words and actions towards our spouse is to stop calling it unkind words and actions. We need to call it what it is, a sinful act to a Holy God. The quote via Jerry bridges says it so well...

"Sin is wrong , not because of what it does to me, or my spouse, or child, or neighbor, but because it is an act of rebellion against an infinitely holy and majestic God." Jerry Bridges...The Discipline of Grace

I was challenged by Harvey's confession of how God changed his perception of "little sins". I pray that God would change my heart to experience true sorrow for 'little sins". My we allow J.I. Packer's quote to penetrate our hearts...."There can be no small sins against a great God".

Questions we should all ask ourselves:

1. Have we become "comfortable with" certain sins?
2. Are we willing to battle those temptations?
3. Do we see our sins, even the "little ones", as sin against a Holy God?
4. Are we willing to see a God-glorifying marriage for what it is, not to first feel more loved or have more marital satisfaction, but for the purpose of putting the Gospel on display?

Only when we realize that our marriage was not created for us, but that the maximum pleasure of our marriage will be found in a desire to make Jesus Christ look total satisfying. It is so important that we properly understand how sin destroys that ultimate pleasure. In our deceitful hearts, we think that turning from our sin will not give us ultimate pleasure. Ultimate pleasure is only found in God and sin keeps us from fully enjoying Him. May we all see that our problem is not our spouse, our children, our job, our parents, our circumstances, etc., our problem is ourselves. My problem is Mike Simmons, the worst sinner I know. Oh, how I pray that God will burn this truth into my heart and break down all the sinful defenses that keep me from it.

So what can we do today to go in this direction? We can preach the Gospel to ourselves, reminding ourselves of what our sin cost our Savior. The Gospel will show us two things with complete clarity...our sin and God's solution. We not only need to to remind ourselves of this daily, we need to embrace it as our only hope.

Our God is amazing in all His ways!!

This video via John Piper says it best...

Chapter Two (II)

Well, it has been a few days since I have been able to revisit chapter two; the evenings were busy during the past week. I believe one of the most significant parts of chapter two was the quote via Dr. John MacArthur that Harvey included. Dr. MacArthur 's statement is concerning the loss of biblical reality among believers. It is as follows:

"Christians are rapidly losing sight of SIN as the root of all human woes. And many Christians are explicitly denying that their own sin can be the cause of their personal anguish. More and more are attempting to explain the human dilemma in wholly unbiblical terms: temperament, addiction, dysfunctional families, the child within, codependency, and a host of other irresponsible escape mechanisms promoted by secular psychology.
The potential impact of such a drift is frightening. Remove the reality of sin, and you take away the possibility of repentance. Abolish the doctrine of human depravity and you void the divine plan of salvation. Ease the notion of personal guilt and you eliminate the need for a Savior." John MacArthur

Are we willing to be honest with ourselves, looking at our hearts battling indwelling sin, and look where the real problem is...in the mirror? And then look at where the real solution is...the cross. I need to know that my problem is within...my problem is Mike Simmons. And to God Be The Glory, the solution is to go the the cross, realizing that the solution is to remember the great cost that MY sin cost the Savior. I challenge us all to cry out to God to change our hearts and protect us from the temptation of thinking the problem is out there somewhere. In the words of Martyn Lloyd Jones, "May we stop listening to ourselves and begin talking to ourselves." And may the words we hear be the Word of God that will transform our hearts and minds.
Colossians 3:1-3