We all stumble from time to time. We all make mistakes. Even you. Even though you are 100% righteous and holy in Christ, your behavior is not 100% righteous and holy. From time to time… you sin. And what does God do when you sin? Here'…
Sinning is destructive. Sinning has consequences. But the consequences of sin are the fruit of our actions. They are not God's divine judgments.
If I drive drunk and run over a nun, that's on me, not God.
If I cheat on my wife and destroy my marriage, that's entirely my fault.
This is obvious, right?
Yet manmade religion has got us blaming God for all the bad stuff that happens to us.
"God is punishing me." No he isn't.
"I'm a terrible sinner." Maybe you used to be, but not anymore.
"I deserve all the hardship God is giving me." What hardship? God is a Blesser, not a curser. He's a Giver, not a taker.
It is not true to think that God is punishing you. All the punishment for sin was placed upon the Son (Is. 53:5).
If God were punishing us for the sins Jesus carried, he is an unjust God.
How does the Holy Spirit deal with our sin?
From time to time we make regrettable choices. When we do, the Holy Spirit will seek to bring about a life-giving course correction.
He doesn't do that by applying the rod of correction or scourging us with sickness. Instead he reminds us that we are God's beloved children and he steers us away from danger and back towards the way of life.
He might do this a hundred different ways, but the Spirit of Grace is typically gentle and he always leads us with grace. (I provide a couple of personal examples here.)
Yet again, manmade religion sometimes portrays the Holy Spirit as the sheriff of heaven. Religion says:
the Holy Spirit is recording all your sin (nope, he chooses not to remember them; see Heb. 10:17)
the Holy Spirit convicts you of your sin (no, he will convict you of your righteousness; see John 16:10)
the Holy Spirit wants you to confess all your sins (no, he wants you to confess that Jesus dealt with all your sin once and for all; see 1 John 1:9, Heb. 9:26)
the Holy Spirit will unleash God's judgment (no, he will pour out God's love; see Rom. 5:5)
the Holy Spirit will withdraw from you until you lift your game (no, he will never leave you; John 14:17, Heb. 13:5)
How does God respond when we sin?
He heals and restores us. Why? Because he loves us.
When you stumble, you can be sure that God does not write you off or wash his hands of you. He redeems the messes we make leaving us breathless with gratitude.
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