Reflecting on My Sins

Recently, a recurrent theme in my preaching and teaching has been that of pondering one's own sinful condition, both the sins committed before conversions and the evil thoughts, words and deeds that pour forth from our corrupt hearts on a daily basis.

Modern theology would have us bury the guilt for our sin so that we would have better self-esteem. The prevalent idea seems to be "God has forgiven you so you should forget your sins" or "Because you are in Christ, you are now a saint not a sinner." I don't buy that. Believers are saints but we are saints who still sin. The Apostle Paul didn't believe it either. He wrote in 1 Timothy 1:13-15:

Even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief; and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus. It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.

The purpose in reflecting on your own sinfulness causes a great appreciation for the grace that is in Jesus Christ. Not only are we saved by grace, we are kept by grace. If God should remove His sovereign grace from our lives we would immediately fall back into the pit just as if we stepped on a rotten step. Being ever reminded of our sinfulness drives us to humility and builds in us even greater affection for the Lord Jesus Christ. We are great sinners but we have a Great Savior. Paul stated this in verse 16:

And yet for this reason I found mercy, in order that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience, as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life.

The Puritan Thomas Brooks wrote about this same topic in 1662. He called it "self-loathing."

True repentance is a daily turning of the soul further and further from sin--and a daily turning of the soul nearer and nearer to God.

True repentance includes . . . a true sense of sin, a deep sorrow for sin, a hearty loathing of sin, and a holy shame and blushing for sin. To repent is to make . . . a clean head and a clean heart; a clean lip and a clean life. To repent is for a man to loathe himself, as well as his sin. Is this easy for man, who is so great a self-lover, and so great a self-exalter, and so great a self-admirer--to become a self-loather? To repent is to cross sinful self, it is to walk contrary to sinful self, yes, it is to revenge a man's self upon himself. True repentance lies in a daily dying to sin, and in a daily living to Him who lives forever.

May we reflect on our sin so that we will glory in our Savior.

Soli Deo Gloria!