Ref James 3:2a
We believers, Christians and followers of Jesus Christ ALL stumble in many things. This is a point that James makes clear as crystal. It doesn’t matter who you are as a believer, we all have shortcomings. GOD knows that His children have weaknesses. He has foreknown this and put measures in place. We are citizens of heaven, and authentic sons and daughters of GOD. Our weaknesses, shortcomings and mistakes do not exclude us. If any child of GOD misses the mark, that person is still a child of GOD. Jesus is the propitiation for our sins; He’s our atoning sacrifice, the mercy seat, our place of forgiveness. The flesh cannot do anything when it comes to meeting God’s standard of righteousness. The blood of Jesus redeems, washes and cleanses us from sin and all wrongdoing.
We have God-given authority and grace to say yes or no to sin. Sin has no dominion over us because of Christ. Your own standard of righteousness is as filthy rags before GOD. He has made for Himself a provision to appease and please Himself. He was already pleased with us through His Son Jesus Christ.
The desires of the flesh are opposed to the desires of the Holy Spirit, so that we don’t obey the flesh to do what the flesh is telling us to do. We have been given the Holy Spirit so that we do not sin. We should follow the desires of the Holy Spirit, not the dictates of the flesh which lead us astray and into destruction. If we allow ourselves to be led by the Holy Spirit, then we will not fall into sin. Scripture says the Holy Spirit yearns jealously for us that we may not fall short of God’s righteousness. He does not want that any child of GOD should miss the mark.
If we say that we have no sin, indeed we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we say that we have not sinned, we make GOD a liar and His word is not in us. He is well acquainted with our shortcomings and mistakes. They do not surprise Him. There is a difference between weakness and temptation; temptation to sin is not sin. When we go through temptation we should look to Jesus for help, because only He gives us the grace to endure and escape temptation. He is our High Priest who sympathizes with our shortcomings because He knows how it feels to be weak and tempted. We are more than conquerors over sin, shortcomings and mistakes. There is One who has already conquered for us. Therefore, we should come boldly to the throne of grace to obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need or temptation.
Jesus is our High Priest who sympathizes with our shortcomings because He knows how it feels to be weak and tempted
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