God’s goal for you is that you will not sin....

The Apostle John does not say “when you sin,” but if. Yes, we all fall short, and yes, while we were still sinners God saved us, but that does not mean the realm of sin is where we stay. 

In this fallen world, we live with a sin consciousness but that is not the same as ‘living in sin’. As we live according to the revelation of grace, our hearts are focused on a right standing with God consciousness. As a believer, you may still sin in the flesh, but as a child of God made alive in Christ by the Holy Spirit you are not a sinner in the sense of being a condemned man/woman without hope.

Reading from 1 John 3: 6-8…No one who remains in Him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has seen Him or known Him. Little children, let no one deceive you: The one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as Christ is righteous. The one who practices sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the very start. This is why the Son of God was revealed, to destroy the works of the devil.…

1 John 3:6 this way: “No one who [habitually] sins has either seen or known Him….” The new covenant of grace empowers us to be free of both the penalty and power of sin so that we no longer habitually ‘consciously’ practice ungodliness. Having a sin consciousness will not steer us right back into sin unless we allow Satan to condemn us with shame and guilt to hinder us from ruling in life. God wants you to succeed; it’s the enemy who wants you to fail. Condemnation and correction both hurt – are painful! But there is a significant difference.

 

Condemnation comes from the enemy and leaves us feeling like there is no way out. We feel that we are forever judged. Correction, on the other hand, offers a way out: repentance. God corrects us to restore our fellowship with Him and to make us more like Him. He always wants to pull us closer, not push us away. Having sin consciousness [conscious of sinful world and what we were in it] allows for correction from presence of the Holy Spirit.

Being in Christ leads to freedom from the power of sin, We should always ask, “How close can I get to my Father?” By getting close to God we get close to His grace, which empowers us to live righteously.

If we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong. (1 John 1:9)

Faithful means God will forgive you every time you repent. Just means He will do it no matter who you are or what you’ve done. He will cleanse you from any wrong and make it as if you’ve never sinned.

Having a sin consciousness does not mean we have the right to sin because Christ is on our side now… having a sin consciousness is rather than the empowerment to be holy, it’s the gift of the Holy Spirit, when we do sin, we feel the pain of that sin and its that pain that corrects and cleanses. 

So, Repent before God and ask Him to give you a passion for righteousness. For He alone is mighty to save!

Never forget… reading 1 John 2:1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate before the Father--Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.

And never forget that we, as those who are called to be saints, should have a fear of the Lord, “Fear the Lord, you His saints – Psalm 34:9… lest we forget His mighty power to save! For once we were sinners without a savior – Ephesians 2:3. Thank God we have an advocate before the Father… Jesus Christ! 1 John 2:1.

 

So, for those loved by God are called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 1:7.

*some material above was shared directly from writings by John Bevere