If A Person Sins

In one of the groups I am a part of, I read the following post:

If a person sins…..sin is sin……but involuntarily…… (many times deep say sorry to the Lord),

1.  The speaking in tongues of that person can be categorized as?????? (just  random questions)

2. consequences

3.  if that particular sin is “linked” to generational bondage/curses

Note: the person finds himself doing things involuntarily

When I read that, immediately all of these thoughts started coming up in my head:

• His mercy endures forever.

• He will have mercy on who he will have mercy.

• The Holy Spirit is not constrained by anyone. After all He is God.

• If your heart condemns you, He is greater than your heart.

• Yes…there are consequences.

• Set that person free!

• Does that person WANT to be free?

• Do not judge.

• If we repent he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Then I decided to write this blog post. First, I want to say that I have experienced this kind of bondage and thank Yeshua that He was patient, longsuffering, kind and, yes, merciful! He gave me time to repent, and repent and repent…until finally I received deliverance. However, there has been consequences. Some are known, others unknown. Some people though need scriptural proof for one’s experiences. So where in scripture, the infallible Word of God, did I get all of those thoughts?

First, I am going to address #2, Consequences! The scripture that sums it all up best in my opinion is Romans 6:23 NASB “For the wages of sin is death,…” but thank goodness for the but, “…but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Consequences can be other things besides the sinner’s literal death though. There can be a death to relationships, death to trust or joy or dreams or someone else or a beloved pet. (All of which I have experienced.)  Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life. He can and often does resurrect dead relationships, emotions and dreams. (He is doing that for me.) What the sinner must do first though, is repent and get free from repeating the cycle of death. And thank goodness there is hope for that!

How do I know there is hope for that? Well, I am a recipient of that hope. Also, for those who need chapter and verse, the Bible has many promises. Check out the following scriptures:

1. Psalm 136 King James Version (KJV) – a whole chapter where “for his mercy endureth for ever” is repeated over and over.

2. Romans 11:30-31 New American Standard Bible (NASB) For just as you once were disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience, so these also now have been disobedient, that because of the mercy shown to you they also may now be shown mercy.

3. Romans 9:15 New American Standard Bible (NASB) For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”

4. Psalm 115:3 New American Standard Bible (NASB) But our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases.

5. 1 John 3:19-20 New American Standard Bible (NASB) We will know by this that we are of the truth, and will assure our heart before Him in whatever our heart condemns us; for God is greater than our heart and knows all things.

6. Matthew 10:8 New American Standard Bible (NASB) Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give.

7. Matthew 12:43-45 New American Standard Bible (NASB) Now when the unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came’; and when it comes, it finds it unoccupied, swept, and put in order. Then it goes and takes along with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first. That is the way it will also be with this evil generation.”

8. Matthew 7:1-3 New American Standard Bible (NASB) “Do not judge so that you will not be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?

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

While these are just a few scriptures, I think I have supported and/or justified most of my thoughts. The only thought that I couldn’t find a scripture for is “The Holy Spirit is not constrained by anyone. After all He is God.” Well, of course the Holy Spirit is God and God can do as he pleases right? So if the Holy Spirit chooses to speak through someone in sin, then He will. I have to admit that his has been a hard one for me as well. I saw pastors and other church leaders full of the devil, and still speaking in tongues and preaching truth. I was in sin and for a time had a demon, but spoke in tongues. So, what can we say? Truth is truth. What a person does or does not do does not change that fact. Also, what a person does or does not do does not change who God is or take away His power and authority.

What the Lord has shown me is that because of His mercy, He allows us to continue in a less than perfect relationship with Him while the Holy Spirit convicts us of our sin and woos us into a more perfect relationship through repentance leading to obedience. That is why we are not to judge another person. We do not know what is going on behind the scenes, in that one’s heart, between that person and the Holy Spirit. I for one am really glad and thankful that I was allowed to serve Him while working out my own salvation and deliverance issues. In fact, I am still working towards a more perfect relationship with my Lord and Savior. I hope and pray that you are, too!