Let not sin… reign in your mortal body.
Romans 6:12
Notice, Paul does not say, “Don’t let sin remain in your body.” He says, “Don’t let sin reign in your body.” Sin’s power over you is broken, but its presence in you remains.
And we are called to engage in a battle with the sin that remains, so that it does not reign. The garden will always produce weeds. The gardener’s job is to pull them out by the roots so that they do not spread and take over.
None of us will be completely free from sin this side of heaven, but by God’s grace all of us can make progress. This verse tells us how: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 Jn. 1:9).
1. If we confess our sins…
Our assurance grows as we make progress. Regularly identify and confess particular sins. Ask yourself, “Have I lied or stolen? Do I have impure thoughts or a bad temper? Do I covet or neglect prayer?”
2. He is faithful and just to forgive us…
Whatever you have thought, said, or done, God is ready to forgive. You can be sure of this because He is faithful. He has promised that those who seek His forgiveness will find it. God is also just to forgive. Jesus paid the debt we owe, and God will not charge to us what has already been paid.
3. And to cleanse us…
How often do you wash your hands? Cleansing is never a one-time deal. John tells us that “the blood of Jesus… cleanses us from all sin” (1:7). All sin. Every kind of sin. There is no sin from which you cannot be cleansed.
But how does the cleansing power of Jesus’ blood get applied to your life? As you walk in the light (1:7). And as you confess your sins (1:9).
Do you think of your sin as something that can be cleansed by God?
