July - 28
WHEN OUR HEARTS CONDEMN US
If anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ. 1 John 2:1
Building on yesterday’s devotional reading, we have to ask ourselves, “What if our hearts do condemn us?” What do we do when we find the sin that taints us and separates us from God?
If our desire is to grow in our walk with God, then we need to deal with our sin. We need to take it to the cross. We are to take it to Jesus and run our “tainted blood” through the “dialysis” of his forgiveness.
But what exactly does that mean? What do we need to do?
We need to repent and ask God for forgiveness. And in his grace God promises to forgive.
Repentance isn’t quite the same as confession. Confession is admitting to something without really saying what you will do about it. Repentance, however, recognizes that what you are confessing is a problem. In repentance you honestly acknowledge the need to be forgiven and receive help. Repentance means genuinely saying. “I’m sorry; please forgive me and don’t let this stand in the way of you and me. Help me.”
God promises forgiveness if we belong to him in Jesus and take our sin to him. The result is that things will be well again between us and God, and then our hearts will no longer condemn us.
That’s the way God wants it to be.
PRAYER
Lord Jesus, repentance is hard because it means dealing honestly with my guilt and then working hard to change. Help me fix my eyes on you to lead me through. Amen.
根据昨天的灵修文章所说，我们必须问自己：「倘若我们的心真的责备我们，我们怎么办呢？」当我们发现玷污我们和叫我们离开神的罪时，我们该怎么做？
我们若渴望在与神同行中成长，我们便需要对付这些罪了，我们需要把它带到十字架前，我们要把它交给耶稣，又让祂的赦免像「洗肾」那样清洗我们「污染的血」。
但这究竟是甚么一回事呢？我们需要做些甚么呢？
我们需要悔改和祈求神的赦免，神的恩典应许赦免我们。
悔改和认罪有点不同，认罪是承认做了某些事情，但却没有真正表示会采取甚么行动。然而，悔改是承认你所认的罪是一个问题，悔改是坦白承认你需要赦免和帮助，悔改是诚恳地说：「对不起，请宽恕我，不要让这件事妨碍与我之间的关系。请帮助我吧。」
我们若借着耶稣归向神，又把我们的罪带到祂面前，祂应许必赦免我们。结果是神和我们将会和好如初，而我们的心也不会再责备我们了。
神希望我们能这样做。
祷告
主耶稣，悔改是很困难的事，因为悔改牵涉坦诚面对我的罪，并且要努力改过自身；求祢帮助我专心仰望祢，让带领我克服困难。阿们。