Recently, while leading a bible study I came across a word that I had not paid attention to in my over 40 years studying and teaching scripture. The word is renounce and the particular bible verse is Proverbs 28:13. ”Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.”
This verse appears to be saying that we are to confess and renounce our sins. Most of us are familar with confessing our sins but what does it mean to renounce sins. Is there a difference? Some translations use the word forsaking but in my opinion this does not do justice to the word renounce.I like the word surrender.
Romans 6; 12-14… Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13 Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. 14 For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.
Read the above verse over a number of times and note verse 14a For sin shall no longer be your master…
We go to God in prayer and confess our sins.. eg.
I have a problem with anger and basically I pray the following prayer..”‘Lord, I come into your presence through Jesus and I need to confess that I have a problem with anger. Today, as you are aware I becaame angry with my wife and I acted in a way that was sinful by saying things that were unkind and hurtful. Forgive me in Jesus’s name, Amen.” Oh yes, I need to go and apologie to my wife. In another few days or weeks, the same thing happens and I repeat the process.
We have not treated or processed the root cause, in this scenario, which is the sin of anger. Anger is my master.
How do we deal with the root cause. Yes, we have confessed but we haven’t renounced the sin. How do we do that?
After confessing and asking for forgiveness we should call out the root of our sin. Anger!
This is the most important part of our prayer if you have a desire to deal with whatever is causing you to sin. For me it is anger and at times lust. You know the sin or sins that control your life and keep you from being the Christian that God calls you to be. . To be like Jesus.
Romans 8:5-9
For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.
Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
If we desire to be like Jesus we must renounce those sinful desires or actions that are not like Jesus.
Renouncing Anger… Lord, I come into your presence through Jesus my Lord and Saviour. Lord you are well aware tht I have a problem with anger and many times it controls my actions and reactions. My anger has caused hurt to my wife and family and to me. Lord, I am guilty of letting anger control my life . In Jesus’ name, I recognize that I need to deal with the root cause of anger so I renounce the sin of anger and bind it so that anger will not control my life. Thank you Lord for listening to my prayer and binding this sin from my life. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
You can pray this or a similar prayer of renouncement for any sin issue in your life.
Anxiety
Additional resources will be added.
Be Blessed In Your walk with Jesus
Steve