Over the weekend, as we continued with our sermon series, “I doubt it,” we talked about Jesus’ claim during His earthly ministry that He is the only way to a restored relationship with God and eternal life with Him. This claim by Jesus immediately reminds me of the song “Jesus is the Answer.” The chorus of this song says, “Jesus is the answer for the world today. Above Him there’s no other, Jesus is the way.” The question for us to tackle today is, “What is the problem that Jesus is the answer for?” Scripture tells us the problem, starting in the very first book of the Bible, Genesis, is sin. When sin infiltrated the world, it impacted everyone and everything. Only when we understand the reality and severity of that sin problem can we find hope and healing in Jesus.
James wrote about our sin problem in James 1. He explained in this passage of Scripture that “temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away” (verse 14). Ultimately, when we give in to these temptations, they “give birth to sinful actions” (verse 15). These sinful actions directly result from choosing to give in to the temptation we face. Next in this progression of temptation that leads to sin, James wrote, “when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death” (verse 15). All sin leads us in the same direction: death. There is no exception. Left to our own devices, each one of us is on the path that leads toward death. “Do not pass go. Do not collect $200.” Praise God that death is not the end of the story. God is gracious. Although we deserve death, He offers eternal life through Jesus Christ to all who place their faith in Him. This understanding must have led James to write these words in James 5, the last chapter of this book of the Bible: “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed” (verse 16). When we confess our sins, we find healing. More specifically, we find spiritual healing: the forgiveness of sins.
My friend, we serve a gracious, merciful, and forgiving God who chose not to leave us in our sin on the path toward death. While our human tendency is to hide or conceal our sin, a better way is to bring it to the light. When we confess our sins, we will be met with His forgiveness.
Take a few minutes to ask God to search your heart and reveal any sin in your life. Be ready to listen to what He may reveal. As He reveals any sin in your life, confess that sin and ask Him to forgive you and to help you as you set out to repent and leave that sin behind.
Prayer Prompt: Use this prompt to guide you as you pray.
“God, I want to bring sin in my life to light. Search me…”
1 This letter is from James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.
I am writing to the “twelve tribes”—Jewish believers scattered abroad.
Greetings!
Faith and Endurance
2 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.
5 If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. 6 But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. 7 Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.
9 Believers who are poor have something to boast about, for God has honored them. 10 And those who are rich should boast that God has humbled them. They will fade away like a little flower in the field. 11 The hot sun rises and the grass withers; the little flower droops and falls, and its beauty fades away. In the same way, the rich will fade away with all of their achievements.
12 God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. 13 And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. 14 Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. 15 These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.
16 So don’t be misled, my dear brothers and sisters. 17 Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. 18 He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession.
Listening and Doing
19 Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. 20 Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires. 21 So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.
22 But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. 23 For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. 24 You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. 25 But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.
26 If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. 27 Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.
