We
weren’t born knowing everything we’ll need to know and armed with all the
weapons we’ll use in warfare. Even Jesus learned (Luke 2:52 And Jesus increased
in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man. KJV) But everything we
need is already made available to us through God’s Word and His Holy Spirit.
But it’s our responsibility to “study to shew thyself approved
unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word
of truth” – 2 Timothy 2:15 KJV
We need to
read from God’s Word daily and ask Him to reveal its secrets to us; secrets
that are not hidden from us, but for us.
Many have
gone before us and share their insight through speaking engagements and books.
I’m reading several books at once and will attempt to share what I’m learning.
(I’ll reference any books I quote.) Demolishing these walls will take time and
effort on our part, but it doesn’t have to drain our strength and consume the
rest of our lives. God has purpose for us in wholeness, that’s where He wants
us.
To establish
a firm foundation in Christ, in Whom is found true freedom from the confines of
those walls we’ve erected over time, we want to dive into scripture and
discover the basis for that firm foundation.
In 2 Timothy
2:19 we read: Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth
sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, let every one
that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. (KJV)
So, the first, and for many of us, the hardest thing we
need to do is depart from iniquity. What does that mean? According to www.dictionary.com
the word iniquity means: 1) gross injustice or wickedness. 2) a violation of a
right or duty; wicked act; sin. For the purpose of this blog post, I’ll whittle
that down to say that we need to depart from sin. That same source tells us
that the word, depart, means: 1) to go away; leave. 2) to diverge or deviate.
3) to pass away, as from life or existence: die. Clearly God wants us to “go
away” from sin; to “die” to sin; but I took a better look at the word diverge.
It means: 1) to
move, lie, or extend in different directions from a common point; branch off. 4) to turn aside or deviate, as from a
path, practice, or plan.
Clearly we
are to turn aside from, deviate from, move in a different direction from, go
away from and/or die to – the practice of sin.
Some of us
might be blinded enough to think we don’t sin. Let’s see what the Bible says
about that.
Romans
3:23 says, For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God
1
John 1:8 says, If we say that we have no sin, we deceive
ourselves, and the truth is not in us. Verse 10 goes on to say, If we say that
we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. (KJV)
1
John 2:9 says, He that saith he is in the light, and hateth
his brother, is in darkness even until now.
(KJV)
But praise be
to God for 1 John 1:9, which says, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to
forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (KJV)
So many of us claim to be Christians but continue in
our sin. It make us look bad, and it makes God look bad to a world looking for
answers, as if His grace and mercy are for nothing, as though He doesn’t really
save or heal.
All of the bricks in our walls are not there because
of our sin. But some of them are cut straight out of the rocks of sin we allow
to continue in our lives. Take heed to 1 John 1:9 – get those sins confessed
and repent of them; turn away from them; depart from them; refuse to give them
place in your life for another minute. Will it be easy or automatic? Nope. We’ll
need God’s help. Most of what He requires of us depends on Him and the power He
gives us for the asking.
None of the promises in the Bible are ours if we don’t
depart from sin.
The next brick isn’t a little one either…
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