How Are We to Understand Sin?

Sin is technically defined as a “transgression of the law of God.” These transgressions can be divided into two categories — doing what God forbids (sins of commission) or failing to do what God commands (sins of omission). Sin has also been defined as any failure to conform to the moral character of God. Mankind is commanded to be holy just as the Lord is holy. Indeed we were created in the moral image of God. Thus, we are expected to maintain that perfect image.

By God’s standard, we are all lost. Sadly, most people fail to recognize this desperate condition, because they choose to compare themselves to other fallen people. A drug addict would never recognize the tragic depths of his lifestyle if he were only comparing himself to other addicts. The only way to open the eyes of an addict is to make him realize the destructive nature of his addiction as compared to a healthy lifestyle of sobriety.

As John Piper, the famous Baptist pastor and author, rightly noted:

The terrible condition of man’s heart will never be recognized by people who assess it only in relation to other men…. Depravity is our condition in relation to God… Unless we start here we will never grasp the totality of our natural depravity.”

Our condition is far worse than a mere spiritual sickness. The Scripture declares that “you were dead in your transgressions and sins” (Eph 2:1), and so long as you remain saturated by your sins, you will remain spiritually dead before a God who cannot and will not tolerate sin.

In the modern era, many people consider the concept of “sin” archaic or outdated. Sadly, some Christians, even pastors, shrink from even mentioning the word — fearing that it might offend people. These pastors would rather encourage their congregations without making anyone uncomfortable. However, sin is an essential component of the gospel message. If we ignore it, then we strip the gospel of its purpose and power. It would be foolish to expect a man to worship Jesus as his Savior while simultaneously pretending that he has no sins from which to be saved.

On the other extreme, we find churches that actually embrace sinful behaviors. These churches choose to ignore the holiness of God. Instead, they actually invent their own version of god with few moral standards. Such churches teach their members that God is not bothered by sinful actions like abortion, divorce, homosexuality, or premarital sex.

Both of these approaches are wrong, and neither will bring men into conformity with Christ. 

Sin: A Personal Betrayal of God

It is easy to assign a technical definition to sin, but we must never forget that sin constitutes nothing less than a personal betrayal of God. The Lord has freely offered us citizenship as adopted sons in His heavenly Kingdom, yet the brazen sinner rejects His kindness and attempts to establish His own kingdom on earth. Such a person seeks whatever is right in his own eyes, and each of his actions is an individual declaration of rebellion leveled against the throne of God.

There is no such thing as moral neutrality. Each and every moral decision evokes a pledge of allegiance from us. Either we are aligned with the eternal kingdom of God, or we are striving to build our own petty kingdoms on earth.

An evil man is bent only on rebellion… (Prov 17:11).

This rebellion does not typically advertise itself with banners or bumper stickers. Rather it is demonstrated by the mundane decisions that place selfish desires above God’s commands. Examine yourself. How do you spend your time, talent, and treasure in this life? Do you engage in any habitual behavior that you know is displeasing to the Lord? Do you find it easy to lie when it serves your purposes? How often are you willing to compromise virtue for pleasure?

Such rebellion may not seem like a defiant shout in God’s face, but it is, nevertheless, an intentional rejection of His lordship over your life. There is no insignificant disobedience in our relationship with God. John Bunyan once wrote, “Sin is the dare of God’s justice, the rape of His mercy, the jeer of His patience, the slight of His power, [and] the contempt of His love!”

It would be nothing short of pure insanity for any finite and fallen man to believe he could withstand or overtake the infinite God of heaven. However, if you find yourself shrugging at the calloused nature of your heart, then you are on track to join the millions of people intoxicated by their own pride, who continue to arrogantly march onward toward the cliffs of eternity!

Such men foolishly believe that they are self-sufficient apart from God, because they are only seeking security in worldly achievements — money, fame, friendships, popularity, sex, or even grades. Meanwhile, they ignore their eternal condition. To such people, the Lord will declare, “You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked” (Rev 3:17).

Likewise, the prophet Jeremiah warned:

Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind and makes flesh his strength, and whose heart turns away from the Lord (Jer 17:5-7).

Those who would rather sin than submit will always brush God aside. Tragically, these rebellious men will ultimately achieve their wish of existing apart from the nurturing presence of God. In his book The Great Divorce, C.S. Lewis explained, “There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done,’ and those to whom God says in the end, ‘Thy will be done.’ All that are in hell, choose it.”

Mankind: Good or Bad?

Do you believe that mankind is basically good, or do you believe that man is intrinsically sinful? If you are not sure, then just answer the following questions:

• Do you leave cash unattended in the plain sight of others?
• Do you leave your doors unlocked while on vacation?
• Do you feel safe walking through unfamiliar neighborhoods at night?
• Do you feel comfortable picking up stranded motorists?

If you answered “no” to any of these questions, then you have an instinctive distrust of mankind. It is quite likely that you have reached these conclusions based on personal experiences, and you are not alone. Few people in our society are willing to blindly trust their fellow man.

In his book Basic Christianity, John Stott, a famous Anglican clergyman, pointed out the evidences of man’s sinful nature and our societal distrust of each other: 

Much that we take for granted in a civilized society is based upon the assumption of human sin. Nearly all legislation has grown up because human beings cannot be trusted to settle their own disputes with justice and without self-interest. A promise is not enough; we need a contract. Doors are not enough; we have to lock and bolt them. The payment of fares is not enough; tickets have to be issued, inspected and collected. Law and order are not enough; we need the police to enforce them. All this is due to man’s sin. We cannot trust each other. We need protection against one another. It is a terrible indictment of human nature.

All of society testifies to the fact that men are natural-born sinners. Our stores have security cameras. Our homes have burglar alarms. Our airports have metal detectors. Our computers are equipped with passwords, virus protections, and identity safeguards. Our nation’s best schools — even Christian schools — have lockers secured by secret combinations.

Despite the abundance of evidence testifying of man’s sinful nature, one nationwide poll found that more than seventy percent of American Evangelicals believe that mankind is basically good. This widespread belief stands in stark contrast to the biblical view of man.

The Biblical Verdict on the Nature of Man 

The Bible is absolutely clear in its verdict on man’s moral and spiritual condition.

There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one (Rom 3:10-12).

This particular conclusion about mankind is not an isolated anomaly in Scripture. To the contrary, the Bible consistently makes this claim throughout both Old and New Testaments. Jesus Himself proclaimed, “No one is good, except God alone” (Luke 18:19). Scripture tells us that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23), and “there is no one who does not sin” (2 Chron 6:36). King Solomon concluded, “There is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins” (Eccles 7:20). The Psalmist declared, “No one living is righteous before [God]” (Psalm 143:2), and he asked, “If you, O Lord, kept a record of sins… who could stand?” (Psalm 130:3). Quite frankly, no one could stand before God by his own merit, because our God will not tolerate sin.

You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil; with you the wicked cannot dwell. The arrogant cannot stand in your presence; you hate all who do wrong (Psalm 5:4-5).

The Lord is infinitely holy. He sets a standard of perfection, and He demands our conformity to it. In fact, it is God’s holiness that makes it so critically important for us to understand the nature of our sin. In his book God in the Wasteland, Dr. David Wells wrote, “Without the holiness of God, sin has no meaning and grace has no point.”

Part IX - God is Jealous for You

A God Who Pursues His People

Despite our knowledge of God’s unrelenting love, we are all too quick to offer our love and devotion to every conceivable idol that might please us for a moment, and we forsake our God.

The Lord is infinite in size, power, and holiness, yet He also sets His affections upon us. He is not indifferent or calloused to our idolatrous hearts, nor has He washed His hands of mankind. Instead, He perseveres in His love for us, and He is jealous of our affections.

Nevertheless, man has a natural inclination to flee from God — clinging to the empty pleasures and powerless idols of a fallen world. Though the Lord pursues us, He will not share our affections with petty idols — whether these idols come in the form of mythical gods, golden statues, or worldly pursuits. He alone is worthy of our praise, honor, and glory.

Atop Mount Sinai, God commanded Moses: “Do not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God” (Exod 34:14). Some may ask how the sovereign God of the universe could possibly experience jealousy over man’s affections.

The Scriptures reveal that God’s jealousy is compelled by both His love and holiness.

God is jealous over us, because He loves us. A truly loving husband could never callously shrug at his wife’s wayward affections. Instead, he demands that she be faithful to Him. Covenantal love requires jealousy. God’s jealousy over mankind’s affections led Him to endure the Cross.

God is also jealous over us, because of His holiness. He demands that His creation be restored to its original status, which was “very good.” We must realize that the supremacy of God above all other things is so firmly established that He has a right to demand our affection.

The jealousy of God could be compared to the gravitational pull of the sun. The earth’s survival absolutely depends upon the sun’s unrelenting gravity. No one questions the sun’s right to draw the entire solar system to itself. After all, the sun is awesome in magnitude and glorious in power. If its gravitational force ever failed, then the earth and its inhabitants would be slung off of its orbit into a perilously dark universe. Everyone and everything would quickly perish. 

The jealousy of God, which seeks to pull the hearts of men to Himself, functions in much the same way. He is awesome in magnitude and glorious in power. He jealously pursues His people and draws them into the pathway of life. But if His jealousy over mankind’s affections was ever extinguished, then we too would be lost forever into a dark and perilous fate. Thankfully, God refuses to surrender our fates to eternal darkness.

Part VIII - God is Matchless

A God without Rivals

If we are to receive the bountiful grace of God, then we must turn our devotion entirely to Him.

In the ancient world, monotheism (belief in one God) was extremely rare. Virtually all other nations besides Israel were polytheistic (belief in multiple gods), and each of these gods supposedly reigned over the various categories of life — ranging from wisdom and war to fertility and farming. However, God refuses to share the throne with such powerless idols.

One of the most important themes of Scripture is God’s unrelenting battle against idolatry in all its forms. The Bible is filled with showdowns between the God of Israel and man’s false idols.

Consider God’s campaign against the idols of Egypt. Prior to the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt with Moses, God unleashed ten plagues upon the land of Egypt. These plagues sought to prove that the various gods of Egypt were utterly powerless.

“I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt” (Exodus 12:12).

The first plague transformed the Nile River into blood. In that day, the Egyptians believed that the Nile River was the bloodstream of Osiris (the god of the afterlife). What message would the Egyptians have received when the river of blood began to stink and rot? Osiris is dead, and he cannot save you! Each of the plagues continues to prove the powerlessness of the Egyptian gods.

These plagues were not driven by cruelty, but rather God’s desire to demonstrate His power to men. As the Israelites were desperately blocked by the shores of the Red Sea, the Lord declared:

I will gain glory for myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord (Exod 14:4).

At their core, the marvelous works of God were evangelistic — even His plagues! After the exodus, the world began to hear about the matchless power of Israel’s God. The Lord had proven Himself greater than the greatest gods of the greatest empire of the ancient world. After being delivered from the armies of Pharaoh, Moses penned a song of praise. The Lord loved this particular song so much that it will be sung in heaven for all eternity (Rev 15:3).

In this song of praise, Moses asks:

Who among the gods is like you, O Lord? Who is like you — majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders? (Exod 15:11) 

Indeed, there is none like our God. He stands alone worthy of praise and adoration. He wages war against the idols of men that subvert our relationship with Him. Countless conversions to faith occur only after a person has been stripped of every worldly comfort. Often times, God uses tragedy or crisis to call His people to Himself. He is showing our idols to be powerless. Only then, when all idols are defeated, will a person surrender to the unrelenting pursuit of God.

Part VII - The Justice of God

God is Just: A God of Perfect Justice

Those who fail to achieve the standard of perfect holiness that God has demanded of us will be left to face the perfect justice of God. Without exception, the Scriptures demand that all sin must be punished, because our God is absolutely just. Scripture tells us that “the Lord is righteous” and “he loves justice” (Psalm 11:7). On the day of judgment, we are told that “the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience…” (Col 3:6).

One nationwide poll found that only 59 percent of Americans now believe in hell.[i] The Christian cannot deny the existence of hell. Jesus spoke more about hell than Heaven. He described it as an “eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matt 25:41) — a place where the “worm never dies” and the “fire is not quenched” (Mark 9:48). In describing the judgment of wicked men, Jesus spoke about the terrible sounds of “weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matt 13:50).

In the book of Revelation, John’s vision of the Apocalypse revealed that “if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire” (Rev 20:15).

The idea of judgment does not sit well in today’s culture. Many people wrongly ascribe blind forgiveness to God — as if He will simply ignore the wickedness of our sinful past and nullify the requirements of His perfect justice. However, this is absolutely wrong! The Lord cannot leave the scales of His justice unbalanced. Otherwise, He would cease to be just. It would make a mockery of God’s Law if He habitually acquitted the guilty. If God is to be just, He must uphold the Law.

The Bible assures us that “He does not leave the guilty unpunished” (Exod 34:7). He cannot, because “righteousness and justice are the foundation of [His] throne” (Psalm 89:14).

The thought of God’s wrath and perfect justice is terrifying. Even Jesus quaked with fearful anguish at the prospect of drinking the cup of God’s wrath (Luke 22:42). But unlike Jesus, there are none who can claim to have lived a life of moral perfection. The Lord Almighty, who knows every evil word, thought, and deed of man, will pour forth His furious displeasure upon those who have rejected His Word and mocked His counsel.

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life (Gal 6:7-8).

As we have seen in previous chapters, we all fail to respect the moral absolutes of God in some way. All too often, we attempt to bring God’s holy standards down to a human level, so that we can justify ourselves. When we are measured against the corruptions of our fellow human beings, many of us would indeed seem “good.” However, man is not our standard. The God of absolute moral perfection is our standard, and we are called to “be holy as God is holy."

When men stand before the throne of God, they will not be entitled to challenge God’s holy standards of justice. When a person casts aside the moral law of God as archaic or extreme, they are challenging the very holiness of God Himself — as if God has erred in His judgment. The Lord once rebuked Job: “Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct Him? ... Would you discredit my justice? Would you condemn Me to justify yourself?” (Job 40:2, 8).

God is perfectly just and will not leave sin unpunished, yet He earnestly desires the salvation of His people. This creates a great dilemma, for which Jesus Christ is the only solution.

The prophet Isaiah wrote about a Messiah who would satisfy God’s justice for the sake of men.

He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all (Isa 53:5-6).

The Bible tells us that the “wages of sin in death,” and the good news of the gospel pronounces that Jesus Christ has taken our wages upon Himself. Jesus Christ endured this fierce justice of God and clothed us in His own perfect righteousness, so that we can stand holy before the Lord.

This is the measurement of God’s love for His people, but it was not cheap. The satisfaction of God’s perfect justice came at the ultimate cost — the agonizing death of His only begotten Son. He came to pay a debt that He did not owe, because we had a debt that we could not pay.

God’s forgiveness is never free; our sins are always punished. As He has promised, God will pour out His wrath in the punishment of every sin. Only one question remains: who will pay the penalties of your sin? Your sins were either paid for on the Cross, or they remain to be punished.

The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him. (John 3:35-36). 

Faith alone in Christ alone is the only source of hope for a desperately fallen mankind. No man is perfect, nor can we restore our own holiness. Christ alone clothes men with the holiness necessary to stand in the presence of our holy God.

Part VII - A God of Infinite Holiness

God is Holy: A God of Radical Goodness

Nature and science can provide us with a small glimpse into God’s power and magnitude. However, the size and power of God tell us little about His character. It would be a terrible thing if such power and size were in the hands of a cruel God. Thankfully, the Scriptures inform us that this omnipresent and omnipotent God is also infinite in His goodness. He is radically holy!

Holiness is perhaps God’s most important attribute. In fact, the words “holy” or “holiness” occur more than 900 times in the Bible. It is this trait that mesmerizes all who encounter the Lord. The angels of heaven are perfectly pure, yet even the angels cover their faces at God’s throne. In fact, these glorious creatures are so awestruck by God’s holiness that they forever sing to each other: “Holy, holy, holy is the God Almighty; the whole earth is full of His glory” (Isa 6:3).

Holiness has been defined as “purity” or being completely “set apart” from the world. However, holiness is far more than simple purity. God is most certainly pure, but it would be wrong to limit the beauty of God’s holiness to the simple absence of sin. God’s holiness is far more than that. His holiness is a penetrating and powerful force. It is infinite goodness. It is not merely the absence of sin; rather it is an all-out, unrelenting, inexhaustible desire to destroy sin and darkness.

God’s holiness is like light. Scripture even tells us that “God is light; in him there is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). It would be wrong to define light as the mere absence of darkness. It is far more than that. Light has a form. It moves. It illuminates. It creates beauty and color. It always triumphs over darkness. Darkness, on the other hand, can be defined as the absence of light. It is empty, formless, lifeless, dreadful, and stagnant. Darkness is idle; but light is radiant and active.

“From Zion, perfect in beauty, God shines forth” (Psalm 50:2).

Jonathan Edwards, the famous preacher of the Great Awakening, once said, “A true love to God must begin with a delight in his holiness, and not with a delight in any other attribute; for no other attribute is truly lovely without this.”

It is God’s holiness that sets Him apart from the world. It makes Him different from everything else in a way that makes Him superior to everything else. He is in a class by himself. He has no threatening rivals. He is the one and only true God. He alone is holy (Rev 15:4).

A.W. Tozer, the popular Christian author of the 20^th century, explained:

We cannot grasp the true meaning of the divine holiness by thinking of someone or something very pure and then raising the concept to the highest degree we are capable of. God’s holiness is not simply the best we know infinitely bettered. We know nothing like the divine holiness. It stands apart, unique, unapproachable, incomprehensible and unattainable… Holy is the way God is. To be holy, He does not conform to a standard. He is that standard.

It is this incomprehensible holiness that causes fear to consume the hearts of all who are confronted by the Lord, who is “a consuming fire” (Deut 4:24). The Scripture tells us that “it is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God” (Heb 10:31).

God Requires Holiness from Men

If you have ever been caught red-handed in the midst of a shameful act, then you know that your shame is only magnified when the witness of your sin is a person of great holiness. Just imagine being confronted by the One who exudes infinite holiness. Even the greatest heroes of Scripture suffered dread when confronted by God’s veiled holiness. Consider the following examples:

• After the Fall, Adam hid from God and admitted that he was “afraid” of His presence.
• Upon encountering the Lord, “Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God.”
• The Israelites cried out to Moses, “Let not God speak with us, lest we die.”
• God told Moses, “You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live.”
• The Psalmist wrote, “My flesh trembles in fear of You...”
• Isaiah declared, “Woe is me, for I am undone…for my eyes have seen the King.”
• When Daniel’s men saw the Lord, “a great terror fell upon them…”
• Daniel said: “No strength remained in me; for my vigor was turned to frailty in me.”
• When the Lord appeared to the Bethlehem shepherds, “they were terribly frightened.”
• Peter begged Jesus, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”
• When Saul was confronted by Christ, he fell to the ground “trembling and astonished."
• Peter, James, and John “fell on their faces and were greatly afraid."
• In John’s vision, he wrote, “And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead.”

If such men were unable to withstand the veiled holiness of God without trembling in terror and shame, then it would be foolish to assume that anyone stained by sin could find peace in the presence of God’s unveiled and unrestrained holiness. Even if they were permitted to enter the presence of God, heaven would quickly become like hell for those who choose to remain in their sins. The holiness of God is simply too intense. He cannot tolerate even the slightest of sins. God “cannot tolerate wrong,” and His “eyes are too pure to look on evil” (Hab 1:12-13).

Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish (Psalm 1:5-6).

Unfortunately, few people consider righteousness or holiness to be an important quality in this life. In his book Be Holy, famous biblical commentator Warren Wiersbe wrote:

Happiness, not holiness, is the chief pursuit of most people today, including many professed Christians. They want Jesus to solve their problems and carry their burdens, but they don’t want Him to control their lives and change their character. It doesn’t disturb them that eight times in the Bible, God said to His people, “Be holy, for I am holy,” and He means it. 

Holiness is not an Old Testament standard that can now be dismissed. Jesus commanded his followers in his Sermon on the Mount: “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matt 5:48). All of Scripture teaches that holiness is essential to the Christian life. In fact, the New Testament tells us that “without holiness no one will see the Lord” (Heb 12:14). It is this attribute that makes the gospel both necessary and precious. You can never meet the requirements of God. But as we will see, Christ has clothed us in his perfect righteousness.

Part VI - What God's Power Means for You

Properly Defining God’s Omnipotence 

The Christian should be careful when defining God’s omnipotence. While God is powerful enough to do all things, His omnipotence is constrained by His perfect wisdom. For example, the Scriptures tell us that He cannot deny His own will; He cannot lie; He cannot sin; He cannot be deceived; and He cannot die. In other words, God’s power is channeled by His wisdom.

Some are quick to claim that such limitations disprove His omnipotence. However, it is important to realize that the exact opposite is true. If God were to yield to such petty requests, then He would cease to be omnipotent. If He died, then He would forfeit His eternal nature. If He lied, then He would no longer remain truthful. If He were to sin, then He would no longer be holy. If He were to be deceived, then He would part with His omniscience. Common sense dictates that an omnipotent God cannot surrender His omnipotence, or He ceases to be omnipotent.

Instead, God’s perfect wisdom guides Him down the path of ultimate omnipotence. He cannot fall into the snares that would render Him impotent. These self-imposed limitations do not nullify His omnipotence; they magnify it. For He always chooses the right path.

In his theological masterpiece, The City of God, Saint Augustine wrote, “He is called omnipotent on account of His doing what He wills, not on account of His suffering what He wills not; for if that should befall Him, He would by no means be omnipotent. Wherefore, He cannot do some things for the very reason that He is omnipotent."

Trusting the Omnipotent God 

If God created the heavens by the word of His mouth and maintains a precise order in all of creation — both great and small — then God was surely capable of performing the great miracles of Scripture. We can trust in God’s Word, because He is absolutely truthful. The Scriptures tell us that God “does not lie” (Tit 1:2). In fact, “it is impossible for Him to lie” (Heb 6:18). 

We should not balk at claiming that our Lord was born of a virgin; He healed the blind; He cast out demons; He turned water into wine; He walked on water; He commanded the storms; He resurrected the dead; He lived a perfect life; and ultimately He conquered sin and death!

The omnipotence of God should be a great comfort to His people. Most Christians will acknowledge that God created billions of galaxies in an instant. Sadly, many of these same people hesitate to believe that this omnipotent God is personally invested in their day-to-day lives. This same God still works miracles. He still hears our prayers, and He still comforts the afflicted.

The Psalmist declared, “Our God is in the heavens; he does whatever he pleases” (Psalm 115:3).

If God does whatever He pleases, then we should be eager to learn what pleases the Lord. The Scriptures provides us with the answers. For example, even before the creation of the world, the Lord “predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will” (Eph 1:4-5). In other words, your redemption brings great pleasure to God.

Consider the weight of this statement. You were selected by God — for His own pleasure — before the first atom of creation was spoken into existence. Our Father in Heaven set His desire to adopt you as His beloved child before He hung the stars into place! By the Lord’s own admission, your redemption is His pleasure. If we stand with confidence in God’s amazing power, then we, like the Apostle Paul, can boldly ask, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Rom 8:31). If the omnipotent God of the universe has promised to defend us, then whom shall we fear? 

John Piper, bestselling author and Baptist minister, once said:

The omnipotence of God means eternal, unshakable refuge in the everlasting glory of God no matter what happens on this earth. And that confidence is the power of radical obedience to the call of God. Is there anything more freeing, more thrilling, or more strengthening than the truth that God Almighty is your refuge — all day every day in all the ordinary and extraordinary experiences of life?

We can stand in the same confidence as Job, who declared, “I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted” (Job 42:2). We need not fear the seemingly hopeless situations, because Jesus has declared that “with God all things are possible” (Matt 19:26).

The Omnipotent God Is With You

We need not be anxious, for God declares: “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isa 41:10). In Scripture, this all-powerful God has repeatedly promised to be with you.

When Moses was commanded to confront Pharaoh and demand the release of the Israelites, he feared that the mission was a death sentence. Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” God did not offer detailed explanations to calm Moses’ fears. He simply replied, “I will be with you” (Exod 3:11-12), and God was enough. 

Like Moses, Christians have been called to play a role in the liberation of God’s people from a spiritual bondage. Just as the omnipotent God promised Moses that He would be with him, Jesus promises us: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me…. Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matt 28:20). Jesus Christ will be enough!