Posted on 02/21/2019 9:03:06 AM PST by metmom
“‘Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted’” (Matthew 5:4).
Two crucial determinants will tell you if you are mourning over sin as Jesus commands. First, you will have true sensitivity to and sorrow for your sins. Your primary concern will be how your sin detracts from God’s glory, not how its exposure might embarrass you or hurt your reputation.
The mock piety of hypocrites demonstrates no sensitivity to sin, only to their personal prestige and pride (cf. Matt. 6:1–18). Likewise, the mock gratitude of those like the Pharisees who think they are better than others (cf. Luke 18:11) certainly does not show mourning for sin. King Saul twice admitted he had sinned when he did not destroy King Agag and all the Amalekites, and even asked Samuel for pardon, but he was more concerned for his own honor than God’s (1 Sam. 15:10–35).
If your mourning is godly, you will lament the sins of other believers and the world, as well as your own. You will agree with the psalmist, “My eyes shed streams of water, because they do not keep Your law” (Ps. 119:136). You will weep over your community, as Jesus did over His (Luke 19:41).
The second way to know if you are mourning rightly is to check your sense of God’s forgiveness. Have you experienced the sense of spiritual freedom and real release that comes with knowing your sins are forgiven? Can you point to true happiness, peace, and joy in your life that only God gives in response to mourning for sin (cf. Ps. 126:5–6)?
Ask Yourself
What is your main problem with sin—only that it gives you that sick feeling of guilt and hypocrisy? Only that it seems to expose you around those who know you best? Take all the personal inconveniences out of the equation, and be more gravely concerned that your sin offends the God you profess to serve.
Studying God’s Word ping
[[What is your main problem with sin]\]
It separates us from God- “If I regard iniquity in my heart, He will not hear us”
[[What is your main problem with sin]]
God is turning His face from us as a nation- turning us over to the Evil One- Yes, there is still a remnant, but I think He is turning us over to our sins as a nation after haviong blessed us so tremendously- and we as a nation turned our back on Him? Doesn’t make sense!
Yes, it does make sense.
God does not condone sin and usually lets people determined to live in it what they want.
:: Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted’” (Matthew 5:4). ::
...as Jesus commands?!? That’s just BAD theology.
Woe to you, practitioners of the Law!
The beatitudes were promises (Gospel) not commands (Law).
This one speaks directly to some of the feelings I’ve had over the past years. My feelings of remorse have been enormous.
I can’t say that I have a peaceful feeling despite knowing of my salvation through Christ, because I feel guilt that I can’t stop sinning and continue to enact pain upon him.
I wonder at times if I’m not assuming too much on his forgivenesss, but then think perhaps it’s just because I sin so much that I have to be even more contrite. I will have many pages in the book to account for...the only chance I have is through Him. I am weak - he is strong.
If you have confessed that sin, know that God has forgiven it and it is no longer held to your account.
If you continue to feel guilt over sin that has been dealt with, then that is the Enemy who is loading that on you.
The Holy Spirit brings conviction when we do sin so that we can deal with it appropriately. We confess and repent and are forgiven and move on.
We learn from it, but do not let it control our lives in remorse.
Being free from sin means free from it’s control and domination and since we are free from it, it should have no more power over us.
God knows how you feel about the sin, but I don’t think He expects us to live in that state.
I agree. I know I’m going to sin, so living my life in mourning for what I did or will do is to waste a large part of living.
Well said. Christ did not command us to mourn merely that those who do mourn are blessed with the eternal promise.
You aren’t alone. We all struggle until death.
Luther said we drown the Old Adam daily. He didn’t add that Adam ain’t goin’ down without a fight
Chrsit asked Peter, “Who do you say that I am? Peter responded YOU are the Christ, the Holy Son of God”.
Reed, its that simple. Don’t put so much weight on your shoulders, put it on Christ. He endured the weight of the Cross for you.
No command is required. It is a natural response if you belong to Him.
piety signalling
i mean it doesn’t make sense that people would choose to walk away from God’s blessings- it’s like someone being generous to someone for decades, and then the beneficiary coming to a point where they say in essence “OK- don’t need the benefits of God’s blessings anymore, I now choose to suffer instead”
[[usually lets people determined to live in it what they want.]]
What doesn’t make sense is that people choose hardships without God instead of continuing in His blessings- they would rather suffer than simply obey God- doesn’t make sense-
[[My feelings of remorse have been enormous.]]
Satan knows He can get you there- (Note- He gets me there too- constantly bringing up past sins I’m ashamed of- making me feel guilt all over again)
[[I feel guilt that I can’t stop sinning and continue to enact pain upon him.]]
Meh- if we’re honest with ourselves we all have pet sins we don’t want to give up- Christ doesn’t save us as babes and have us grow up immediately- it’s a gradual process- keep asking God to work in you a desire to give up the things you are holding onto now- and trust Him that in His time, He will give you an honest desire to give them up- He doesn’t expect instant sanctification- sanctification is a lifetime achievement
[[I will have many pages in the book to account for.]]
We all will- the fact that it bothers you so shows you are serious about your Christian walk- We grow in steps- you are doing just fine- You are right where you’re supposed to be- don’t rush it- because then it becomes legalism isnteasd of genuine desire to please God- You’re doing fine!
I thought you meant that it didn’t make sense that God would turn His back on us for our sin.
no i figured you mighta thought that which is why i explained what i meant- God definitely is turning His face from us, and allowing the people to get what they want- I just hope there is enough remnant that God won’t completely turn the nation over to the Evil One- I hope the nation will get a leader strong enough in the faith that he or she stands up to the
Evil unabashedly, like the ‘good kings’ did in the bible, and turns this nation back around again- hopefully the pendulum swings back toward a moral and blessed nation again - but i kinda think we’re heading into the end times unfortunately-
We turned from GOD when we disallowed prayer in school but no one cared at that time and we still don’t. No one is making an attempt to correct the situation. Of course, killing innocent lives by the thousands is not very pleasing to God either.
Turning away from God has become habitual in our society.
Thanks folks .... something to meditate on tonight in my prayers. This is what real fellowship looks and sounds like.
Prayers for you and yours.
[[We turned from GOD when we disallowed prayer in school but no one cared at that time and we still don’t.]]
Oh i think there’s still a very sizeable majority who would love to see it become legal to pray again- to have the supreme court rule that praying in school is NOT ‘establishing a state religion that must be practiced by everyone under penalty of law if they refuse” which is what the constitution forbids government from doing. Our constitution, contrary to bastardized interpretation of the constitution of the left, does not prevent government from even favoring one religion- it was created to prevent government from FORCING people to join a government run religion under penalty of law if they refuse-
And there is still a very sizeable majority of folks who would love to overturn roe vs wade, and who continue ot pray for such-
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