BEWARE OF SHIPWRECKING THE FAITH!

BEWARE OF SHIPWRECKING THE FAITH!

Yes, I confess my iniquity; I am troubled by my sin. —Psalm 38:18

            David, the man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22), was truly bothered by his sin.  It was troubling to him and he confessed it.  Confessing our sin is agreeing with God that we have fallen short of His perfection and expectation.  David was well aware of his short-comings.

            David wanted a clear conscience just as the apostle Paul desired and Paul also encourage Timothy to have a good conscience.  It is this lack of a good conscience that “some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith.  Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme” (I Timothy 19-21). 

            Listen!  Unconfessed sin, a lack of a clear and good conscience can lead a person to “suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith.”  It is imperative that we confess any known sin in our lives immediately.  Unconfessed sin is like a person holding a very heavy weight while trying to float on their back in water.  It won’t happen.  It will take them down under the water.

            When teaching children how to swim I like to use a rock as an illustration of how heavy our head is. When we try to swim holding our head up we tire more easily because our body is at an angle in the water and we have to work at holding our head up.  I have one of the children float on their back and then place a 5-10 pound rock on their stomach.  Sure enough, down the go.  So unconfessed is bound to take us down.

            To use another metaphor we read in Hebrews 12:1-2 to “throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”   Let us run unhindered and untangled by throwing off the sin weight that will keep us from running as we should, from following the Lord as we should.  Let us throw off the sin that could shipwreck us from not having a good conscience.

            Cults and false teachers capitalize on the lost and even professed believers by promising a fleshly escape from an unclear conscience.  “They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity–for “people are slaves to whatever has mastered them” (II Peter 2:19).  “But Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe” (Galatians 3:22).  Freedom with a clear conscience can only come through Jesus and Him alone. 

            “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  If we say we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar, and His word is not in us” (I John 1:8-10).  May we do so!  Otherwise we could be headed for the shipwreck with regard to the faith!

Dear Father, thank You for Your forgiveness.  May I seek to live faithfully for You, hating sin.  I am so grateful for my home in heaven with Jesus and all who love Him where we will never fail you again.  Until then please help me to run the race in the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Your Son.  May it be so!