Dear Jesus, I Have A Problem With Sin...

Dr. J. Wilbur Chapman told of a distinguished minister, Dr. Howard, from Australia who preached very strongly on the subject of sin. After the service, one of the church officers came to counsel with him in the study. “Dr. Howard,” he said, “we don’t want you to talk as openly as you do about man’s guilt and corruption, because if our boys and girls hear you discussing that subject they will more easily become sinners. Call it a mistake if you will, but do not speak so plainly about sin.

The minister took down a small bottle and showing it to the visitor said, “You see that label? It says strychnine—and underneath in bold, red letters the word ‘Poison!’ Do you know, man, what you are asking me to do? You are suggesting that I change the label. Suppose I do, and paste over it the words, ‘Essence of Peppermint’; don’t you see what might happen? Someone would use it, not knowing the danger involved, and would certainly die. So it is, too, with the matter of sin. The milder you make your label, the more dangerous you make your poison!”

There are many reasons why Man needs a savior. I would like to discuss a few of them here today. I whole-heartedly believe that Man needs a savior because:
1) Man has a sin problem,
2) Man cannot set his own terms of pardon, and
3) Man needs someone who can mediate before God on behalf of man.
It is important for us to confront the problem of sin, the reason we can’t remedy this situation, and what it was that Jesus did to remedy this situation for us. The aim of this discussion, is to help each person (you) understand the role of the savior in God’s plan for man’s salvation.

To begin, I encourage you to turn to Romans 7:24, 25. Paul is discussing the situation in which man finds himself when confronted with his own sin. This is a situation where the body is in conflict with the spirit. On the one hand, the body is subject to temptation that leads to sin. On the other hand, the spirit wants to obey God’s law. But the presence of sin prevents God’s law from being fully obeyed. What is the remedy for this situation? It is Jesus Christ, the Savior of man–the Deliverer.

Now, let's get back to the original question, "Why do we need a savior?" As was mentioned earlier, Man has a sin problem. Okay, that's pretty clear, right? But what is sin? The word literally means “to miss.” In 1 John 3:4, we read that, “Sin is the transgression of the Law.” Simply put, when we sin, we sin against God.

In Genesis 39:9, Joseph thinks about “sin against God.” In Psalm 51:4, we find “Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.” God reveals himself to us so that we will NOT sin against him. (See also: Exodus 20:20; John 1:29)

Naturally, a good question to ask here would be, "Where did sin first start?" The Bible tells us that Satan is the father of all lies and of all sin (John 8:44; 1 John 3:8). Man first sinned in the garden of Eden (Genesis 3:1ff*). God first promised to deal with the problem of sin in Genesis 3:15. So, what are the consequences of sin? (See: Romans 1:32; Romans 6:23; Revelation 21:8)

Throughout all of this, keep in mind that Man cannot set his own terms of righteousness. Can the one who offends tell the one who is offended what he is going to do to be forgiven? We cannot devise a righteousness of our own (Matthew 5:20; Romans 9:30-32; Romans 10:2, 3; Philippians 3:9; Titus 3:5)

There is only one who can help us, and that is Jesus. Jesus came to provide a plan of righteousness for us (Romans 5:17-21; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Philippians 1:11) Therefore, we must accept the terms of God’s righteousness that are through the gospel. Here are some verses that emphasize this:

1)Romans 1:16, 17–We learn the terms for righteousness through the gospel.
2) 2 Corinthians 5:16-6:2–It is our responsibility to be reconciled to God–to accept the terms of God’s righteousness for us.
3) Ephesians 4:24–we put on righteousness when we put on the new man.
4) Galatians 3:27; Romans 6:3-11–We put on the new man when we are baptized into Christ.

So what should we learn from what we have discussed today? It should be very clear that Man needs a savior that can mediate before God on behalf of man. We need:
-One who can bridge the gap between God and man (Isaiah 59:2; John 1:1, 14)
-One who can represent the justice of God to man–Jesus does this (Luke 13:3-5; Matthew 7:21-23; Matthew 25:31-46)
-One who can represent the frailties of man to God, and Jesus does this (Matthew 4:1ff*; Hebrews 2:18; Hebrews 4:15; 1 John 1:1,2)
-One who can approach God (Matt. 17:1ff*; Mark 9:2ff; Acts 2:33-36; John 14:9-11; Hebrews 1:1-3)
-One who can bear the sins of man (Isaiah 53:5; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:24
-One who can offer the sacrifice for sin that man could never offer (Hebrews 9:26; Hebrews 10:1ff*)
-One who can offer a salvation to man that satisfies God’s justice (Romans 3:25,26)
And where will this One come from? Acts 2:33-36 tells us that, Christ is responsible for sending the Holy Spirit!

(*Note: ff. = verses following)

In closing, during this discussion, we looked at the need for a savior. And, in addition to our definite need for a savior, we have seen that:
1) Man is in sin.
2) Man cannot set his own terms of righteousness.
3) Only the Savior can mediate between God and man.
Yes, sin is big problem for us. However, Jesus did not leave us without help. All we have to do is ask for it!

Let's pray:

Father, I know that I have broken your laws and my sins have separated me from you. I am truly sorry, and now I want to turn away from my past sinful life toward you. Please forgive me, and help me avoid sinning again. I believe that your son, Jesus Christ died for my sins, was resurrected from the dead, is alive, and hears my prayer. I invite Jesus to become the Lord of my life, to rule and reign in my heart from this day forward. Please send your Holy Spirit to help me obey You, and to do Your will for the rest of my life. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

Have a blessed day!

Debbie