SIN: How Can I Avoid It?

OK, first we have to understand that we are sinful.  Ooooh, we do not like to hear that!  It is the truth – all men are sinful:  “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” – Romans 3:23 KJV; “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:” – Romans 3:10 KJV.  It is easy to think of people who are not Christians to be sinners, but we believers in Jesus need to be reminded of where we came from…we are sinners too.

Christians say, “I accepted Jesus as my Savior, I go to church, and pay my tithes,” 

“…ALL HAVE SINNED…”

“I read the Bible, and pray every day,”

“…THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS…”

Moishe Rosen wrote in his book "The Sayings of Chairman Moishe", "The morally crippled use excuses for crutches.”  How true!  We try our best to be good but we have to realize that we can never do enough to be good in God’s sight.  Sin is sin and everyone on the earth has sinned.  Once we see and acknowledge this we can then discover and enact on how to avoid sin.  So, I implore you, stop making excuses and acknowledge your sin to God.  Ask for His forgiveness and the ability to avoid sin and remain righteous.  Yes, it is possible to avoid sin and be holy before the Lord.  The Lord commands us to be holy like He is (1 Peter 1:16; Lev. 11:44-45, 19:20).  Why would He command us to do something unless it was possible?

God made a way to walk in holiness.  He said, “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh,” (Galatians 5:16 KJV).  The Message Bible says it like this, “My counsel is this: Live freely, animated and motivated by God’s Spirit. Then you won’t feed the compulsions of selfishness.”  When we accept Jesus as our Savior God gives us His Spirit, “For God has not called us to be dirty-minded and full of lust but to be holy and clean. If anyone refuses to live by these rules, he is not disobeying the rules of men but of God who gives his Holy Spirit to you,” (1 Thes. 4:7-8 TLB); “And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us,” (Rom. 5:5 KJV).  “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you” (Acts 1:8 KJV).  Since He has given us His very Spirit we have the best power to avoid sin…leaning on His Spirit in all situations!  “What I say is this: let the Spirit direct your lives, and you will not satisfy the desires of the human nature,” (Gal. 5:16 GNT).

I love how The Message Bible states Galatians 5:16-18, “For there is a root of sinful self-interest in us that is at odds with a free spirit, just as the free spirit is incompatible with selfishness. These two ways of life are antithetical, so that you cannot live at times one way and at times another way according to how you feel on any given day. Why don’t you choose to be led by the Spirit and so escape the erratic compulsions of a law-dominated existence?” Gal. 5:16-18 MSG.  So, accepting Jesus as your Savior is not the “cure-all” or “end-all” of gaining holiness, it is the first step.  “The first essential in all moral reformation is to call sin sin.” – Keith L. Brooks

Herein is the answer, Brothers and Sisters, to living an ongoing holy life:  “[The way to live in freedom is by the Spirit] Here is my advice. Live your whole life in the Spirit and you will not satisfy the desires of your lower nature. For the whole energy of the lower nature is set against the Spirit, while the whole power of the Spirit is contrary to the lower nature. Here is the conflict, and that is why you are not free to do what you want to do. But if you follow the leading of the Spirit, you stand clear of the Law.” – Gal. 5:16 PHILLIPS

I love a story Rev. Billy Graham shares in his book “The Journey” because it shows us just how to walk in the Spirit:

“Many years ago a clergyman in a poor part of London became burdened for the dockworkers in his parish.  Their work was hard, thankless, and poorly paid, and he decided that if he was ever to reach them with the Gospel of Christ he must become one of them.  Day after day he dressed like them and stood in line waiting for a job, never telling who he really was.  Finally one winter’s day he was hired to help unload a freighter, moving goods in a wheelbarrow from boat to dock along a narrow plank.  On one trip he felt the plank rock violently, and he lost his footing and fell into the cold river.  Laughter rang out, and he realized one of the men had deliberately jiggled the plank to make him fall.  His first impulse was to react in anger (for he had often struggled with his temper) – but almost instantly he sensed the power of the Holy Spirit overcoming his anger and giving him peace.  He grinned and joined in their laughter, and to his surprise the culprit dropped his load and helped him out of the muck.  His tormentor-turned-rescuer, taken aback by his calm reaction, began talking with him.  Later the man shamefacedly revealed that he had once been a highly respected physician, but alcohol had robbed him both of his profession and his family.  The clergyman led him to Christ, and in time the man was reunited with his family and restored to his position.  But here is the point:  It would never have happened if the Spirit of God hadn’t conquered the clergyman’s temper and replaced it with the gentleness and love of Christ.  The Holy Spirit made the difference.”

We know how God wants us to live, but the problem many of us have is that we rely on our own strength and “good” habits (i.e. going to church, paying tithes, etc.).  We NEED to start relying on the strength of the Holy Spirit like the clergyman did.  Rev. Graham also states that God gave us the Bible to teach us how to live, but He also gives us the Holy Spirit to change us, “The Holy Spirit has been given to help us become more like Christ…are you trying to live the Christian life on your own, or are you turning to Him each day for the help you need?”

“The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you,” (Rom. 8:11 NLT)

So, it is not a question of whether you have the Holy Spirit in you.  When you received Jesus as your Savior, He put His Spirit IN you.  The question now is whether you have accessed the power of the Holy Spirit?  Are you, as a believer, being like the believers of the Church in Galatia, “Are you so foolish?  After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?” (Gal. 3:3)  Kyle Idleman said in his book "not a fan", “Paul points out that trying to live the Christian life out of your own power is ridiculous.  Why would a person do that?  Why would you walk when you can ride?”

“But I say, walk habitually in the [Holy] Spirit [seek Him and be responsive to His guidance], and then you will certainly not carry out the desire of the sinful nature [which responds impulsively without regard for God and His precepts].” – Gal 5:16 AMP

Here is a 30 day challenge I urge you to take starting tomorrow:  every morning pray:

“Thank You Heavenly Father for giving me Your Holy Spirit.  Help me to hear Your Spirit’s instruction and guidance for each circumstance I encounter today.  I choose to listen to and follow You.  In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.”

“Now we are able to live up to the justice demanded by the law. But that ability has not come from living by our fallen human nature; it has come because we walk according to the movement of the Spirit in our lives.” – Rom. 8:4 VOICE

SALT and LIGHT

Matthew 5:13-15 J.B. Phillips Translation says,

“You are the earth’s salt. But if the salt should become tasteless, what can make it salt again? It is completely useless and can only be thrown out of doors and stamped under foot.  You are the world’s light—it is impossible to hide a town built on the top of a hill. Men do not light a lamp and put it under a bucket. They put it on a lamp-stand and it gives light for everybody in the house.”

To fully understand just what these verses mean we need to understand what both salt does and what light does.  They change things.  The taste of food is changed once salt is added to it.  When the light is turned on in a dark room you can see where to walk without stumbling over the room’s furnishings.  They change things.

We are well acquainted with the first 12 verses of Matthew 5 and call them the “Beatitudes” or, as I remember them taught in Vacation Bible School, “the attitudes of how you should be”.  In them Jesus shared what blessings would come to those who acted in a sacrificial way or experienced misfortunes in their lives.  Jesus then adds to those what we read in verses 13-15.  Let’s call them the “change your world” verses.  They are at the heart of the “great commission” (Matthew 28:16-20).  Jesus encouraged His people to be like salt and light.

Be like salt.  The value of salt, especially in the ancient world cannot be under estimated. Roman soldiers received their wages in salt and the Mosaic Law required that all offerings presented by the Israelites contain salt (Lev. 2:13).  Proverbs 11:1 in the AMP states, “A false balance and dishonest business practices are extremely offensive to the Lord, but an accurate scale is His delight.”  Have you ever eaten something that is too salty?  It is also true when something has received no salt.  When food has too much salt or not enough we tend to not eat it, yet just the right amount makes for a delicious dish, drawing us back for seconds and even thirds.  Salt can lose its flavor.  When it does it’s no use to add it to food.  The only thing it is good for is to throw out on snow and ice to make for easier and slip-free walking.  Jesus wants us to be like salt…just the right amount and flavor.  When we are that right amount then when we share about His love with others they get just enough of a taste to want more!

Mark 9:50 in the AMP states, “Salt is good and useful; but if salt has lost its saltiness (purpose), how will you make it salty? Have salt within yourselves continually, and be at peace with one another.”  What other uses are there for salt?  It is used as a preservative as in meat jerky’s and ham.  It is used as a cleansing agent as in salt treated swimming pools which prevent the same diseases as chlorine but is easier on the skin and clothing.

Sailors are often referred to as being “salty”.  Their lifestyle leads them to act and behave like their profession, a little rough around the edges, yet you could tell by just being around them they worked on the sea.  Have salt within yourselves continually.  Now why would Jesus say this?  I believe it implies we can be without salt at times.  How can we witness and draw someone to the Lord if what we are sharing has no “taste”?  How do we stay “salty”?  Regular times of prayer and reading in God’s Word lead us to be more like Jesus:  balanced with just the right amount of flavor.

When I was in mission school I tended to be quite judgmental.  Before mission school I came from a church where I was in a number of leadership positions.  When I went to mission school the Lord made it clear to me that I would become a follower and release all leadership responsibilities to Him.  This was difficult for me.  I would see others struggle to do the things I could do with ease.  I judged them and found them wanting AND just had to share my way of doing things all in the guise of “helping” them.  One day I found the following scripture on a note in my dorm closet, ”Let your speech at all times be gracious and pleasant, seasoned with salt, so that you will know how to answer each one [who questions you,” Colossians 4:6.  The Lord really convicted me of my attitude and disobedience regarding this and He enabled me to then, with the right attitude of love, to share with those struggling to learn to lead without disrespecting them.  He taught me how to be “salty” with just the right amount of flavor.

Be like light.

Light not only lights up darkened areas for us to see and not stumble but it also provides warmth.  On a cold day I love getting into the car after the sun has been shining on it.  How comfortably warm that feels.  Light also produces growth.  Have you ever worked in a garden?  It not only takes soil and water to grow your tomatoes, zucchini and watermelon…it takes light.  There are parts of the Antarctic that never receive light…and nothing grows there because of the lack of light and warmth.  Light also acts as a cleanser.  There are a number of organisms that are killed when exposed to light and its radiation.  When I received that note with Colossians 4:6 on it in mission school it lit up the area of my life that was disobedient to Jesus and as I repented those ugly spiritual germs were killed off.  Jesus wants us to be like light, illuminating Him and His Kingdom to all those around us, but also allowing that light to warm them up to the gospel.

So, let me ask you, how effective are you in changing your world for the better?  Is the light of Christ illuminating His love and power to those in sin’s bondage around you?  Is the salt of His Word cleansing and promoting healing in your neighbors and friends through you?  What can you do better to effect positive change around you?  What can you do better to be like salt and light?

Dr. Michael Youssef puts it this way, “In Philippians 2:15, the apostle Paul says, "Believers, you are to shine as light in the world". The Greek word used here is very similar to the word for the beacon that a lighthouse emits. That beacon is bright and unmistakable in its purpose. It warns of danger. It directs to safe harbor. It provides hope for those who have lost hope.  Every day we are surrounded by people groping around in the darkness, separated from the God who loves them. God uses His children, like beacons from a lighthouse, to show the way to Him.  Either we are "salt" and "light" by the grace of God, or we are willfully disobeying the One who saved us for such a time as this. If we are being "salt" and "light" then we can expect fruit from our faithfulness.”

Let God have your best for His glory; be the “salt” and “light” He has called you to be.

OBEDIENCE AND STORMS

One of the worship choruses we sing at our church goes as follows:

There’s a storm out on the ocean,

And it’s movin’ this ol’ way.

If your soul’s not anchored in Jesus,

You will surely drift away.

Drift away Lord, drift away.

Drift away Lord, drift away.

If your soul’s not anchored in Jesus,

You will surely drift away.

Christians view “storms” as hard or troubled times (such as illness, disease, finance insolvency, etc.).  There are two “schools of thought” out there in the Christian world.  On one hand Christians tend to say that when you become a believer the Lord wants to bless you with healing and financial success.  On the other hand Christians tend to say that when you go through illness and struggling debt that it is God’s will so that He can teach you something.  I believe both points of view are wrong.  In all my reading in the scripture I have never found where God said He would guarantee to a believer riches and health (completely free from all diseases and illness), nor have I ever read that God puts illness on us or removes even the barest minimum of finances to meet our daily needs just to teach us a lesson.  What I have found in my reading is that if we trust in, lean on, rely on, and roll our every care upon Him that He will take care of us (Prov. 3:5; Ps. 22:4, 33:21, 86:2; Heb. 6:12; Romans 10:11).  In fact Prov. 11:28 AMP states, “He who leans on and trusts in and is confident in his riches will fall, But the righteous [who trust in God’s provision] will flourish like a green leaf.”  It does not say that now that I am a believer that I will flourish like a green leaf; it says that the righteous who trust in God’s provision will flourish like a green leaf.  The key element here is trusting in God’s provision.

There is another key element that has to be enacted when it comes to disease and illness.  God did not say that when you became a Christian that you would never get sick.  He promised the Israelites in Exodus 15:26 that IF they listened to and paid attention to His voice, doing what was right in His sight, and kept all His precepts and statutes foremost in their thoughts, that He would not put on them any of the diseases which He put on the Egyptians, “For I AM the Lord Who heals you.”  We read in Mark 1:34, 3:10; Luke 4:40, 6:18; Matthew 4:24, 9:35 how Jesus healed everyone brought to him with illness, disease, and demon possession, but let me ask you this:  what happened to those who were ill and demon possessed that did not come to Him?  So again, the key (or means) is in God Himself.  I love how Matthew 6:32-33 is expressed in The Living Bible, “So don’t worry at all about having enough food and clothing. Why be like the heathen? For they take pride in all these things and are deeply concerned about them. But your heavenly Father already knows perfectly well that you need them, and he will give them to you if you give him first place in your life and live as he wants you to.”

Now, in light of what I have just shared with you please consider the following question:  Can obeying Jesus lead you right into a storm?  God never promised us that we would quit going through storms after we accepted Him as our Savior.  In fact in John 16:33 Jesus makes it clear that tough times will come while we are in this world but He also makes it clear that IN HIM we will have peace and that He has overcome this world, or as the J. B. Phillips translation puts it, “The time is coming, indeed, it has already come, when you will be scattered, every one of you going home and leaving me alone. Yet I am not really alone for the Father is with me. I have told you all this so that you may find your peace in me. You will find trouble in the world—but, never lose heart, I have conquered the world!”

I believe that we will have storms in our lives while we live on this earth.  They may be storms of illness, disease, financial insolvency, loss of possessions or rights, etc. but we can come out through them on the other side victorious as long as we remain focused on, trusting in, and relying on Him.  Not only can obeying Jesus lead me into a storm, but it can lead me right through and out the other side.

Gal. 2:20 AMP

“I have been crucified with Christ [that is, in Him I have shared His crucifixion]; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body I live by faith [by adhering to, relying on, and completely trusting] in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.”