Sin! It is in all of us. Even the most perfect person we know deals with sin on one level or another. In 1 John 1:8 (English Standard Version), we read, If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

Moreover, Romans 3:10 (New International Version) says, As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous – not even one.” And Romans 3:23 (New International Version) says, For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

All Have Sinned
If we deal directly with sin, we must think of sin as a living being. Look square in the face of sin and see it for what it is. Call it out. What is it doing? What is it saying? And how does it make us feel?

It is safe to answer, “My sin makes me feel great!” to the question about how sin makes us feel. Let’s be honest. Quite often, when we are in the midst of our sins, we feel fantastic. We enjoy doing what we are doing as we are doing it. But, at the end of the day, after we are all done sinning, we are left feeling worse for having engaged in the sin, and the compulsion to seek forgiveness surfaces. It is a relentless cycle that weakens our souls with each encounter with sin.

Let me share an example of how this might play out. Let’s say your sin is the sin of revenge. People who seek revenge feel that the bible verse found in Matthew 5:38 allows them to take action against people who mistreated them. Matthew 5:38 says, You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’
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Let me quickly share that this bible verse is not about taking revenge on others. No. This bible verse is meant as a guide for judges to set appropriate fines to punish someone who caused harm to another. It is a way to establish a punishment fit for the crime. It does not mean that if someone does something that causes you to lose your eye, you now stick a stake in their eye, causing them to lose their eye. A more appropriate fine would be for the person to pay for your medical bills and all that is required to help you regain or accommodate your loss of sight. 

​Proverbs 20:22 (New International Version) says, Do not say, ‘I’ll pay you back for this wrong!’ Wait for the Lord, and he will avenge you.

Revenge Won’t Solve Your Problem
Revenge won’t solve your problem. Quite often, while you are in the midst of revenge, it feels like you have conquered your opponent. In fact, revenge facilitates increased anger and retaliation—another vicious cycle.

In talking to people who have sought revenge and won, they have shared with me how they feel they left a piece of themselves in the battle after winning.

Let me share a story to show how revenge works. Now, let me say first this story is fiction. The names are fictitious and do not represent anyone you or I know. The names are added so that the story can be followed easily.

Cover ​Photo Credit: Photo by Yaroslav Shuraev: https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-whispering-near-the-woman-s-ear-5085562/

Easter is a highly celebrated event whether you are an Episcopalian, Catholic, Lutheran, Methodist, or "Christian" or some other doctrine you subscribe to. With its themes of Jesus' triumph over death and His resurrection, we prepare ourselves for the Ascension of our Lord.

It is important to remember that Salvation is not just a historical event that occurred in the distant past to other people in other areas. Easter is truly an opportunity for rebirth for those who grasp it. The spiritual energies available during the resurrection are available here and now. 

People interested in their spiritual growth and well-being eagerly look upon the Easter season. The rituals we observe allow us time for reflection, prayer, and repentance, which can lead to our rebirth.
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The early Christians no longer focused on the exodus from Egyptian Bondage but on a new kind of departure from the Bondage of sin to the new life of our Risen Lord. 

Sinfulness lies deep within a person; it is an attitude, a willingness to turn one's face away from the Creator. Often we are not even conscious of this shift away from God.

Only after one realizes that he has turned his face away and separated himself can he hope for perfect reunification. But how do we move from our deeply flawed state of sin to reconciliation? The followers of Christ have been furnished with the cure. Through the saving action of Christ, each of us has been reconciled to God. Once and for all, Jesus has paid the price for us to redeem ourselves.

Jesus Died For Us
Jesus died on the cross. Jesus was nailed to the cross. Yes, He was nailed! If you have ever had injections at the doctor's office, you know the feeling of pain that came with that skinny little needle. And, in a few seconds, the pain was gone. Now imagine what it was like for Jesus to have nails driven into His palm as He hung on a cross so that he could bleed until He died. The weight of His body certainly added to the torrential pain.

​Can you imagine the pain He certainly suffered? And, He suffered that pain for you and me.
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Good Friday was the day Jesus died. And then He was resurrected on Easter Sunday. If we study the work and the teachings of Jesus, we find nothing but selfless giving and miraculous cures. Jesus could cure miraculously because He was the Son of God. But did He gain any material comforts? Any pleasures? Not really. He didn't gain any goods from what He did. And, still, He lived a life of giving beyond measure. We read story after story of Jesus, the man who, while He Himself suffered, took away the sufferings of others. Even His death was excruciating. And remember, He suffered that pain for you and me.

He suffered that pain so that our sins could be forgiven. He sustained that pain so that our slate of sin could be wiped clean, and we can now have a genuine relationship with God, our Creator.

What does Jesus' life teach us? It teaches us not to give suffering to others but take suffering ourselves. It teaches us to comfort others. It teaches us selfless giving. It teaches us to forgive even if extreme pain is inflicted upon us. It teaches us to love all and hate none.

We must remember that life is a series of stops and starts, spiritual advancement and spiritual retreat. We have "spiritual growth spurts" throughout our lives until the day we die. The spiritual energy of the Easter Season affords us a unique opportunity to grasp hold of our redemption.

Let us celebrate Easter Sunday, remembering the teachings and sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

The Lord wants us to spread peace by living and giving selflessly. We honor Him by spreading goodness, happiness, and cheer worldwide.

I hope that this Easter, you will take the opportunity to explore the reason for the season in your own life.

We at Voice of Hope wish you a very Happy Easter!

​Photo Credits: Photo by Rodolfo Clix: https://www.pexels.com/photo/silhouette-image-of-person-praying-1615776/

Copright 2023 Marlene C Bertrand

​Today, one of my friends asked if I have favorite scriptures. The truth is, I have several favorite scriptures. John 3:16, Hebrews 11:1, and 1 Corinthians 13:13. But, if I had to pick one, it would be 1 Corinthians 13:13 because I feel it encompasses the concept of everything I believe about life with Jesus.

John 3:16 (NKJV) 

​John 3:16 is a verse that summarizes everything we need to know about God. Concisely and stated, God loved the world so much that He sacrificed His only Son so that our sins could be forgiven.

The world had become separated and rebellious against God. Sin was rampant. And, you see, God could not look upon sin, so something had to be done. A sacrifice of atonement had to be made.

When we sacrifice something, it should be precious. What good is a sacrifice that we don’t care about? Is it a sacrifice if we are willing to throw it away anyway? No, a sacrifice is something valuable to us, and the thought of giving it up makes it a sacrifice.

God loved His Son like a father loves a child. And God loves us like a father loves a child. The sacrifice of God’s only child is a sacrifice like no other. And, He made that sacrifice so that our sins could be forgiven, we could have a way to build a relationship with Him, and we could be invited into the Kingdom of Heaven to enjoy a glorious life forever in the presence of God, our Creator. 

There is no greater love than the love our Father has for us. His sacrifice is evidence of that.

Hebrews 11:1 (NKJV)  

​We know there is a Creator, God. We know God saved us through His Son, Jesus Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross. And we know that Christ is coming back for us.

We know God loves us merely by all He has done for us. We have faith in God’s promises. Our Father has never and never will lie to us. Hope is living this life without a doubt, but with the expectation of Jesus returning to take us home to the Father’s Kingdom.

1 Corinthians 13:13 (NKJV)  

Love is the greatest gift of all time. It is a gift that can be given and received simultaneously. It is out of love that we have been saved. Out of love, we have been given an opportunity to have eternal life in Heaven. And, for that, we are asked to do nothing except to believe and accept Jesus Christ as our Savior.

Jesus Christ is the epitome of love. His sacrifice says it all. We live life with faith and hope of His return. As He loves us, He asks us to love others. Bestow upon others the kind of love He has bestowed upon us.

​Do you have favorite scriptures?

​Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-in-white-jacket-sitting-beside-woman-in-blue-dress-shirt-6860466/

Copyright Marlene C Bertrand April 1, 2023