Step 5: I Have Sinned in My Heart

STEP 5

I Have Admitted to Jehovah El Nose that I have sinned in my heart

Proverbs 20:9 Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure; I am clean and without sin?” (NIV)

  

               Jesus gave the parable about a man who had two sons. The youngest son asked his father to give him his portion of the family inheritance early. Therefore, the father divided his property between his two sons. The youngest son decided to go exploring and wasted his money on wild living, while the other son stayed and worked on his father’s property. There was a severe famine in the land where the youngest son was living. Everyone struggled greatly, but he managed to get a little job tending to pigs. The job barely gave enough money for him to sustain himself. He was so hungry that the pigs’ food looked appetizing to him. There was no one who was able to help him and therefore, he made the decision to return home. Luke 15:17-20 ⁽¹⁷⁾”When he came to his senses he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! ⁽¹⁸⁾I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. ⁽¹⁹⁾I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.’ ⁽²⁰⁾So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.” (NIV)

               The son returned to his father’s house not expecting a warm reception, but thinking that he would be considered the least in the household and presume the role of a servant. As a servant, he would be provided with water, food, shelter and clean clothes, which was better than living amongst the pigs. The role of a servant was certainly more appealing to him than his current situation. However, his father gave him a welcome that he did not expect to receive. His father was not angry with him nor reminded him of his failures, but received him with open arms. He was not harboring feelings of unforgiveness in his heart, but only those of love and excitement about his son’s return. The father gave him a great feast and dressed him in his best robe, supplied his feet with sandals, and placed a ring on his finger.

               When the other son heard of this, he became upset. He didn’t think that the younger son should have received such treatment. Nevertheless, the father explained to his son that his brother was dead to them as a family because he had left and was no longer in their lives. However, He had returned alive to them once more. The had been lost as was trying to find his way, but had been found by returning home. Most importantly, the younger son was forgiven.

               The younger son in the parable admitted that he had sinned. He knew that his choice was a wrong one and that he had lived his life lavishly on sinful living. This was the first step towards forgiveness even of himself. Luke 15:21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ ” When you desire forgiveness, you must admit that there was an act done that needed to be forgiven. This is why we are to confess our sins to God and others whom we have wronged. 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (NIV) Once we confess our sins, Jehovah El Nose offers us forgiveness. Just as the father in the parable forgave his younger son, Jehovah El Nose does the same with us and we are to do the same with others. Admitting our wrong is a key step in receiving the forgiveness of God and others. If we are the ones offended, even if an admittance is not made, we STILL must FORGIVE.

               When we fail to forgive others, we are committing SIN. Jehovah El Nose constantly forgives His children every minute, hour and daily basis. This is why Jesus came to die, so that we would not be loss. Nevertheless, if we choose to not admit that we are harboring unforgiveness in our hearts, when that is the case, then we are no better than the ones whom we have chosen not forgiven. As a matter of fact, the person who has asked forgiveness of his sin will enter Heaven and the one who failed to forgive will enter hell. There are no excuses in Jehovah El Nose’s eyes. Unforgiveness is SIN!