Tuesday, June 9, 2020

Orange Moon Cafe "Not Our Excuses"

The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe...

 

  "Not Our Excuses"

  

   Since Eden, the default position of the human race has involved shifting blame for our sins from ourselves to others.

 

   "And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.  And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat" (Genesis 3:12-13).

 

   The man blamed the woman, the woman blamed the devil, and darkness fell deeply on the human race.  Every descendant of Adam bears the inclination to divert responsibility for our sins to someone else.  Pointing the finger outward and away from ourselves comes natural.  Conversely, joining the Psalmist - "I acknowledge my transgressions" - comes supernaturally (Psalm 51:3).  Only the Spirit of God can call us from hiding in the forest of our self made delusion into the bright light of accepting complete responsibility for every act of unbelief and disobedience.  

 

   "If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with  another, and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin" (I John 1:7).

 

    The blood of the Lord Jesus cleanses sin.  It does not cleanse excuses.  Moreover, it cleanses acknowledged sin by those who realize that while devils and people can certainly serve as temptations, they do not coerce our choices.  We alone are responsible for that every time we have sinned in the past, or will sin in the future.  We must therefore allow for no trace of blame-shifting when we "come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy" (Hebrews 4:16).  We make our approach in full confidence that forgiveness is available through the Person and work of the Lord Jesus, but only if we come in the full confession that no one else is to blame for our sins.  "I have sinned against Thee" (Psalm 41:4).

 

   Others can influence us.  We alone nevertheless determine the course of our chosen thoughts, attitudes, and actions.  This is hard truth for Adam's deluded race.  For the trusting sons and daughters of God in Christ, however, such truth is recognized as the welcome repentance whereby we access the merciful forgiveness and cleansing of our Savior.  Indeed, we forego blame-shifting by remembering that our Heavenly Father shifted our sins from ourselves unto the Lamb of God.  We therefore have no need to avoid responsibility because the Lord Jesus so graciously died for our sins.  But again, not our excuses.

 

"Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of Thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against Thee, Thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Thy sight."

(Psalm 51:1-4)

 

Weekly Memory Verse

     "Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path."

 (Psalm 119:105)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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