I Have Not Sinned

Even if I have never been so brash as to think "I have not sinned" how many times have I made excuses for my sin, tried to rationalize my sin?

In Jeremiah 2:25b God says, "Behold I will bring you to judgment for saying, 'I have not sinned'". It's so easy to make myself into the victim - making my sin someone else's fault rather than my own choice. Which in essence is saying I have not sinned. She was rude so I was angry and bitter. He lied so I won't forgive. He has "needs" so he is sexually immoral. The clerk gave back the wrong change but it was only a quarter so I keep.

Later in chapter 3 God speaks through Jeremiah saying, "Return...for I am merciful... Only acknowledge your guilt..." And that is the central point - I must be willing to say, "I HAVE sinned", must be willing to acknowledge my guilt. I love the way God was speaking the Gospel into the lives of His people long before Jesus ever walked on the earth. It gives me great peace to know that God is always the same...His hatred of sin but His love and mercy toward His people never changes.