THE SIN OF DENIAL

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In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

This is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth and says, ‘I’ve done nothing wrong.’

Proverbs 30:20

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

Denial.

It’s perhaps the most dangerous of all sins because it is fundamentally the unwillingness to admit one’s self has sinned or is living sinfully. And although we may be able to lie to ourselves and others, the sad reality of denial is that we can never deceive God who is always watching us and ever sees the good and the bad things we do.

This matter of denying sinfulness is at the center of today’s verse from Chapter 30 of Proverbs. Here, Agur speaks about an adulteress but you could substitute any other sinner and the sin they are denying in her place and the meaning would remain the same. Look again at the verse here:

This is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth and says, ‘I’ve done nothing wrong.’ (verse 20)

The adulterer, whether man or woman, is focused on their lust more than anything else. It’s all about their needs and their wants to the point that they are willing to breach the obligation and commitment they have to their spouse in order to fulfill their own selfish desires. And as long as they are satisfied, that’s all that matters. They go back to their mate and act as if nothing had even happened after dining from the table of infidelity. They adopt an attitude of denial and behave as if what they did was not wrong. In fact, they may even blame their actions on their mate, saying that they had to go and have their desires met elsewhere because they weren’t being satisfied by their marital partner.

This is how twisted matters can get when one denies sinful behavior. It’s little wonder that John wrote these words of truth in the New Testament:

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 1 John 1:8

Adulterers aren’t the only ones who get caught us in the sin denial trap. Alcoholics and drug addicts can be counted as well, ones who develop more of a love of substances and the artificial highs they bring than a love for the Lord and His righteousness. Count thieves in the lot as well, those who think it’s fine to take things that rightfully belong to others for their own gain without consideration that the things they have taken were provided to another by the very God they are sinning against.

You get the point. For at the root of denial is self-centeredness and an arrogant, prideful spirit that refuses to humble itself and confess sinfulness. And the only way to break the sin of denial is to repent and profess Jesus Christ as the Lord of your life, to commit yourself to walk in the footprints of the One who told us He is the Way and the Truth and the Life, to walk in the footprints of the only One who can lead us to God the Father to live forever (John 14:6).

Friends, is there any sin you have within you that has gone unconfessed before the Lord today? Are you living in denial of some temporary or chronic transgression you have committed?

If the answer is yes, then today is the day to put aside the sin of denial and be washed clean by the mercy, grace, and forgiveness of the Lord. For look again at the words from John, God’s word for all sinners needing to repent today:

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

Come to the Lord today, repent of the wrongs you have committed, purge yourself of the filthiness of your sins, and emerge purified from your unrighteousness by your Lord God Almighty who is faithful to you, even though you have been less than faithful to Him.

Friends, the Lord wants the best for us. He wants us to live earthly life beyond worldly imaginations and we can live that way if we always seek to rid ourselves of the sin that is of the world and embody the righteousness, the treasures of heaven that only He can bring.

This is a truth that can never be denied.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

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