Clean

There was a time in my life when I used to question my salvation. Not because I didn't love Jesus but because of 1 John 3:6. Every time I would sin I would think I must not really belong to God. This verse says no one who lives in [Christ] keeps on sinning.

I know to God sin is sin but to man there are often classifications of sin...gossip or little white lies are OK but adultery or homosexuality or murder are BIG, BAD sins. For years I couldn't reconcile my life, my salvation and this verse whether the sin was "little" or "big".

Then I read (and understood) verse 8 in the ESV.  Whoever makes a PRACTICE of sinning, is of the devil. I learned that although I do have a choice whether I sin or not, whether I glorify God or not in any situation by what I say or think or how I act, I was not making sin a practice in my life. Even the little sins would haunt me. I would be filled with remorse and repent.

1 John 1:9 says if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. There was complete forgiveness of all my sin - past, present and future - when Jesus shed His blood on Calvary. And there were immediate changes in my life when I surrendered to Him but I have learned that this cleansing is a lifetime process.

 The Keep on Truckin' logo of the 60's is what comes to mind when I think about making a practice of sinning. Just following the crowd with no thought of where I go or what I do. Just keep on sinnin'...and that definitely is NOT me.