God at Work: Part II

Thanks for all those who were praying for my conversation with Andrea Monday! God is faithful and hears our prayers. 

I was able to talk to Andrea Monday morning. She told me how she thought she was saved, but she had been reading 1 John, and she realized that she has sin in her life. She explained that according to the Bible she was perdida, lost in the darkness. 

I John 2:9-11

⁹ Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness. ¹⁰ Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble. ¹¹ But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them.

We talked about sin for a while, and how it separates us from God. Andrea was very familiar with all this. Then I directer her attention back to the first chapter of I John. 

I John 1:9 

If we confess out sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 

We talked about the need for salvation, and I asked her if she had ever asked God to forgive her sins, and except Jesus's sacrifice as a payment for her sins. She said she had already done this, but was confused at how there could still be sin in her life. I explained the difference between justification and sanctification. Justification is a ONE TIME thing that happens when we become a Christian, being made right before God, so that when He looks at us he sees that the debt has been payed for by Jesus. If we are justified our relationship with God is restored.

Romans 10:9-10

⁹ If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.

Then from that point on we are in the process of becoming more like Christ, that is sanctification. The Bible is clear that once we are saved, that doesn't promise us a life without sin, however now we know where to turn when we do sin! 

I John 2:1-2

¹ My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. ² He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

Philippians 1:6

⁶ being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Andrea and I talked through this for a while. I asked her if she was sure that she had taken that initial step and asked Christ to forgive her sins and become her Savior. She was quite convinced that she had done that before. I then encouraged her that I could see the evidence of the Holy Spirit in her life: helping her understand the Bible, and allowing its words to really sink in and point out sin in her life. I also shared with her that we are still humans, and we live in a fallen world. We will still face the temptation to sin, and at times we will fall into sin. However we also have the Holy Spirit to give us strength to overcome sin, and hopefully help us live more and more like Christ every day!

Andrea and I prayed together that she would be able to not only ask God's forgiveness for the sin in her life, but also ask forgiveness from the people in her life that she has hurt. 

I am so blessed to be able to have one on one conversation with a student about not only reading & interpreting the Bible, but also wanting to put it into action! Praise God for opportunities like this and reminders of who HE is, and what HE has done for ME!

After my conversation with Andrea I was reminded and convicted to be actively reading the Word and examining my own life with it. I am drawn to one of my favorite verses...

Psalm 139:23-24

Search me, O God, and know my heart;

Test me and know my anxious thoughts.

Point out anything in me that offends you,

And lead me along the path of everlasting life.

God bless,

natalie

Pablo, Grazia, & Andrea making Father's Day cards back in June.