WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A CHRISTIAN SINS

Morning Meditation 11/8/2012

I wrote a tract on the subject that is the title of this meditation. I am using it today as our meditation. What happens when a Christian sins? First,

His Conscience Is Defiled

When we are made aware of wrong that we have done it manifests itself in the conscience. John Chapter 8 and verse 9 says, “And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.” There is a great inner joy when the believer is walking before God with a clear conscience. Paul said in Acts Chapter 24 verse 16: “And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.” It is impossible for a Christian to have known sin in his life and have a clear conscience.

He Grieves The Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit indwells every believer (Eph. 1:13; Rom. 8:9). The Holy Spirit is in the believer to assure him of salvation, to guide him, to empower him to live a godly life, and be a faithful witness. When he sins the Holy Spirit is grieved. Paul says in Ephesians chapter 4 and verse 30: “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” The word “grieve” is a word that is associated with love. God loves His children and is grieved when they do wrong.

He loses fellowship With God

When a person becomes a child of God, an eternal relationship is established. He passes from death to life. Jesus said in John chapter 5 and verse 24: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” This verse says the believer will never come into condemnation. But he can lose his fellowship with God. There is a difference between fellowship and relationship. The believer’s relationship is eternal but his fellowship is temporal. What I mean by temporal is that you can be in and out of fellowship. John speaks of this in First John chapter 1 and verse 6: “If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:” When a Christian sins, he loses his fellowship with God.

Chastening Begins

When a Christian sins, chastening begins. Usually chastening begins with a word of rebuke. Hebrews chapter 4 verse 12 says: “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” I have personally experienced the sharp rebuke of God’s Word within when things were not right between me and Him. Chastening begins with a convicting Word of rebuke within. Chastening continues with stronger measures when the believer will not listen. The Christians in the Corinthian Church experienced this stronger chastening. They had sinned in the perversion of the Lord’s Table and Paul said in 1 Corinthians chapter 11 and verse 30: “For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.” There are three stages of chastening mentioned here with the use of three words: weak, sickly and sleep. Incidentally the word sleep means death and is the ultimate chastening for the believer (1 John 5:16) Then he explains these things to them in verse 32 of this same chapter in these words: “But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.” Chasten begins immediately when a Christian sins.

He Is Invited To Receive Forgiveness

When a Christian sins, he is invited immediately to seek forgiveness. John says in 1 John chapter 1 and verse 9: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” There is nothing that thrills the heart of God more than to forgive the sinning believer. The provision for forgiveness is the shed blood of Christ.

If you are a Christian out of fellowship with God and under His chastening, return to Him immediately, confess your sins to Him in prayer and He will forgive you and cleanse you from all unrighteousness.

If you are not saved, this will also work for you. Receive Christ as your Saviour, and His blood will cleanse you of sin and you will become a child of God on the spot. John chapter 1 and verse 12 says: “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:”

May the Lord use these truths to encourage and inform.

In Christ

Bro. White