Making a Differencewith Pastor Phil Erickson

May 18th, 2023 It’s In Our Nature to Sin

Today’s Reading – 2 Chronicles 6 – 8 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers Read – Acts 7 – 9; Psalms 86 – 90; Proverbs 18)

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 119:105

Read the “0518 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Read another post from today’s reading passage – “Hear Thou From Heaven and Forgive”

“(36) If they sin against thee, (for there is no man which sinneth not,) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them over before their enemies, and they carry them away captives unto a land far off or near; (37) Yet if they bethink themselves in the land whither they are carried captive, and turn and pray unto thee in the land of their captivity, saying, We have sinned, we have done amiss, and have dealt wickedly; (38) If they return to thee with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity, whither they have carried them captives, and pray toward their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, and toward the city which thou hast chosen, and toward the house which I have built for thy name: (39) Then hear thou from the heavens, even from thy dwelling place, their prayer and their supplications, and maintain their cause, and forgive thy people which have sinned against thee.” (2 Chronicles 6:36-39)

In 2 Chronicles 6, we read Solomon’s prayer of dedication for the new Temple in Jerusalem. Over and over again, he intercedes on behalf of the people of Israel for things that he knows will happen in the future. He states very plainly that the nation will sin against God, and as a result of that sin consequences will come: famine, pestilence, enemies, captivity; all sorts of bad stuff. The wages of sin are never good. Solomon knew that the people would wander out of the will of God, but he also knew that God was gracious and forgiving, and because of His great love for people, would be willing to forgive their sin. In chapter seven, God gives His specific reply to the prayer requests that Solomon had made in chapter six:

“(12) And the LORD appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice. (13) If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people; (14) If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:12-14)

Though the context of this passage is clearly for Israel, I do not think that we are too far off-base by making application for New Testament Christians. Our sinful, human nature is the same as theirs. Far too often we also find ourselves outside of the will of God just as they did, and the consequences of our sin can be devastating.  But, God is still very gracious and forgiving, and is willing to restore us and bless us also if we are willing to confess and repent. Thank God for His marvelous grace and mercy.

“(9) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)