Sin Is of the Devil

In 1 John 3:8, the apostle John says,

“Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil.”

C.S. Lewis once said that Christians fall into one of two ditches when it comes to thinking about the demonic. We either obsess over it (and assume it’s everywhere), or we ignore it, (and live our lives as though the devil and demons do not exist.)

I think in our day and age it is easier for us to fall into the ignoring ditch. And the danger with ignoring the demonic is that it keeps us from seeing the true severity of our sin before a holy God. But the apostle John is refreshingly clear in unmasking the true nature of sin.

John is right! The practice of sinning is demonic.

Both the sin we see in the world around us and the sin we’re capable of is all from the same source. It is of the devil.

Do we think of sin as we ought to?

Cities Church, I exhort you: Recognize the demonic nature of practicing sin.

And this leads us to confess our sins…

Prayer of Confession

Father in heaven, all our ways are before you. You know our words before we speak them and our thoughts before we think them. And it is against you and you alone that we have sinned. Too often we fail to recognize the seriousness of our sin against you, and we are far too comfortable with that fact! We repent of downplaying, justifying, or even celebrating sin.

Father, we ask for your mercy, in the name of your Righteous and Faithful Son, Jesus Christ.

So, search our hearts O God as you lead us now in a time of silent confession…