Years ago, I watched a DVD seies on the Christian life by a Presbyterian pastor. One of his points dealt with his attitude towards sin.

He referred to a situation in his life when he had said or done something to offend his wife. Instead of humbly confessing his sin to God and to his wife, his shame led him to run from them, creating an atmosphere of tension and alienation. He summed up the situation with these words, “Don’t look at me, God!”

How often, because we misunderstand grace, we tell God, with or without words, “Don’t look at me, God!” We allow sin to disturb our fellowship with God and people, isolating ourselves by guilt and shame from our family or fellow believers.

We tend to think that everyone around us knows what we have done and judges us for our bad behaviour…most of all God because we have offended Him. We treat God as though He were human.

What does the Bible say to a situation like this?

Of course, there is a difference between an occasional lapse and a lifestyle of offending others. If we persist in selfish behaviour that puts us in the centre of our world, we will offend others by our thoughtless and careless words and deeds.

For a believer, this attitude of self-absorption is foreign to someone who is “in Christ”.

2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV
[17] “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”

Does this mean that persistently selfish behaviour is evidence that such a person is not “in Christ”? True believers are those who have been born from above by God’s Spirit, have a new nature, and are learning to obey the Holy Spirit’s leading.

Romans 8:14 NIV
[14] “For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.”

They exhibit the fruit of the Spirit in increasing measure in their attitude and behaviour.

Galatians 5:22-23 NIV
[22] “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, [23] gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”

Does this mean that a believer can never sin? No! It means that God has a remedy for those times when we do step outside of grace. He knows that, as long as we are in this life, we are at war with our old fleshly, selfish nature. We do give in from time to time.

However, God has made provision for all sin through the sacrifice of Jesus. His death takes care of all sin for all time. Even before we sin in time, He paid the price and has forgiven us. According to God’s Word, Jesus’ sacrifice was planned before time so that it is effective for all sin in time even before He died.

Instead of denying our guilt or hiding in shame, saying, “Don’t look at me, God,” He calls us to come to Him because He has the solution…

1 John 2:1-2 NIV
[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.”

1 John 1:8-9 NIV
[8] “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. [9] If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

Like any loving earthly father, the Father graciously forgives our sin and restores fellowship with Him when we come clean with Him and with one another.

1 John 1:6-7 NIV
[6]” If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. [7] But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.”