Why am I always aware of my sin and rebellion?
Jul 29, 2024 8:48:44 GMT -5
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Post by Cindy on Jul 29, 2024 8:48:44 GMT -5
“For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water,” (1 Peter 3:18–20)
What did Jesus say to them? He said, “Your authority to keep a grip on Jon Courson (on Barbara, Marlene, Kelly, John, Steve, Mark, Cindy etc.) has been broken. The blood I shed washed away every sin he has done, is doing, or ever will do. The perfect provision I have made now absolutely, completely frees him from your authority.”
Without that handle, what can Satan and his henchmen do? All they can do is lie to you and me, saying, “There’s no hope for you. You’ve blown it too badly. You’ve gone too far. You’re through.”
“I believe Christ died for my sin,” you may say, “but why am I always thinking about my failure? Why am I always aware of my sin and rebellion?” You have an adversary who perches on your shoulder and whispers in your ear, “You’re a sinner. You failed here. You dropped the ball there. You’re going to need lots and lots of psychological work to have any hope of recovery because you’re a rotten loser” (see Revelation 12:10). Satan, the accuser of the brethren, is not omnipresent. He cannot be everywhere at once. But he can dispatch demons. Therefore, Jesus not only died for our sins, but after He died, He “preached unto the spirits in prison.” That is, He went to hell.
In our text, we read that Jesus preached to the spirits who were disobedient in the day of Noah. Who were these spirits? Genesis 6 tells us they were particularly disobedient and diabolical. The most wicked of all demons, they actually had relations with women, from which a race of giants was produced. It was to these spirits that Jesus preached. Why? They were the “big guns,” the most terrible, the ones that will be released during the Tribulation, where they will cause unparalleled pain and problems for people on the earth.
What did Jesus say to them? He said, “Your authority to keep a grip on Jon Courson (on Barbara, Marlene, Kelly, John, Steve, Mark, Cindy etc.) has been broken. The blood I shed washed away every sin he has done, is doing, or ever will do. The perfect provision I have made now absolutely, completely frees him from your authority.”
You see, it is only through sin that Satan’s demons have authority in our lives. When we sin, we essentially rebel against God and open ourselves to the devil and his demons. They can do whatever they want because the sin in our lives gives them a handle upon which to hold. However, the blood of Jesus is so powerful that it eradicates the sin, thereby obliterating the handle.
Without that handle, what can Satan and his henchmen do? All they can do is lie to you and me, saying, “There’s no hope for you. You’ve blown it too badly. You’ve gone too far. You’re through.”
Is your conscience bothering you? Peter says, “Look to the Cross.” If you still feel condemned, realize it’s a lie from the Enemy telling you that you’re not forgiven, that you’re unworthy, that you can’t be used, that you’ve gone too far, that you’ve been too bad. Realize that Jesus told the very worst of the demons that they no longer have power over you. Jon Courson’s Application Commentary
Christ went to preach a triumphant sermon before His resurrection Sunday morning. The term for “preached” in today’s verse refers to making a proclamation or announcing a triumph. In ancient times, a herald would precede generals and kings in the celebration of military victories, announcing to all the victories that were won in battle. That’s what Jesus went to do—not to preach the gospel but to announce His triumph over sin, death, hell, demons, and Satan. He didn’t go to win souls but to proclaim victory over the enemy. In spite of the unjust suffering they subjected Him to, He could declare ultimate victory over sin and death for you and me. MacArthur, Truth for today
Another truth is that the more mature we become in our faith, the more sensitive we are to sin in our lives. Therefore we recognize it more. As another excellent book puts it: In fact, one sign of spiritual growth is an increased awareness of our sinfulness. Holiness Day by Day
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