Speak unto the children of Israel, When a man or woman shall commit any sin that men commit, to do a trespass against the Lord, and that person be guilty; Then they shall confess their sin which they have done: and he shall recompense his trespass with the principal thereof, and add unto it the fifth part thereof, and give it unto him against whom he hath trespassed. But if the man have no kinsman to recompense the trespass unto, let the trespass be recompensed unto the Lord, even to the priest; beside the ram of the atonement, whereby an atonement shall be made for him(Num. 5:6-8).
Those who have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior and are reborn into the family of God live in a state of grace. Here is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death (Rom. 8:1-2). This assurance provides indescribable comfort for the true Christian trying to navigate God’s path in the complex and confusing climate of today’s world. With Christ as our Savior, we don’t have to live in fear of inadvertently slipping into sin and separating ourselves from God. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom. 8:38-39).
We must understand, however, that God does not equate freedom from the law of sin and death to freedom from personal responsibility. What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein (Rom. 6:1-2)? As members of the body of Christ, we have been gifted with the indwelling Holy Spirit. From the moment we receive it, this most precious gift works ceaselessly to reinforce in us the commandments of Jesus and guide us in His will. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you (John 14:26). It is the presence of the Spirit that convicts us of our sins and leads us into true repentance (16:8-14).
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us (I John 1:8). As Christians, we are still works in progress, but through God’s grace, sin is no longer our master. When a child of God stumbles, the Holy Spirit works within them to lead them to acknowledge the wrong they’ve done, seek to make restitution for any hurt caused by their actions, confess it to God, and take steps to guard against making the same mistake again. By openly accepting responsibility for our actions, we become a conduit through which God’s grace and mercy flow, thus allowing the entire world to witness the incredible power of God.
Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift(Matt. 5:23-24).
Thought for Today: In yielding to the rule of God, we have been freed from the chaos of sin.
Christ Revealed:Nazarite is a Hebrew term meaning “dedication by separation” (Num. 6:1-8). Jesus dedicated Himself to do only the will of His Father, even unto death: Thy will be done (Matt. 26:39,42).
Word Studies:5:2 an issue = a discharge; 5:3 defile = contaminate; 5:7 recompense = repay; 5:8 kinsman = relative; atonement = sacrifice; 5:12 a trespass = adultery; 5:13 close = undetected; taken with the manner = caught in the act; 5:22 into thy bowels = the body; 5:27 a curse = an outcast.
Pray For StaffTifany Parisi • Government Official: Rep. Richard Neal (MA), Rep. Angie Craig (MN), Rep. Val Hoyle (MA) • Country: Sao Tome and Principe (190,428) Central Africa • Major Language: Portuguese • Religious Freedom • 55.7% Roman Catholic; 4.1% Adventist; 3.4% Assembly of God; 2.9% New Apostolic; 2.3% Mana; 2% Universal Kingdom of God; 1.2% Jehovah Witness; 6.2% Other; 21.2% None; 1% Unspecified • Prayer Suggestion: Praise the Lord for His faithfulness and mercy (Lam. 3:22-23).
Optional Reading:Luke 1