WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL
AUGUST 13, 2023
TOPIC: DON’T TOLERATE SIN IN YOUR LIFE
BY T. O. BANSO
“If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell” (Matthew 5:29-30 New King James Version).
Most times, people are quick to point out the sins of others but do not admit and repent of their sins. It is common to find a thief calling another person a thief just because he has not been caught! We have, all around us, cases of the pot calling the kettle black.
When a sincere person hears about the moral failure or sin of another person, his first reaction should be to examine himself to be sure he is not guilty of the same. His reaction should not be a holier-than-thou attitude or being judgmental. He should not find joy in helping to spread the news or making fun of the person in question. Most times, those who make the loudest noise about others’ sins are guilty of the same. They are hypocrites.
Before you talk about the sins of others, examine yourself. 1 Corinthians 11:28 says a man should examine himself before he eats the Lord’s Supper. Similarly, 2 Corinthians 13:5 says you should examine yourself as to whether you are in the faith. Examine yourself, not condemn others for their sins. Don’t tolerate your own sins while you condemn others for their sins. Your sinfulness could even be worse than theirs.
Jesus says, “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye” (Matthew 7:1-5 New King James Version). Luke 6:37-38, 41-42 records similar words by Jesus.
Don’t tolerate sin in your life while you condemn others for their sins. Don’t talk about another person’s adultery and ignore your anger! Don’t point out the murder someone has committed and be silent about your own fornication. Fornication or adultery will take someone to hellfire as much as anger or murder will.
See the list of the sins the Bible says will take sinners to hellfire: “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:19-21 New King James Version).
In case anyone is rejoicing that his sins are not included in the list, please read it again because every sin is there. The Bible says, “and the like.” That means the list is not exhaustive. Every other sin comes under the phrase “and the like.” No sin should be tolerated because it is small. Every sin is big enough to send anyone to hellfire. Don’t tolerate any sin in your life.
Don’t sit down with anyone judging others’ sins when you’re guilty of the same. Romans 2:1 says, “Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things” (New King James Version).
In Revelation 2:2b, the Lord says about the church in Ephesus, “I know you don’t tolerate evil people” (New Living Translation). That was a good commendation. But beyond not tolerating evil people, we must not tolerate evil in our lives. However, unlike the church in Ephesus, the church in Pergamum tolerated evil. Verse 14 of the same chapter, says, “But I have a few complaints against you. You tolerate some among you whose teaching is like that of Balaam, who showed Balak how to trip up the people of Israel. He taught them to sin by eating food offered to idols and by committing sexual sin” (New Living Translation).
Nobody should tolerate any sin in his life. Sexual desire for another woman or man other than one’s spouse will take one to hellfire just as engaging in the actual act will. Mental adultery is a sin just as the sexual act is. Therefore, don’t condemn the person guilty of the actual sexual act and think you’re better because yours is just mental adultery.
Jesus says, “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:27-29 (New King James Version).
As long as you tolerate a particular sin in your life, explaining it away, justifying it, or trivializing it, you will never gain victory over it. Don’t minimize or trivialize any sin in your life. If you do, it will become Satan’s stronghold, and it will be impossible to live a victorious Christian life. Call a sin a sin. Don’t glamorize sin. Adultery is adultery, not an affair! A lady who is a fornicator or adulteress is just that; she is not a side chick. A prostitute is a prostitute, not a sex worker. Call a spade a spade.
Jesus says you should not treat lightly any sin in your life because it can send you to hell. Remove the log of wood in your eyes instead of trying to remove the speck in the other person’s eyes. Deal with the sins in your life, no matter the pain it will cause you, just as surgeons have to cut off whatever they need to cut off that is dangerous to the overall health of their patients to save them.
Jesus puts it this way: “If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell” (Matthew 5:29-30 New King James Version).
In that scripture, Jesus is not talking about actually removing your eyes or cutting your arm; He was only using a figure of speech. In other words, don’t be lenient with yourself in getting victory over sin in your life. Do whatever is in your power and in cooperation with the Holy Spirit to be delivered from any sin in your life. Don’t depend on your willpower; depend on the power of Jesus that defeated Satan on the cross. Don’t justify any sin. Don’t say everybody is doing it. That’s not true.
Psalm 5:4 says, “O God, you take no pleasure in wickedness; you cannot tolerate the sins of the wicked” (New Living Translation). You shouldn’t tolerate sin, not only in other people’s lives but also in your life. You must love the sinner but you must not tolerate sin in their lives. David says, “I will not tolerate people who slander their neighbors. I will not endure conceit and pride” (Psalm 101:5 New Living Translation). This is good but, beyond it, don’t condone slander in your life; don’t be a slanderer. More importantly, don’t tolerate any sin in your life.
Repent of your sins, yield yourself to the control of the Holy Spirit for victory over sin, and accept responsibility for your life by avoiding what can make you sin. Do not succumb to temptations. Resist or endure temptations. “Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him” (James 1:12 New King James Version).
Jesus Christ died to save you from your sins. Have you surrendered your life to Him?
TAKE ACTION!
If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus now. I urge you to take the following steps: *Admit that you are a sinner and you cannot save yourself and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life – your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church. There they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.
Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto You today. I know I am a sinner and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and God raised Him on the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I surrender my life to Jesus now and invite Him into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.
I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You will need to join a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church in your area where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like a palm tree and grow like a cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.
PRAYER POINTS: Father, I repent of my sins and receive forgiveness from You, Father. I will not tolerate sin in my life. I will remove the log of wood in my eyes instead of trying to remove the speck in another person’s eyes. Holy Spirit, keep me from having a holier-than-thou attitude or being judgmental.
(For over 900 in-depth and powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).
T. O. Banso is the President of Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
Phone No: +2348155744752, +2348033113523
WhatsApp No: +2349081295947
Email: cedarministryintl@yahoo.com,
cedarministryng@gmail.com
Website: www.cedarministry.org
