The Schizophrenia of Sin

People wonder How “professed” Christians Do the things they do Say the things they say Write the things they write It’s not RIGHT! True! We have to “walk the talk” But perfection is not attainable Holiness is misunderstood There is no state of sinlessness Holiness connotes wholeness Being wholly for someone Belonging to Someone Having the heart and mind of Christ... We are disappointed when Christians SIN We call them hypocrites What is sin? Sin is the breaking of a heart Rather than the breaking of a law Jesus said: “If you love me, keep my commandments” The Ten Commandments are nothing more than….. A revelation of the character of God A peek into what is important to Him When we “break” one of these It shows that there is something wrong In the relationship Is any marriage PERFECT? No…married couples fight Disappoint one another Hurt one another But the commitment is there Bible writers compare our relationship with God To a marriage…. That is where the holiness comes in We make a vow to be WHOLLY committed to God Having taken the vow…. Will you stumble? YES! Will you fall? YES! Will you break the heart of God? YES! Will he forgive you? YES! YES! YES! Ephesians 5: 25 – 27 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. If we were sinless, why would Jesus need to WASH US? Apostle Paul, my favorite author said The good he wants to do He doesn't do and what he DOESN'T want to do, THAT he does! Is that schizophrenia or what? The schizophrenia of sin Double personality The beauty and the beast But God knows He understands how hard it is He remembers that “we are dust” In other words: He cuts us some slack He works on us Jesus washes us when He forgives us He covers us with His goodness His “Robe of Righteousness” His “right doing” becomes our “right doing” That doesn't give us license to “sin” That gives us incentive to thank Him For that robe Which cost Him His life Jesus longs for us to be holy Wholly His That's why we bear His name: Christian “Holiness is wholeness for God; it is the entire surrender of heart and life to the indwelling of the principles of heaven. All Jesus asks is that we 'be absolutely and completely for Him in this world as He is for us in the presence of God.’” DA Eileen Manassian Ghali