Sin No More*

      Sin is the ruinous force in the life and, ultimately, the death of a person. Sin separates us from the presence and fellowship of God. Sin is mentioned in scripture 448 times in 389 verses. Sin is universal in mankind as Paul wrote: "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." (Rom. 3:23). John states even more emphatically: "...If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he (Christ) is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us...these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." (1 Jn. 1:7-10 and 2:1-6, excerpts).

     Jesus' sacrifice of Himself for our sins moved us from death into eternal life: "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Salvation, the forgiveness of sin, and eternal life are free gifts from God made available to us through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus. Jesus commanded His followers to go into all the world to tell all people of this free gift that is available to everyone who will receive it.

     We are called to walk as Jesus walked. Are we doing this? Mahatma Gandhi said that he admired the teachings of Jesus Christ but added: "I would be a Christian if it were not for the Christians." (It is reported that Gandhi made this comment because, when he was a young man, he had been turned away from a church in Calcutta because he was not a high-caste Indian or white. This is not how Jesus walked, having taught against prejudice among other things in the parable that we know as "The Good Samaritan.")

     Jesus was known to say to some of those whom He healed or delivered from judgment, "Go and sin no more."  (Jn. 8:2-11). To one person He said, "Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee." (Jn. 5:6-14, excerpt). Jesus is saying the same thing to the Body of Christ today.

     The first mention of sin is found in the Book of Genesis. Cain had become jealous and resentful of his brother, Abel, because Abel's offering of the firstlings of his flock was accepted by the LORD, but Cain's offering, the fruit of the ground, had not been respected by the LORD. The LORD spoke to Cain, saying, "Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well (yaw-tab' - be pleasing, be good, to make a thing good or right or beautiful, to do thoroughly), shalt thou not be accepted? if thou doest not well, sin (khat-taw-aw' - a miss, a misstep, miss the goal or path of right and duty, miss the mark, go wrong, incur guilt) lieth (raw-bats' - to crouch or stretch out like a beast waiting to devour) at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him." (Gen. 4:3-7). Cain went on the murder his brother and lie to the LORD about it.

     James also wrote about doing well, or good. He was writing about those who pridefully boast about what they will do tomorrow, not realizing that life is a vapor and that they may not live to see tomorrow. He concluded by saying, "Therefore to him that knoweth (eido - to see, perceive, discern, understand, to have regard for one, to cherish) to do good (kalo - beautiful by reason of purity of heart and life, excellent, praise-worthy, precious, admirable, comforting, confirming), and doeth it not, to him it is sin." (James 4:13-17).

     We have been given this gift. Are we ashamed to share the Gospel knowing that others may mock us for our faith? Paul wrote that he was not ashamed of the Gospel. (Rom. 1:16-17).

     The LORD spoke openly to His people about their sins through His prophet: "Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither is his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities ('aon - perversity, depravity, guilt) have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness. None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity...judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter." (Isa. 59:1-4, 12-15, excerpt)

     Not only had God's people separated themselves from God because of their sins and iniquities, but the LORD also said that there was no one who would intercede with Him for the people and nation. His own salvation and righteousness and the armor that is created from them sustained the LORD. It is the same armor which the LORD has provided for us to stand against evil. (see Eph. 6:10-17). As a result, the LORD said that He would send His redeemer to Zion, and regarding those who turn away from transgression in Jacob, He promised: "As for me, this is my covenant with them...My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever." (v. 16-21, excerpt).

     Have we laid hold of His covenant yet? Is His Word in your mouth? Have you taught His Word to your children? Does the Church understand this covenant?

     In Zechariah 12, the prophet prophesies the word of the LORD regarding the nations that would attack Judah and Jerusalem. The LORD will come to their defense. Jerusalem will look upon Him whom they have pierced and mourn for Him as one would mourn for a first-born son, an only son. In that same day, "...there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and uncleanness." (Zech. 13:1). That fountain is Christ. Are we walking and talking like this fountain, the Lamb of God, the pierced and first-born Son?

     Paul wrote to the Church that Christ washes the Church in the water of the Word of God, cleansing it. Here again is the fountain mentioned above in Zechariah. This fountain, Jesus, washes us clean: "That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish." (Eph. 5:26-27). Titus wrote that God saved us, "by the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life." Titus also said that those who believe in God "might be careful to maintain good works." (Titus 3:4-8, excerpt, see also Heb. 10:19-25).

     Are we doing what we have been called to do in the maintaining of good (see above) works, washed in the water of the Word and the Holy Spirit, preparing ourselves as a bride prepares herself for the marriage to the Lamb (see Rev. 19:7-9), cherishing our Savior as He cherishes us in the same way as a husband cherishes his wife?

     Jesus also taught about the role of the Holy Spirit as mentioned above. Jesus spoke of sending the Holy Spirit to His disciples after He departs to return to the Father: "And when he (the Holy Spirit) is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; of righteousness, because I go to my Father...Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged." (Jn. 16:7-11). The prince of this world is the spirit of wickedness. The blood of Jesus' righteousness has condemned that spirit. That same spirit mentioned here twists the Word of God and takes it out of context, as Satan attempted but failed to test Jesus by doing so. Jesus knew the Word better than Satan did! Many churches have twisted the Word in this same way and taught it. However, we are to continue in the truth, do the good that we know to do, wash ourselves in that Fountain of Christ, repent, and lead others in the same way and walk of truth, which is to walk as Christ walked.

      Peter wrote that we may become partakers of the divine nature (faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and charity), escaping the corruption of the world's lusts, and giving all diligence (spoo-day' - with haste, hasten unto, study, urge on, await eagerly, desire earnestly) to these divine things: "For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."

     We are to have escaped the corruption of the world's lusts, as Peter wrote above. Those lusts include the desire for many different things. However, we are not to be conformed to the world but transformed by the renewing of our minds by the washing of the Word.

     As Peter also described the burning heat of the coming of the day of the Lord, he asked the question: "...what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hastening unto the coming of the day of God...and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness...be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless."" (2 Pet. 3:1-14, excerpt).

   Our wedding garments as the Bride of Christ, which have been washed clean and white, represent the truth that we carry before God. Jesus told those who were not prepared to enter into the wedding, "Verily I say unto you, I know you not." (Mt. 25:1-13, excerpt). Let us be diligent with the cleansing and saving truth.

*Based upon Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson, Jr.'s 1/18/26 message to the church. If you would like to hear the complete message, you can find it on the Facebook page of Kenneth E. Stevenson Jr. Dr. Stevenson's video messages are also found on You Tube at the Kenneth Stevenson channel. To contact or support this ministry, or to request prayer, you can write to PO Box 154221, Waco, TX, 76705. To find out more about the Shroud of Turin, which is evidence of Christ's suffering, death, and resurrection, and to receive a free e-book now available in several languages, go to http://www.theshroudofturin.org/freebook. Also the book NAZAH: White Linen and the Blood of Sprinkling, written by Dr. Stevenson, is available on Amazon.