Stop Rationalizing Sin
Read the Text: 1 John 1
Memorize the Text:
All things were created through him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created.
(1 John 1:3, CSB)
Consider the Text: 1 John 1:8-10
We live in a constant threat to rationalize the sin in our lives and elevate the sin in the lives of others. The activity of rationalizing sin leads to traveling a dangerous road that rejects the truth and work of the Lord while ignoring the eternal significance of sin. We fall prey to rationalizing sin because we create a hierarchy of sin that elevates certain sins and diminishes others. We lessen the impact of our sin by comparing it to the sin of others. We participate in sin, expecting the forgiveness of God. The apostle John warned against the threat of rationalizing sin and called believers to live a life of faith and seek the Lord for proper forgiveness.
DEFINE SIN
People often consider sin exists as an action one takes. This mindset does not grasp a full definition of sin. Sin impacts all humanity because it exists as a condition of the flesh and carries a grace condemnation. We must understand sin as a dreadful condition in every individual because it is universal. This condition flows from selfishness and rebels against the Lord. The apostle Paul spoke to the universal nature in Romans 3:23, declaring that "all have sinned." David referred to the rebellious condition in Psalm 14:2-3 when he remarked that "all have turned away; all alike have become corrupt." The prophet Isaiah declared that "we all have turned our way" in Isaiah 53:6, revealing the selfish nature of sin. As a result, the apostle Paul noted that the "wages of sin" comes from "death" in Romans 6:23. We must understand the true definition and impact of sin.
DECEIVING THE SELF
The apostle John dealt with the threat of rationalizing sin as the deceiving of the self. He noted that some declare, "we have no sin." (vs. 8). Such a belief neglects the truth that all live plagued by sin. Thus, when believers state a sinless nature, they lead themselves astray from the truth. They journey down a path of deception that leads them to become fooled about the reality of their condition and eternity. This road leads to the act of blame-shifting. Blame-shifting occurs when we refuse to own our sin and blame others for our stumbling. Thus, we live a life deceiving ourselves about our condition. This false belief leads to a denial of needing a savior.
DENYING THE NEED FOR A SAVIOR
The apostle John stated that lessening sin leads to denying the need for rescue. The rejection of Jesus comes as the rejection of our need for God's provision for sin. We claim that the sin in life does not stain us, and as a result, we do not need saving. Thus, we enter a state of elevating the self to God and lowering God to humanity. This occurs because we reflect a belief that God is not truth but instead a liar. This happens as we reject the absolute truth nature of God's Word, reject the sacrifice of Christ, and redefine truth to appease our minds. When we enter the path of rationalizing sin, we start a journey of denying Jesus as the needed Savior.
DEVOIDED OF SCRIPTURE
The presence of sin, the rationalization of sin, and the rejection of the need for a Savior reveal an absence of God's Word in our life. The apostle John stated that "the truth is not in us" and "His Word is not in us" in verses 8 and 10. The absence of truth leads to living by the world's standards instead of the Lord's standards. Our lives become defined by darkness instead of light and manifest in attitudes and actions of greed, jealousy, envy, bitterness, a critical spirit, and an unforgiving spirit. Thus, we set a system of judgment that balances a scale on the metric of the world instead of the Word. As a result, we live a life without the indwelling of the Word. We live denying to allow the Word of God to reside in us and control us.
DECLARATION OF SIN
The apostle John declared that we must "confess our sins" (vs. 9) to deal with the presence and threat of rationalizing sin and rejecting Christ. Confession occurs when we own the sin in our lives and acknowledge its existence. The moment we own sin in our life, we seek proper forgiveness because we acknowledge and recognize our inability to deal with sin and our ultimate need for a rescuer. Thus, repentance motivates us to commit our hearts to the Lord.
When we commit our hearts to the Lord in repentance, we start by recognizing our sins and taking ownership of it. From owning sin, we confess our sin to the Lord and seek forgiveness. In seeking forgiveness, we must turn away from sin and pursue life for the Lord. This pursuit means we seek the will and ways of the Lord by engaging him in the Word of God and through prayer.
DEPENDENCE ON A SAVIOR
The ability to seek repentance flows from complete trust and dependence upon Jesus as Savior. This dependence comes from the truth that "He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (vs. 9). We trust in the faithfulness of the Lord. We believe in his promises, truth, and his covenant agreement. We believe and hold onto his steadfast love for us and the ability of the Lord alone to make the unrighteous righteous. This belief comes from the forgiving work of God. We trust that God will forgive those who seek forgiveness through Christ, and as a result, he will let go of the debt we owe because of sin. As a result, we become cleansed and can live in harmony with the Lord and live with the promise of eternity.
Are you rationalizing sin in your life today? Are you rejecting the impact of sin in your life by lessening its significance or comparing it to the sin in others? What sin do you need to own today? What do you need to seek forgiveness for today? Will you commit to a life of confession and commitment? May we battle against the rationalizing of sin and commit to pursuing Jesus.
This blog is part of the Coffee and Quiet Time with Jesus Devotional Series found at equippingfaith.com. Join the journey of reading through the New Testament this year. More information can be found at equippingfaith.com.
