INTRODUCTION:

While the United States celebrates Independence Day on July 4th, we will commemorate ours on June 12th. Spiritual freedom from sin is a cherished blessing in Christ, yet some struggle to celebrate it fully due to the guilt and shame of past sins and present temptations. Psalm 51 exemplifies David’s plea for deliverance from sin’s consequences, echoed later by Israel. God longs for us to celebrate our freedom in Christ, which is attainable through faith in Him for the forgiveness of sins. To experience this freedom daily, we must grasp two crucial truths.

How can we experience true freedom everyday?

Two Truths:

1. Sin is always serious (1-9).

The reason why we do not experience true freedom in Christ in relation to sin is because we do not take sin seriously. We live in a world where sin is no longer called sin. People may call it a mistake or an error, but not sin. In addition, we excuse it by saying “Nobody’s perfect!” Or, “Everybody is doing it so it’s no big deal.” When we don’t take sin seriously, we won’t ask God for forgiveness. As a result, we will suffer sin’s consequences.

2. God is always gracious (10-19).

We will also not experience freedom in Christ when our focus is on ourselves — our failures, our weaknesses, and our sins. Satan loves to condemn us and we help him by agreeing with his condemning thoughts. Instead of focusing on who God is, we focus more on our inability to overcome our temptations. The result is a constant cycle of negativity and low self-esteem. The key is to draw near to God who is always gracious and ready to forgive if we will ask Him.

CONCLUSION:

1. “Sin is always serious but God is always gracious.”

2. Don’t treat sin lightly; take it seriously. But don’t take it too seriously that you forget who God is. He is full of mercy and grace, and He is ready to forgive if we will ask Him.

3. Confess to God if you have not taken sin seriously. At the same time, focus on who God is and approach Him with confidence, for He will forgive you if you ask Him.

DISCUSSION:

1. Have you been struggling with sin and temptation lately?

2. How do you usually respond when you fall into sin again and again?

3. When are you prone to not take sin seriously?

4. When are you prone to take it too seriously to the point that you forget who God is?

5. Why is it important to take sin seriously while at the same time remember that God is always gracious?