Confronting Our Sin It’s something we all have to do; because we all have, do, and likely will, sin- Rom.3:9,19,23 But the real question is: “How will you confront your sin?” And, “Will you be successful ?”

 We have to, or be forced to, confront (face up to) our sin before we can deal with it. David said, “I have sinned against the Lord.” 2Sam.12:12 We too, must come to this. But he ignored and hid his sin until Nathan forced him to confront it, 2Sam.12:1-11  Once we have, or have been forced to confront our sin, how we deal with it is largely determined by how we perceive it. Is it an abomination (Rev.21:27, a foul, detestable thing) to us as it is to God? Or is it something we know we have to change somehow, someway, someday- but we sure wish we didn’t have to abandon? Prov.23:17 & 24:1,19

 If we regard our sin as an abomination, we’ll likely respond to it in one of two ways: Resolved:“This is disgusting- I must repent because I can’t continue this way. I can and will do better!” Defeated: “This is impossible- God will never accept me now. I can’t make it.”  Resolved is the “Peter” response. When confronted with his sin (Lk.22:31-34 > ), he ran away and “wept bitterly” 22:62. But it was Peter who was first to the empty tomb, Lk.24:3-12; and he was prominent before, on, and after Pentecost, Acts 1:15ff; 2:14ff; chps.3,4,5. His disgust for sin enable change!

 But Defeated is the “Judas” response: When confronted with his sin, he too, was sorrowful for it, Mt.27:1-3a. He even tried to repent of and confess it, Mt:27:3b-4. But he didn’t take the next step and come back, Mt.27:5!  Judas’ sin was no worse than Peter’s- both denied and betrayed the Lord. And both initially responded with disgust when confronted with their sin. But one responded with Resolve by repenting and returning. And one responded with Defeat, and “finding no place for repentance” (cf. Heb.12:17), quit.

 We will either: Respond with Resolve through godly sorrow and repentance, and return to God. 2Cor.7:10a Or we’ll respond with Defeat, and even though sorrowful, we won’t respond with repentance, and will likely give up. 2Cor.7:10b We must confront our sin; and if we regard it detestable, then we can resolve to respond with repentance and return. Otherwise, it will defeat us!

 If we view our own sin(s) as something we know we have to change somehow, someway, and someday then: We cannot respond with resolve, and likely will not respond in repentance, (cf. Acts 24:25) and may well end up defeated by Satan and our sins! We may not wind up like Judas, but we certainly won’t be like Peter!  Furthermore, with a somehow/way/day attitude toward our sin, we: Make ourselves God’s enemy. Jas.4:4b Run the risk of becoming calloused. Eph.4:14-24

But we choose when and how- We can confront our sins now with resolve and repentance, Acts 17:30 Or, if we choose defeat now by negligence and procrastination, God will confront us in eternity with our sins and eternal condemnation, 2Cor.5:10 & Matt.25:41,46. Conclusion: