"My children, I am writing this so you won't sin. But if you do sin, Jesus Christ always does the right thing, and he will speak to the Father for us. Christ is the sacrifice that takes away our sins and the sins of all the world's people." (CEV)
What is God saying?
God does not want us to sin, but if we do give into temptation He will forgive us - because of Jesus - as He is willing to forgive the sins of the entire world.
What is God saying to us today?
The Bible is clear that sin is not something to mess with, because it destroys everything it touches. God HATES sin and He wants us to hate it too. So while it is clear that completely avoiding and overcoming sin is the goal, God understands that because we live in a world where sin is so powerful, we might give in to temptation from time to time. And He wants us to know that if that does happen, we don't have to beat ourselves up and lose hope. Instead we will continue to find the same forgiveness and grace that is available to everyone.
What is God inviting us to do?
Are you struggling with sin in your life? Or, are you struggling trying to be perfect? God does not want us to not struggle with either of these extremes. Instead, God invites us to accept His power to overcome sin and His peace that we will continue to find forgiveness along our journey.