Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"
What can you do when you discover the enormity of the sin that is in the heart? When you feel deeply guilty, polluted, alienated from the sunshine of God's favor? When finally the blinders have been torn off your eyes and you discern your nakedness of soul? The pain is intense!
First, be thankful that at last you have come to see it, for this is possible only if you have received the gift of the Holy Spirit. His first work is to "convict the world of sin" (John 16:8). If He left you happy and content to go on in your sin, then you would have a reason to be worried (but that's when we humans are not concerned!). "Blessed are those who mourn" because of the realization of deep sin (Matt. 5:4).
The question, "What shall I do about my sin," comes short of the truth. The proper question is, "What shall I believe?" Yes, you can find examples in the Bible of people who have asked, "What must I do to be saved?" (Acts 16:30), but superficial reading has encouraged many dear people to lean upon a program of salvation by works, doing something. Please note that this jailer in Philippi was not an inspired man; but Paul was inspired when he answered him, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ" (vs. 31). Salvation lies not in doing this or that good thing but in believing truth. And then the believing "works" (Gal. 5:6).
Now, what do you believe? (1) That the Son of God is your Savior, (2) that He died the death that your sin deserves, (3) that it is He who in love convicted you of the deep sinfulness of sin, (4) that He experienced the hell that you would experience were it not for His sacrifice, (5) that He is now working as High Priest night and day, 24 hours a day, to save you from sin, (6) that the Father has "accepted" you "in Him" (Matt. 3:17; Eph. 1:6)?
And then? Your hard heart is melted. The tears flow, not because of fear but because of everlasting gratitude.
--Robert J. Wieland
From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: August 19, 2000.
Copyright © 2016 by "Dial Daily Bread."
