Tag: What the Bible says about sin

Bible Verse of The Day – 7-2-22

John 8:7 (NKJV) 7 So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.”

These people, the pharisees and scribes, wanted to test Jesus, that they might have something they could accuse Him of.

What would He do to this woman because of the sin she had been caught in?

But Jesus had the answer that caused them all to take a good look at themselves. He turned it around on them.

He has a way of showing us things that bring us face to face with reality in our own self. No one and nothing can be hidden from Him.

Did He look down on them, knowing they weren’t without sin as well?

No. He just gave them a chance to see what they were doing, and to make the right choice, knowing deep down they weren’t any better.

They all had their things at times. And maybe some of them were even still involved in a sinful lifestyle.

Romans 3:23 (NKJV) 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…

So, after Jesus had gotten them to look at themselves, He urged them to go ahead and throw a stone if they were without sin.

But, none of them could do it. He made them see that they too needed forgiveness.

We need to make sure we are not pointing the finger at someone else for what they are doing when we struggle with sin ourselves. No one is perfect. Have mercy, and learn from Jesus’ words.

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie

Seven Seas Ministries
49 N Lamplighters Walk
Hampstead, NC 28443

401-439-3780

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Bible Verse of The Day – 1-8-20

1 John 3:6 (NKJV) 6 Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.

A few years ago, we received an email from someone who had read one of our daily devotionals. That devotional had covered the topic of sin and the believer, and they had written back to tell us that what we had said about sin was untrue, and that Christians are incapable of sinning.

They told us that once a person is a follower of Christ, they are no longer capable of sinning.

While this isn’t a widely held belief, we wanted to write about it today to clear up any misconceptions when it comes to this idea.

The verse above states that “whoever abides in Him does not sin”. It is this verse and other similar scriptures that are part of the doctrine that says it is impossible for believers to sin.

The problem with that idea is that the verses used to back it up are taken grossly out of context or badly misunderstood.

In 1 John 3:6, above, John is referring to habitual sin, not just a single incident. In Chapter 1, verse 8 he clearly states that believers do sin, and that anyone who says they don’t is deceived.

1 John 1:8 (NKJV) 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

John’s goal in 1 John 3:4-10 is to combat false teachers of that time who were saying that sin doesn’t matter because it’s simply our flesh doing what it is supposed to do. They believed that flesh is bad, and since we live in fleshly bodies, we are destined to live lives of continual, habitual sin.

What these people miss is the fact that when we become a child of God (born of God), He gives us a new nature.

That new nature is Holy Spirit-driven, meaning that we will now be convicted if we contemplate sin or are faced with any temptation that can lead us into sin. No, we will not be perfect in following His leading. But as we grow, our tendency to sin will become less and less.

What John is teaching here is good for all of us to consider. Sin will entice each and every one of us. It’s a fact of life.

But what isn’t a fact of life is that we are powerless to fight it off. On the contrary, we are very well equipped to fight it off. God’s word tells us so many, many times.

We are told to resist the devil and he will flee (James 4:7). We are told that we are never tempted without God providing a way out, and that no temptation is more than we can bear (1 Corinthians 10:13).

So, as believers, it’s important for us to understand this. Habitual sin in the life of a believer, with no remorse, and no efforts on the person’s part to stop it, is not what God expects, and it is not a true reflection of what the life of a believer should be.

In fact, John himself stated very plainly at the end of the verse above (1 John 3:6), that whoever sins (habitually and without remorse), has neither seen Him or known Him.

Very sobering words, for sure. And words that we need to weigh carefully in our own lives.

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie

Seven Seas Ministries
P.O. Box 272
Bradford, RI 02808

401-315-0902

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Bible Verse of The Day – 10-7-19

1 John 1:8-9 (NKJV) 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

As believers, it’s sometimes hard for us to admit our faults, our shortcomings, our sins.

We like to think we have it all together and have a good handle on our behavior every minute of every day. But the truth is that we all fail from time to time, falling to temptation and doing something that disappoints us and disappoints God.

We all sin. It’s a fact that we can’t escape, no matter how hard we might try to talk our way around it.

Now, as believers, God wants us all to grow and mature. He doesn’t want us to stay as spiritual infants all our lives. And as we grow, the sin in our lives should diminish, a little at a time. Our ability to fight off temptation should become stronger.

No, we will never reach a point where we are perfect. We will still slip and fall occasionally.

Here’s the best part of all of this, though; God tells us in verse 9, above, that if we sin, we simply need to confess our sin to Him and He will forgive us for it.

This doesn’t give us a license to sin freely. Doing so is a slap in the face of Jesus, who died a brutal death to atone for those sins.

But, it’s good to know that as we walk this walk in frail human flesh, if we do sin, we have an advocate, and we have forgiveness simply by asking.

1 John 2:1 (NKJV) 2 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie

Seven Seas Ministries
P.O. Box 272
Bradford, RI 02808

401-315-0902

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Bible Verse of The Day – 4-5-19

Matthew 18:9 (NKJV) 9 And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire.

Sin is something that most people don’t like to hear about or think about. It’s not a pleasant topic no matter how we look at it.

But Jesus took sin pretty seriously.

It’s most common for us to hear all about how Jesus loved people and helped them. And this is true. But it’s also true that Jesus addressed sin, whether speaking to crowds or one-on-one with someone He encountered.

He told people to go and sin no more. He told some that He had come to call sinners to repentance. He addressed a crowd and reminded them all of their sins when He said “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone”.

But, one of the most serious things He ever said about the detriments of sin is in the verse above. Jesus took sin seriously enough to say that if our eye causes us to sin, it is better to pluck it out and throw it away than to leave it in place and continue to sin.

This is something we all need to take to heart. And it’s something we need to take a look at in our own lives. All too often we tend to look at others. But Jesus is telling us to take a look at ourselves.

Did He want us to literally pluck our eye out if it has caused us to sin? More than likely He was speaking figuratively. But the seriousness of what He said should still get our full attention.

God, please show us our sins. Help us to not only recognize them, but to acknowledge and admit to them. And to let You help us put a stop to them, one by one. Amen.

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie

Seven Seas Ministries
P.O. Box 272
Bradford, RI 02808

401-315-0902

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Bible Verse of The Day – 11-5-18

Romans 6:22 (NKJV) 22 But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.

Fruit to holiness and everlasting life are beautiful gifts from God.

As we live the life He has for us, and we fight off the pressure of sin that tries to enslave us, we will walk in such beauty.

Life will always have its ugly struggles in one form or another. But we need to know and understand that no matter what comes against us, we now have the strength to fight back and beat it. God’s strength takes us above and beyond what we ever thought we could do.

No longer are we slaves to unrighteousness, but to God. He is the One we obey. He is the One who leads us… not temptation. We can beat temptation when we obey God’s voice.

In the heat of the moment, remember to push away sin and listen for the Holy Spirit. If we are paying attention and really want the help, He will help us and turn that situation around with His wisdom.

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie

Seven Seas Ministries
P.O. Box 272
Bradford, RI 02808

401-315-0902

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Bible Verse of The Day – 3-27-18

Ephesians 5:3-7 (NKJV) 3 But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; 4 neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. 5 For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not be partakers with them.

Sexual immorality, impurities, greed. Let them not even be named among you.

This is some heavy-hitting stuff. The apostle Paul was very blunt with the Ephesians about this. And oh, how we could use some straightforward talk about these things today!

It’s important that we recognize and understand that Paul wasn’t speaking to the world, unsaved people. He was speaking to the Ephesian Christians! And if it was good for them to hear, it is surely good for us to hear.

Paul then went on to address some other things, such as obscene stories (filthiness), foolish talk and coarse jokes. He bluntly said that these are not fitting for followers of Christ to engage in.

Instead, we should use our mouths to give thanks to God, for His mercy, grace, forgiveness, love and so much more.

You see, it’s important that we understand that no sexually immoral person, no impure person and no greedy person (idolater) will inherit the kingdom of God.

Harsh words? No. Just true words being shared out of love and concern for the body of Christ.

Many times, we try to sidestep these difficult topics because we don’t like what God’s word says. Or we are afraid of hurting someone’s feelings, so we choose to say nothing.

But choosing to say nothing isn’t what we should do. Paul spoke out because he loved the Ephesian Christians! And this is why we share these very tough words today, because we love you and want God’s best for you!

If there are those who would speak empty words to you, to soothe your conscience, pay no attention to them, for they will lead you into God’s wrath.

The ways of the world have crept into the body of Christ and we have begun to embrace some terrible things as being acceptable.

It’s important that we hear the truth, even when it hurts, even when it makes us angry. We can’t correct the error in our lives if we are never told that it’s error. And as long as nobody says anything, we will just coast along, doing what we choose to do.

But we are all accountable to God. We are all responsible for the choices we make as His children.

Let each of us heed His words and His instruction, as well as His warning against these kinds of behavior. Let us seek Him and His forgiveness for our wayward actions and lack of accountability.

God, I seek you and ask for your forgiveness today for the things I have said and done. I have fallen into some terrible behavior and habits. I am truly sorry. Please forgive me and help me to be strong and resist the temptation when it comes. Help me to change my ways and make them pleasing to you. Thank you for loving me and forgiving me. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie

Seven Seas Ministries
P.O. Box 272
Bradford, RI 02808

401-315-0902

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Bible Verse of The Day – 8-24-17

Romans 6:23 (NKJV) 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Sin has its consequences. 

God’s word says that the price of sin is death. Death, in this instance, doesn’t necessarily mean that someone will physically die right away if they sin. 

But there’s a bigger picture that we need to see. 

The effects of sin are far-reaching. Some of those effects are immediate. Others take time to manifest and become visible. 

Sin can destroy many different aspects of our lives; relationships, careers, reputations, our health and much more. 

Even worse, though, sin will destroy our relationship with God if we don’t get a handle on it and turn from it. 

Sin separates us from God. It creates a divide that we can feel. It will leave us feeling lost, alone and ashamed. 

But here’s the good news! Sin doesn’t have to rule over us or ruin our lives. We can overcome sin through Jesus Christ, the One who gave His life for us. 

God gave us a gift. It’s the gift of eternal life through Jesus. We just need to reach out and take that gift; accept it on a personal level. 

With that gift comes forgiveness for our sins. It’s not complicated or hard to do. It doesn’t require a 12-step program. It only requires that we recognize our sinful state and our need for forgiveness through Jesus Christ. And then we just have to open our mouths and ask for it. 

So, we all have a choice. We can choose sin, and death. Or, we can choose righteousness, and life through God’s gift of mercy and grace. 

Which one will we choose? Choose life! 

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie 

Seven Seas Ministries
P.O. Box 272
Bradford, RI 02808 

401-315-0902

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Bible Verse of The Day – 6-26-17

Numbers 32:23 (NKJV) 23 But if you do not do so, then take note, you have sinned against the Lord; and be sure your sin will find you out.

Sin has a way of catching up with us. It may not always be right away, but at some point in our lives the things we do will manifest and there will be consequences.

Sin is like that. We can try to hide it. We can ignore it. We can try to gloss it over or even try to justify it in our minds. But sooner or later it shows itself and we have to deal with the aftermath of it.

This doesn’t mean that God won’t have mercy on us. He will if we ask for it. And this covers things on His part, with regard to having our sins forgiven.

1 John 1:9 (NKJV) 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

But in the natural realm there will, many times, still be consequences.

So it’s important that we don’t let sin linger in our lives. And it’s critical that when we get ourselves caught up in sin that we do whatever is necessary to fix it as soon as possible. The longer we stay in it, the larger the repercussions will usually be.

And when our sin affects others, it’s important that we go to them and make it right with them. This can sometimes be very hard, since it means facing the one(s) we have sinned against or who have gotten hurt because of our sin.

And whatever we do, we can’t wallow in shame or self-pity when we drop the ball and mess up. That will do us and others no good whatsoever. It will only worsen the situation.

So let’s do what we know is right and confess our sins to God, ask Him to forgive us, repent and walk away from them. And then let’s face the consequences head on and work to put it all behind us quickly, so we can move forward and God can bring healing to our lives and the lives of those who have also been affected by our actions.

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie

Seven Seas Ministries
P.O. Box 272
Bradford, RI 02808

401-315-0902

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Bible Verse of The Day – 5-8-17

Psalm 119:133 (NKJV) 133 Direct my steps by Your word, And let no iniquity have dominion over me.

What sin is it that tries to have dominion over us? Is it jealousy, lust, selfishness, pride, arrogance? Is it porn, adultery, stealing, drug abuse, lying, etc.? There is a lot of sin out there, but if we let God and His word direct our steps NONE of it will take over us.

The worst thing we can do is deny our problem with sin or close our eyes to it. I know someone very dear to me that is in critical condition, and in the end stages of cirrhosis, because of his excessive drinking and drugs.

He did not take it seriously. But instead loved it and enjoyed every moment of it. This is not uncommon, my friends. It happens a lot. Probably more often than we know.

Does he regret it now? Absolutely. Why? Because he is suffering greatly from the results of it. Pain has a way of teaching us. Not only has it hurt him, but also all those who love him. They are suffering as well, as they watch him struggle to live.

Iniquity in one’s life is long reaching.

The good news is that God has the steps for us to get free from it today. But are we willing to see it and face it in our own hearts? It can be easy to see things in the lives of others. But sometimes we’re not so willing to admit to our own faults and shortcomings.

There is not a single one of us who hasn’t fallen short in some way.

Romans 3:23 (NKJV) 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…

You see, without remorse, we will never cry out in repentance. We have to see the error in our logic and our actions. We have to humbly come to God and ask for forgiveness and help from Him if we want to get dominion over it.

Cry out today for help. He is waiting.

Psalm 55:16 (NKJV) 16 As for me, I will call upon God, And the Lord shall save me.

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie

Seven Seas Ministries
P.O. Box 272
Bradford, RI 02808

401-315-0902

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Bible Verse of The Day – 3-3-17

John 8:10-11 (NKJV) 10 When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”

“Neither do I condemn you”. So many teachings focus on those words spoken by Jesus. And they are very important words!

But the last few words of that verse are equally important. And, sadly, they get left out most times when we hear this lesson taught.

You see, it’s important that we know and understand that Jesus did not come to condemn us. He came to save us. But He also spent a fair amount of His time here on earth teaching people how to live as righteous followers of God, turning away from sin.

Telling people to turn from their sin isn’t popular. Nor is it always easy to do. But it’s a necessity. And if we are never told or reminded to turn from our sin, we will never grow and mature as a believer.

And we all need to be reminded once in a while. Every single one of us.

So as we walk this narrow road, let’s remember that along with the grace and mercy of God, there is also growing and changing that takes place on our end.

Go, and sin no more.

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie

Seven Seas Ministries
P.O. Box 272
Bradford, RI 02808

401-315-0902

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Bible Verse of The Day – 1-6-17

Ephesians 5:13 (NKJV) 13 But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light.

Light exposes dirt.

As I was cleaning up and putting things away this morning after eating my breakfast, I was wiping down the countertops and the stovetop. They looked pretty good when I was done.

And then I turned on the light over the stove. Suddenly it didn’t look quite so good! As soon as I turned the light on, I could see some crumbs that I had missed. Oops!

Suddenly that shiny stovetop looked a little less clean. Even though it had looked perfectly clean just a few seconds before, it now looked dirty. And it needed to be cleaned more thoroughly.

It is the same with sin. When we stand in a dark place, or a place with very little light, everything looks OK. But when the light of God shines on us, we suddenly feel less clean and the things that were hard to see are now easily seen!

The verse above says that when things are exposed to light, they are “made manifest”. That’s kind of a fancy way of saying that the light makes things visible or causes them to become known.

And this is why, when someone is backslidden, or when they are involved in things that aren’t pleasing to God, they tend to pull away and hide in the shadows. It makes the “dirt” less visible, to themselves and to others. Are we that someone? Are we hiding in the shadows?

Even though we may hide, God still sees the dirt. And we still know it’s there too. So it’s up to us to get back into the light and let God clean us up.

We might be ashamed of what we have done or of the dirt that’s on us. But God isn’t there to condemn us or point an accusing finger at us. He just wants us to make things right and move on.

God is a clean-up specialist!

So let’s move into the light. Let’s let Him clean us up and bring us back to where we belong.

1 John 1:7 (NKJV) 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie

Seven Seas Ministries
P.O. Box 272
Bradford, RI 02808

401-315-0902

If you know someone who will enjoy this or be encouraged by it, please feel free to share it with them!

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