John the Baptist was said to be sent forth to prepare the way for Jesus by preaching the repentance of sins and baptized people for the remissions of their sins. He was getting people ready for Jesus’ arrival by getting them to turn from their sins and repent! For as Hebrews 12:14 tells us, “Without holiness, no man shall see the Lord.”
We can ‘prepare the way’ for the Lord in our own lives in a few simple ways.
I John tells us that if we confess our sins, we not only receive forgiveness for them (1 John 1:9), but they are washed and cleansed from us by the blood of the Lamb (1 John 1:7). They are removed as far from the east to the west (Psalms 103:12)! If we fail to acknowledge our sins, however, Proverbs 28:13 tells us that we will not prosper, “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.”
Confessing our failing does not make us feel more condemed and guilty, as the enemy would like us to believe. The wonderful thing is the moment we confess our sins, and ask the Holy Spirit to help us, peace and joy and love starts to descend on us.
Unconfessed sins in our lives can hinder us from ‘seeing the Lord’. We need to repent of our sins and turn from them and receive forgiveness (1 John 1:9). By repentance of our sins, we ‘prepare the way’ for Jesus to operate in our lives!
Confession spiritually makes us sharper, cleaner and wiser and more humble and the Holy Spirit adds virtues of grace and mercy, where instead of being condemned, we start to transform!
Rita F. Kurian
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