OK, so maybe you don’t get drunk, and you don’t misuse over-the-counter drugs; you may not overeat or blow your top in anger, or cheat, or steal, or any of a number of “vices.” You might be looking in the mirror thinking “I’m a pretty good person overall.” However, anytime you choose to put King Me on the throne of your heart you are standing before the King of kings, you appear before the Righteous and Holy Judge as one who is guilty, period. Let me quickly add here that you don’t have to be found guilty!
Welcome to the Point of Purity Podcast. I’m your host, Steve Etner, Author, National Speaker, and Purity Coach for The Pure Man Ministry. This is Episode #95, and in this week’s episode we focus our attention on Acts 3:19 which says, “Repent and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out!” This week’s episode: “The Verdict is In!”
Learn more about the ministry of The Purity Coach at http://www.thepuritycoach.com
OK, so maybe you don’t get drunk, and you don’t misuse over-the-counter drugs; you may not overeat or blow your top in anger, or cheat, or steal, or any of a number of “vices.” You might be looking in the mirror thinking “I’m a pretty good person overall.” However, anytime you choose to put King Me on the throne of your heart you are standing before the King of kings, you appear before the Righteous and Holy Judge as one who is guilty, period. Let me quickly add here that you don’t have to be found guilty!
Welcome to the Point of Purity Podcast. I’m your host, Steve Etner, Author, National Speaker, and Purity Coach for The Pure Man Ministry. This is Episode #95, and in this week’s episode we focus our attention on Acts 3:19 which says, “Repent and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out!” This week’s episode: “The Verdict is In!”
Learn more about the ministry of The Purity Coach at http://www.thepuritycoach.com
OK, so maybe you don’t get drunk, and you don’t misuse over-the-counter drugs; you may not overeat or blow your top in anger, or cheat, or steal, or any of a number of “vices.” You might be looking in the mirror thinking “I’m a pretty good person overall.” However, anytime you choose to put King Me on the throne of your heart you are standing before the King of kings, you appear before the Righteous and Holy Judge as one who is guilty, period. Let me quickly add here that you don’t have to be found guilty!
Welcome to the Point of Purity Podcast. I’m your host, Steve Etner, Author, National Speaker, and Purity Coach for The Pure Man Ministry. This is Episode #95, and in this week’s episode we focus our attention on Acts 3:19 which says, “Repent and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out!” This week’s episode: “The Verdict is In!”
These next three questions I want to ask you are powerful. They are going to require you to think hard. They will also require honesty and truthfulness. You can certainly choose to keep King Me on the throne of your heart right now and lie and deceive – mislead and misdirect; but in the long run, whom are you hurting? So, I challenge you to be honest here with your answers.
Scripture is clear that “all wrongdoing is sin.” (1 John 5:17) In fact, “everyone who sins is breaking God’s law, for all sin is contrary to the law of God.” (1 John 3:4 NLT) In other words, when you violate God’s Holy law you are guilty of sin. This is why David cries out to God, “Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight.” (Psalm 51:4)
James writes, “For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.” (James 2:10) Did you hear that? Are you grasping the significance of this truth? Let’s face it my friend, this verse describes you. It describes me. “Whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.” (James 2:10) We are guilty because we have failed to keep God’s law, we have failed to do the will of God.
What “will of God” have we failed to do? Specifically, God’s law states (1 Thessalonians 4:3) that “this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality.” Oh, my friend, could God’s Word be any clearer? God’s will, revealed in God’s Word, is that you abstain (refrain, intentionally keep yourself away) from sexual sin. We are to “live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.” (1 Peter 4:2) How are you doing with that?
If you’ve been following this podcast for any length of time, then you have heard me talk with you about the choices we make, and how every choice – good or bad – every choice has consequences. And you may also recall that you can choose your consequences by choosing your actions.
When you choose to let King Me reign in your heart, there are always consequences. Not only will you experience hardships in life, but you will also be declared guilty. Why? When you choose to live for King Me, you are also automatically choosing to not live for God. Wait a moment. Wait a moment. Let me repeat that statement again for emphasis. When you are choosing to live for yourself, you are also automatically choosing not to live for God. You cannot have it both ways (See Matthew 6:24). Whenever you are choosing King Me, you are automatically choosing to walk in opposition to God. You are choosing to sin. Guilt is the result of having committed a violation of the law. Break the law and you are guilty.
I want you to pause long enough to seriously consider James 2:10 one more time. Let me repeat that verse for you here. “For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.” (James 2:10) You may be a pastor, or a missionary, or a Bible teacher. Possibly you are an older saint who has lived a good, long life. Maybe you’re just entering your 20’s or starting a family. Age, career, status mean nothing here.
So maybe you don’t get drunk, and you don’t misuse over-the-counter drugs; you may not overeat or blow your top in anger, or cheat, or steal, or any of a number of “vices.” You might be looking in the mirror thinking “I’m a pretty good person overall.” But if you lust, if you look at porn, if you self-worship through masturbation, if you choose to put King Me on the throne of your heart you are guilty of breaking all of God’s law. You stand before the King of kings, you appear before the Righteous and Holy Judge as one who is guilty, period.
The result of your guilt is God’s just punishment for your wrongdoing (sin).
“Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption.” (Galatians 6:7-8a)
“Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” (Galatians 3:10b)
“The wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23a)
“The soul who sins shall die” (Ezekiel 18:20a)
Your guilt is a direct result of choosing to give in to your sinful, selfish, fleshly desires. The Word of God says you are “tempted when (you are) lured and enticed by (your) own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.” (James 1:14-15 additions mine)
Let me quickly add here that you don’t have to be found guilty! You can choose right here and right now to “repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out.” (Acts 3:19) It truly is that simple. When you do this, when you repent and turn away from King Me to God, He promises “I have swept away your sins like a cloud. I have scattered your offenses like the morning mist. Oh, return to me, for I have paid the price to set you free.” (Isaiah 44:22 NLT)
Jesus took all your guilt upon Himself. Jesus “personally carried (your) sins in his body on the cross so that (you) can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed.” (1 Peter 2:24 NLT additions mine, emphasis added) He took the full brunt of God’s wrath, He hung in your place on that cross, He who was not guilty willingly accepted your guilt upon Himself and received the punishment due you for your sin. “Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried; ... But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well–being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:4-5 NASB emphasis added)
Let me reiterate here that your sinful, King Me choice to turn your back on God deserves every ounce of His wrath. However, “Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.” (Romans 5:9) You see, “God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 5:9)
Here’s the exciting, awe–inspiring, mind–blowing news: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) The Psalmist puts it this way, “as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.” (Psalm 103:12)
God Himself says, “I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.” (Isaiah 43:25) This is why God says, “I will be merciful toward (your) iniquities, and I will remember (your) sins no more.” (Hebrews 8:12 additions mine) All you must do is “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord!” (Acts 3:19 NIV’84)
OK, we’re going to hit the pause button here until next week’s episode as we look forward to continuing this study. If you would like to learn more about today’s study, or if you’re interested in learning more about our ministry, be sure to visit our website to see the multitude of resources we’ve made available to you – you can find our website at ThePurityCoach.com.
One of those resources is found on Amazon.com. It's my book entitled “Overcoming Temptation: 4 Steps to Spiritual Victory.” You see, saying “No” to temptation and choosing to live an upright and godly life is a daily decision you must make. Every time you are faced with a temptation, you are also faced with a decision: Do I give in, or do I stand firm in my faith and fight it? Do I yield to the leading of the Holy Spirit and live to glorify God, or do I focus on King Me and give in to my fleshly desires?
This book ““Overcoming Temptation: 4 Steps to Spiritual Victory.” presents, in a very clear and practical way, how to live a life that is holy and pure, how to say no to sin and live by the Spirit in a way that glorifies your creator, your Savior, your Heavenly Father. Again, the title of this book is “Overcoming Temptation: 4 Steps to Spiritual Victory.” You can find it on Amazon.com or on my website (ThePurityCoach.com) in our Resources section.
The second thing I would encourage you to do is download my free App. Just go to your App store and search for “My Purity Coach.” The app is free and is chocked full of all kinds of helps and resources to guide you as you walk by the Spirit. Again, that free app is called “My Purity Coach.”
Well, thank you so much for listening to this episode and until next time this is Author, Speaker, and Purity Coach Steve Etner reminding you that if you are going to glorify God in your everyday living, He must first be glorified in your every moment thinking.