Confession is good for the soul… (1 Timothy 1:8-11) 130608
8 Oi;damen de. o[ti kalo.j o` no,moj( eva,n tij auvtw/| nomi,mwj crh/tai( 9 eivdw.j tou/to( o[ti dikai,w| no,moj ouv kei/tai( avno,moij de. kai. avnupota,ktoij( avsebe,si kai. a`martwloi/j( avnosi,oij kai. bebh,loij( patrolw,|aij kai. mhtrolw,|aij( avndrofo,noij 10 po,rnoij avrsenokoi,taij avndrapodistai/j yeu,staij evpio,rkoij( kai. ei; ti e[teron th/| u`giainou,sh| didaskali,a| avnti,keitai 11 kata. to. euvagge,lion th/j do,xhj tou/ makari,ou qeou/( o] evpisteu,qhn evgw,Å
But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully, knowing this, that the law is not given to the righteous, but to those (who are) lawless and rebellious, godless and sinful, wicked and profane, those who kill their fathers and mothers, murders, fornicators, sodomites (homosexuals), kidnappers, liars, and perjurers; and whatever else which is opposed to sound teaching according to the glorious good news of the blessed God, to whom I was convinced of.
This morning, it takes me more than an hour to translate and make sense out of these four verses. This shows how much I have forgotten my Greek! But nonetheless, as I slowly and painfully translate each and every word in these four verses, I am struck with the fact that the Word of God is not primary for those who claim to be righteous (v8), but for those whom Paul listed in verses 9 to 10. These are sinners, which includes me, and maybe you.
I remember that Jesus told the Pharisees that it is not the healthy who needs the doctor, but the sick, and He was implying that He came not for the righteous but the sinners (Matt 9:12). This was in the context of Jesus hanging around with tax collectors and sinners. This gives me another strong and convincing reason to know that Word of God: that is to be able to bring this Word of glorious good news of the blessed God (v11) to those who yet to know Christ. Unless the Word is being internalized in me, I will be only bringing a book to lost world. Unless I live and walk according to the Word and truth of God, I will be only an empty talker. Unless I translate the “Christianliness” of the Bible into the common heart language of the world, I will be only shooting arrows above the heads.
As I look through the list of sins which Paul stated there, I cannot help but amaze by the ability of human depravity to break every command of the Law. It has often been pointed out that the list of sins in verses 9 – 10 not only recall the so-called “vice lists” found in ancient moralistic writings, but follow topics in the Ten Commandments (Deut. 5:6 – 21):
|
1 Timothy 1:9 – 10 |
10 Commandments (Deut. 5:6 – 21) |
|
lawbreakers (lawless) and rebels (rebellious), the ungodly (godless) and sinful, the unholy (wicked) and irreligious (profane) |
You shall have no other gods before me |
|
those who kill their fathers or mothers |
Honor your father and your mother |
|
for murderers |
You shall not murder |
|
for adulterers (fornicators) and perverts (sodomites or homosexuals) |
You shall not commit adultery |
|
for slave traders (kidnappers) |
You shall not steal |
|
and liars and perjurers |
You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor |
(Liefeld, Walter L. “Original Meaning” In The NIV Application Commentary: 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus. By Walter L. Liefeld, 64. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, © 1999.)
I do not want to point my finger at those who has directly committed or committing these sins, I know that I will not be spared from God’s judgment as I had broken and still capable of breaking the Law of God. If it is not by the grace of Jesus death on the Cross, I will stand in condemnation together with the world. This morning, I am led to confess all my sins again to the Lord. I need His grace and mercy and forgiveness. I know that I am not perfect and even far away from being good; I do not want to find excuse for my sinful acts and thoughts, but to simply lay them down before the feet of Jesus. I have the confident that He will take them all and forgive me of my sins.
Confession is good for the soul and confession is the beginning of transformation. I do not want to make the details of my sins public because my purpose is not to “glorify” those sinful acts or thoughts. My purpose of confession to God is for Him to do a work of transformation through the power of the Holy Spirit. I am confident that He will do so as I yield myself to Him and His words.
Do you also have any sins to confess?
HHS…
Abel…
