Habakkuk 1:13 God is holy and hates all sin.

Habakkuk 1:13  You are perfectly just in this.  But will you, who cannot allow sin in any form, stand idly by while they swallow us up?  Should you be silent while the wicked destroy people who are more righteous than they? 

The Babylonians were sent to punish the Israelites for their sins.  God had had enough.  His people had worn out His patience.  They went through the motions of allegiance to God but their hearts were far from Him.  They claimed to be His, but did not live like it.  They expected the Lord’s favor upon them, but did not humble themselves before Him or obey Him. 

God cannot allow sin in any form.  We must understand this profound and all important truth.  There is no sin in the presence of God.  Ever.  Sin must be dealt with before one approaches God or he will be denied access to God.  God is holy and hates all sin.  In order to approach God, we must be made righteous in Christ.  As much as we may not like it, we must confess our sins before Christ and seek His forgiveness.  There is no other way to draw near to God.

We don’t stress this truth much anymore, but I believe it is a critical truth.  We must preach and teach it until we believe it.  God is sin intolerant.  He will not overlook sin in any form.  He will not let sin anywhere near Him.  No one will make it to heaven with a sin problem hanging over their soul.  Repentance is for Christians too!  In fact, I believe that it is even more important for the believer than the non-believer because we are held accountable for what we know.  The sinner’s prayer for forgiveness is just the beginning of a lifetime of forgiveness.  We all sin and come short of the glory of God.

I believe it is dangerous for us to assume that once we are saved we are no longer in need of repentance.  How can sin go away without it?  Does the righteousness of Christ guarantee our acceptance by God regardless of our sins?  All I know is that the Word calls us into a confession of our sins.  God commands holiness in the heart of His children and dealing with sin is the only way it is going to happen.