What is Sin - Part 17 : Fear Not!

WHAT IS SIN?

Part 17 - Fear Not!

Pastor Bruce A. Shields

House of Faith Church | www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org

SLIDE 1

Isaiah 43:1-11

 ¹ But now, this is what the LORD says—he who created you, O Jacob,
       he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
       I have summoned you by name; you are mine.

 ² When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.

 ³ For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your stead.

 ⁴ Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give men in exchange for you, and people in exchange for your life.

 ⁵ Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east
       and gather you from the west.

 ⁶ I will say to the north, 'Give them up!' and to the south, 'Do not hold them back.' Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth-

 ⁷ everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made."

⁸ Lead out those who have eyes but are blind, who have ears but are deaf.

 ⁹ All the nations gather together and the peoples assemble. Which of them foretold this and proclaimed to us the former things? Let them bring in their witnesses to prove they were right, so that others may hear and say, "It is true."

¹⁰ "You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me.

 ¹¹ I, even I, am the LORD, and apart from me there is no savior.

INTRODUCTION

Fear/worry - Means being anxious, troubled or uneasy.  To be afraid about a possible or probable situation or event.

Concern - something that interests you because it is important or affects you; "the safety of the ship is the captain's concern"

With concern, we evaluate a situation and determine what our action should be in the matter to achieve the best outcome.

With fear or worry, we put our faith in what MIGHT happen, thus removing our faith from God.

True concern is used for good decision making, while fear and worry is a sin because we remove our faith in the power of what God can do, and place it on what might happen.

We live in a fearful world. We live in a fearful time.

Over 60 times God tells us to “Fear not”.

GOD GIVES US 10 REASONS NOT TO FEAR IN ISAIAH 43

I.                   I have created you. Vs. 1 & vs. 7

a.      Psalms 100:3 Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

b.     We must remember that God created us and knows what is best for us.

                                                                         i.      He created us for His Pleasure

                                                                      ii.      He created us for His purpose

                                                                   iii.      He created us for His praise

c.      We should not fear, because our Creator is all sufficient….

                                                                         i.      To meet any need

                                                                      ii.      To meet any crises

d.     We should not fear, but remember who He, our Creator is.

II.               I have redeemed you. Vs. 1

a.      Redemption means that God has paid something for us.

                                                                         i.      1 Corinthians 6:19-20 ¹⁹Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; ²⁰you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

1.      Why does Satan want us to destroy our bodies?

a.      Tattoo’s, piercings, modifications, mutilations, cutting...it is so we DIS-honor our bodies.

                                                                      ii.      Titus 2:11-14  ¹¹For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. ¹²It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, ¹³while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, ¹⁴who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

1.      glorious appearing is the rapture

2.      this is when we receive our incorruptible and immortal bodies.

3.      UNTIL THEN, because Christ paid the price and redeemed us, He has given us the ability to say no to ungodliness, and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age!

b.     He paid for us with the blood of His Son.

                                                                         i.      Hebrews 9:12 He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption.

                                                                      ii.      When Jesus died on the cross, he paid the price for your sin, thus redeeming you.

                                                                   iii.      Since He paid for you…He now owns you.

FEAR NOT!

III.            I have called you by thy name. Vs 1

a.      He knows you by name.

b.     He knows all about you.

                                                                         i.      Luke 12:7 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore:

                                                                      ii.      John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

FEAR NOT….He knows you….

IV.            You are mine. Vs. 1

a.      Since He paid for you…you belong to Him.

b.     He claims you for his own.

FEAR NOT

V.                I will be with you. Vs 2

a.      We have the promise of God’s presence.

b.     His presence along should remove our fears.

                                                                         i.      Matthew 28:20 And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

1.      He’ll be with you.

2.      Through the flood

3.      Through the fire (Three in the fire)

4.      Even through death

a.      Psalms 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me;

FEAR NOT…He will be there for you.

VI.            I have loved you. Vs. 4

a.      His love is perfect.

                                                                         i.      1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear:

b.     Love declared.

                                                                         i.      Jeremiah 31:3 The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

c.      Love demonstrated.

                                                                         i.      Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

                                                                      ii.      1 John 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

One thing you can be assured of is God’s love for you.

FEAR NOT!

VII.         I will gather thee. Vs 5-6

a.      One day we will be gathered together.

                                                                         i.      1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.                                                    
-His coming is soon.

FEAR NOT

VIII.      I created you for my glory. Vs 7

a.      Our whole lives should be lived for the glory of God.

b.     Sometimes God will take us through things so that He is glorified.

                                                                         i.      Man born blind. (John 9)

                                                                      ii.      1 Corinthians 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or
drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

FEAR NOT…it’s for the glory of God.

IX.              It is true the truth. Vs 9

a.      The Bible is not a fairy tale.

b.     Christians are not delusional.

c.      Faith in God and His word is based on truth!

                                                                         i.      Romans 3:4 …let God be true, but every man a liar

FEAR NOT…you’re standing on the truth.

X.                  I am the Lord. Vs 10-11

a.      This is the greatest point of them all.

                                                                         i.      FEAR NOT…I am the Lord.

1.      He is Omniscient (all knowing)

2.      He is Omnipotent (all powerful)

3.      He is Omnipresent (everywhere)

4.      He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

5.      The Creator

6.      Our redeemer.

CONCLUSION

Fear / Worry is putting faith into what might happen instead of putting your faith in God.

The scriptures tell us in Proverbs 9:10 that “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”

Let us put our faith in God, knowing that He is in control of all things.

Nothing can happen without His approval!

Event the devils must still obey His Word!

Put your faith in Christ and the Cross, for it is your salvation!

What is Sin - Part 16 : Inside or Out?

WHAT IS SIN?

Part 16 - Inside or out?

Pastor Bruce A. Shields

House of Faith Church | www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org

SLIDE 1

SCRIPTURE READING

Mark 7:13-23

“^... you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that."

 ¹⁴Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, "Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. ¹⁵Nothing outside a man can make him 'unclean' by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him 'unclean.' “

 ¹⁷After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable. ¹⁸"Are you so dull?" he asked. "Don't you see that nothing that enters a man from the outside can make him 'unclean'? ¹⁹For it doesn't go into his heart but into his stomach, and then out of his body." (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods "clean.")

 ²⁰He went on: "What comes out of a man is what makes him 'unclean.' ²¹For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, ²²greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. ²³All these evils come from inside and make a man 'unclean.' "

I.                   WHERE IS SIN?

a.      Sin takes place and resides inside of us

                                                             i.      Jesus says here, when this comes out (we allow it to manifest) we become unclean.

1.      Sin is in our HEARTS...inward

                                                          ii.      Jeremiah 17:9 “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?”

1.      God alone.

2.      And the Word warns us about evil inside us, our hearts.

3.      “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10

a.      It is in our hearts, inside of us, that sin resides...not outwardly, but inwardly.

b.     Jesus and the Word of God tells us where sin is

                                                             i.      Matthew 23:25-26 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.  Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.”

1.      Where is sin? On the inside.

a.      When we come to the Lord, we don’t “clean up our act” before we come to Him!

b.     Scripture says, “While I was yet a sinner, Christ died for me...”

c.      God is concerned with our inside...our spiritual state

2.      Why are the Pharisee’s hypocrites?  Because all they worried about was the outward appearance.

a.      Jesus told them, the only way to clean the outside was to take care of the inside.

ILLUSTRATION 1

At the last church I Pastored in, we had some Jezebel’s who were constantly trying to control the church, and every aspect of its operations...last I heard they are still there today and doing the same work they always have.

 One Sunday we had communion, and this being early in my ministry, I had only administered communion once or twice before.

I read my scriptures, prayed and passed the juice before the bread that day.  I was immediately met after the service to be scolded by the Jezabel about how I did it wrong, and I messed it up and ruined communion.

So, being new to this, I could not believe I made such an error, looked at my scriptures I read before the communion that day in Luke 22, and low and behold, the cup was given before the bread in that scripture.

So what was the big deal? 

She was so focused on the external, the outward of what was taking place, the “ritual”, that she totally missed out on what God is really concerned with, which is the spiritual aspect of communion.

The remembrance of his sacrifice, communion together with the brethren, the symbolic acceptance of the New Covenant purchased in His blood, the Spiritual Commitment to the lord, the opportunity for self examination, confession to the Lord and repentance.

No...none of that.  Bruce gave the grape juice before the oyster cracker.

She had her mind set, because of the tradition of men, that communion was supposed to be done a certain way.

I did not do it the way she thought it should be done.

But it wasn’t I who ruined communion for her...it was her wicked heart.

She was a modern day Pharisee, a Jezebel bent on controlling every aspect of the church.  She was someone who was more concerned about the outward, and did not look at the inside or spiritual aspect of the matter. 

Obviously, if the scriptures in Luke 22 say the cup was first, then the bread, yet in other references the bread was first, then the cup...the Lord must not care about the “ritual”, but the spiritual meaning behind it.

Remember...nowhere in scripture are we given detailed instruction on the HOW of communion, baptism, marriage...just instruction that it is symbolic and “represents” a spiritual truth.

The LORD is not concerned with religion and rituals...but relationship.

ILLUSTRATION 2

I also had an Elder of that same church come and challenge the fact that I invited people at the end of the service to come forward as it says in James to have the Elders pray for them and anoint their heads with oil.

He said it was not scriptural.

Why?  Because he said the scripture did not “SAY” to do it at the end of a service.

In fact, at this church, I was challenged multiple times by the same person because I didn’t “SAY” the words they thought should be said at the invitation.

Apparently knowing more than the Holy Spirit...perhaps I should listen to them instead?

Why do they do this?

Both of these people were looking at the wrong things.

First of all, when did Jesus and the Apostles have people come and get hands laid on them and pray for them?  When they preached!

Secondly, there is not ONE instruction in scripture telling us the words we must say for invitation.  Not one!

IN FACT...the typical invitations you hear are not scriptural.

No where did they make people “come forward” to be “saved.”

Like Jesus isn’t powerful enough to save you in your seat, or He is ONLY standing at the front of the church and can’t save you.

People are stuck in their paradigms and what they are used to, which is the teachings of men.

Stop looking at the external, and examine your heart...because that is what is going to be judged!

Scripture does not say one thing about us standing before God to give an account of why we ate an oyster cracker for communion instead of a Holy Wafer Blessed by the Pope.

Where is sin?  Inside or out?

                                                          ii.      Matthew 23:27-28 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean. ²⁸In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.”

1.      There are many Pharisees among us today, who are full of wickedness and sin, yet try outwardly to appear as righteous and upright.

2.      They do not recognize their own sin because they are too worried about trying to find sin in others, looking at the outward appearance.

3.      The planks in their own eyes blind them...

We need to realize it is the inside, the spiritual, that matters to the Lord.

                                                       iii.      Matthew 5:27-28 “²⁷"You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' ²⁸But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart”

In his heart...where sin takes place.  Not by the physical actions that happen outwardly...long before that.

                                                         iv.      Luke 18:9-14 “ ⁹To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable:

¹⁰"Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. ¹¹The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. ¹²I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'

 ¹³"But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'

 ¹⁴"I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

The Pharisee sets himself above others looking at outward sin.  Bragging about how “spiritual” he is (fasting and tithing).  Do we hear some brag today about their spirituality?  Their “gifts”,  their “abilities”, their so called educations, knowledge?

But the one who was justified before God was not the Pharisee...but the one who recognized his inward self as being sinful.  The one who confessed to God that he was a sinner.  The one who prayed for mercy.

The Pharisee was too busy examining everyone else to take a close look at himself.

He knew God’s word, they expounded God’s word and tried to put it on God’s people making it a heavy burden.

But Jesus says His yoke is light...give it to Him and do not worry about those things which are external.

God even goes as far to say, “Don’t worry about the one who may destroy the body.  But fear the one who can destroy the body and the soul.”

What did Jesus tell us to do in Matthew 28?  Preach the Gospel to everyone. Baptize in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and teach them to obey all that I command.

Are you concerning yourself with this?  Or with what others are doing?

Our heart may be where sin begins, but it is also where we commit to the Lord.

This is why scripture says we cannot serve two masters, because where our heart is, there our treasure will also be.

Do you have a heart for your sin...or for the Lord?

c.      Our heart is where salvation must be (internal / spiritual)!

                                                             i.      Prayer of Salvation?

1.      Words mean nothing...God looks at the heart!

2.      No instruction in scripture on what to pray!

3.      Prayer of salvation (although a good guide) is a MAN MADE TRADITION!

a.      Jeremiah 11:20 “O LORD Almighty, you who judge righteously and test the heart and mind”

                                                                                                                                      i.      God examines our hearts and mind, not our words...Anyone can claim to belong to the Lord!

1.      Matthew 7:21-23  ²¹"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. ²²Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' ²³Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'

                                                                                                                                   ii.      Are you in religion...or relationship with the Lord?  Are you examining the outward, or inward of your walk?

b.     Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

Where is your heart today? 

                                                          ii.      Works (which are external) for Salvation?

1.      Works cannot save, only a right heart!

2.      Acts 8:21 “You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God.”

Salvation is INTERNAL and SPIRITUAL, not external.

It’s not about Words...it’s about your heart!

                                                       iii.      How do you know you are saved?

1.      Not because of magic words

2.      Not because you were dunked in water

3.      Not because you ate a cracker and drank grape juice

4.      Because you accepted the New Covenant in Jesus Christ

5.      Because you confessed your sin

6.      Because you repent (and continue to repent)

Our salvation, forgiveness and righteousness is of Christ ALONE, and not by ANYTHING that we DO externally...

Only by what we do internally, which is commit our heart to the Lord, confess our sins (which take place inside our hearts) and repent (turn our hearts away from sin).

II.               IS GOD CONCERNED WITH OUR OUTWARD OR INWARD?

a.      Ordinances of the church

b.     Some argue ordinances are acts, which must be performed to obtain mercy, and grace as well as salvation from the lord.

                                                             i.      Baptism

1.      Legalistic external / traditions of men

a.      Only in Jordan

b.     Dunk 3 Times

c.      Only by Apostle or John the Baptist

d.     Babies must be baptized

2.      Communion (Legalistic external / traditions of men)

a.      Only with wine (Catholic )

b.     Only with Juice (Baptists)

c.      Only with unleavened bread (Jews)

d.     Only with wafers blessed by priests (Lutherans)

e.      Only administered by a Priest (Catholics)

f.       Literally turns into blood and flesh of Christ (Catholics and some Orthodox)

In 1551, the Council of Trent officially defined that "by the consecration of the bread and of the wine, a conversion is made of the whole substance of the bread into the substance of the body of Christ our Lord, and of the whole substance of the wine into the substance of His blood; which conversion is, by the holy Catholic Church, suitably and properly called Tran-sub-stantiation." (Session XIII, chapter IV; cf. canon II).

3.      These are Legalistic external / traditions of men.

4.      The Word on Baptism

a.      We are not told how many times to dunk someone.

b.     We are not told to ONLY use the Jordan.

c.      We are not told “who” can baptize someone.

d.     We are not told to baptize babies.

If we are not commanded on these matters...then we MUST conclude its because the outward ritual is not what the Lord is looking at, but the spiritual aspect of these symbolic outward expression.

He’s judging your heart during these times, not your performance.

What is taking place in the person’s heart.

5.      The Word on Communion

a.      We are not told we “have” to use wine

b.     We are not told if the fruit of the vine was wine (fermented) or juice.

c.      We are not told we “have” to use unleavened bread in the New Testament

d.     We are not told “who” can administer communion.

If we are not commanded on these matters...then we MUST conclude its because the outward ritual is not what the Lord is looking at, but the spiritual aspect of these symbolic outward expression.

He’s judging your heart during these times, not your performance.

What is taking place in the person’s heart.

6.      What we are told

a.      These acts are symbolic!

                                                                                                                                     i.      Matthew 26:26-28

1.      Jesus said, “This is my BODY” and “This is my BLOOD”

2.      Is He speaking literally or figuratively?

3.      Obviously it’s not actually His body and blood.

b.     The four scriptures referring to the last supper all use the same Greek word for bread...”artos”, which means in Greek, Bread (as raised) Strong’s concordance #G740

c.      Does this mean the bread was NOT unleavened?

                                                                                                                                      i.      Raised bread would make it appear so.

                                                                                                                                   ii.      unleavened in Greek is “azumos” #G106, and this word is used when describing the “Feast of unleavened bread”, but artos is used in describing the bread at the last supper.

Does this mean they used regular bread? Perhaps, or maybe they didn’t.  BUT, the fact remains, THEY DID NOT specifically specify or give instruction.

Why?  Because God does not want people turning something meant to be internal and spiritual into an outward ritual.

This removes the focus from inward where it’s supposed to be to external!

d.     The scriptures DO NOT give us an EXACT formula for because the act itself was symbolic.

Symbolic, these are outward expressions of a spiritual truth that is to take place in our hearts, where it matters.  We should not be so focused on the “act” itself, making the ritual the center of attention.

This is done in the Catholic church where they have specific instruction, even on how many steps to take and which way to turn when performing the Holy Eucharist.

This is also what was done when I was confronted at the other church...which happened many times in the years I served there.

We need to get it in our heads, it’s NOT about the ritual...but relationship.

7.      This is WHY we do not have exact instructions in the word of God on HOW to perform a baptism, or communion, or a wedding, or a child dedication.

So which are you?

Have you been set free by Jesus Christ, who is all things and has taken your yoke and burden, or are you still a slave because you are ignoring the inside, and looking at the external things, perhaps even trying to adhere to the Old laws which are no longer in effect to those who belong to Christ?

III.            ARE YOU FREE OR SLAVE?

a.      You Cannot Serve Two Masters

                                                             i.      All of this External and Internal boils down to one thing...the Two Covenants.

1.      Are you in covenant with the Law of Moses, or the Law of Love which is made complete in Christ?

2.      The Old Testament, the letter of the law ONLY leads to condemnation and death!

3.      Food laws, circumcision, feasts, sacrifices and rituals are ALL from the OLD COVENANT...

a.      Another external ritual which is no longer in effect is the act of circumcision.  We discussed in Bible Study how this is no longer required to be a child of God.  Why?  Because it is external and of the Old Law.

                                                                                                                                      i.      Paul tells us, the True Jews are circumcised of the heart! INTERNAL!!!!

4.      If you are part of the New Covenant in Christ Jesus, He IS the fulfillment of the Old Testament, and all things to us who belong to Him.

Romans 8:1-3

¹Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, ²because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. ³For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering.

b.     Are you part of the New Covenant, or stuck in the Old?

c.      Are you acting like a believer, or a are you a plank in the eye finger pointing Pharisee ignoring the inside and focusing on external things?

d.     Are You a Pharisee?

                                                             i.      Matthew 23:24 “You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.” ~ original nit pickers

                                                          ii.      Luke 6:41-42 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? ⁴²How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,' when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.”

CONCLUSION

I believe what the Word says: God is concerned with matters which take place internally, in our hearts and minds.

This is where sin takes place...and also where righteousness and holiness can take place.

We need to let go of the old which only brought with it, condemnation and death, and hold on to the New Covenant purchased in Christ’s blood, freeing us from the external things, and allowing us to examine ourselves, and confess the things inside.

It is not about what we “do” or how we “do it”, but about what is taking place inside of you right now, and where your heart is.

Do not be like the Pharisees who ignored their spiritual state and focused on external things, which will only lead to sin.

Don’t end up a finger pointing Pharisee.

Instead, grab hold of the things of God, and allow your external expressions to truly express the spiritual transformation taking place inside of you.

Examine yourself, confess your sin, repent and ask God for His mercy.

As the scriptures say, examine yourself.  Judge yourself so that I won’t have to judge you!