Weeding Out Sins 拔除罪根

[Dexu Xia]

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins. 1 John 1:9

When I noticed a sprig budding next to the garden hose by our porch, I ignored the seemingly harmless eyesore. How could a little weed possibly hurt our lawn? But as the weeks passed, that nuisance grew to be the size of a small bush and began taking over our yard. Its stray stalks arched over a portion of our walkway and sprouted up in other areas. Admitting its destructive existence, I asked my husband to help me dig out the wild weeds by the roots and then protect our yard with weed killer.

When we ignore or deny its presence, sin can invade our lives like unwanted overgrowth and darken our personal space. Our sinless God has no darkness in Him . . . at all. As His children, we’re equipped and charged to face sins head-on so we can “walk in the light, as he is in the light” (1 John 1:7). Through confession and repentance, we experience forgiveness and freedom from sin (vv. 8–10) because we have a great advocate—Jesus (2:1). He willingly paid the ultimate price for our sins—His lifeblood—and “not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world” (v. 2).

When our sin is brought to our attention by God, we can choose denial, avoidance, or deflection of responsibility. But when we confess and repent, He weeds out sins that harm our relationships with Him and others.

By:  Xochitl Dixon

How does knowing your sins are offenses against God change your view about repentance? What sins have taken root and need to be weeded out of your life?

Loving Father, please uproot the sins from my life so I can grow closer to You and others.

 我们若认自己的罪，上帝是信实的，是公义的，必要赦免我们的罪。—约翰一书1章9节

当我注意到门廊边的花园水管旁有株发芽的小草时，我并没有理会这看来无害的小东西。不过是株杂草嘛，怎么可能会破坏草坪呢？但数周之后，这恼人的杂草却长成小灌木丛的大小，并开始占据我们的庭院。它们不仅覆盖了部分的走道，而且也在其他地方开始长出来。在我明白这杂草确实深具破坏性之后，我让丈夫帮忙将这些野草连根拔除，并喷洒除草剂，保护我们的庭院。

当我们忽略或否认罪的存在时，罪就会像不受欢迎的蔓生杂草，入侵我们的生活，让我们的生命陷入黑暗。我们的上帝全然无瑕，在祂里面没有任何一点黑暗。身为祂的儿女，我们有能力和责任去抵挡罪恶，所以我们能“在光明中行，如同上帝在光明中”（约翰一书1章7节）。我们透过认罪悔改，罪得赦免并得享自由，再也不受罪恶辖制（8-10节），这是因为我们有一位伟大的中保耶稣（2章1节）。祂甘心为你我的罪付上最终代价，在十架上流下祂的宝血，“不是单为我们的罪，也是为普天下人的罪”（2节）。

当上帝让我们看到自己的罪时，我们可以选择否认、逃避或推卸责任。但只要我们愿意认罪悔改，上帝就能拔除罪根，使我们与人、与上帝之间的关系不再受到罪的危害。

作者：  邓书琪

当你明白犯罪就是冒犯上帝，
你会如何看待认罪悔改？
在你生命中有哪些罪根，需要彻底拔除？

慈爱的天父，请将我生命中的罪恶连根拔起，
好让我能与祢、与人更加亲密