Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.

1 John 3:4

Sin is the enemy of righteousness. Sin is our enemy, for sin is that barrier that blocks us from a right relationship with the living God. It was sin that brought the judgement of God on this world and it is sin that condemns us all before the Lord God. When sin sets in our heart a spiritual hardness and darkness accompanies it. This is a real danger for the Christian as this state will cause us to wander from God and provoke us to seek fulfilment outside of God’s design and commandments.

It is easy for us to wander from the path of righteousness. In the Letter of James the Lord gives us some wise words of wisdom. Under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost James writes, “My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins” (James 5:19-20). It is important that we not only keep a check of ourselves, but look out for fellow believers. Yes, we are indeed responsible for ourselves, but it is good for us to encourage fellow believers to walk in the way of truth.

Take for example King David. When that intimate relationship he had with God was damaged by committing sexual immorality with Bathsheba, his heart was grieved. In the 32nd Psalm David wrote, “How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered!” David realised that the only way his relationship with God could be put right was to have his sin forgiven. In David’s prayer of repentance recorded in Psalm 51 he poured his heart out to God and acknowledged God.

Sadly, we all find ourselves in a similar position to David on occasions. Our sin may not be as David committed, but nevertheless we find ourselves with a darkness and sorrow in our heart. The message of the Bible is not to remain in our sin, but to come before the Saviour and seek him confessing our sinfulness. To wallow in sin will only make a bad situation worse. Remember this, Sin breaks us, but Christ builds us. May our prayer today be, “Lord, cause me to have a faithful and steadfast heart.”