We talked about the agreement between man and God to establish the needed relationship and covenant to ‘walk together.’  We discussed agreement on man’s condition.  Now, we will move forward or further and consider additional agreements required to maintain a relationship with God that is fruitful and lasting.

• There Must Be Agreement About the Sin Situation.

It is vital that we come into full agreement with God, His Word, and His Spirit as to sin.  We must define what sin is, how it is committed, it’s nature, and penalty.  God has not avoided this subject in scripture and made some clear and definitive declarations.

We know that sin is not acceptable to God.  If we seek to define sin, I’m quite sure that we would find the task impossible to fully satisfy every inquiring mind.  A room of 100 people would probably produce 100 different definitions or variations, so we need to stick to what God says as much as possible in our pursuit of understanding.

I suggest that sin involves motive, not just an action.  In fact, a good deed done for a devious purpose out of selfishness and self-aggrandizement would reveal an impure motive.  That violates the heart and character of God.  Sin involves selfishness and makes it all about me and what I can get out of the activity or action.  Sin, it could be argued is relative to the spiritual light we are walking in.  James 4:17 – “Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.” 

It is important and necessary that we see sin as God does.  God looks at the heart and examines the motive, not just the outward or the action.  (1 Samuel 16:7).  We, are to do ‘self-examination.’ (2 Corinthians 13:5).  God considers our understanding or spiritual light.  God views sin in light of true benevolence.  He looks at the condition or attitude of rebellion and selfishness. 

We are told in Matthew 6:24 that we cannot serve ‘two masters.’  In the Greek, the word master implies the one to whom a person or a thing belongs and over which the owner or master has the power of deciding.  God is the owner!  You are not your own, you have been bought with a price.  Sin must always be viewed by us as it is by God if we are to walk in agreement.  Otherwise, we will water down what it is and what it does.

• There Must Be Agreement About the Right Way to Live.

Hebrews 12:14 directs that we are to, “Follow peace with all men, and holiness without which no man can see the LORD.”  That is interesting, we are told to ‘follow holiness’ a lost word and concept in the modern church.  I would contend this can be applied as saying we must agree with God as to Holy Living.  Let me offer a very simplistic definition of Holiness.  It is walking in all the light and understanding spiritually that you have and doing so with total honesty.

Following Holiness must include and involve:  Desiring to have more light or understanding from the Lord.  It must include an honest examination of all motives and actions.  It must include repentance whenever and wherever we fall short.  It includes the elimination from our lives of all motives and acts that are in disunity with the precepts of God’s Word and His moral law.  It involves manifesting, in our lives, true benevolence and allow the precepts of God’s word to shape our character, words, and deeds.

It is as we practice the known precepts of God’s Word and Moral Law that we become more like Him.  As we pursue Truth, studying to show ourselves approved we find that He reveals more and more of Himself to us and extends greater grace for us to live.  It is to walk in Agreement with God about Everything!

We agree as to our responsibility for our sin. We are guilty and have missed the mark.  We agree as to our need for redemption because of that sin.  We agree as to the right way to live and agree as to God’s Ultimate Authority.  That is to be our objective, Agreement with God.  We align ourselves by the aide of the Holy Spirit with God’s Word.

Here is my confession before God: “Lord, I am guilty of my sin.  There is no one to blame for it but me.  There is no one to share my guilt.  I have sinned.  I realize that sin is not and cannot be acceptable to You and if I am not doing what I know You want me to do, I stand guilty and confess.  I realize that to continue in rebellion will separate me from You and I desire to be one with You.  I recognize that you desire, and demand holiness and I ask that you transform me by the renewing of my mind and enable me to become one with You.  I give you my heart and my life.”

God bless you as you enjoy this day in Jesus!