3.28.2007

Mortification of Sin: Conviction- God's great mercy


If you really knew me, you would not like me. If I wrote my thoughts and actions in a book, full of sins would it be. Is there any hope for a person like me? Read on....

Q:(Isaiah 6:1-5; Job 42: 5-6) What do we learn about ourselves from these verses?
A: The prophet Isaiah accounts for us the glorious vision of the one true king- Yahweh. Upon this glance Isaiah fell undone; as he fell he cried out, "Woe is Me!" God's holiness caused Isaiah to fall upon his face and worship. This informs us readers that we cannot see God without recognizing our unworthy state. Also we do not recognize who and what we truly are until we encounter God. Job's reaction is one of repentance when he faces the true Creator.

Q: Same Verses: What do we see of the manner of the Love of the Father from These verses?
A: Negatively show His love, because any revelation is mercy. God revealing our sins to us is a great mercy. The love that the Old Testament refers to is God's Covenant and Faithful Love (hesed). We do not deserve conviction, we deserve judgment, for God to do otherwise is nothing short of relentless grace because we do not listen the first time. He comes after us with great loving kindness.

Q: (Habakkuk 3:16; Judges 13:20; Revelation 1:17) What was the effect upon those who witnessed these events?
A: "Rottenness entered my bones and fell on their faces, fell as if I were dead"
Not only was there a sense of Spiritual unworth but also a physical reaction. God does reveal Himself through senses. Have you ever had this encounter? When you realize how big the universe might be, that the universe does not revolve around you (me)? Or upon meditation of a sin, did you (I) collapse on the thought that you (I) offended God? With that petty lie, lust, covet? If so- God is being merciful to you. He loves you.

Think of Conviction in this way. And look to Christ for there is your salvation from your sins.

Practical Application
Q: When you think of God's love to you: what Scripture comes to mind?
Q: We Are called Sons of God what does this mean?
(Hint: Adoption - look at Duguid's article in Tabletalk, have you ever considered yourself to be a true orphan? In the eyes of Scripture you and I once were.)
Q: 1 John 3:3 - Any ideas on what this verse means?
A: Martin Lloyd-Jones once said, "Holiness is not something we might become, instead it has something to do because what we are." We are purified by the hope that we have in Christ, the starting point is God.
A: Mortification is an outworking of Justification (it is sanctification)
Q: What is the motivation given in Scripture for living a pure life?
Q: What are some of the ways in which we mortify indwelling sin?
A: Knowledge of God by faith is what we need to kill sin.
Hebrews 6:11-12; Assurance of Hope... faith and patience
Hebrews 12; with this patience we are to look to Christ who endured the cross (He is the author and perfecter of our faith)

Note that You begin with Christ and His work on the Cross. That is our motivation, that is our salvation and that is our sanctification. The ends, the means and the author is Jesus Christ.

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