Admitting one’s sins is step to restoration

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Last time, we said sinners can’t experience the love of God until they acknowledge their sinful condition.

The good news of the Gospel is we can be restored to God, but not until we acknowledge our sinful condition and our need to be restored. When you acknowledge that you need to be restored, he will restore you.

One day, Jesus told three stories that illustrate this truth. He focused on a lost sheep, a lost coin and a lost son. These stories are recorded in Luke 15. The last one is the most familiar. You have probably heard it before.

Basically, a young man comes to his dad and says, “Dad, I wish you would die so I could get my inheritance. Since you just won’t die, let’s just pretend you’re dead. How about you just go ahead and hand it over?”

Everybody in Jesus’ audience had to gasp when they heard this. Jesus was telling this parable to make a point. The father in the story represents God. The son, who represents all of us, had done a terrible thing. The relationship with his father has been destroyed. It had to seem like there’s no way for the relationship to be restored.

The boy took off for a while, and he wasted his inheritance. He messed up, and he knew it. When he came back home, he prepared a speech to give to his dad. “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’”

The boy didn’t start making excuses. He admitted his sin. Have you ever said those words to your Heavenly Father? Have you ever said, “God, I have sinned?” We all need to see how important this is.

The boy in the parable admitted the relationship with his father was broken. He took responsibility. He admitted it was his fault.

As soon as the father heard those words spoken by his son, he knew his son was back. The boy owned what he had done. He admitted he had sinned. He acknowledged what his sin had done to their relationship.

I think it is interesting that after the boy’s speech, the father didn’t even respond to the son. The father didn’t ask, where have you been? He didn’t say, “Where is my money? What did you do? When are you going to pay me back?”

The father didn’t have to do any of that stuff. The son already came clean. The father could see it in his eyes. Recognition of sin paves the way to restoration.

You may read Steve Greene’s blog at pastorgreene.wordpress.com or you can email him at [email protected].

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