Inside Out Living

Is it possible to sin without knowing it? Absolutely. Many times, when we sin against another person, we may not be aware of it for some time. And sometimes no one else is aware either. The instructions regarding the sin offering we read today were to be followed “when they became aware of their sin” (4:14; 23; 28; 5:5; 17). God does not expect us to seek forgiveness for sins we are unaware of. However, how we respond to the realization of sin in our life is critical to our spiritual health. In the Old Testament they were to bring a sin offering in order to seek the Lord’s forgiveness.

For the New Testament believer the command is still to seek forgiveness. I John 1:9 tells us that “if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong.” When you become aware of sin, are you willing to seek forgiveness from the Lord? What about seeking forgiveness from a person you may have sinned against?