A New Beginning

Greg Laurie: God has said, "Your sins and iniquities will I remember no more." So if God has chosen to no longer remember them, why should I keep remembering them?

Guest (Male): Coming up today on A New Beginning, Pastor Greg Laurie has good counsel for those sins that we just can't seem to leave in our past.

Greg Laurie: God has taken your sins and he's cast them into the depths of the sea. You can't see them. They're gone, they're forgiven, and they're forgotten. And we need to remember that and not be crippled by them.

Guest (Male): Many of us remember our most embarrassing moment. Maybe we said something we shouldn't have or did something we shouldn't have. It may have been silly or something serious, but we remember everything about that moment.

Sometimes our sin can be like that. We know the Lord has forgiven us, but we're not too sure we've forgiven us. Today on A New Beginning, Pastor Greg Laurie helps us see just how complete the Lord's forgiveness is. It's just as if it never happened.

Greg Laurie: We live in a world full of fake things. We live in a world full of fake things. And I feel like we're living in an anti-Christ culture. And remember, anti doesn't just mean against, it also means instead of.

And I feel like right now our culture is flooded with fake things or instead-of versions of Jesus, things that people want to turn their attention to. I want you to think for a moment about the Ten Commandments. What is the first commandment of ten that God gives us? Is it you shall not commit adultery? Is it you shall not murder? Is it you shall not steal or you shall not covet?

No, the first commandment, according to God, which would to me tend to focus on the priority of it, is you shall have no other gods before me. See, if we have that one right, it will affect us in the keeping of all the other commandments.

So number one: have no other gods before me. Commandment number two: don't make any graven images. So God doesn't want to share his glory with anyone. But yet, in our culture today, it seems like we're looking for substitutes for Jesus. We live in an ABC culture: anything but Christ. So let's dig in and see what John has to say to us in chapter three, starting in verse seven.

"Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as he is righteous. He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. For whoever has been born of God does not sin, for his seed remains in him and he cannot sin because he's been born of God."

All right, so Satan is real and always has been. The devil comes to accuse and deceive. So it's kind of scary when you think about it and you think how can we overcome the devil, and that brings me to my next point. Jesus has already defeated Satan. Jesus has already defeated Satan.

Look at 1 John 3:8. "For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for his seed remains in him and he cannot sin because he's been born of God."

So why was Jesus Christ manifested? Why did he come to our planet? Well, he came to die for the sin of the world, needless to say. But he also came to destroy the works of the devil. At the cross, Satan was canceled. We hear about people being canceled today. Jesus canceled Satan.

And it's talked about in Colossians 2:14 where it says Christ canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away, nailing it to the cross. In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities and shamed them publicly by the victory over them on the cross. So Jesus canceled the record. The word here used for record is a handwritten certificate of debt.

So imagine this for a moment. Here is a list, and on this list is your name. And there below your name is a list of every sin you've ever committed throughout your life. That would be a long list, would it not? And they just go through page after page after page, and you're just absolutely horrified by it.

But here's what this verse is teaching. When Christ died on the cross, he canceled that list. He canceled every sin, canceled every lie, canceled everything you've done wrong. He paid for it, and he defeated it. And I know there are times when some sins seem undefeated. There's addictions in your life that you don't feel you can break. There are weaknesses you have that you don't feel you can overcome. But according to this verse and other verses, this has been dealt with at the cross.

But let's think for a moment about his strategy. I mentioned he's called the accuser of the brethren. It's important we understand how this works. He is the accuser of the brethren. So here's how it rolls. You're just sitting somewhere, maybe even in church. Sitting in church.

And suddenly the most wicked, twisted thought comes into your mind. I mean, really bad. You can't even believe this thought is in your mind. And you can't believe this thought is in your mind in church of all places. And immediately the accuser of the brethren says, "What kind of a twisted person are you? Why would you think such a thought?"

But here's the thing. It's not a sin to be tempted. It's only a sin if you give in to the temptation. The issue of sin is not in the bait, it's in the bite. So if the devil comes and dangles something before you, that doesn't mean you've done a single thing wrong. Jesus himself was tempted.

It's not a sin to be tempted, but you have a choice. I can let that thought into my mind, let it become a part of my thought processes, or I can reject that thought at the outset and not let it in. That's why the Bible says casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God.

The Bible also says you will keep them in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you. So if you let that thought in, now we have a problem. And then even worse, if you act on that thought, far worse. But if you just cut it off right there, you don't open the door, you don't entertain it, then you don't have to feel bad. You can just say, "Get behind me, Satan." The Bible says resist the devil and he'll flee from you. Get out of here.

But he tempts us, and then he accuses us for being tempted, right? So let's say that you gave in to that temptation, at least mentally. You entertained it, you took it for a test drive, and then you realized this is wrong, this is sinful. "God, I'm sorry. Forgive me." The devil said, "Don't go to God and say you're sorry. God's not going to hear your prayer. You're a hypocrite."

Okay, listen. I can go to God anytime because Christ died for my sin and has given me access. Satan is always going to use your sins in a hateful and condemning way to drive you from the cross. The Holy Spirit will convict you of your sins in a loving way to bring you to the cross. Anything that drives you from the cross is from the devil. Don't listen to it. I can go to Christ right now. I can be forgiven. Yes, I sinned, but I repent of that sin and I ask you to forgive me. I am forgiven by God.

That brings me to my next point. If we really know God, we will love our brothers and sisters. Look at 1 John 3:14. "We know that we passed from death to life because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him."

The word hate means to habitually despise. This is not just a transient emotion. This is a deep-rooted loathing. Now we all get ticked off with people at times, like driving, and you honk. Do you ever honk? I've never thought of myself as a honker, per se, but I guess I am.

I was driving with my granddaughter Riley the other day, and I said, "Riley, who's the best driver you know?" Now I wanted her to say me because I think I'm a pretty good driver. She said, "My dad." "Oh, really? Why do you say your dad?" She said, "Because he doesn't honk at people." I said, "I don't honk at people." She said, "Oh, Papa, you honk at people a lot."

So I guess I'm a honker. But that's not what John is talking about. Not a honker, but a hater where you want to destroy that person. And you don't want to be that person who has that kind of sin in your life. And that is exactly what he's dealing with here.

Guest (Male): Pastor Greg Laurie will have the second half of his message in just a moment.

We're glad you're along for today's message from Pastor Greg called "Unshakable: When Faith Feels Fragile." Now we shift gears and we come to the final movement of what he's saying to us in 1 John 3.

Greg Laurie: We're in verse 19. He says, "We know we're of the truth and we shall assure our hearts before him. For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart and he knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God that whatever we ask we receive of him because we keep his commandments and do those things that are pleasing in his sight."

Sometimes our heart condemns us. Sometimes we do something we should not have done, and we feel bad about it. And we just can't get over it. The devil gets a foothold and he keeps condemning us for it because we crossed the line and we know we crossed the line and we keep beating ourselves up.

Okay, speaking of honking, I was back in New York City recently. They're very big on honking in New York City. They honk all day and all night long. Two in the morning, they're honking. It's just a honky city. I didn't mean it that way, but whatever. Everybody's honking.

So I'm crossing a crosswalk. And this is a big, long crosswalk across many lanes of traffic. I wait for it to go green, and I start walking across. I'm walking with all the other people, and all of a sudden this car like parked right in the front lays on his horn. I jump and I know I should have just kept walking, but I was kind of ticked off, to be honest with you.

I went around to the side of the car, I gestured for him to roll down his window. I said, "Why did you honk at me?" He said, "Because you crossed the line." I'm in a crosswalk. I kind of started going over the crosswalk to go on the sidewalk. I said, "Everyone crossed the line." He said, "But you crossed the line." And his window went back up.

Well, that was a little overkill on his part. I didn't murder him. Now let me explain. In my heart, I murdered him. No, I didn't. Maybe for a moment I might have. But that was very upsetting. I mean, it's one thing to honk at a person in their car, it's another thing to honk at a pedestrian.

Now I'm justifying my honking, aren't I? Isn't that what I'm doing? But the reality is it was overkill. You don't need to honk at someone that crosses over a little line. I still was in my little time where I could cross over, but our heart does that to us sometimes. "You crossed the line. You messed up." And I'm condemned for it.

So John is saying even if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart. And coming back to the blood of Jesus. You know, I did cross the line, but Jesus died on the cross. And I'm forgiven, and my sin is canceled, and my sin is forgiven, and my sin is forgotten. Right? So that's something to remember.

I should not choose to remember what God has chosen to forget. And God has said, "Your sins and iniquities will I remember no more." So if God has chosen to no longer remember them, why should I keep remembering them? God even says, "I'll take your sins and cast them into the depths of the sea."

Years ago, I was out scuba diving in Maui. I went down about 30 feet, which is not that deep, but it's somewhat deep. And we were going along and there was you could see the ground floor of the ocean below. And then suddenly we came out to a spot where you couldn't see the ground floor anymore. It was this deep cavern of nothingness.

And we kind of went over it and it kind of freaked me out. And I turned around and swam back. I had not gone any deeper, I wasn't in any greater danger, but there was something very menacing and frightening to me about the fact that I could not see the bottom of where I was. And God has taken your sins and he's cast them into the depths of the sea. You can't see them. They're gone, they're forgiven, and they're forgotten. And we need to remember that and not be crippled by them.

Okay, coming back to an earlier point and then I'm going to wrap this up. The devil doesn't want me to know any of these things. The devil doesn't want me to know that I can approach God no matter what because of the blood of Christ. The devil doesn't want me to know that I don't have to live under constant condemnation.

He wants to keep me trapped. He wants me to think I can never break free from that lifestyle, never break free from that addiction, never break free from this other thing. He doesn't want me to know that Christ canceled all of these things at the cross. But we need to know what God wants us to know and let it affect us in the way that we live.

So the devil will always try to keep you away from Jesus. And maybe I'm talking to somebody here that has messed up in life. You've crossed the line and then some, and you feel like there's no way back for me. What a lie. Of course there's a way back. It's through Christ. But you must admit you're a sinner and you must return to him.

Remember the prodigal son, one of my favorite stories. Probably one of your favorites too. The boy went out and drug the family name through the gutter, made a mess of his life, but one day came to his senses and decided he was going to go home and say, "Father, I've sinned against you and I'm no longer worthy to be called your son. Just give me a job. I don't expect to be your son anymore, but can you just give me some employment because I'm basically starving to death."

And I love how Jesus told this story to show us what God is like. Jesus says while the boy was still a great ways off, the father saw him, had compassion on him, and ran to him and threw his arms around him and kissed him and welcomed him and said, "Rejoice with me, this my son who was dead is alive again. He who was lost is found. Put the ring on his finger," which meant he's still a son, "put a clean robe on him."

So he was welcomed back. But the boy had to admit he was a sinner. The devil will say you can't do it. Do it another time. Do it tomorrow. Do it in a month, do it in a year, do it at another event. No, the devil's word is tomorrow. God's word is today. Today is the day of salvation. Because the devil knows if you keep putting it off, you'll just come to a point where you won't even think about it anymore.

So if God's Holy Spirit is working in your heart right now—and by that I mean you're sensing a need to get right with Jesus Christ, like I need to commit my life to the Lord or I need to recommit my life to the Lord—I strongly urge you, act on this now. Don't say, "Well, I'll do tonight when I get home or I'll do it next Sunday." No, now. Right now.

This is the moment. In fact, you may never have another opportunity like this again. So we're going to close in prayer and I'm going to extend an invitation as we all pray together. Let's all bow our heads in prayer.

Father, now we've heard your word. Your word is truth. It's truth in a world of lies and fakes. Now that we've heard your truth, I pray that your Holy Spirit will convict and convince anyone who is not right with you to get right with you right now.

Now, while our heads are bowed and our eyes are closed and we're praying, if you want Jesus Christ to forgive you of your sin, if you want to know that when you die you will go to heaven, if you want this relationship with God we've been talking about, pray this out loud after me, okay? Let's pray this now. Pray these words.

Lord Jesus, I know that I'm a sinner. But I know that you're the Savior who died on the cross for my sin and rose again from the dead. Thank you for shedding your blood for me, Jesus. I turn from my sin. I'm sorry for my sin. I repent of my sin. And I choose to follow you from this moment forward as my Savior and Lord, as my God and my friend. Thank you for hearing this prayer and answering this prayer. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Guest (Male): An important prayer from Pastor Greg Laurie today here on A New Beginning. He's been praying with those who've made a change in their relationship with the Lord.

And if you've just prayed that prayer and you've meant it sincerely, we want to be the first to welcome you into the family of God. And we'd like to send you Pastor Greg's New Believer's Bible to help you get started living as a believer. It's a roadmap for new journeys of faith. It answers common questions new believers have, and it includes an easy-to-follow Bible study plan for getting the most out of your reading in God's word. We'll send it free of charge. Just contact us at 1-800-821-3300. That's 1-800-821-3300. Or go online to harvest.org.

Pastor Greg, we're so thankful for the work God is doing through this ministry. We're touching lives for eternity. And we're really thankful for our friends who see the fruit of this ministry and invest so this work can reach even further, isn't that right?

Greg Laurie: Absolutely. When you invest in Harvest Ministries, you're investing in the souls of men and women, boys and girls. And what is the value of a soul? Well, let me personalize it. What's the value of your soul? What's the value of the soul of your husband, your wife, your son or your daughter? Or your mom or your dad? Or your best friend? Well, I would say you probably couldn't put a price tag on it. It's so valuable.

Well, listen. God says all souls are mine. God loves us and sent his son to die on the cross to pay the price for all of our sins so we could be forgiven and come into a relationship with him. I can't think of a better investment of my resources, of my money, than in the work of the kingdom of God. So we would ask you to prayerfully consider investing in Harvest Ministries as we continue on to fulfill the Great Commission.

Guest (Male): That's right. And you can make your donation right now at harvest.org. Or call 1-800-821-3300. That's a 24/7 phone number: 1-800-821-3300.

Well, next time Pastor Greg has more practical encouragement from his Unshakable series in a message called "When Love Moves In, Fear Moves Out." Join us here on A New Beginning with pastor and Bible teacher Greg Laurie.