Dealing With Sin

              In ancient Israel a Day of Atonement was conducted once each year.  Thus it became a record of all the people’s sins over the past year was taken away. The sanctuary was cleansed of their sins. Thus, it became a final separation of sin from the sinner. This was, however, dependent upon several things: The sinner was truly sorry for his sin, confession to God was heartfelt, the “Lamb” was slain, the blood was presented to God in the Holy Place, and on the Day of Atonement, genuine submission to God occurred.

             Few Christians today are aware that before the Latter Rain comes and even before the Sunday laws are passed, God’s people will have decided to address every sin in their lives the same way ancient Israel did on the Day of Atonement.  For this to occur, the remnant must sense the terrible nature of their sins and experience despair over them so great that they choose to give them up forever. Different than the old Day of Atonement, this decision will be fixed and irrevocable by choice from all those who will be saved.

            We get a little glimpse from David’s anguish as to the spirit we must adopt to address sin.

            “Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Lord. Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications. If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared” (Psalm 130:1-4).

            “Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul. I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me” (Psalm 69:1-2).

            David was deeply pained over his sin. He struggled with inward conflict. Peace was elusive. He cried:

            “Thou has laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps” (Psalm 88:6). “Thy wrath lieth hard upon me. . .” (verse 7). “. . . I suffer thy terrors . . .” (verse 15). “Thy fierce wrath goeth over me . . .” (verse 16).

            With profound understanding David sensed the terrible consequences of sin. His life was full of turmoil. Trouble flooded his family and the nation. But the shame he brought to God, His work and to his own soul weighted him to despair:  “O Lord, rebuke me not in thy wrath. . .” (Psalm 38:1).

            End-time counsel is given to any person who claims to know Jesus: “Not one of us will ever receive the seal of God while our characters have one spot or stain upon them. It is left with us to remedy the defects in our characters, to cleanse the soul temple of every defilement. Then the latter rain will fall upon us as the early rain fell upon the disciples on the Day of Pentecost.” Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 214.

            The only way we will sense the horrifying nature of sin is to feel in some way how terrible it is. God is so interested in His people, He will orchestrate events and circumstances to make us painfully aware of its consequences.

            “Don’t be surprised if you start to feel the way David did. Whenever the Lord sees one of his children wrestling with some lust or bondage, he moves in quickly to bring us back to a path of obedience, peace and rest. How does he do this? He brings about conditions in our lives that force us to face our sin!”  David Wilkerson, Times Square Church Pulpit Series, 9-13-99.

            The remnant, at some point in time, will be “. . . fully conscious of the sinfulness of their lives, . . .” They will “. . . see their weakness and unworthiness, and as they look upon themselves . . . despair could overtake them.” But they have Jesus to look to. The healer of hearts.

            Dear friend, do you want healing today? Do you want every sin in your soul cleansed? Seek for the spirit of Jonah when in the belly of the fish. Jonah 2:2 tells us exactly what God was after: “. . . I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice.” The Lord was waiting for Jonah to turn to him––to cry out to him alone! “Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight: yet I will look again toward thy holy temple: (verse 4). “When my soul fainted within me I remembered the Lord . . .” (verse 7).

            Now is the time to decide fully for Jesus. That means we sense Him so fully, we want nothing more than to be exactly like Him! We are told: “And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;” (Hebrews 5:9). “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:” (I Peter 1:22). This will open the door for the sealing and then eternal safety.

            Won’t you make a decision to go all the way today?

            “At this time in the history of the world, we should have but one object in view––to gain eternal life. Every other desire should be subordinate to this. The work of regeneration must go on in every soul until perfection of character is reached; for nothing short of this will meet the mind of God.” Manuscript Release, vol. 5, pp. 338, 339.                     

Editor