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Psalm 66: 18 If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. (NIV) |
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A Christian who never asks his heavenly Father for forgiveness for his sins can hardly have much sensitivity to the ways in which he grieves his Father.* |
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I
haven’t seen any research on the subject but I’m pretty certain that the Ten
Commandments cover every type of sin. In our depravity, we have created
variations on each item on the list but there is nothing we can do that hasn’t
been addressed by God. As we mature in our Christian walk, most of us gradually
shed the obvious, outward sins. But, while we know that God sees all, we seem
to think that if it’s an inward sin, we’re getting away with it.
The
literal translation of the phrase, “cherish sin,” is “see iniquity with
pleasure.” Have you harbored resentment? Lusted or coveted? Gloated over
someone’s bad luck? If, after
acknowledging that you have sin in your heart, do you continue to remember it
fondly; to look back on it wistfully, because, well, it’s not hurting anyone else? If you answered yes
to any of these questions, you are guilty as charged.
In
John 9: 31, we are told that “God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the
godly man who does his will.” If a pure heart is essential to answered prayer,
whose prayers does God listen to? We can find the answer in I John 1: 9: “If we
confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and
purify us from all unrighteousness.” Note the keyword: purify. When we confess
our sins, we get to start all over with a clean slate – the pure heart that is
required if we want God to hear our prayers.
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Unconfessed sin in the heart defiles the whole body.* |
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