I don’t drink hot chocolate. But I know many people do. There was even a pop group in the late 70s with that name – Hot Chocolate. Do you remember it?
One of their songs, I seem to remember, was ‘Everyone’s a winner, baby!’
You sometimes might hear a gameshow host say it when advertising the prizes: Come on! Every-one’s a winner.
But I’m afraid we’re not winners; we’re sinners. Yes, everyone’s a sinner, baby! People need to realise that everyone’s a sinner. But most people don’t, or they choose to ignore the fact.
I heard a former political advisor this morning on the Today programme. She was commenting on the current problems in Westminster – you know, accusations being made against a former prime minister; private Whats App messages relating to a former Health Secretary that have been openly shared by a person who signed a non-disclosure agreement; a Home Office official who produced the critical report about what became known as Partygate, now being offered a senior job with the leader of the opposition. The former advisor concluded after all this discussion, ’You have to re-member that people are human and these things happen.’
I wanted to shout out, ’… AND IT’S BECAUSE THEY’RE SINNERS! Yes, perhaps the song words should say, Everyone’s a sinner, baby!
And everyone desperately needs to acknowledge that they are a sinner before the Most High God. They desperately need to turn to the Son of the Most High God – Jesus Christ – in repentance and to find true forgiveness – even if in this world there will be those who won’t forgive them if they’re wronged – but Jesus will.
In 1 John 1: 8 –10 (NLT) we read:
If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him (Jesus), he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wicked-ness. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.
So where do we stand, or rather, where do you stand before this great holy God? Have you really acknowledged that you are a sinner, have you truly repented, and believed in the Lord Jesus, that he should go to the lengths that he did in coming to this earth, dying in your place, bearing your sins in his own body? That He should have done this for you? If you’ve not, it’s quite simple, you are fooling yourself; you, in effect are calling God a liar.
If we do turn to God in repentance and faith in Jesus, He really does live in our heart, and we start to live in the truth. Actually, that’s how sin-ners can become winners, because of what Christ has done for us. Do you know this chorus?
On the victory side, On the victory side No foe can harm me, no fear alarm me, On the victory side. On the victory side, On the victory side With Christ within, the fight we’ll win. On the victory side.
Praise God, when we know Christ as our Lord and King, we’re all winners!
Steve
Elder
March 2023
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