I realize this has become Erwin McManus week at my site, but Erwin has been bringing some really great insights I’d like to share. This past Sunday was the best message I have ever heard on the topic of sin. Sin proves that this isn’t all there is! Listen to the entire message or watch it at www.mosaic.org/podcast. Here are highlights from Erwin’s message:
“1 John 1:8-2:2
Sin isn’t a popular topic. We have to wrap our head around the concept of sin to understand what God wants to do and needs to do in our lives.
The way we tend judge people show that we are more concerned with other people’s sin than our own.
We become what we love. The life we live is the one we want. We are what we desire. If we disagree, then why do we do what we do? We will become what we want the most.
John doesn’t condemn us in this passage. Instead, he shows the way out. First, we need to acknowledge the need to change. If we don’t acknowledge the need then God cannot help us. We need to own our own sin.
This is a human condition issue! Rom 3:23. There is an intention to our life (bringing glory to God). Our life isn’t random but designed with purpose. The dilemma is that our life outside of God misses this intent. He tells us (not to condemn us) but to show us a better way.
What does it mean to bring glory to God?
living your life for the good of others (1 Cor. 10:31-32)
Sin is living our life outside of God’s intention. We should live knowing we were created with intent. Am I letting other people’s intentions for me guide my life or am I connecting to God’s design?
Sin is the human capacity to make a destructive choice rather than a constructive one. It would be as if trees stopped exhaling oxygen and instead exhaled carbon monoxide. When we choose sin we exhale poison.
We need to take personal responsibility for our moral choices. We do what we want to do. That is why the issue is what we want -our passions. Human action is a reflection of our intention.
The goal is to make fewer destructive choices and instead make more life-giving choices.
Jesus came to give us freedom from our own destructive choices. Everything that I’m forced to do isn’t me. External motivators don’t really change us. We only change due to intrinsic motivations. Ex. Children act the way we want them to act. We’re surprised when they “change” in college, but we never really knew them. We didn’t get to their core. You only change the core through love. The only lasting change is the one motivated by desire.
Who do you want to be?
What is happening within is reflected in what we create. What is the story you want to tell? You have to know the story before you begin the design (ex. Fashion).
We were created in God’s image. When we leave God’s story, this is called sin.
The only way back is to own it.
The choice is ours!
We live with the consequences of our desires.
Our character is our essence (not our occupation).
Romans 6:12-14
The reason we keep choosing destructive patterns and behaviors is because we want to do so. We get to choose! These destructive choices end up owning us. Life isn’t in these things! Life is in Jesus! Sin doesn’t have to be our master!
John 10:10
Jesus came to bring life!
He cannot help us until we confess we’re dead.
At 10:10am ask God to help me live with intention today.
At 10:10pm ask God to forgive me for the times I didn’t live with intention that day.”
Get the “Proof of Life” discussion guide at www.mosaic.org.
