SIN CONSCIOUSNESS

Hebrews 10:1 (King James Version)
1 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.

Under Levitical law every 12 months an animal without spot or blemishes must be offered up as a sin offering for the sins of the people. The word used is to atone for the sins of the people. The word atone means “to cover."

In the New Testament where the sacrifice of Jesus is mentioned the word means to remit or do away with. It is on thing to cover, quite another to do away with. Animals could cover; only Jesus can take sin away completely. Now lets look at the second verse in Hebrews 10 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? Because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.

If they would have been cleaned of sin, not covered, they would have had no sin conscience, or consciousness of sin. A sin consciousness will produce defeat and a false sense of humility. The Lord did not say deface yourself, He said think more highly of others than of yourself. That does not mean to put yourself down. When we stand tall in the righteousness of God, you are to elevate your fellow Christians above yourself. This makes both of you stand tall. DEFACING yourself makes you lower than who you are.

Most Christians will say no when asked are they righteous. They are trying to be humble. We think God won’t like it if we say we are righteous. Did not God make us righteous through Christ? Then why should we not say what God says we are? When we say No, we are saying what we feel, that is in ignorance to what the Word of God says about righteousness.

Romans 8:1 (King James Version)
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
God’s Word is true. He says there is no condemnation on us. If we are carrying our sins around with us, we are creating our own stumbling blocks. Every time we start toward the righteousness of God what happens? Well remember such and such. We don’t deserve righteousness. Who do we think we are? We are not worthy to approach God.

The Word of God says we are purged of our sins. Our sins no longer exist. We are saved, we have grace. We were sinners, now we are born again.

Romans 3:23 (King James Version] For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Okay we have all heard this, and it has been preached many times to let us know that we are sinners. But let’s look at the entire scripture.
Romans 3:21-26 (King James Version)
21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

Okay you just read it for yourself, and you see it says a lot more after then before..all have sinned… We are justified freely by His grace through the redemption of Christ. Paul here is instructing believers about righteousness. With sin consciousness we have taken one sentence and preached on it about sin.

Everyone knows about sin, but how many know and understand about righteousness. It is easy to see why we know what we have been born out of, but not what we are born into.

Colossians 1:12-13 (King James Version)
12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

Oh what a merciful Father we have.

God Bless,
rECj/LJG