True Christians Do Not Continue to Sin!

Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace?

Sin and the child of God are incompatible. They may occasionally meet; they cannot live together in harmony – John R. W. Stott

It will help when we speak about the subject of sin to use clear and precise language about the type of sin we are revering to. Though any sin is worthy of our damnation and is an offense to God, not all sins are treated the same by God or by people with each other or by the church in discipline. First, there are scandalous sins and small sins or sins of imperfection. There are presumptive, intentional sins and sins in ignorance, public sins and unseen sins. There are sins of omission and commission. Scripture speaks of past sins and current sins. And there is a difference between committing a sin and continuing in sin. People often speak of besetting sin or besetting temptations. We must be clear what type of sin the passage we are reading is speaking about and keep these distinct in our doctrine and practice. Though any sin is enough to send one to hell and say they have violated the commands, yet not all sins are equally heinous or dealt with the same by the body. Here are some examples. 1^st from the Westminster Shorter Catechism

83. 83. Are all transgressions of the law equally heinous?
    A. Some sins in themselves, and by reason of several aggravations, are more heinous in the sight of God than others

Explained in the Larger Catechism Q.151 are things that increase the aggravations. Clearly some sins are more heinous in the sight of God than others.  One key distinction in scripture and the Confession is over 2 types of sins, scandalous and sins of imperfection or small sins.

Thomas Vincent’s answers to the question related to Q82-84 and then Q87 clarify what was meant in the Catechism. Consider how he explains the question on Repentance unto life (QA 87). Vincent expands question and answer 87 into 21 additional questions and answers to explain it thoroughly.  Below is just one of the expanded questions and answers (No. 15). He uses the term gross sins rather than scandalous sins. Page 231

1. What is that turning from sin which is part of true repentance?
2. The turning from sin which is a part of true repentance, doth consist in two things- – 1. In a turning from all gross sins, in regard of our course and conversation. 2. In a turning from all other sins, in regard of our hearts and affections.

~ The Shorter Catechism Explained from Scripture, by Thomas Vincent.

Scandalous sins are exemplified in lists like Eph 5:4, Col 3:5-8, 1Cor 5:11 and 1Cor 6:9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, ¹⁰ nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. NKJV

With these types of sins we follow James 5:19-21; 1Cor 5:11 and Gal 6:1 Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.

Matt 18:15 “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.  ¹⁶ But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’  ¹⁷ And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.  NKJV

James 5:19-Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, ²⁰ let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins. NKJV

1 Cor 5:11 But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner — not even to eat with such a person.  NKJV

Church discipline is not enacted for infirmities of the flesh and imperfections of good works, which are still sins. These sins must be confessed and repented of by individuals and mortified, but the church may have no knowledge of private sins or sins of thoughts. Some sins have such impact on another or seem to have a person overtaken such that a brother may need to confront them about it. Other sins we may let love cover the multitude of imperfections and ignore these and choose not to take personal offense to them.

Gal 6:1 Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.

1 Peter 4:8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”

1 Cor 13:4 Love suffers long and is kind; … is not provoked, thinks no evil; …7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Luke 17:3 If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.  4 And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.”

Note: the teaching here is specific. The subject is an illustration for forgiveness and lonsuffering in that. It is not a teaching that it is normal or acceptable for a person to continue to sin. That is taking the teaching out of context and perverting it. And the sin that a brother would be doing would be a minor imperfection, he is not stealing and lying and committing adultery with his wife over and over.

Remember that in the old covenant one who committed gross sins like adultery or being a rebellious son were not able to continue to commit these sins. They were put to death for this type of sin; which for us now would be like excommunication, putting them out of the covenant membership, proclaiming that they are not recognized as living like a Christian. This binding them from the visible church is recognized in heaven and God may allow satan to buffet them in a way He might not allow to a covenant person, but this does not mean they are barred from ever being converted as some think. It is only the same earthly action that is recognized by the heavenly kingdom, the removal from the church covenant protection. Man by his judgment does not keep one from the invisible church.

True believers should have their heart and desires turned away from even small sins, though they may commit some occasionally as frailty or infirmity of the flesh. This is not the same as wanting to keep the sin, tolerating it, avoiding all efforts to mortify it, or continuing in sin, unrepentant in these; nor is it the same as committing gross or scandalous sins, all of which would merit discipline and deprive him of assurance.  The church does not exact discipline on one who commits a small sin or a sin of imperfection, or those of thoughts that are private or un-spoken. But with gross outward and scandalous sins that hurt the person and the reputation of the church, and sins continued in unrepentant, the church must discipline, possibly even excommunicate the person, showing that they are without the fruit and visible signs of conversion which is turning from all sins. Not that they are surely unconverted, but from human judgment we do not see evidence of saving faith and repentance, so we no longer offer them the benefits of the covenant and assurance of being converted. True repentance is making a change, stopping the sin, turning to a practice of obedience, not just confessing or being sorry.

Another distinction in scripture is seen in:

Acts 3:17 “Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers.

1 Tim 1:13 but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. NKJV

Heb 9:7 But into the second part the high priest went alone once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the people’s sins committed in ignorance;

Num 15:27 ‘And if a person sins unintentionally, then he shall bring a female goat in its first year as a sin offering. ²⁸ So the priest shall make atonement for the person who sins unintentionally, when he sins unintentionally before the LORD, to make atonement for him; and it shall be forgiven him. ²⁹ You shall have one law for him who sins unintentionally, for him who is native-born among the children of Israel and for the stranger who sojourns among them. ³⁰ ‘But the person who does anything presumptuously, whether he is native-born or a stranger, that one brings reproach on the LORD, and he shall be cut off from among his people. ³¹ Because he has despised the word of the LORD, and has broken His commandment, that person shall be completely cut off; his guilt shall be upon him.’ ” NKJV

We see in the OT, which is a type for us, that a person who knowingly and intentionally sins, is cut off from the people of God, or put to death. This type points to new covenant practice of one being excommunicated, put out of the people of God or even ultimate spiritual death, if sin is allowed in their lives. This sin is willful intentional gross violation of the law of God in action not just thought. Nowhere in scripture is an ongoing struggle with this category of sin, which loses over and over, shown as normal, acceptable, inescapable or to be tolerated in a Christian?  Rather we are warned:

Heb 10:26 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. NKJV

One may say Heb 10:26 is limited only to the context of true faith. But note how this corresponds exactly with our previous verses; in the OT example, a man can be forgiven a sin that is not done knowingly and intentionally; but one done presumptuously, willfully, he was stoned or cut off from the people of God. There is no tolerance for presumptuous, intentional or continual sin in the believer’s life or a desire for sin.

Deut 22:23 The woman who did not cry out for help when caught lying with a man, was stoned because she was judged compliant, but had she cried out for help she would be innocent because it was not willful compliance.

Secret sins and obvious willful sins are again distinguished in:

Ps 19:12… Cleanse me from secret faults. ¹³ Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; Let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, And I shall be innocent of great transgression. NKJV

Christians also sin when they do not do good works perfectly. To sin is to miss the mark of God’s perfection. So we are constantly sinning in that sense.  When we would do good, evil is present with us. We are never perfect and so we are sinners. We also sin by omission, not knowing all our duty or neglecting to do some good or reprove evil around us. But these sins are not the same as an active volitional decision to commit a sin because we lust for or desire and take pleasure in it. More on this distinction in sins later from John Owen.

Also there is a difference in committing a sin once and continuing to commit a sin over and over. We are to repent and mortify or put sin to death, not allow it to reign over us. A Christian may commit a sin and there is forgiveness for them if they repent; but continuing in sin is a person who has not repented, turned from that sin to obedience.

Confusion also comes when the “struggle” we have with temptation in this world is referred to as a struggle with sin. Our struggle should not be that we are failing and sinning regularly. The Christian struggle is that we are tempted to sin often and have to say no, over an over to our flesh and the world. We should have no struggle with sinning; our struggle should be with temptation to sin from the flesh and the world. Indwelling sin in our flesh regularly is influencing us. It taints all the good works we would do with things like pride, arrogance, selfishness, impatience, etc., so that the good we want to do, we never do perfectly. This indwelling sin is ever present with us, disgusting us and causing us to weep and lament our life and even good works before God. The exciting deliverance we long for in heaven is not just to be free of all actual sin, but to be free of the continuous temptation from our flesh and battle with the world that we have to constantly say no to.  It will be bliss to be free of the struggle with the indwelling sin nature that never gives us any peace or rest. We have to be constantly resisting it, because we hate the pleasures of this world, our fleshly desires for it and we hate the temptations being aroused. The fight is not that we keep falling into the same sins, rather it is a constant or frequent struggle not to yield to temptation to sin. We struggle to not even entertain them in our thoughts. We stay on watch all day to turn from them to think on good things, Phil 4:8, so we do not get tempted or yield to it.

Mark 14:38 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. NKJV

Acts 20:31 Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears. NKJV

1 Thess 5:6 Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. NKJV

1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. ⁹ Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. ¹⁰ But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you NKJV

Heaven will be a relief because we will be free from the constant bombardment of the temptations in this world, our flesh and the sin nature. As for actual sins, one had better stop practicing sins here and now. Not that they become perfect in all areas, but the known temptations and desires that beset them from their pursuit of holy living weaken them and have caused them to sin in the past must be resisted and mortified. We can not allow ourselves to think of any one of them as really a good or pleasant thing that God is depriving us from enjoying. That they look pleasing is a deception they are not good for us at all nor can we occasionally allow ourselves to have them, let alone continue to desire them.

Those who love these things in the world and feel deprived and want to do them, even if they restrain themselves, are not converted or at least have no reason to hope they are. Their struggle is still only with doing them or not doing them, which even the unregenerate, to some extent, do from light of nature. They do not have a heart desire against them because they displease God, and a new desire to do right and please God, but they still suppress them. That was the plight of the unconverted and the experience of the Jews in the OT which Paul contrasts in Romans 5-8. This is what he is trying to explain to the OT saints, Jews and Gentile proselytes, why it is and how much better it is now in the new covenant because of Christ’s work and the Spirit. Christ freed us from the bondage of the sin nature, Law is written on our hearts, pouring out of the Spirit, etc.

The true convert has a new nature with new desires against sin and to obey God. It is this heart and motive change which more clearly identifies the true believer from the outward professor, who like the Pharisee only controls the outward but still desires sin.

Col 2:23 These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh. Rom 7:6 …having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter. NKJV;  Rom 8:3-4

Our battle now is with the temptations rising from the old nature, indwelling sin and the world, because we hate them plaguing us, even though we say no.

 

“Why does God allow His people to be buffeted by Satan’s temptations?  He does it for many wise and holy ends. God allows His children to be tempted, to test their love. Our love to God is seen, when we can look a temptation in the face—and turn our back upon it. Though the devil comes as a subtle serpent, and offers a golden apple —

yet the one who loves God will not touch the forbidden fruit. When the devil offered Christ all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them — such was Christ’s love to His Father, that He abhorred the temptation.

True love will not be bribed. When the devil’s darts are most fiery — a saint’s love to God is most fervent”. “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” John 14:15 ~ Thomas Watson, – “The Lord’s Prayer”
In speaking of willful sins, or sinning willfully in this article, it is the presumptuous, consensual or continuing in sin being referred to, not just a one time act, like Peter’s denial, a sin that is in opposition to the predominant desire of our heart and actions. It is not the sins of infirmities of the flesh, and imperfections in duty being addressed, or omissions in lack of perfect love with all our heart in our duties, which is sin we are committing, but the committing of gross sins, or continuing to go back to sins we have already been convicted of, keeping selfish desires for them rather than doing whatever it takes to put them to death until the desire is replaced with new desires for good, using the fruit of the Spirit, self-control, to resist them each time from a preference for and love for God.
These are sins that one allows themselves to commit and have not decided against once and for all and forbidden themselves ever to do again. Making an allowance or excuse to sin is to be servant of sin.

One who does commit sin needs to seek God for grace to change their desires. Sinning as a practice or continuing in known, willful or presumptuous sin is inconsistent with being in a state of grace. It is none other than sin reigning in or having dominion over a person. The fruit and evidence of saving faith and true repentance is a turning from those thoughts and actions to new thoughts, desires and behaviors in obedience to God and the word. Repentance does not mean ask forgiveness and keep doing the sin. Saving repentance is not a one time act then one goes back to sinning. It is an ongoing turning away from sin each time the temptation rises and living in obedience. Those who put their hand to the plow and look back are as the dog returning to his vomit. One called a believer who does these sins is to be shunned and eventually excommunicated as a means of grace for then and to maintain the purity of the church in the eyes of the world.
True repentance shows itself in a thorough breaking off from sin. The life of a repentant person is altered. The course of their daily conduct is entirely changed. A new King reigns within their heart. They put off the old man. What God commands they now desire to practice; and what God forbids they now desire to avoid. They strive in all ways to keep clear of sin, to fight with sin, to war with sin, to get the victory over sin. They cease to do evil. They learn to do well. They break off sharply from bad ways and bad companions. They labor, however feebly, to live a new life. ~ J.C. Ryle
People cannot say they are blind to scandalous or gross sins; they are not imperfections of the flesh or personality weaknesses. These are clear known sins. If they return to these they have not mortified the sin and given it up for good. The sinner prefers this sin to Christ; it has the control of him, instead of the Spirit. If one known sin is held on to, God has not been put first, nor has all been surrendered to Him as Lord. We have not made Him lord of all because we are still lord of that one thing in our lives. The new creation has new desires to put the Lord first and detest sin as evil against God. If there is one thing a person refuses to give up for the Lord, one desire held on to, they have no right to assurance that they are a new creature. Christ is not exhibited as His Lord and he is in danger of hearing the words: Luke 6:46 “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say? NKJV

Would one dare reply, “Well I do most of what You say Lord”?

Would that person be content if then he was pardoned of most of his sins?

It is good and encouraging in preaching and teaching to hear that we can overcome sin, though we struggle with temptations we can resist them and not sin and that we can put many sins to death so they tempt us rarely if at all.
Often we only hear of a defeated struggle against sin, losing often and we are told that is OK because we are forgiven. That is such a sad and discouraging message, a powerless message that causes people to not even make diligent attempts to mortify sin. We need to not just hear of the failures of others but the successes in sanctification as well and be given hope in our sanctification process, that the Spirit in us is powerful and more so than the world and wants us to have victory and be conformed to the image of Christ. His love to us delivers us from the power of sin in our lives. It is exciting to be able to keep having victories over our great enemy that afflicts us and shames us when we displease our loving Father. Our love to Him constrains us to not be lazy, resting in our positional righteousness, but zealous of overcoming and conquering the world and subduing our flesh for Christ our King and celebrating those victories for his glory. Boasting of His power in us and being lights in the world, examples and encouragement to others.

John Owens makes a very helpful comparison between our consistent occupation with putting sin to death and a man being executed on a cross:
“As a man nailed to the cross he first struggles and strives and cries out with great strength and might, but, as his blood and spirits waste, his strivings are faint and seldom, his cries low and hoarse, scarce to be heard; when a man first sets on a lust or distemper, to deal with it, it struggles with great violence to break loose; it cries with earnestness and impatience to be satisfied and relieved; but when by mortification the blood and spirits of it are let out, it moves seldom and faintly, cries sparingly, and is scarce heard in the heart; it may have sometimes a dying pang, that makes an appearance of great vigor and strength, but it is quickly over, especially if it be kept from considerable success.”
“He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world.” Therefore we should expect to see frequent successes shown in significant and measurable victories over our sin. “Frequent success against any lust is another part and evidence of mortification. By success I understand not a mere disappointment of sin, that it be not brought forth nor accomplished, but a victory over it and pursuit of it to a complete conquest. For instance, when the heart finds sin at any time at work, seducing, forming imaginations to make provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof, it instantly apprehends sin and brings it to the law of God and love of Christ, condemns it, follows it with execution to the uttermost.”

The Christian hates every evil thing, they do not feel God is depriving them of earthly good, they know sins are bad for them and horrible and they are an offense to the holiness of God.

Some may try to use Rom 7 to support Christians continuing to commit sins but the purpose of the passage is to teach the exact opposite. To try to use this passage to support the idea we continue to sin or make an excuse about your sinning is to pervert it completely no matter how you interpret it. I agree with those who do not think this was Paul speaking about his experience after conversion but was him comparing the benefits in the new covenant to what the Jewish believer had before Christ broke the bondage to the sin nature and freed us from the power of sin, “Thus he says, speaking to those who know the law” and uses the past tense much as he goes back and forth comparing the weakness of the law which did not give the power to not sin, which the new covenant now does. (See explanation at very end of article). But even if we believe he was speaking of his experience after conversion, I am sure Paul was not committing sins the likes of which we see professing believers doing today that are tolerated in most churches. Nor did he love the world and engage in the pleasures of it.  What exactly do you suppose the sins were that he was doing while chained to a guard or in prison?

Far from being an example that it is normal for Christians to continue to sin, which would contradict the rest of the passage, when Paul speaks in Rom 7:15-23 of not doing what he wants, he is explaining the law of indwelling sin in his flesh. This indwelling sin prevents him from doing good works totally free from sin. “When I would do good, evil is still present”. So thoroughly corrupting, is this indwelling sin, that even when he wanted to do good, His good works were tainted by the sin nature. And though he wanted to do pure good, he could not and evil would be in all he did. Indwelling sin as Paul said, is always there, what he wanted to do was perfect good, yet he ended up having evil mixed in it because the sin nature corrupted the good act. He did not mean that he still wanted certain sins or pleasures of this world to enjoy and satisfy his lusts. Or that he was occasionally lying, stealing getting inebriated, or coveting.
There may have been remains of pride, impatience, self will or anger even in the good works. But the evil he does is certainly not gross sins, it may have just been the awareness of his old nature, indwelling sin rising in his thoughts tempting him. These have to be minor sins or that which is called imperfections of the flesh. This means even our good works are not done perfectly therefore we still miss the mark and sin.
Paul continues in the letter to the Romans to impress on the members, many of whom were Jews who now believe in Jesus Christ, that the old ways they were taught and their past experience as OT believers under the old system were not as good as the new covenant. The better new covenant now gives us more benefits and one of them is this freedom from the bondage of sin. It is obvious this cannot mean justification because they had that and conversion in the old system; but it is referring to a better sanctification and freedom from the power of sin, now that Christ’s death and resurrection has given us more freedom from sin in our lives.

This is now our new state.  It is clear that in Rom 7:15 it is indwelling sin or the old man that Paul speaks to not committing sins, because he has already told us he is done with sin in Rom 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? ² Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?

It is from this perspective of the new covenant having better benefits than the old that Paul goes into Rom 7 explaining the struggle with indwelling sin and the old nature. If this was not true then this aspect of the new covenant would be no better than the old. There had to be something new and different and better here regarding sin and our lives and that power broken. Paul would not undo in 7:15-19 what he had just laid out in Chapter 6 or what follows after 7:15. So we cannot twist those verses to mean something contradictory to the context and all other scripture.  There is no other passage in all of the NT that can be used like people use Rom 7:15-19. All other scripture contradicts that interpretation and says Christians used to sin, but no longer continue to commit sin. They still have indwelling sin, and imperfection in good works which are sins, and imperfections of the flesh, omissions of duty, but there is no excuse for or comfort to those who wantonly commit sin.

One of the great benefits of the new covenant is what the law could not do, change our heart and give a strong desire to obey God’s word, free us from bondage to sin, change the desires from sin to live in accord with the righteous requirement of the law, not only legally by Christ, but in our life as well, mortifying the fleshly deeds.
Rom 8:3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, ⁴ in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. ⁵ For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. ¹³ For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
As much as one was a slave to sin, in bondage to sin so that they could not do good, so should they be now a slave to righteous living and not commit sin. Note also the ESV has the word right, slave not servant for the terms in the context are bondage, death, dominion, reign which all speak to ability not willingness as servant could be taken. It is more absolute and deals with power and authority.
It is clear that if one continues returning to sin and is overcome of it and does not mortify it, there is not much hope of their being converted. You will know them by their fruits. How bad does one have to be before this warning and others apply to them?  One does not need to judge that they are not converted, but there is no basis to judge that they are converted and it would harm those observing as well to give hope of conversion to one continuing in sin.

If one is obeying sin they are a slave of sin; they are not converted, they are only in the visible church, “house,” temporarily and on their way to death and hell. They need loving warnings, not to be caudled.
Though a thought of lust may come to the mind, believers do not engage in fornication. For the thought to arise from the lusts of our flesh and the world this is sin, but not of commission as if we begin to fantasize and dwell on the sinful thought. Believers sin often from indwelling sin rising up in us, bringing evil thoughts to mind and in sins of omission of duty and imperfection of duty, in heart motive and practice, lack of love and singleness of heart to the Lord. Sin is committed in things one does not even know are sins yet, since we have no clear awareness of what pure holiness would be. It is sin to allow others to sin and not doing all in one’s power to stop them or speak against it. This is especially true of ministers and elders who are guilty of the sin of their flock when they do not shepherd them well, either by education, counsel or discipline and preaching to stop their sins. The same is true of governors who allow their people to sin, parents with their children, all of us with our neighbors.  There is no mind so illuminated or aware of the perfect holiness of God or his requirements of us, that they reach the knowledge of perfect duty. Many sins are done that one is not even aware of.  And even our best deeds are sinful since they are never done without some fleshly aspect still attached, some pride, some selfish motive, some taint of the flesh and our indwelling sin nature. Oh yes, believers are sinners, sin, but do not “commit” sins or continue in sins, or sin presumptuously, or commit gross sins. They repent which is stop doing them and start obeying.
When Paul speaks about sin still being with him when he would do good, he is not teaching that he or converted people commit sins, but he tells us that he found a law. He is teaching us about the law of indwelling sin or the old nature that is constantly opposing our new nature and the struggle we have from its tempting us. It is clear this is not Paul falling back into gross or presumptuous sins. He is not actively committing sins but refers to the indwelling sin nature infecting all he does even the good he wants to do. So we see that in chapt 7 the good that Paul wants to do is he wants to be perfect. But when he wants to do perfect good he cannot, because of indwelling sin still being in his flesh. He tell us, it is not even any longer he who does sin, but the sin dwelling in him.
“I cannot pray but I sin.  I cannot hear or preach a sermon but I sin.  I cannot give an alms or receive the sacrament but I sin.  Nay, I cannot so much as confess my sins, but my very confessions are still aggravations of them.  My repentance needs to be repented of, my tears need washing, and the very washing of my tears needs still to be washed over again with the blood of my Redeemer.” William Beveridge, Private Thoughts (London, 1720), page 52.
Again I ask you who want to compare yourself to Paul here, what sins do you think he was committing while chained to a Roman guard? What exactly are those sins you think Paul would allow as consistent with conversion and his previous words? Going back to lying, cheating, only missing church every so often, jealousy, covetousness, adultery or fornication now and then as long as there is some space of time where some self-control is exhibited between bouts with it so it is not a steady continuous practice?          Of course not.

What sins does the church often allow today as acceptable behavior for members? Are they only the sins Paul did? Or are ministers and elders far too tolerant of acts of sin in their members and in preaching that it is normal, rather than upholding the major scriptural theme that it is not normal, can be defeated and continuing in sin is inconsistent with being converted, it should not be and doesn’t have to be.

If Rom 7:15 was meant to consider it to be normal that Christians continue in sin, can you imagine Jesus allowing Mary to walk with them if once in a while she fell back into adultery?  Would you have Him say to her, well Mary it’s Ok, you want to do good, sin is just present with you. No, of course not; consider what He said to the adulteress, “Go and sin No more”?  Why wasn’t that an unrealistic expectation of her by Jesus?  After all she may have been living this way a long time, it may have been her only means of support, it may take her time to cut down little by little or have set backs or fall into it or backslide. How could Jesus expect her to immediately cease from it, and sin no more?
Or if Peter had continued to deny Him, would He have told Him it was OK as long as he really tried hard not to, he was just a coward and weak? Or Thomas, if he kept doubting, or anyone who continued in any sin?

Would Jesus allow His followers to continue in sin and just ignore it as normal? Is there any example of these words or this concept in scripture? That understanding of Rom 7:15-19 is even inconsistent with the rest of the letter that emphasizes the inconsistency of continuing in sin in the new covenant; Shall we continue to sin?

God forbid the thought!! Then why would anyone think it means committing sins is normal instead of what it says, No way, Certainly Not, and that it speaks about indwelling sin, sin nature, old man?

This is an unbiblical practice to allow this kind of sinning in the church undisciplined and spoken against as inconsistent with the Christian life. The Pastor is to warn and call them to Christ and the Spirit to give assurance not offer a humanistic false assurance. Drive them to Christ for true Assurance, don’t short change them by giving them yours so they will like you, that may be your damning sin, to take the place of the Spirit in giving assurance.

Paul stated clearly that one who obeys or is overcome by sin is a slave to it and headed for death.
Rom 6:16  Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?

17  But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, 18  and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.
“There is never a hypocrite in the world—but will do what he can to save the life of his sin—though it be with the loss of his soul. O sirs! Satan can be contented that hypocrites should yield to God in many things—provided they will be but true to him in some one thing; for he very well knows, that one sin lived in and allowed, gives him as much advantage against the soul as more. Satan can hold a man fast enough by one sin, as the fowler can hold the bird fast enough by one claw. Satan knows, that one sin lived in and allowed, will mar all a man’s sweetest duties and services; as one dead fly will mar the whole box of precious ointment, Eccles. 10:1, and as one jarring string will bring the sweetest music out of tune.

Just so, it may be said of many hypocrites, they have such and such excellencies, and they perform such and such glorious duties—but they live and allow themselves in this or that sin—and that mars the beauty of all their services, Matt 7:21-23. Satan knows, that one sin lived in and allowed, will as certainly damn a man as many; as one disease, one ulcerous part, may as certainly kill a man as many. Satan knows, that one sin lived in and allowed, will render a man as unclean in the eye of God as many.

If the leper in the law had the spot of leprosy in any one part of his body, he was accounted a leper, although all the rest of his body was sound and whole, Lev. 14. Just so, he who has the spot of the leprosy of sin allowed in any one part of his soul, he is a spiritual leper in the eye of God; he is unclean, though in other parts he may not be unclean.”                         ~ Thomas Brooks, A Cabinet of Choice Jewels, or, A Box of Precious Ointment

Surely no rebel can expect the king to pardon his treason while he remains in open revolt. No one can be so foolish as to assume the judge of all the earth will put away our sins if we refuse to put them away. ~ Spurgeon

Do not offer the weak life experiences of others as your reason to interpret the word differently. You do not know any man’s heart or whether they are converted. And you are not to compare yourself to other people, rather to Christ, so if you use that method it shows why you come up with a wrong conclusion. Is there any other doctrine where we would allow as a proper hermeneutic, to look to human experience first to interpret scripture?  This is unbiblical and heretical hermeneutics used by Charles Ryrie in Balancing the Christian Life to defend the carnal christian heresy and salvation apart from Lordship. You cannot know if all those who still sin are converted?
At least Ryrie is honest enough to see that if Christ was one’s Lord they would not live in sin, and calls Lordship salvation a false gospel because it would be requiring something more than faith in Christ as savior. That of course is ridiculous, faith causes us to believe Christ is now Lord of all our life, as well as savior and repentance means to change our actions to obedience to Him. More should speak out against those evangelicals who hold to the carnal christian and no Lordship salvation and say they are teaching a false gospel. When Christ comes into us, He comes as Lord and savior with all His benefits, not just forgiveness, but a changed heart and submission to His Lordship.

This separating of Christ from His benefits in preaching is not the gospel of Christ. The gospel calls people to come to Christ, not come to His benefits as though they could get forgiveness without getting Christ as Lord. When in union with Christ they receive all His benefits. The gospel is that we can come to Christ and be united to Him, have Christ in us, not just some of His benefits.

Do not fall for using that approach with Rom 7. Rather we look to scripture to define human behavior.

Many want to interpret Rom 7 in a way to say Christians still sinning is normal or unavoidable. They say look at all the people who call themselves christian today and they continue in sin, therefore it is the norm that Christians sin.

Although the carnal Christian heresy may appear to fit the lifestyles today of many who live worldly lives yet make a profession for Christ in churches where little to no discipline is exercised and worldly people living in sin are accepted as members, this is not in accord with the scripture. It is a deadly, soul-destroying, blasphemous practice. It denigrates God by teaching that unholy, unrepentant, sinners can have fellowship and favor with a perfectly holy God. It denigrates Christ by teaching that His work was ineffectual in changing human hearts and breaking the bondage to sin. It denigrates the Holy Spirit by teaching that the Spirit cannot or does not effectually apply the mind of Christ’s and holiness to the regenerated and may effect little influence of His Holy character when He indwells them and does not really give them power over sin and their flesh, nor does the new nature overpower the old, nor the new desires prevail over the old man who is crucified. It denigrates the Church by teaching that she comes to the wedding feast with soiled and defiled garments and displays that such who still make excuses for and choose not to mortify sin can be accepted by a holy God while they continue to live in sin.

This is only a watered down teaching in effort to make the unconverted feel comfortable coming to church, maybe in hope some of them may eventually get converted, if the minister does not speak too discriminatingly on the holy requirements of the Christian life. But many even reformed ministers, from their latent or practical Arminianism, fear that preaching a strong gospel or preaching against sin and the requirements to live a holy life or be disciplined, will drive people away and God’s irresistible grace is not strong enough to keep His saints or draw and convert the elect. Some feel it is not their job to warn the people from the deception of satan, the flesh, sin and hell, but mainly to comfort them to Christ. If they will love Christ enough for His comfort and promises then they will all naturally live holy, figure out all the deceptions of their flesh on their own without a minister and keep from sin. Whereas scripture is clear that the people need to be warned and especially because of false teachers who we are told will seek to deceive them. Ez 33 and:
Act 20:29  For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. ³⁰  Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. ³¹  Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.

1Co 4:14  I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you. KJV
Paul may have earned the title, in his eyes, of chief of sinners for what he did in the past; but no more does he continue in it. Just as Peter denied Christ, if he was even a convert then, he was an OT saint and had not yet received the benefit of the new covenant, being filled with the Spirit. And after Pentecost we hear no more of him denying Christ. The same with others like David who never repeated his sins. And do you think Thomas ever doubted again? Or that Matthew went back to cheating at tax collecting? Or Peter though still fearful of the opinions of others ever denied Christ again?

“Clement notes that Peter so repented, that all his life after, every night when he heard the cock crow he would fall on his knees and weeping beg pardon of his sins.  Ah souls, you can easily sin as the saints but can you repent with the saints?  Many can sin with David and Peter, that cannot repent with David and Peter, and so must perish forever!” ~ Sited in Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices by Thomas Brooks

Paul may have been acutely aware, as a mature Christian, full of grace, that he did not love as he should and was not as patient at all times as he should, he was not as holy as God and did not measure up to that holiness and perfection; but he was not out committing scandalous sins, lying, stealing, looking at pornography, cheating on tests, greedy, complaining, worrying, depressed, being slothful, skipping church meetings, violating the Sabbath or even indulging in worldly pleasures. Nor was he continually practicing sin or continuing in sin. He may have committed some minor sins, but to be consistent with all of his other writings, like just previously where he says, Rom 6:1  … Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? ²  By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? ⁶  We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.
⁷  For one who has died has been set free from sin. ¹¹ So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. ¹²  Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. ¹⁷  But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, ¹⁸  and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.

 

Paul takes it even further saying it so strongly that Christians no longer sin that he says it is not even he who sins, just indwelling sin.

Rom 7:17 But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. ²⁰ Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.  ²¹ I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. NKJV

So one of the laws he speaks of is the law of indwelling sin or the old nature.

In fact Paul tells the Corinthians he has no sin that he has committed. 1 Cor 4:3 In fact, I do not even judge myself. ⁴ For I know of nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; NKJV
He is speaking of a sin he could be judged for by the church, because he knows he still has sin even when he would do good works evil is present with him, in his sin nature. He is not denying his indwelling sin, but that he has committed no sin.
This is not metaphysical or speaking of our positional standing before God only, nor is it some higher life as the perfectionists would take these passages, where we see our legal standing before God and attribute that sinless perfection to our actual life; but this speaks to our lifestyle, actions and desires here on earth now.

We must see that Paul was done with sin; it was what he used to do in the past and he says saints used to do. He concludes this explanation of this aspect of the law of sin in him with celebration: Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.

He celebrates victory over sin by the new covenant which he shows is better than the old where they did not have the power of sin broken by the death and resurrection of Christ yet, or the law written in the heart. This is the context of the whole book, showing the superiority of the new covenant over the old and the power of the gospel of grace.
Then in 8 he warns us if one continues to sin they will die but those truly converted will put to death sins of the flesh.

Rom 8:13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. NKJV
But the word is clear, it simply could not be clearer. Paul continues to tell them they are not to just accept people who commit serious sins and let them go on because none of us are perfect and we all just glory in God’s forgiveness. No! We do not allow sin among us that grace may abound. Remove them from the protection of covenant membership and to protect others from being influenced and weakened in their efforts to resist temptation by seeing others tolerated in it.

1 Cor 5:5 deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. ⁶ Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? ⁷ Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened.

¹¹ But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner — not even to eat with such a person.

¹² For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? 13 But those who are outside God judges. Therefore “put away from yourselves the evil person.”

1 Cor 6:9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, ¹⁰ nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. ¹¹ And such were some of you.

The Christians “were”, but no longer are doing these things, not even infrequently.

The whole tenor and context of scripture teaches that converted people are just that, “con” “verted”, meaning with change. That change is a visible change in outward lifestyle, from sinning, which is not perfectly keeping the law of God and all His word, to heartfelt obedience to it.

No one can see the inward change of the new birth except as it manifests in the outward actions and choices. Listen to scripture on this subject how the understanding is that converted people do not continue to commit sin.

Ex 20:20 And Moses said to the people, “Do not fear; for God has come to test you, and that His fear may be before you, so that you may not sin.

1 Thess 3:12 And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, ¹³ so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.

1 John 2:1 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin.  NKJV

1John 3:3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. ⁴ Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. ⁵ And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. ⁶ Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him. ⁷ Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. ⁸ He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. ⁹ Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God. ¹⁰ In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.

Note in the previous verses John says Christ was manifested, not just to take away the penalty of our sin, but also our sinning. This is one of the glorious improvements of the new covenant over the old that Paul was teaching. The power that held us to sin is broken and we are now free not to sin anymore and we have a new nature in us that does not want to sin. Christ not only paid for the penalty, but died that we no longer live in sin, known presumptuous, repetitious or scandalous sin. It is through our union with Him that this is accomplished in us.  When it says, He was manifest to take away our sins and destroy the works of the devil, cannot refer to removing only the punishment, because he goes on in context to speak of our not sinning. And again we are warned not to be deceived in this by those who would say we can still be converted and go on sinning as long as we ask forgiveness or say we repent even if we do not turn from it. Be Warned! He emphasizes that this is how it is shown who is converted, by their practice of righteous living; and the children of the devil are manifest by continuing to sin.

Rom 6:6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. ⁷ For he who has died has been freed from sin.

¹¹ Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

¹² Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. ¹³ And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. ¹⁴ For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
¹⁵ What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! ¹⁶ Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? ¹⁷ But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. ¹⁸ And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness ¹⁹ I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.

²² But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. NKJV
Again it is clear in this passage that as much as the natural man is a slave to his sin nature and cannot do good, in the same way, a converted person is a slave to his new nature and cannot continue to sin?
And he is delivered not just from the penalty of sin, but the dominion of sin over him in this life. Thus there is no excuse, I couldn’t help but sin because I am a sinner. No, the power of sin is broken and I can keep from sin. This should be the dominant expected experience held out for the Christian and constantly taught to them rather than the easy usual: we are poor struggling sinners who will continue to sin and thank God for forgiveness and that is as good as it gets.

The key for examining ourselves is really more about the heart. Why do you commit sin? Do you still have desires to enjoy this world and its pleasures and for your flesh to feel good?  John Owen in his book, Remainder of Indwelling Sin, speaks about Rom7:15-21 as pointing not to a life committing sins, but to indwelling sin in our flesh. He points out that a new pressing desire for doing good is the vital difference between a believer and a false professor or unregenerate person. He says we must rightly know the law of indwelling sin is always there in us and its power, so that we always resist it and do not let it control us, else we be found apostates. In the Christian our new nature always desires to do good and that is why it overcomes indwelling sin. So to speak Biblically about the struggle then, it is not that we are often choosing to sin, but that we are in a constant battle with, resisting indwelling sin, the old sin nature and its temptations. It is constantly opposing the new nature, depriving us of peace and forcing us to stay constantly on guard and dirtying even our good works. Determining if we have this new nature is only evidenced in the results of our actions which result from out of the heart desire. Here are some excerpted quotes from Chapter 1.
“Thirdly, The general frame of believers, not withstanding the inhabitation of this law of sin, is here also expressed. They “would do good.” This law is “present:” The habitual inclination of their will is unto good. The law in them is not a law unto them, as it is to unbelievers. … Grace hath the sovereignty in their souls: this gives them a will unto good. They “would do good,” that is, always and constantly. … To will to do so — is to have the habitual bent and inclination of the will set on that which is good, …This, in their worst condition, distinguishes them from unbelievers in their best. …Their faint endeavors to answer their convictions are far from a will of doing that which is good. They will plead, indeed, that they would leave their sins if they could, and they would fain do better than they do. But it is the working of their light and convictions, not any spiritual inclination of their wills, which they intend by that expression: for where there is a will of doing good, there is a choice of that which is good for its own excellency’s sake, …Witness that luxury, sloth, worldliness, and security, that the generality of men are even drowned in. But in believers there is a will of doing good, an habitual disposition and inclination in their wills unto that which is spiritually good; and where this is, it is accompanied with answerable effects. The will is the principle of our moral actions; and therefore unto the prevailing disposition thereof will the general course of our actings be suited. Good things will proceed from the good treasures of the heart. Nor can this disposition be evidenced to be in any but by its fruits. A will of doing good, without doing good, is but pretended. …

Indeed, few labor to grow wise in this matter, few study themselves as they ought, are acquainted with the evils of their own hearts as they ought; on which yet the whole course of their obedience, and consequently of their eternal condition, doth depend. …

We shall find, also, in our inquiry hereinto, what diligence and watchfulness is required unto a Christian conversation. …. Would you not dishonor God and his gospel; would you not scandalize the saints and ways of God; would you not wound your consciences and endanger your souls; would you not grieve the good and holy Spirit of God, the author of all your comforts; would you keep your garments undefiled, and escape the woeful temptations and pollutions of the days wherein we live; would you be preserved from the number of the apostates in these latter days; — awake to the consideration of this cursed enemy, which is the spring of all these and innumerable other evils, as also of the ruin of all the souls that perish in this world!” …

In Chapter 2 Owen points out that rather than an excuse that we will sin, the effect that our knowing about the sin nature has in a Christian is:

“What do you find of this law? what experience have you of its power and efficacy? Do you find it dwelling in you, always present with you, exciting itself, or putting forth its poison with facility and easiness at all times, in all your duties, “when you would do good?” What humiliation, what self-abasement, what intenseness in prayer, what diligence, what watchfulness, doth this call for at your hands! What spiritual wisdom do you stand in need of! What supplies of grace, what assistance of the Holy Ghost, will be hence also discovered!”

One can discern if they have a love of indwelling sin or a regenerated view of it by examining if it produces these characteristics in them, more diligence etc. or if it becomes an excuse to tolerate sin.

Owen removes the excuse to commit a sin in Chapt 7 point 2: It is said that it leads the soul captive “unto the law of sin;” — not to this or that sin, particular sin, actual sin, but to the “law of sin.” God, for the most part, orders things so, and gives out such supplies of grace unto believers, as that they shall not be made a prey unto this or that particular sin, that it should prevail in them and compel them to serve it in the lusts thereof,…
Owen pointed out an important distinction, that there is a difference in being a sinner because one has sinned in the past, has a sin nature indwelling them and tempting them, versus a willingness to or allowing themselves to actually commit sins as though Christians can’t help it so it is normal to commit some.

Next Owen clarifies another vital distinction in our willingness to sin, for there is always some aspect of the will in all sins, some consent. Chapt. 12, 2. There is a twofold consent of the will unto sin: —

He explains that there is a one type of consent that is full and acts even after deliberation because the desire is prevailing. Then there is a consent which has a renitence and contrary aspect, as in Peter’s denial, which due to violent urgings of some new temptation, his will was weakened and though he consented, it was not done with seeking out self-pleasing in mind, he had no previous desire in his heart for it, it was not premeditated and sought for. He did not desire denying Jesus; nor did he repeat it, preferring death first. And this was prior to the filling with the Spirit.

That no godly man does, or can indulge himself in any course or way or trade of sin, may be thus made evident.

[1.] First, He sins not with allowance.   When he does evil, he disallows of the evil he does: Rom. vii. 15, ¹ For that which I do, I allow not.  A Christian is sometimes wherried¹ and whirled away by sin before he is aware, or hath time to consider of it.   See Ps. cxix. 1, 3 ; 1 John iii. 9; Pro v. xvi. 12.

[2.] Secondly, A godly man hates all known sin: Ps. cxix. 128, ‘ I hate every false way. True hatred is against the whole kind. That contrariety to sin which is in a real Christian, springs from an inward gracious nature or principle, and so is to the whole species or kind of sin, and is irreconcilable to any sin what­soever. As contrarieties of nature are to the whole kind, as light is contrary to all darkness, and fire to all water; so this contrariety to all sin arising from the inward man, is universal to all sin. He who hates a toad because it is a toad, hates every toad; and he who hates a godly man because he is godly, he hates every godly man; and so he who hates sin because it is sin, he hates every sin: Rom. vii. 15,¹ What I hate, that do

[3.] Thirdly, Every godly man would fain have his sin not only pardoned but destroyed. His heart is alienated from his sins, and therefore nothing will serve him or satisfy him but the blood and death of his sins, Isa. il 20, and xxx. 22; Hosea xiv. 8; Rom. viii. 24. Saul ‘hated’ David, and sought his life; and Haman hated Mordecai, and sought his destruction; and Absalom hated Amnon, and killed him; Julian the apostate hated the Christians, and put many thou­sands of them to death. The great thing that a Christian has in his eye, in all the duties he performs, and in all the ordinances that he attends, is the blood and death and ruin of his sins.

[4] Fourthly, Every godly man groans under the burden of sin: 2 Cor. v. 4, ‘”For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened”

~ SERIOUS AND WEIGHTY QUESTIONS CLEARLY AND SATISFACTORILY ANSWERED by Thomas Brooks

Christians may be sinners, they may be sinning because they are not perfect in their good works, but they do not continue to commit sin; that is, do it with intention or desire or allowance. Sin dwells in our flesh but it is so distinctly not a part of the convert that Paul says twice this same passage that he is not desiring to or committing sins; he is just aware of indwelling sin still in him; it is the indwelling sin in his old nature that is sinning.  Rom 7:17 But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me

Gal 5:24  And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
Richard Sibbes, in his book The Bruised Reed, agrees with Owen and speaks this way about indwelling sin and the minor infirmities of the flesh in which a believer may come short of perfection and thereby sins.

“A Christian’s behaviour towards Christ may in many things be very offensive, and cause some strangeness; yet he will own Christ, and Christ him; he will not resolve upon any way wherein he knows he must break with Christ. Where the heart is thus, in these respects qualified, there we must know this, that Christ counts it his honour to pass by many infirmities, nay, in infirmities he perfects his strength. There are some almost invincible infirmities, such as forgetfulness, heaviness of spirit, sudden passions and fears which, though natural, yet are for the most part tainted with sin. Of these, if the life of Christ be in us, we are weary, and would fain shake them off, as a sick man his fever; otherwise it is not to be esteemed weakness so much as willfulness, and the more will, the more sin. And little sins, when God shall awaken the conscience and ‘set them in order’ before us (Psalms 50:21) will prove great burdens, and not only bruise a reed, but shake a cedar. Yet God’s children never sin with full will, because there is a contrary law in their minds by which the dominion of sin is broken and which always has some secret working against the law of sin. Nevertheless there may be so much will in a sinful action as may destroy our comfort to a remarkable degree afterwards and keep us long on the rack of a disquieted conscience, God in his fatherly dispensation suspending the sense of his love. To the extent that we give way to our will in sinning, to that extent we set ourselves at a distance from comfort. Sin against conscience is as a thief in the candle, which spoils our joy, and thereby weakens our strength. We must know, therefore, that willful breaches in sanctification will much hinder the sense of our justification.”
“It is one thing for sin to live in us: it is another for us to live in sin.” – John Murrary

Forgiven souls HATE SIN. They can enter most fully into the words of our Communion Service, “The remembrance of sin is grievous unto them, and the burden of it is intolerable.” It is the serpent which bit them—how should they not shrink from it with horror? It is the poison which brought them to the brink of eternal death—how should they not loathe it with a godly disgust? It is the Egyptian enemy which kept them in hard bondage—how should not the very memory of it be bitter to their hearts? It is the disease of which they carry the marks and scars about them, and from which they have scarcely recovered—well may they dread it, flee from it, and long to be delivered altogether from its power!

If you and sin are friends, you and God are not yet reconciled. You are not fit for heaven; for one main part of heaven’s excellence is the absence of all sin.   ~ J.C. Ryle Old Paths, “Forgiveness”

Those who do not teach that the power of sin is broken and that Christians do resist temptation and don’t give in to it are those mentioned in:
2 Tim 3:4 lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; 5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; and avoid such men as these.

These weak or false teachers deny the power of the resurrection which now frees us from sin, so that sin no longer has power over us, and we are slaves of righteousness, doing good kingdom works and not seeking to enjoy the pleasures of this world. They deny that Christians are able to be slaves to righteousness who cannot continue committing sin “just as” they were slaves of sin and could not do good. They deny part of Christ’s work which was to destroy the power of sin over believer’s lives now, so that they are no longer committing sins, though they are still sinners and have indwelling sin and sin by omission, ignorance, imperfection of good works, and minor sins or imperfections of the flesh.

We are told that it is the false teachers who are still in bondage to sin and overcome by sin themselves who give tolerance to that lifestyle.

2 Peter 2:13-They are spots and blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you, ¹⁴ having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children. ¹⁸ For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error. ¹⁹ While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage. ²⁰ For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. ²¹ For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. ²² But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: “A dog returns to his own vomit,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.”  NKJV

And note what should be preached is not liberty of life, but liberty from sinning. How many plead for their “freedom,” as they call it. They argue that they can do what they like and try what they want, so they run here and there to every seducer and salesman of false opinions. And what is the result? Few go unhurt, and the majority lose their faith. Let no one fear sin without also fearing temptation. They are too closely allied to be separated. Satan has put them so close together that it is very hard to separate them. He hates not the fruit, who delights in the root. ~ John Owen
The problem is false teachers have not experienced being set free from sin, the power of the resurrected Christ living in them, changing their desires to conform to the law, a dreaded hate for all sins, and since they have not made an end of all their sins, they cannot teach it or their hypocrisy is manifest or conscience strangles them; so they must make a non-theo-logical excuse from some scripture. The false teachers cannot cease from their own sins, or their love for them, which a true convert should be able to do and have victory mortifying many sins and their desires even be changed to do good works. So they cannot preach like Paul does.

You’ll never be able to speak against sin if you’re entertained by it. – John Muncee

O sirs! remember that as one hole in a ship will sink it, and as one stab at the heart will kill a man, and as one glass of poison will poison a man, and as one act of treason will make a man a traitor—just so, one sin lived in and allowed will damn a man forever. One wound strikes Goliath dead, as well as three-and-twenty did Caesar; one Delilah will do Samson as much mischief as all the Philistines; one vein’s bleeding will let out all the vitals as well as more; one bitter herb will spoil all the pottage. By eating one apple, Adam lost paradise, Gen. 3; one lick of honey endangered Jonathan’s life, 1 Sam. 14:33; one Achan was a trouble to all Israel, Joshua 7; one Jonah was too heavy for a whole ship, Jonah 1; so one sin lived in and allowed, is enough to make a man miserable forever. One millstone will sink a man to the bottom of the sea as well as a hundred; so one sin lived in and indulged will sink a man to the bottom of hell as well as a hundred. ~ By Thomas Brooks, 1669 A Cabinet of Choice Jewels, or, A Box of Precious Ointment  – chapt. How far a hypocrite cannot go

The daily life of a Christian is that they are not caught up in sinning, but though they may commit even a gross sin one time, as David, they do not continue in it. Like David, though he did not repeat the sin ever again, they will lose the sense of the presence of God and should be under church discipline, supported and specially prayed for by the elders until fruits of repentance have been observed for a considerable amount of time. We are not to judge whether they are saved or not, nor tell them they are, but to point them to Christ for repentance, forgiveness and strength to stay repentant and mortify the desire; else we have no hope for them and must remove them if they continue in it. There may even be long term or permanent consequences and restrictions in the life of the person from then on as a result of a particular type of sin.

Rom 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; ²⁹ being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, ³⁰ backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, ³¹ undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; ³² who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.  NKJV

But now, when any man’s heart doth condemn him for dealing deceitfully and guilefully with God in this or that or the other par­ticular, or for connivings or winking at any known transgression that is kept up, either in his heart or life against the Lord, and against the light of his own conscience, which he will not let go, nor in good earnest use the means whereby it should be subdued and mortified; it is not to be expected that such a person can come to any clearness or satis­faction about their interest in Christ and the covenant of grace and their right to the great things of that other world.
When a person will dally with sin, and will be playing with snares and baits, and allow a secret liberty in his heart to sin, conniving at many workings of it and not setting upon mortification with earnest endeavours; though they are convinced, yet they are not persuaded to arise with all their might against the Lord’s enemies, but do his work negligently, which is an accursed thing; and for this, God casts such a person into sore straits and lets him wander in the dark, without any sight, sense, or assurance of their gracious estate or interest in Christ, &c. …
“A course, a trade of sin is not consistent with” the truth or state of grace:”

 “True repentance is a turning from all sin, without any re­servation or exception. He never truly repented of any sin, whose heart is not turned against every sin. The true penitent casts off all the rags of old Adam; he is for throwing down every stone of the old building; he will not leave a horn nor a hoof behind. The rea­sons of turning from sin are universally binding to a penitent soul. There are the same reasons and grounds for a penitent man’s turning from every sin, as there is for his turning from any one sin. Do you turn from this or that sin because the Lord has forbid it? Why! Upon the same ground you must turn from every sin; for God has forbid every sin as well as this or that particular sin. There is the same authority forbidding or commanding in all; and if the authority of God awes a man from one sin, it will awe him from all. He that turns from any one sin, because it is a transgression of the holy and righteous law of God, he will turn from every sin upon the same ac­count. He that turns from any one sin because it is a dishonour to God, a reproach to Christ, a grief to the Spirit, a wound to religion, etc., will upon the same grounds turn from every sin.

~ Thomas Brooks, SERIOUS AND WEIGHTY QUESTIONS CLEARLY AND SATISFACTORILY ANSWERED

 

If you were taken to court what evidence would you have to show this is true of you?
“No man can prove himself a Christian, if he does not hate sin.”
~ William Plumer, A Comfort For the Afflicted Christian

No man should be thinking he is making progress in holiness if he does not walk over the dead bodies of his lusts ~ John Owen

Mortification or putting sin to death, implies it is finished, put to death such that we are sanctified by the Spirit so that we no longer commit that sin and may even have any feelings for it removed such that it is no longer even a temptation to us. Or we may still have temptations arise and struggle with the temptation to sin, but we do not give in and go back to the sin.

Is a relapse possible? Again, a sin could be committed, but one who returns to a practice of the same sin has no right to assume he is in a state of grace at that time. The purpose of church discipline is to help the person repent and mortify the sin and return to a credible profession or they are excommunicated to distinguish that Christians do not live that way and protect the others from temptation. It is also vital to keep the purity and good name of the church as those who do not continue to commit sin or approve of it and tolerate it. Else who would they differ from the world in appearance? This removal from under the protection of the covenant allows satan to afflict them and cause their bones to shake under the fear of God as a means to provoke them to cry out for relief, see their need of a savior and beg God for mercy to repent with a repentance not to be repented of.

Note that we are told we will not sin if we walk in the Spirit.

Gal 5:16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

Gal 5:17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. NKJV

Rom 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

¹⁵ What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! NKJV
Now what does he mean that we won’t fulfill the lust of the flesh in Gal and in Rom sin shall not have dominion over you because we are not under the law? What does he mean by “under law” here and what does that have to do with our personal holiness of life and resisting sin?  He explains that we are not left as weak as the old covenant saints were, (those under the law). He explains how much better this covenant is because now we have the power of sin broken, we are filled with the Spirit, We have been  crucified with Christ, and freed from the bondage to have to sin. This is a benefit of the new covenant, also the law being written on our hearts as well as the completed work of Christ and a greater power from the indwelling Spirit. We no longer have to continue to commit sins though our indwelling sin still prevents us from being perfect even in our good deeds. We won’t have perfect love and singleness of heart always even in our good works.

So then what does the rest of this Gal 5 passage which is similar to the Rom7 passage mean? That because of our indwelling sin in our old nature still with us, we can not do the good we would do. Now what is the good a true convert desires to do?  It is to perfectly obey the commands and please God and we cannot do that perfectly, we still have our best works tainted by our sin nature.
These passages are not contradicting the other passages adjoined to them and elsewhere in scripture.

Is it normal for a Christian to sin?

Should we just expect to sin and accept it that this is our life, we will sin? Scripture answers this clearly.

Rom 6:1 Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? ² Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?  Rom 6:15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! ¹⁶ Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? NKJV

Will you say, I do not sin often enough to be a slave to it or have it reign in me? Listen to Jesus describe one who is a slave to sin and will not go to heaven.

John 8:34 Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. ³⁵ And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. NKJV

Shall we sin? How could this happen, it is inconceivable?? Paul says, Absolutely NO! We have died to sin and have no relation to it, desire for it, anymore and that if one does, their master is not God. Who is their master?

Matt 6:22 “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. ²³ But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness! ²⁴ “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and your flesh.

 “Before this union with Christ there must be a separation. The heart must be separated from all other lovers, as in marriage there is a leaving of father and mother: “Forget your own people, and your father’s house.” (Psa. 45:10). So there must be a leaving of our former sins, a breaking off the old league with hell before we can be united to Christ. “Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols?” (Hos. 14:8), or as it is in the Hebrew, “with sorrows.” Those sins which were looked on before as lovers, are now sorrows. There must be a divorce before a union!”

~Thomas Watson – Mystic Union Between Christ and Saints

Paul makes it clear in 6:14 which is not a command to aspire to, but at declaration that sin does not have dominion in the life of a true believer. So many other passages also point clearly to the true convert’s personal separation from committing sins and even giving up enjoying the general pleasures in this world. Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, ¹² teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, NKJV
If one reads all of the passages on freedom from sin to only mean, from the penalty of sin, rather than the bondage to doing sin, they will be more apt to excuse choosing to sin. Whereas one who has been warned that these verses also speak to the walk, and life of a person, they will know they do not have to sin and can resist every temptation and will be more apt to live a life pleasing to God and abstain from all sin.  Knowing the truth sets them free.
It has been reported that Thomas Boston said at the end of his life there was one sin that he had not completely mortified to the extent that it never showed up again. In saying this it points out that he had subdued all other sins such that he never did any of them again and he was disappointed because he expected that he should have completely mortified this one also.  He wanted to, expected to, and had he it would still not be perfection, due to his past sins and indwelling sin still with him. This is the normal Christian life and experience. It should be our daily goal whether we fully arrive at it or not. All known sins should be mortified completely.

Why would one use the Rom 7 passage as an excuse to tolerate sin in the life of a professing believer and in opposition to all of the rest of scripture? Why would anyone offer words of comfort to one who goes back to sinning or commits scandalous sin rather than calling them to the only hope and comfort, which is in Christ and repentance? Are these comforters more compassionate than Christ? More loving? Better at encouraging?  Or are they too weak and unfaithful to follow Him and say what He said to people who sinned or were sinning. To warn them that if they continue to sin they may not be converted. The loving comfort is to point them to Christ to for grace to repent and mortify now, cut off their right hand rather than perish.

“There is nothing in the world that renders a man more unlike to a saint, and more like to Satan, than to argue from mercy to sinful liberty; from divine goodness to licentiousness. This is the devil’s logic, and in whomsoever you find it, you may write, This soul is lost.” Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices
Did Jesus teach the way many do today when He spoke to the rich young ruler who kept all the law and was only hesitant to give away all he owned? Would you give away all you owned on the spot? Could you say to Jesus, all the commandments I have kept from my youth? This was a good faithful member by all human judgment and today most would say he was an exemplary brother, he is saved, and at most, he is just struggling with only one sin. Be patient with Him. Comfort and encourage him to improve on this one issue. But Jesus held no hope out for him and sent him away rejected, unacceptable and sorrowful.

Jesus did not seek to give comfort to those who continued to sin; or who held back even one area of life, like the rich ruler or Annanias and Saphira. He had no problem telling people they were not saved or did not know God.

Matt 5:20 For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. NKJV

Matt 6:14 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.   NKJV

John 7:28 but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know.  NKJV

John 8:44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. NKJV

There is no comfort for those who commit scandalous sins or continue in sin. This is unthinkable to the authors of scripture.  We are not only, not to comfort those who continue in scandalous or repetitive sin, but we are to shun them to show that Christians do not live that way or accept it as even minimally tolerable; rather it is inconsistent with saving faith. 2 Tim 3:5, 1Cor 5:11 I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner — not even to eat with such a person. NKJV

2Thess 3:14 And if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed.¹⁵ Yet do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. NKJV

“A man professing to be a Christian professes to renounce all of these sins; if he does not act consistently with his profession, he is not to be recognized as a Christian. We are not to do anything which would give the assumption that sins here referred to are tolerated by the church.”

Charles Hodge, I and II Corinthians (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth Trust, 1974 [1857, 59]), p. 60.

Jesus never sought to keep people around a while longer by speaking soft comforting words and reducing the requirements, or avoiding warnings or the cost; rather He seemed to drive them off with the strictest of requirements, trusting solely in the regenerating power of the Spirit to convert them.

The fact we often have a weak gospel preached and people think they are converted when they have not counted the cost is not an excuse to tolerate the weakness and complaints of the unconverted professors. They need to hear that the true gospel has demands.

Luk 14:26  “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.  27  Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. 28  For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?

Jesus told them the whole truth right up front and made them count the cost. They had to be willing to give up all the world right from the start to follow Him. No where does anyone in the scriptures teach that you can keep some of your sins, cut down on sinning or have just one or two pleasures of the world you love more than God and still come to Christ? This is unthinkable. Coming to Christ is a forsaking of all known sin.  Which includes the very next sin you become aware of.
It is said of the wicked shepherds and false prophets: Jer 8:11 For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of My people slightly, Saying, ‘Peace, peace!’ When there is no peace. NKJV

The only comfort we offer to these people is to repent and leave the sin that entangles them and seek God to sanctify them from this sin. That there is still hope for them if they will give up their sin and repent to obedience and trust God that this sin is not pleasure and not good but a deception destroying them and others. Admonish them to use self-control over it, a fruit of the Spirit, until the desire is gone or reduced to less than his desire and love for God, so that desire always prevails, even if temptations remain.

There is no need here to comfort the one who is content in sin. They need the fear of the Lord as a motive, they need to be pointed to Christ for grace and mercy, not caudled with powerless human empathy.
Do not minimize sin. To not be content with what one has or the circumstances they are in is to deny God and His word. They are not trusting Him, they are not believing Him and should have this made clear so they flee to Christ alone, so He gets the glory, not tell you what a comforting sermon you gave. Who do you preach for? Do not think God is not able to apply saving balm to the wounds His word gives, or that you are better at giving comfort than the Comforter.  Drive them to Christ so they can have a real experiential faith with the living God, rather than human psychological emotional support from you. Better they depart from you now than they be separated by God later and you be found failing to have warned the flock to turn from sin.
The fear of God and punishment or discipline is a means God uses to bring them to repentance; why would one take this means away from a member who is sinning by giving them comfort that they are converted? The person overcome by sin has no right to think he is converted or to have assurance. The proper comfort given is to point them to turn from sin to God, that God will yet accept them if they turn from the sin and give it up and get grace to obey.

They must be warned and lovingly called to repent and come back to faith and obedience, quitting what they are choosing, and changing their mind and desires, crying out to God for grace to have the power of reigning sin broken in their life. Then seeing the fruit of true repentance, a desire to do good, and success over their flesh, they may gain hope or assurance from their experience with God that they have grace. As Watson points out, seeing our sin subdued is one evidence of a person being forgiven.
‘Whenever God pardons sin, He subdues it. Then is the condemning power of sin taken away, when the commanding power of it is taken away…If the fetters of sin be broken off, and we walk at liberty in the ways of God, this is a blessed sign we are pardoned.’ – Thomas Watson
Therefore since even continuing to willfully commit minor sins is inconsistent with being converted, one cannot be certain he is in a state of grace when he continues committing the same sins over and over. That is why they may lose that sense of justification and others should not comfort them by telling them they are safe; rather encourage them to repent from those sins to renewed obedience. If they are truly converted they will receive comfort from the Spirit and restored communion with God who alone knows the true state of the person.

Spurgeon agrees, “If the professed convert distinctly and deliberately declares that he knows the Lord’s will, but does not mean to attend to it, you are not to pamper his presumptions, but it is your duty to assure him that he is not saved. Do not suppose that the Gospel is magnified or God-glorified by going to the world…and telling them that they may be saved at this moment by simply ‘accepting Christ’ as their Savior, while they are wedded to their idols, and their hearts are still in love with sin. If I do so, I tell them a lie, pervert the Gospel, insult Christ, and turn the grace of God into lasciviousness.” Charles Spurgeon – Today’s Evangelism, pp. 25-26.
Let us be careful not to want to play God here by attempting to comfort or assure one they are saved while sin is reigning over them. The temptation is for one to comfort the person so they will like them or speak well of them. Or they think themselves to be being kind, deceiving themselves that this is charitable or merciful, or worse, possibly so they can also feel safe in their own sins. Wouldn’t it be more kind and better for them to be driven to God to get that sense of assurance from the Spirit?

None of us knows the heart of a person, or whether they are elect or not, converted or not. We can only look on the outward and we are to judge by the fruit we see. We judge the person by his works and it may even come to excommunication at last; but only God knows their final state and whether at last they will repent or be admitted back into the church. It is not anyone’s job to give someone else’s conscience peace that they are in a state of grace.

God may even kill a person in this state to keep him from continuing in sin. Then we are only left with covenant promises for their state. But if we are not even to eat with such a one, should we assure them safety with God while they continue to rebel, preferring the world and their flesh to Christ?
There is only one kind of person who does not want to hear preaching about sin and warnings, one who loves their sin and wants to be left alone in it. “Don’t speak to me about sin” they cry, “don’t be negative and don’t scare me, speak pleasant things that tickle my ears and comfort me, keep me at ease in Zion”. Ministers be warned, do not listen to these people or think it a wise and modern method to soften your words to keep them around. If you want the approval of such your end will be the same as theirs. Those who will not warn them and give them strong rebuke do not believe it is God who converts through His means of preaching the law, sin and judgment, with warnings to cut off right hands and pluck out eyes, and hate this world and their own families turning to Christ and obedience. Christ did not speak sweet things often. He often spoke roughly and warned them and exposed the hypocrites by discriminating preaching. Some ministers hold too much hope in their human means of slow gentle attracting people to Christ like a fly with honey. People are not flies and the devil is not out to deceive flies. We do not attract them with a wonderful life. People are not prone to make excuses like, Oh I can’t come to that sports event because I have to be at Bible study or church or go minister to an elderly person or care for the church property. Their excuses are for why they don’t attend church weekly and prayer meeting and Bible study and offer to serve others in need and be part of team ministries. The side they err on is obvious. It is not over sadness for their sin. This is often phony and pride when it is expressed.  Just see how few people serve the church, help with clean up and come to prayer meetings or bible studies or visit the sick and serve one another fervently. The lack of service is a strong indication of the state of their devotion to God’s kingdom and connection with God and His kingdom desires for them.

“People do not drift toward Holiness. Apart from grace-driven effort, people do not gravitate toward godliness, prayer, obedience to Scripture, faith, and delight in the Lord. We drift toward compromise and call it tolerance; we drift toward disobedience and call it freedom; we drift toward superstition and call it faith. We cherish the indiscipline of lost self-control and call it relaxation; we slouch toward prayerlessness and delude ourselves into thinking we have escaped legalism; we slide toward godlessness and convince ourselves we have been liberated”.  – D.A. Carson

We can observe well what the natural trend is in people when ministers change from preaching to softer gentler things to tickle ears and keep a larger congregation full of worldly and unregenerate who can easily live the minimal life they require. The church today is full with those who do not manifest much of the fruit of the Spirit or desire holiness and ministry, and is full of those getting divorces, depressed, and living in sinful pleasures hardly distinguishable from those who seldom or never enter a church. Even ministers who are weary of their work and calling dread the challenges they have: so much counseling because the preaching does not constrain the people to live godly, or expose and teach them enough of the word so they know how to live or how to mortify their earthly desires bringing them into subjection to service for the Lord. Ministers and elders are in authority and if they do not stop those who are under their care from sinning who will?

Pastors and elders who think they have mortified their sins and are doing well should consider that they are a partaker in other people’s sins when they do not discipline them and seek to get them to stop sinning? A county’s rulers who do not uphold Biblical principles in their society become partakers of their society’s sins by not making laws to stop them and enforcing the laws. Those members of society and pastors who do not speak out against these rulers and do what they can to get them to uphold Godly laws become partakes of the rulers and people’s sins.
Lev 19:17 You shall surely rebuke your neighbor, and not bear sin because of him. NKJV

James 3:1 My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. NKJV
In Rev 2 the rulers of the churches are condemned for allowing people to hold to false doctrine in their churches as well as people to teach falsely. Rev 2:14 But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality.  ¹⁵ Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. ¹⁶ Repent, or else I will come to you quickly ….²⁰ Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.

God has ordained that ministers preach the law, sin and judgment to the people so they will fear, and feel the dread of deserved judgment on them which will create a strong need for a savior and drive them to Christ as their only hope for salvation and continual sanctification. This is one of the god ordained means of grace and protection for the people. Will you deprive them of that?  Drive them to Christ for comfort.
That is not to say there is not a place for speaking comfort, but if that is primarily the preaching a congregation gets the people become slack.
The flesh does not often slide toward being overly strict in living and not getting enough enjoyment of the world and their flesh and sin. The direction that needs most support is to be warned away from the pleasures of the world and over indulgence in the lawful things as well as other evils. If you think this is not true then you do not know your flock and you do not know the typology of the Old Testament teaching you how people are prone to drift away. You are blind to how worldly they still are and how much the world and its pleasure infringe on their spiritual duties and even attendance at church meetings.
Sadly one of the few warnings many ministers give is to not seek after money while ironically the command they preach often and get after people for is to keep tithing. Both of these are as unbiblical and unbalanced as their comfort to those continuing in sin.  Note the warnings of Christ to His people which ministers should practice.

Luke 8:13 But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. ¹⁴ Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity. NKJV
“The thorny ground represents those who hear and accept the message, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares and riches and pleasures of this life. And so they never grow into maturity.

Few Christians seem to consider that even lawful pleasures, when too eagerly pursued, become sources of pain, by secretly alienating the heart from God. Hence we have need to guard against giving too much of our mind and time to those pursuits which may insensibly draw us off from private devotion and the daily duties of social life.
Lawful things are not always beneficial; and, if abused or used to excess, they become injurious.

Society is pleasant; yet it becomes a snare, if it leads us from our secret chamber by its incessant attractions, and thus make us strangers to God and our own hearts.
We are everywhere surrounded with danger. Each pleasure has its poison, and each sweet its snare.
And yet, how fleeting! edited from Thomas Reade’s, “The Thorns in the Parable”

Ministers are not only to warn the wicked to turn from sinning but also to warn the righteous to not commit sin.

Ezek 3:17 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me: ¹⁸ When I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. ¹⁹ Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.

²⁰ “Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die; because you did not give him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand. ²¹ Nevertheless if you warn the righteous man that the righteous should not sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning; also you will have delivered your soul.”  NKJV

“It is possible to spend a lifetime in the Christian ministry, and at the end to be disapproved as ministers and have nothing to show for all our labour.”   Martyn Lloyd-Jones (Romans – The Perseverance Of The Saints)

Ezek 33:12 “Therefore you, O son of man, say to the children of your people: ‘The righteousness of the righteous man shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression; as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall because of it in the day that he turns from his wickedness; nor shall the righteous be able to live because of his righteousness in the day that he sins.’ ¹³ When I say to the righteous that he shall surely live, but he trusts in his own righteousness and commits iniquity, none of his righteous works shall be remembered; but because of the iniquity that he has committed, he shall die. ¹⁴ Again, when I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ if he turns from his sin and does what is lawful and right, ¹⁵ if the wicked restores the pledge, gives back what he has stolen, and walks in the statutes of life without committing iniquity, he shall surely live; he shall not die. 16 None of his sins which he has committed shall be remembered against him; he has done what is lawful and right; he shall surely live.

¹⁷ “Yet the children of your people say, ‘The way of the LORD is not fair.’ But it is their way which is not fair! ¹⁸ When the righteous turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, he shall die because of it. ¹⁹ But when the wicked turns from his wickedness and does what is lawful and right, he shall live because of it. ²⁰ Yet you say, ‘The way of the LORD is not fair.’ O house of Israel, I will judge every one of you according to his own ways.” NKJV

This is the covenant of grace. This is the same thing the book of James says. The reasoning is because true saving faith will cause one to turn from sinning to obedience and good works. So whether one is wicked or a member of the church, apparently righteous, outwardly holy, if they turn back to committing sins they do not manifest saving faith which would cause them to persevere in obedience, good works and keep them from sinning.

We cannot presume that God will continue to forgive us if we continue to sin. Samson sinned once and then again and God had mercy on him two times returning his strength to him. But after another repeat failure he thought he would also be forgiven and his strength return, but God did not return his strength that time and he suffered greatly for his sin; Judg 15:20. Those who sin should be reminded of the strong warnings in scripture, that those who have been hearers of the gospel and those who seem to be godly or were supposed converts may fall like those who heard Peter and Paul, even those who heard Jesus and John the Baptist. 1Cor 10:12, 1Cor 16:13, 1Tim1:19, Phil 2:12, John 6:66, John 5:35, 2Tim 1:15, 1Tim 5:12, 2Tim 4:10,

Warnings are a means of grace to keep us from sinning. To cease to warn a person is the greatest curse upon them.

“They are joined to their idols—let them alone!” Hosea 4:17

God sometimes leaves men to themselves—their furious passions are unchained, and they are given up, without restraint, to the lusts of their own evil hearts! A more dreadful judgment than this cannot be inflicted on this side of hell. (John Newton, “The imminent danger and the only sure resource of this nation”)

Matthew Henry writes, “People go on in sin until the Lord says, ‘Let them alone!’ Then they receive no more warnings—and feel no more convictions. Satan takes full possession of them—and they ripen for destruction! It is a sad and sore judgment for any man—to be let alone in sin! Those who are not disturbed in their sin—will be destroyed for their sin! May we be kept from this dreadful state; for the wrath of God, like a strong tempest—will soon hurry all impenitent sinners into eternal ruin!”

Jesus tells us it is so important that we not continue to sin that if we are tempted and don’t resist, we should tear out our eye:  Matt 5:29 If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.  ³⁰ And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.

Are you hearing what Jesus told us? That it if we continue to sin we will perish! Therefore it is better to tear out a part of body than sin. Sin will not be tolerated. You won’t enter heaven if you continue to sin!  How much clearer does He have to make this?  How can any continue to deny this. You can have you sin or you can have eternal life but you cannot have both. Decide. You have been warned; by Christ and other scriptures.

Heb 12:4 You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin. NKJV
If you struggle with temptation to pornography or any other sin and give in, do you prefer your sin to your right eye?  Then you may not yet be converted. Beg for true repentance to enable you to turn from this while there is time, and be about waiting for the Lord, full of the Spirit, lest you miss His return. Do not wait one more day.

Matt 25: 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’  ⁹ But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you;… ¹⁰ And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. ¹¹ Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’  ¹² But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’

If sin is voluntary, so is quitting sin. We know this from childhood. If a child is being hit by another child they know intuitively this is wrong. And they know the other child can stop hitting them. So they scream “Stop!” believing the other will stop. If an adult sees another starting to steal something from their car they know that the other person can stop doing this. They yell “Stop!” and expect them to stop. We know that others can stop doing wrong. One doesn’t need to know the Bible to know this. If sin is voluntary, so is the stopping sin.

Someone might say I just can’t stop complaining, or worrying, or lying or lusting or cheating at work. But if you asked them if someone said, your child will die if you tell another lie or cheat again at work and God will kill you, do you think they could stop?   Of course.
So then it is a matter of desire and the price you pay to keep your sin. If people are told they can go on sinning and still have eternal life they will. But if they are told those who continue to sin have no hope of being converted and may go to hell then they may stop, because the risk is too high.

Luk 12:4  “I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. 5 But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him! Pro_16:6  By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the LORD one turns away from evil.

If you fear God who can cast you into hell more than you love your sin then you will find that you can stop sinning. This message is all through the Bible:
Psa 4:4  Be angry, and do not sin;

Isa 1:16  Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil,
Man can quit doing evil, and this voluntary repentance is a condition for forgiveness both in the Old and New Testament.

1Co 15:34  Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning.

Joh_5:14  Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.”

Joh_8:11  She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”]]  1Pe 4:1  Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2  so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God.

Man is “without excuse” not to cease from sin.

And do not excuse people because they do not commit gross sins but only small ones. Satan whispers deception in their ear, “That sin is not so great that God would reject you for it; after all others do it”. It does not matter the size of the sin but the size of the God against whom you sin. Any sin preferred over God is damnable.

 

Perhaps the smallness of the sin is urged as a reason why you may commit it:

“It is but a little sin—a small matter—a trifle!”
But, if you commit this little sin—you will offend a great God!

Is there any little hell to torment little sinners in? No! The least sinners in hell are full of misery!

There is great wrath treasured up for those whom the world regards as little sinners.
The less the sin—the less the inducement you should have to commit it. Will you provoke God for a trifle?
Will you destroy your peace, wound your conscience, and grieve the Spirit—all for nothing?

What madness is this! ~ John Flavel, “Keeping the Heart”

Another evidence that believers do not continue to sin is Death. Think of it, death was the OT penalty for presumptuous sin. A man in Israel would not be able to continue in presumptuous sin, converted or not because he would not have a chance to continue in that sin; he was put to death for one instance of gross sin. This was a type for us today, of excommunication. It shows that those who do those sins should not be secure or comforted that they are in a state of grace. Let us not look to human experience, appearance and our own judgments of ourselves or others as being converted to interpret scripture; what does the scripture say! The bondage to sin is broken in us when the new nature and indwelling of the Spirit comes to us. This is why the new covenant is better than the old, we have the power now to not sin, we have the law written on our desires!!

“One leak will sink a ship: and one sin will destroy a sinner.”  – John Bunyan
2Cor 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. NKJV

1John 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. NKJV

One cannot say that verses referring to our being done with sin are to be understood only as positional truths, or legal, pertaining only to our standing before God, our justification, and not to actual personal sanctification here on earth. The reason is because it speaks of obedience and our ability to sin or not. Instead of thinking the subject of the sentence is law and grace and that he is just casually saying, Shall we just not care and sin a whole lot? Actually what is meant is, Shall we even allow ourselves to commit one sin, No.

The grace we are under in the new covenant does not permit us to sin more than the law did; that is not what has changed in the new covenant; that we are now allowed to sin or break the commandments more. What has changed is our new desires are now written in our heart and enable us to obey God and not sin. We have more ability to do what we desire and have more personal holiness in the new covenant. The OT believer was under the covenant of grace too and saved by faith. But the old administration of the covenant of grace did not free them from the bondage to sin in the way the new administration does after Christ’s work was finished. This is why Paul tells them to drop the old ceremonial laws and follow the new practices because this newer administration of the covenant of grace is better now because of Christ’s finished work.
Leprosy
Do you really have a Biblical view of sin? God uses leprosy in the old covenant people typologically of our fight with sin. If it is sin it must be put out of the covenant people, not tolerated at all.
In Lev 13 we are given a very excellent example of how horrible sin is, not only in its severity, ugliness and deadliness, but also in its types. There is that when examined by the priest he is found not to be leprosy or sin and he is let go, and others watched for 7 days, if only a superficial then let go and still others held another 7 days and checked again.  The constant is if it is repeated or spreads to more parts of his body, or if it goes deeper, or if it is raw and fresh not old and healed over as with repentance from it, then he is pronounced leper and cast out of the camp. If our sin is one we have conquered and mortified and it is healed and not come fresh again, not continuing to give in to it, then it could have been a fall or relapse consistent with being in a state of grace. Yet the church must discipline and examine the person over time to be sure there is no return and that is has not gone deeper and gotten his heart. But if the sin persists or is not repented from, then it is deadly and tolerance of it in the congregation can spread to others. It must be shown not to be tolerated, or else by tolerating it in one, others will be tempted that they can also sin.

So heinous and infectious is sin that we should hate it and fear it as we would a disease. Many use the sin of David or Peter as an excuse for their own sin, though they sinned only once and did not fall into the same sin ever again once repented of. The sins of David and Peter are not a mark to guide us but a mark to warn us. This is why we see so much sin and worldliness in the churches among professing Christians today; sin is tolerated and acceptable, so others allow themselves to do the same. So loose and easy it has been made to look that even the unconverted can live that loose of a lifestyle and the churches are filled with false professors who have little fear of sin and do not hate the world.

When there was even a question of leprosy the man was isolated because sin can spread to others if tolerated. This is why the elders must stop those who do it, even if it means excommunication and putting them out of the congregation. Lev 13:4 But if the bright spot is white on the skin of his body… then the priest shall isolate the one who has the sore seven days.  ⁴⁵ “Now the leper on whom the sore is, his clothes shall be torn and his head bare; and he shall cover his mustache, and cry, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’ ⁴⁶ He shall be unclean. All the days he has the sore he shall be unclean. He is unclean, and he shall dwell alone; his dwelling shall be outside the camp.  NKJV

The OT shows us how bad sin is by the way God dealt with it in cases like leprosy, which was a type of sin and had to be completely cured, not one spot left. Also with Achan holding on to the accursed things, and with leaven in Christ’s example, how it spreads to others.  It must be purged out completely, none left.

Josh 7:1 Achan the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed things; so the anger of the LORD burned against the children of Israel. …²⁵ So all Israel stoned him with stones; and they burned them with fire after they had stoned them with stones. NKJV
2 Sam 6:6 Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. ⁷ Then the anger of the LORD was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him there for his error; and he died there by the ark of God. NKJV

The example of Uzzah seeking to be helpful and with such a seemingly small thing shows us how bad sin is and how Holy and separate God is and what He requires and can demand of us. It shows us that regardless if we think we have a good reason or a good motive that God hates even the smallest sin and demands our precise obedience.  Some would say these things do not apply to us today and yet scripture tells us:

1 Cor 9:9 For it is written in the law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain.” Is it oxen God is concerned about? 10 Or does He say it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written,

1 Cor 10:11 Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. NKJV

Listen to how serious we are to be about professors who sin:

1 Cor 5:5 deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.  6 Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? 7 Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. NKJV

Rom 8:13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. NKJV

To death, not severely wounded, bleeding, but still rising occasionally. Dead. No life. None

 

James 1:26 If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless. NKJV

1 Thess 1:8 Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything. 9 For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, NKJV
Self-control is a fruit of the Spirit
But a converted person does not just resist sin with self-control. They will never make it that way. They need the power of the Spirit to mortify sin and put it to death. Not just weaken it, but death so there are no more risings of it. The law written our hearts causes us to desire to obey God’s word and hate sin as He does.
To put sin to death a Christian must have something they desire more than the sin. They must have a love for God that is above all other desires. But to really love the Lord most means work, a lot of communication and building and developing that relationship. You may meet a person who you feel an attraction for and even think you love them. But this is just infatuation or good chemistry initially. You must court that person for a while to actually get to know the person and their character.   You have desires to find out what they like and dislike. You want to be with them, and long for that closeness. It is not a burden to you to spend time with them and the more time you spend, the closer you know them the more your love grows for them. It is similar with God, we must apply ourselves to the means of grace He has given us to know Him, what He has revealed to us about Him in His word, how others love Him and spending much time in prayer.

We should ask ourselves, do we love the things in this world a lot, spend time doing them, look forward to getting to enjoy them? Then should we also look forward to the Lord’s day and to time in prayer with the Father who has loved us so intensely?  If one has been given love for God they will long for those times to be alone with Him and to commune and learn more, to seek for Him to teach and convict them. To grow their trust in Him and forsake all others loves for His love. They will be willing to give up all of the pleasures in this world to spend time with God in sweet communion. It will be their greatest joy more than all other pastimes. If this is not the case with you and you find it hard to leave the pleasures of the world to have time to grow your love to God then this is a most concerning matter and you need to cry out to God to increase your love and take away your love for the pleasures in this world and replace it with an eternal love and thankfulness to Him After all if it were not for Him you would not be able to enjoy anything in this word. You have no right to anything until after you have loved the Lord. He must be first. Spend time meditating on the Song of Solomon His love letter to you until you are sick with love for Him.  Until you feel you are the bride and nothing satisfies you but to be with Him and you cannot but notice when you do not sense His presence and you begin to cry out where is my Love?   You must grow this love to excel all other loves else they are idols.

You must love so much that you repent of all sin and hate them as God does and see every sin you could choose, as you choosing to have a Roman guard add one more whipping on to Christ’s scourging and suffering before God on the cross. Is you love for sin so great you will have Christ be whipped and flesh torn open so you can enjoy your pleasure for a time?  Beg and beg God until He grant you this repentance from sin.


Quest. But wherein does a true penitential turning from all sin consist?   Ans. In these six things:—

First, In the alienation and inward aversation and drawing off of the soul from the love and liking of all sin₇ and from all free and voluntary subjection unto sin, the heart being filled with a loathing and detestation of all sin, [Ps. cxix. 104,128,] as that which is most contrary to all goodness and happiness.
Secondly, In the will’s detestation and hatred of all sin. When the very bent and inclination of the will is set against all sin, and op­poses and crosses all sin, and is set upon the ruin and destruction of all sin, then the penitent is turned from all sin, Rom. vii. 15, 19, 21, 23; Isa. xxx. ; Hosea xiv. 8. When the will stands upon such terms of defiance with all sin, as that it will never enter into a league of friendship with any sin, then is the soul turned from every sin.”
~ SERIOUS AND WEIGHTY QUESTIONS CLEARLY AND SATISFACTORILY ANSWERED by Thomas Brooks

‘But if I sin I can always repent…To this we must say that He who promised forgiveness to them that repent, has not promised repentance to them that sin.’ – Ralph Venning
Heb_12:17  For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.
The following quote can be read with the previous passage in mind:
“Suppose you do sin”, saith Satan, “it is no such difficult thing to return, and confess and be sorrowful, and beg pardon and cry ‘Lord, have mercy upon me’; and if you do but this, God will [forgive], and pardon your sins, and save your souls…”  It is not in the power of any mortal to repent at will. Some ignorant deluded souls vainly conceit that these five words, ‘Lord! Have mercy on me’ are efficacious to send them to heaven; but so many are in hell by mistake of their repentance. Many rest in their repentance, though it be but a shadow repentance, which causeth one to say, ‘Repentance damneth more than sin’. — Thomas Brooks, Vol. I pg. 31

Col 1:10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; ¹³ He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son NKJV

1Thess 4:3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; ⁴ that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, ⁵ not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God; ⁶ that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified. ⁷ For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. ⁸ Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit. NKJV

Note the choice of words, like abstain, rather than cut down or rarely sin. These are not idle statements of some fleeting aspiration or ideal that is not to be realized, or just telling us this is our duty with no expectation we will be able to perform it. God is telling us this is how the Spirit filled new creature has been changed and lives.  Abstain from, none, not occasionally slip, no not once. If you abstain from alcohol you don’t do it only on rare occasions, you never allow yourself. Once God reveals to us a thing is sin, we work madly to mortify each temptation to it until there is no more temptation, if grace allows us that far.

He that hides one rebel in his house is a traitor to the crown, He that indulges one sin is a traitorous hypocrite.

~ Thomas Watson – Doctrine of Repentance

“We are aware that we have an antagonist, an adversary, who often persuades people that they have the Spirit of adoption when that is not true of them.”  ~ Martyn LLoyd-Jones (Romans – The Sons Of God)
Some ask: What about Besetting sins.

I do not think there is such a thing for a Christian, as we have seen in the preceding verses and we will see in the following that besetting sins were the most cherished sins one had before Conversion not after. The concept, like the carnal Christian heresy and the non-Lordship salvation positions are based on misinterpretations of scripture that are inconsistent with other scripture. Besetting sin is taken from Heb 12:1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares (besets KJV) us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, NKJV.

In saying, “leave your sin”, this could be a call to conversion by the author to those Hebrews, who have not yet trusted Christ or those who are weak in their understanding. Or it could at most mean to Christians that they are to leave even the sins which in the past have ensnared them or were most dear to them pre-conversion or still tempt them continually.

But there is nothing here allowing that one can be converted and keep committing those “besetting sins,” going back to them, even if they say they are struggling with them and trying not to do them. As we have seen, they cannot even retain the desire for them. A person who has a besetting sin may be converted but there is no visible evidence of this, there is no credible profession in such a one ensnared in sin. Our call to one in sin is as this verse says; “leave the sin”. Just as Jesus said, go and sin NO more. It is not, go and don’t sin for a couple months or go and sin less this week. It is sin No more!

Dare one have to say, “What part of “No more” is it you don’t understand?”

Note the words of the scriptures how they do not say anywhere, try not to sin. They say do not sin. There is a huge difference. There is no allowance for one who continues in sin, though he may struggle against the thought and desire coming up over and over; yet if he is losing regularly by giving in to it, he has little hope he has been given a new nature. What does he do more than a moral person or one in a false religion? For even the heathen will resist sin sometimes out of what is left of conscience in them. But the desire is not changed; they still want their sin even if they will not do it. The difference in a truly regenerate man is the new nature changes the desires of the heart and gets the victory in actions. This was Paul’s point in Rom 7 & 8 how much better the new covenant than what the Jews had before by the law; there was not the power of the Spirit like we now have. Though he did still see sin in him it was not because he wanted it. In fact he hated it and it was so much no longer a part of him that he can honestly say … it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. Rom 7:20

2 Tim 2:19 Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”

“Do not believe that the common Christianity of the present age will carry anybody to heaven. It is a counterfeit and a sham. It does not make men to differ from their fellows, it pretends to faith and has none, talks about love and does not show it, brags of truth and evaporates it into thin air in its latitudinarian charity.
God give us back the real thing—stimuli, strong belief in the gospel, real faith in Jesus, real prayer to him, real spiritual power.
Then again there will be persecution, but it will only blow away the chaff and leave the pure wheat!
The world likes us better because we like the world better; it calls us friends because we doff our colors and sheathe our swords and play the craven; but if we preach and live the gospel in the old apostolic way, we shall soon have the devil roaring round the camp and the seed of the serpent hissing on all sides, but we fear not, for “the Lord of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.”   ~ Charles Spurgeon ~  sermon “I and the Children,”  1874

Scripture makes it clear that we do not have to sin or keep falling back in sin; God has made a way so that we do not have to sin and warns against a fall, (whether into sin or to apostasy is not clear in this verse).

1Cor 10:12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. ¹³ No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.  NKJV
If we are diligently looking for His way of escape we will not commit the sin. One is self deceived who resists and struggles with temptations a few times so that he can feel it is acceptable to allow himself to give in occasionally. He only resists sin from fleshly effort that he may allow it and still keep down his own guilty conscience. He is not done with this sin, he still allows it in his life as long as he can hypocritically say no to it sometimes. The fact one says no to a temptation several times to make him feel like he is not controlled by it so he can indulge in it when there is some special temptation that arises is not mortifying a sin. It is making a loophole in the contract to stop; keeping it and making the lie to himself that he doesn’t want it.  In each decision a person does what they want most. That is why we decide for it, because really we want it more than pleasing God. Our decision shows what is most important to us. We must increase our love to please God and serve the kingdom so it is what we want most, in order to always say no to temptation. This is a snare and deception of the devil. I find no scripture supporting a besetting sin, or being continually overtaken in sin, continuing to sin, still desiring sin, unrepentant sin or comfort given to one who is in this state.
“The belief that God is everywhere should persuade us to sin nowhere.” ~Richard Steele –A Remedy for Wondering Thoughts

Each person had better wake up and fear sin instead of indulging it. And fear God who will not ignore judging one who continues to sin. Sin is a cheat, a deception. You think you can just do it a little, this one time, just look back once, and yet what happens?  Each time you sin you do not get stronger and resist it more; but instead it eats away at your resolve, it doesn’t satisfy but increases your appetite and you get weaker and weaker until you end up in hell with all your good belief in God and His forgiveness. But you will get none of it, because you love the world, you love your sin enough to keep doing it and not resisting it as commanded. You were not one of those converted from sin.  You were not one who looked for the way of escape and resisted the devil and temptation, you were not one who cut off his right hand, or pluck out his eye, but one who gave in to it over and over. A man will cut off his arm to get free and save his earthly life but you will not cut it off for eternal life. Can you really have a hope you have been freed from the power of sin? And if you have and yet you waste that power and choose to do it anyway can you have any hope you love God and are thankful for Christ suffering so you don’t have to go to eternal punishment?  Cry out to God for repentance and quit your sin. Break it all off now. Get the repentance that is not to be repented of, that cleansing that does not allow you to return to wallowing in the mud. Make a vow with you mouth and your eyes to not choose sin again. Cut off whatever it takes to be done with sin.

Ex 14:13 And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will work for

you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. ESV

There were other enemies to fight but the Egyptians were mortified, put to death for good. Why?

One might suggest this illustrates only definitive sanctification. The deliverance from Egypt is typological of our conversion and the bondage to sin being broken. Fine. Other places the entire city, animals and all, are cleansed from the land. And in some places, though commanded, this is not done; the results devastating.

What about a Backslider

Backslider is not a term used in scripture of individuals except once for one whose heart follows his own ways. Pr 14:14. It is a term used of the OT covenant people. They also are spoken to as covenant breakers and unconverted. Backsliding is very covenantal language; used in Jeremiah and Hosea when the people worshipped false gods and it is equated to adultery. God says he has divorced them. They are called to repent and if they do He will heal their backsliding and bless the people in the land.
This is more a picture of God by His work bringing His covenant people back to Himself. Backsliders are looked upon as unregenerate, those not following God.

If the term backslider could be used of individuals, they are not to be told they are in a safe place or converted, and that God forgives you, and you can spend long periods in that backslidden state. They should be told to repent now, put away the sin and only be comforted and assured, “IF” they repent, not before they turn from it.

Luke 9:62 But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”
2 Peter 2:20 For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. 21 For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. 22 But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: “A dog returns to his own vomit,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.” NKJV
Remember if those who profess Christ do this, we are not to have company with them or we excommunicate them from the people of God and if it was in OT times they would be put to death.

One may ask, but aren’t their dry times in the Christian life or times of declension? There may be a dry time because a person pulls back from his fervent love of the Lord. He is getting caught up in the world, weakening his first love. He may be listening to temptations more and letting his lusts in the world or flesh run high, so he withdraws from God and leaves off diligence in the means of grace, church attendance, or is less consistent in personal or family devotions and spiritual duties. He may be trusting more in his own abilities and trusting God less for results in his life. And for this his experience of God’s closeness, forgiveness or adoption may be weak. God may allow one to be in this state a while so that he learns to draw closer to God and not trust in his own abilities. God may withdraw some sense of His presence and comfort so that we do not become slack and presumptuous of it. But this declension is not the same as one who has given up the fight and is giving in to a life of sin or committing scandalous sins. Dark times are not periods where one is living in sin and not submitting to Christ as Lord.

“By these very dark and dead seasons, the people of God are instructed. They see and feel what ‘the flesh’ really is-

-how alienated from the life of God; they learn in whom all their strength and sufficiency lie; they are taught that in them, that is, in their flesh, dwells no good thing; that no exertions of their own can maintain in strength and vigor the life of God; and that all they are, and have–all they believe, know, feel, and enjoy–with all their ability, usefulness, gifts, and
grace–flow from the pure, sovereign grace–the rich, free, undeserved, yet unceasing goodness and mercy of God!
They learn in this hard school of painful experience, their emptiness and nothingness–and that without Christ they
can do nothing. They thus become clothed with humility, that rare, yet lovely garb; cease from their own strength
and wisdom; and learn experimentally that Christ is, and ever must be, all in all to them, and all in all in them”. ~ J. C. Philpot, “REVIEWS“)

An excellent sermon on this subject is What Relapses are Inconsistent with Being in a State of Grace by John Sheffield in Morning Exercises at Cripplegate Vol 1 pg72;   Also the booklet Backsliding by Joel Beeke

“Those who are found not living as [Christ] taught should know that they are not really Christians, even if His teachings are on their lips, for He said that not those who merely profess but those who also do the works will be saved.” ~ Justin Martyr (A.D. 103-165).
Just to be a friend of the world is enough to keep one from being saved.

James 4:4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. NKJV

1 John 2:15 If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. NKJV

It is not just the wicked sinful things God tells us not to be caught up in or spend much time with or prefer over Him, but any of the pleasures that our bodies and emotions enjoy in this world. We must prefer Christ more than anything else to have Him.  2Cor 11:2 For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. NKJV

This means no other loves above Christ Not even family. And we must use extreme care how we even use that which we must use of this world, food, clothes etc. we are told to be modest in all and not get caught up in what others are doing, follow trends and culture. To this world we should not fit in but appear to be: 1Peter 2:11 Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, NKJV

Matt 10:34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword.  ³⁵ For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; ³⁶ and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ ³⁷ He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.  ³⁸ And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. ⁹ He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.

1 Cor 7:29…so that from now on even those who have wives should be as though they had none, 30 those who weep as though they did not weep, those who rejoice as though they did not rejoice, those who buy as though they did not possess, 31 and those who use this world as not misusing it. For the form of this world is passing away. NKJV

In order to sin, one must first deny there is a way of escape and tell themselves a lie, or that it will be OK, they are forgiven or that they just aren’t strong enough to say no, or God won’t see or care, and will understand. Rather than looking to Jesus as their example, they follow others who they think are converted and are doing the same or similar sins and use them as their example and comparison. All lies they have been deceived by the Devil who they are following.  Remember again the warning not to be deceived into thinking that sin is normal in the Christian life or consistent with being in a state of grace. The next passage says he is teaching us this knowledge so that we do not sin. Again it is not, so we sin less, or aim toward not sinning, but it is expected that Christians do not sin.

1John 2:1 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin.

Now he does go on to say IF it does happen, as though it should not even happen, but in the event it does, there is forgiveness for those who repent. Then the rest of the book goes on to say it cannot be something a person continues to do or a regular practice.

If a gross sin does happen once, a person is disciplined, possibly excommunicated, until a clear repentance, turning from it with serious intent never to repeat it is judged by the elders. This is what we observe in scripture like with Peter and David, who never repeat their scandalous and presumptuous sin. Yet even in David’s case his son’s life must be taken in place of his because he should have been put to death for this sin. This exception is allowed here for a special gospel purpose for us, as a glorious type of God’s Son being the scapegoat for us and His forgiveness through that substitute. It is not an example that sin is common or normal in a Christian’s life.

Now of course we do not keep the commands perfectly, but that means imperfections of the flesh, lack of love for others and God in doing good works, and indwelling sin tainting our best good works, impatience, etc.; it does not mean one occasionally murders and rarely commits thievery, and promises only to divorce this one time, and have cut down how much porn they watch and how often they get drunk?  No it means they keep the commandments, live in accord with them and they do not presumptuously break these commands.

Though they may not love the Lord with all their heart perfectly, it is their desire and aim to do so. This is evidenced in that they do not take His name in vain or worship idols. They did not gradually turn and worship idols less and less or practice their magic only once in a while when temptation hit. No, they burned their books and gave it up!  Conversion is no less radical today!

Do you say this is impossible to not sin?  Well let me ask you; is it the will of God that we do not sin? Then will He not give you what you ask for if it is His according to His will?  1 John 5:14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. ¹⁵ And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

Will one stand in opposition to these words? He has already told us we can do this.

Phil 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. NKJV

Will any dare to deny these words also and continue the lie and excuse I can’t?

Surely of all prayers He would answer it would be one from a heart desiring out of love not to sin against Him.
 “A godly man does not indulge in any sin” – Thomas Watson

 

Before you make an excuse that no one can stop sinning, consider that you have no trouble stopping doing things the government tells you they will throw you in jail for or fine you severely if you do them? Why is it that you do not have trouble keeping from breaking the laws for which the government will send you to prison?  Or lose your job if you do it. You do not have to cut down gradually and do them less and have a huge struggle with these actions. Ask yourself, why is that?   Then who do you fear more, the government or God?

Why would a person not stop sinful actions with the same or greater ability to avoid hell and please God?

Ask yourself, if the government made it illegal and punishable by prison or death to be drunk, to lie, cheat, or to skip church on Sunday or engage in commerce on Sunday like the Blue laws we used to have in this country, would you commit these sins? Could you stop?  Would you be able to never do them?  Then you can obey God as well.

Don’t make any excuse; we do not have to do one sin; there is always a way of escape.

Consider that even heathen who may not have any assistance from the Spirit as believers do and do not have a new nature often quit sin all at once. They stop being drunks, they stop smoking, they change their lives from crime to moral, as do people who join other religions. Some cease from certain sins upon marriage, others for a job, or some other selfish reason. And will you say that for the love of Christ you cannot do what these mere men will do?

Hold fast!  If you were on a ship tossed in the ocean by waves nearly throwing you overboard, how many times would you let go? Or would you hold fast and not even once let go?

One is deeply deceived and lies to themselves who says they tried and can’t quit sinning. How weak do you think those people are who say they cannot stop smoking or overeating, angry outbursts or hitting their wives? Likewise people think the same of those who will not quit their sin and claim to be struggling with it. They have no struggle except with their conscience which continues to convict them and the guilt they feel because they still love that sin which is the only reason they continue it. It is an abuse of the blood of Christ that one who thinks he is a Christian could allow himself to sin and make Christ suffer so he can sin one more time. And would one who can trample the blood of Christ so easily, dragging Christ and the Spirit along with Him in his body to commit sin, actually be a new creature?  What would you say of one who says he loves his wife and yet hits her every other day and lies to her? Would you believe he really loves her though he says so with tears?

How can you assure yourself that you have the miraculous grace of God and the power of His Spirit working mightily in you, that you are a new creature, if you will not do what others will do from their flesh? Will you call yourself a Christian and yet have strived so little to turn from sin.

Heb 12:4 You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin.  NKJV

Matt 5:29 If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.  30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. NKJV

“Let no man think to kill sin with few, easy, or gentle strokes. He who hath once smitten a serpent, if he follow not on his blow until it be slain, may repent that ever he began the quarrel. And so he who undertakes to deal with sin, and pursues it not constantly to the death.”  JOHN OWEN
“Reprieved lusts but at last obtain their full pardon; yea, recover their favour with the soul.”  ~ William Gurnall – The Christian In Complete Armour, Vol I, Part First

Paul explains a true desire for sanctification is a strong desire, effort and persistence one has and puts forth to win a race; not come in 2^nd or just finish, but training and sacrificing and running so hard at one thing more than any other. It is a desire so strong it dominates and wins over all other desires.

He also warns that if he does not discipline his body this way he could end up an apostate.

1 Cor 9:24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. ²⁵ And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. ²⁶ Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. ²⁷ But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified. NKJV

Phil 3:13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, ¹⁴ I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. NKJV

Again, this is how much we desire to do good. A synonym for press is to persecute good. It does no good for one to say, I don’t want to sin, if they keep preferring it and choosing it. They do what they want most! What is most desirable to them is that which they go back to. God or Mammon, you can’t have both.

“Christ will be master of the heart, and sin must be mortified.

If your life is unholy, then your heart is unchanged, and you are an unsaved person.

The Savior will sanctify His people, renew them, give them a hatred of sin, and a love of holiness.

The grace that does not make a man better than others is a worthless counterfeit.

Christ saves His people, not IN their sins, but FROM their sins.

Without holiness, no man shall see the Lord.”  ~  Spurgeon

 

What if one only desires sin but continues to resist it?

If one does not commit sin but they still enjoy and desire sin and keep the option open to sin, their prayers would never be heard.  Ps 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear. NKJV

How could a Christian live a life of not being heard in prayer by God? Is this even thinkable? Is it possible that a converted person could go on in life knowing that his prayers are not being heard?  This is the case for those who continue to just regard sin in their heart, though they do not commit the act?  A Christian will not regard sin in his heart because His life flows from communion with God.

“Prayer will make a man cease from sin, or sin will entice a man to cease from prayer.”  ~ John Bunyan

“No saints can live without committing a sin, but all saints live without regarding it in their hearts”. ~ Rev Thomas White, Sermon – What Faith is That Which Except We Have in Prayer We Must Not Think to Obtain Anything of God?

 

Do you think He is your Lord if you obey when you want to and do not obey him when you don’t want to? Did He say, “Why do you call me Lord Lord and not do what I say most of the time”?

Do you actually think that after what He endured and suffered to break people free from the bondage to their sin nature and free them to live enslaved to righteous living, bought them to serve Him only, that He will be satisfied that you mostly obey Him as Lord?
So faithful in appearance were some of these professors who fell into sin, that the language used is as if they had lost salvation. 1 Tim 1:19 having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck, NKJV

1 Tim 4:1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, NKJV

2Peter 2:20 For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. 21 For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. NKJV

Gal 5:4 You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.

God speaks to one who says: ‘I shall have peace, even though I follow the dictates of my heart‘, (as though the drunkard could be included with the sober). ²⁰ “The LORD would not spare him; for then the anger of the LORD and His jealousy would burn against that man, and every curse that is written in this book would settle on him, and the LORD would blot out his name from under heaven. Deut 29:19, NKJV

2 Tim 2:12 If we endure, we shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us…  NKJV

Do you think he also means one can deny Him by how he lives? By sinning rather than believing what He says and trusting Him?

Now we know that a person once born again cannot lose their salvation, cannot be unborn and have the new nature taken out of them. So these verses clearly point to the fact that many may think they are converted who have never been born again.

1 John 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us. NKJV

Paul sets an example for us that he even considered it possible for himself to be apostate?

1Cor 9:27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.  NKJV

Sin is no light thing to ignore and test or take the Lord’s mercy for granted. Paul does not speak foolishness when he warns us and disciplines himself lest he not be saved.

As you can see, even for those having assurance of faith, it does not mean we do not need to continually: “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you, unless indeed you are disqualified?” 2Cor 13:5 NKJV

Therefore we must use extreme care lest we also are deceived and found out to have been a hypocrite or apostate false believer. Because many from pure self-control can keep themselves from much outward sin and do good works as the Pharisees did and yet not be born again. We must examine ourselves and see that we are persevering in good works, that we are putting sin to death and becoming more sanctified and Christ like, growing in grace and that we are not continuing to sin and letting sin reign in us or others.

Rom 6:12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. NKJV

1 Cor 15:31 I die daily.

“The Christian life begins with an act of self-renunciation, and is continued by self-mortification.” ~ A.W. Pink – The Cross And Self

“Lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin!” Hebrews 3:13
“First sin startles him, then it becomes pleasing, then easy, then delightful, then frequent, then habitual, then confirmed!
Then the man is impenitent, then obstinate, then resolves never to repent, and then he is damned!”
“For the wages of sin is death!” Romans 6:23 ~  by Jeremy Taylor
1John 4:5 They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. NKJV

Galatians 6:14 By the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ “the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.”

Luke 14:27, “And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple
James 2:19 Even the demons believe and tremble! ²⁰ But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?

1 John 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice 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 Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. NKJV

Warnings are a means of grace to keep us from sinning. God even reminds us that even though we know election was a finished work from the beginning, yet a warning stands to fear sinning because of what He did to the disobedient of His covenant people in: Heb 4:1 Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. ² For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. ³ For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said: “So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest,'” although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. NKJV

 

These warnings to the church members are abundant in scripture.

Heb 2:1 Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.

Heb 3:12 “Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called today, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end.”  NKJV

Heb 6:4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, ⁵ and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, ⁶ if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, NKJV

One cannot be content to have merely tasted the word and Spirit by being in the visible covenant, sitting under the word and taking the outward element of the Supper, but one must fully ingest and digest Christ, as to become one with the Lord living out His will, abiding in the vine drawing his life from Christ.

John 6:53 Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you NKJV

John 15:2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.  ⁵ “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.  ⁶ If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.  ⁷ If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. NKJV

Heb 12:15 looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; ¹⁶ lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. ¹⁷ For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears.

These warnings to the children of God are some of the most fearful words in all of scripture for those who dare to commit sin.

Mic 3:4 Then they will cry to the LORD, But He will not hear them; He will even hide His face from them at that time, Because they have been evil in their deeds. NKJV

Prov 1:24 Because I have called and you refused, I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded, ²⁵ Because you disdained all my counsel, And would have none of my rebuke, ²⁶ I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your terror comes, ²⁷ When your terror comes like a storm, And your destruction comes like a whirlwind, When distress and anguish come upon you. ²⁸ “Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me. ²⁹ Because they hated knowledge And did not choose the fear of the LORD, NKJV
Christians have a new nature that now rules over the old nature so true believers have victory. Christ did actually break the bondage to sin, did free us from the old nature and did destroy the works of the devils. Therefore through Christ by the new nature he gave us we have conquered sin such that we not longer are ruled by it. Converts may not be perfect in any of this, but it is not because they are continuing in sin, it is because even their best duties are still tainted with sin. The sin nature is still with us and will be until the new heaven and earth come and we have our new bodies. So though we are not continuing to practice sin we still do not do our good works with a 100% pure heart to God. We do not love perfectly and our best acts may not be completely free of selfishness. We still have indwelling sin and are not perfect. We are so far from the purity of holiness that is with God that we are not even aware of some of the sin we are doing. But as the Spirit convicts us of sin we turn from it. The more we are made aware of the more we leave and forsake, the more sanctified and Christ like we become.  Yet the more mature we get the more heinous our sin appears to us and the more of it we discover in our flesh.

We still have imperfections of the flesh and other people may choose to take offense at our personality extremes; we all need to love by not being easily provoked and not taking offense at the differences and weaknesses of others. But these are not indulgent sin. These may need to be improved as we are aware of patterns of offense as well as where we could grow in kindness, patience, and our thoughts. We sin by being partakers in other people’s sins by not reproving them, which is consenting or giving approval of them.

So there is no question that we all still sin and are in need of confession, repentance and forgiveness and applying to the throne of grace for these daily. No doubt most do not pray as much and diligently as they ought and this is sin. But true Christians do not have any idol they keep, there is no sin they cherish, will not mortify or choose to allow to continue. Not committing the act is inadequate; we cannot even hold on to a desire to sin? There is no part of the world we knowingly hold on to in opposition to God’s word.

How many of the Jews were really converted? Only a remnant. Being in the visible covenant people of God, a church member or making a profession of faith does not mean one is converted.  One who is not converted may have a life of confession, righteous outward life, asking forgiveness and perhaps even sorrow, and yet not have true repentance unto life or saving repentance; which is a turning from sin to obedience and also a change of mind and heart.  They may only have legal or human repentance from a fear of being caught or punishment and consequences.

What do you want most?

Upon completion of a sermon pressing that saving faith will be accompanied by holiness of life, Rev William Jay was confronted by a woman who said, “You know Paul said, “when I would to do Good evil is present with me.” He answered her, “yes and that is a sad state but it is even a worse state when we would not do good and evil is present with us.”

In other words, Jay pointed her back to her heart and motive. Paul “would” or wanted or willed or desired to do good, which is the distinction in the true convert.  If we desire to do good works but the work is imperfectly done, tainted with pride or selfishness that is one thing; but if we don’t desire to do good, we still desire that one sin, that is a seriously different matter.

One who pleads, “Oh I really hate my sin”, but continues to do it is fooling themselves, they only do it because they want to, it is more important to them than perfect obedience to God. One may love a sin, though they do not commit the sin. But they would not commit the sin if they did not desire it in their heart. Refraining from the act of sin is inadequate sanctification for a Christian. This bare self control even the unconverted can do. True sanctification from repentance in Christians goes deeper to changing not just the actions, but changes even the desires for sin, to hatred of it and love for godliness. People do what they want most. So if you are sinning that is what you want most. If you had a greater desire to not sin you would not. And this change of heart only comes from God, we cannot work it up from our fleshly efforts. We cry out to God to change our desires.

Ps 119:77 Let Your tender mercies come to me, that I may live; For Your law is my delight.

Ps 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.

The Christian’s effort against sin should be from a desire to die rather than sin against God.

Happy are they that can always act as if in the sight of God…Happy are those who, by the thoughts of God, are enraged against sin …I will die a thousand deaths before I willingly yield to anything that may be in the least offensive to him whom my soul has such infinite reason to love above the whole world. ~ James Janeway, “Heaven upon Earth: Jesus the best friend of Man.”

It is also important to notice this key distinctive of the heart of a converted person shown in Rom 7, which is that Paul truly wants to do right and hates his sin, while others enjoy and run back to their old ways when challenges come into their lives. It is how they cope with or react to difficulties, rather than humbling themselves in prayer, trusting in God and calling on Him for new strength. Heart desires distinguish a true believer from a false professor, not only actions. Those who still desire sin and can continue in it do not manifest the new nature having been put in them. And though there is still a struggle with the flesh giving rise to temptation in the new covenant, one can win and overcome the flesh instead of being defeated; because believers want most to love and serve God. It has become their chief and stronger desire. This understanding fits with the rest of scripture.

Matt 15:18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. NKJV

Luke 6:45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.   NKJV

Listen to how Thomas Watson speaks of the true convert and sin in his article: How We Know Whether We Love God? “He who loves God DOES NOT LOVE SIN. “Ye that love the Lord, hate evil” (Psalm 97:10). The love of God, and the love of sin, can no more mix together than iron and clay. Every sin loved, strikes at the being of God; but he who loves God, has a hatred of sin. He who would part two lovers is a hateful person. God and the believing soul are two lovers; sin parts between them, therefore the soul is implacably set against it. By this try your love to God. How could Delilah say she loved Samson, when she entertained correspondence with the Philistines, who were his mortal enemy?”

Is your love to God the love of a Delilah, primarily for what God can do for you, or is it a love of His person purity, majesty and beauty?
What we desire is evidence

If you want to know where your heart is, just take a look where your mind goes when it wanders.

 “See that your chief study be about the heart, that there God’s image may be planted, and his interest advanced, and the interest of the world and flesh subdued, and the love of every sin cast out, and the love of holiness succeed; and that you content not yourselves with seeming to do good in outward acts, when you are bad yourselves, and strangers to the great internal duties. The first and great work of a Christian is about his heart.”  – Richard Baxter

“To discern our state in grace, let us chiefly look to our affections for they are intrinsic and not subject to hypocrisy. Men of great parts know much and so does the devil, but he lacks love. In fire all things may be painted by the heat; so all good actions may be done by a hypocrite but there is a heat of love which he has not. We should therefore chiefly examine the truth and sincerity of our affections towards God”.  ~ Richard Sibbes
Luke 6:45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.  NKJV
True repentance shows itself by producing in the heart a settled habit of deep hatred of all sin. The mind of a repentant person becomes a mind habitually holy. They abhor that which is evil, and cleaves to that which is good. They delight in the law of God. They come short of their own desires not unfrequently. They find in themselves an evil principle warring against the spirit of God. They find themselves cold when they would be hot; backward when they would be forward; heavy when they would be lively in God’s service. They are deeply conscious of their own infirmities. They groan under a sense of indwelling corruption. But still, for all that, the general bias of their heart is towards God, and away from evil. They can say with David, “I count all Your precepts concerning all things to be right, and I hate every false way” (Psalm. 119:128). ~ J.C. Ryle

With many they sin because they do not hate their sin. This is not the experience Paul expresses in Rom7:15. So ask God to search your heart to find if you hate that sin you do, or if you like it, enjoy it.

If we sin because of occasion as Peter, where he did not set out to sin because he wanted to do it and enjoyed it, thus we say fell into it; that is one thing. But if we reserve the right for ourselves and make occasions to go do a sin because we enjoy it and get pleasure from it is completely different. Obviously Paul in Rom 7 was referring to the former types and indwelling sin and he did not commit the latter.

The purpose of this passage is in no way meant to offer comfort to people who sin. To derive comfort from this passage is to pervert the intent and meaning and what is being taught and contradicts what he taught in Rom 6. He is only teaching how horrible and influential the flesh and indwelling sin is and how much we must fight against it and resist it so we do not sin, until we are finally delivered from the flesh.
Acts 8:20 But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! ²¹ You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. ²² Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. ²³ For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.”  NKJV

Heb 12:14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: ¹⁵ looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; ¹⁶ lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. ¹⁷ For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears. NKJV
We have a sin nature that causes even our best good works to be tainted with sin of imperfection. But having remaining sin or indwelling sin is not the same as continuing to commit sins.

John makes it clear that we have sinned in the past, so no one can say he has never sinned or that they are not a sinner. But we are not a sinner in the way that we are still continuing to commit sins as before conversion.

If we commit a sin there is forgiveness, but not if we continue in it and fail to repent by turning away from it to obedience. For those who continue to walk according to the flesh, this passage stands as a warning to them.

Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. NKJV

Rom 6:1 Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? ² Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? ⁶ knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. ⁷ For he who has died has been freed from sin. ¹¹ Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. ¹² Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. ¹³ And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. ¹⁴ For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.  NKJV

Just as much as we believe because of total depravity a man is so dead he cannot move one muscle toward God or salvation or even will it, so dead to sin is the converted person so that they will not commit even one sin.

Would you allow us to say man is not really dead spiritually and is only wounded such that he can operate his will toward God? Of course not! Heresy!

How then can a sound theologian take this same expression and say he is only wounded to sin and can still commit sin?  What inconsistency. What a fearful place to live before the Judge of all people.

Scripture tells us the expectation of a Christian’s life is that they will not even sin once in these areas. God does not say try not to do these often or work toward not doing them at all, cut down and little by little do them less and less. No! He says don’t do them even once. That is the expectation. That is normal for Christians who “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh”. Gal 5:16 NKJV; Eph 5:3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becomes saints; KJV

Not once named among us. That is the norm and expectation. Paul goes on to list others in this category:

Eph 5:4 neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. ⁵ For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. ⁶ Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. ⁷ Therefore do not be partakers with them.  NKJV

Again we are warned not to be deceived into thinking one can do these things and be converted.

If one argues the word “once” is not there, still it is implied. In the ESV it is still sin not even being named, let alone done by Christians. And the number of the other sins is: let there be NO….  not even one.

Eph 5:3 But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. ⁴ Let there be NO filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking,

If anyone can continue to commit sin, they have no hope they have been converted.

Do not be deceived by some who will try comfort those who continue to sin by their mixing up the scripture teachings on salvation by grace and faith alone, separating them from true repentance, holy living, and doing good works. The scriptures are abundantly clear that a faith is not saving faith if it does not produce the fruit of good works, obedience and saving repentance. Gal 6:7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. ⁸ For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. ⁹ And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. NKJV”

Here is true repentance according to the scripture:

Ez 18:21 “But if a wicked person turns away from all his sins that he has committed and keeps all my statutes and does what is just and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die.

“Take heed of abusing this mercy of God… To sin because mercy abounds, is the devil’s logic… He that sins because of God’s mercy, shall have judgment without mercy.” – Thomas Watson

Do not put your trust in the fact you believe in Christ because believing is not enough. John 2:23…many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did. ²⁴ But Jesus did not commit Himself to them,

James 2:19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe — and tremble! ²⁰ But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?  ²⁴ You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. NKJV

James teaches us that the only type of belief that is the instrument of salvation is a faith that enables one to do and is accompanied by a life of good works, obeying the commands and not committing the sins he mentions previously.

Do not excuse yourself by pointing to other members of the visible church and accusing them of sin. They may not be converted either. Do you seek to justify yourself because you are not as bad as others? Are those people your example to compare to and not our perfect Christ? Then your state has been even worse.
Do you hate your sin that much?

If not and you have been making excuses for not quitting your sins, stop lying, admit you love your sin and the world and you want to keep them and beg God to take away these fleshly desires and transform your heart to desire His will. Repent of your lies and self flattery and deception. Quickly cry out to God for mercy and repentance that you may have grace to at least do what many heathen do, stop their sins. Ask for the fruit that the Spirit gives, self control, until the desires change, but do not give into sin for one moment. Spend time in holy duties and spend less time in the pleasures of the world and more in reading the word. You must do whatever it takes to keep yourself from dropping into hell. Remember the fate of those who cannot cease from sin.  2 Peter 2:14 having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children. ¹⁸ For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error. ¹⁹ While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage. ²⁰ For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. ²¹ For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. ²² But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: “A dog returns to his own vomit,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.”  NKJV

So now that you know you can cease from sin, the only remaining question is do you want to more than you don’t want to? And will one not stop what is against God’s law for the love of God and thankfulness for mercy?

How much more of a slight against God is it that you will not sin against the government but you will not stop sinning against God?  What do you think He will do with such a hypocrite or slacker?

What will happen to the one who loves his freedom and enjoyments and pastimes of life in this world more than he loves pleasing God, His law and eternal life?

“The way we talk about sin betrays our ignorance of the absolute devastation of the thing”  ~ Paul washer

When people can speak casually of sin, be content to live with sin, or can easily say, “I am still sinning”, and “I will probably sin again tomorrow”, when one can speak of sin without tears and shame and sickness of stomach and shaking down to the bones upon examining themselves and finding any sin, there is a lack of knowing and loving the Father, hating to displease Him and the angels and rightly fearing Him and His discipline. When people are not shifted emotionally so that they speak of sin with the utmost gravity and seriousness as if they are discussing the next step in attacking the enemy threatening to kill them, there is a lack of knowing the Holiness of God and understanding how bad and deceptive and dangerous sin is. God warns those who think they can sneak by unnoticed. Job 5:13 He catches the wise in their own craftiness, And the counsel of the cunning comes quickly upon them. NKJV

Job 4:14 Fear came upon me, and trembling, Which made all my bones shake. NKJV

Jer 23:9 My heart within me is broken Because of the prophets; All my bones shake. NKJV

Have you not yet experienced this fear of the Holy One when He has caught you?
Sin is not to be ignored, nor minimized. It is the most patent fact in life, the darkest experience in the history of the race. It

is the root of all the world’s tragedies. It is that which makes “conscience a thousand swords,” “the torture of an inward hell,” “the worm that doth begnaw the soul.” ~ James M. Campbell

Is your hope that a world full of false professors on the broad way may at last prove to be saved so that you also can keep your sins and be saved? Oh what a foolish and dangerous hope. Think about how many of His covenant children in Israel perished.

Any concept of grace that makes us feel more comfortable sinning is not biblical grace. God’s grace never encourages us to live in sin; on the contrary, it empowers us to say no to sin and yes to truth. ~ Randy Alcorn

“It is the truest magnanimity and heroic courage in our spiritual warfare to tremble at the least iniquity. A Christian is never fitter to ‘endure hardships as a faithful soldier’ than when his conscience is most tender. To be such a coward as not to dare to break any one of God’s commandments is to be the valiantest person in the world, for such a one will choose the greatest evil of suffering before the least of sinning;”

~ Rev John Gibbon – How May We Be So Spiritual as to Check Sin the First Rising of It

 

For the Christian the life of sin is in the past.

It is always spoken of as past tense for the believer. Never as living in it now. Note how many verses show that this sinning is in our past and we are not referred to as sinning now. We are done with that.

1 Peter 4:1-2 Therefore, since Christ has suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God”. …
14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; ¹⁵ but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, ¹⁶ because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.” NKJV
Eph 2:1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, ² in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. ³ Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. NASB

1 Peter 4:1Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh , arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, ² that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. ³ For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles NKJV

Col 1:21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, ²² he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, ²³ if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard,

Tit 3:3 For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. ⁴ But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, ⁵  he saved us,…

Col 3:5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. ⁶ Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, ⁷ in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.  NKJV

Gal 5:16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh .NKJV

Gal 6: 7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life   NKJV

Christians do not still walk in sin, they do not walk as the world. They no longer live as they did.

Titus 3:3 For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. ⁴ But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, ⁵ not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, NKJV

Not, “We are glad to see you are stealing, lusting and getting drunk less and less each year since conversion.

Below Paul is not speaking of those outside the church, he is warning those in the visible church not to be deceived into thinking if they continue to sin they can be saved.

1 Cor 6:9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, ¹⁰ nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. ¹¹ And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

Praise God for the words, “such were some of you”. But no longer.  There is hope for any of us who were sinners to receive mercy and forgiveness if we obtain grace enabling us to no longer commit those sins.

The only hope for people that they are saved is to become a “were one of them” not an, I am less one of them.

Do you see the “were sanctified” in 1Cor6:11? Regenerated people have been changed and are no longer continuing in sin. There are two distinct aspects to sanctification relative to our conversion. First our standing before God; we are perfectly holy, sanctified and right in His judgment eyes by the righteousness of Christ imputed to our account.  But we are not mature, complete, perfect in out lives and walk. There we grow in grace over time and become more like Christ, bear more fruit of the Spirit and forsake the world our flesh and temptations more and more.

What is definitive sanctification?

Today the term sanctification is commonly used only to describe the life long process in which a believer puts off worldly and fleshly temptations and actions and becomes more holy and single in his motives, loving the world less and more separated from it, maturing in godliness. We are tried and tested to sanctify us in this life also and this is an ongoing or progressive process. The new man is becoming more powerful and dominant over the old nature. But there is a certain amount of this personal sanctification that comes to our lives at conversion. This is referred to as definitive sanctification that comes with regeneration. We are changed, which is what converted means. We are given repentance unto life which causes us to turn from all known sin. We have new desires for obedience to the moral law (the ten commandments) and to do what pleases God and a hatred for sin. Many examples of this radical change are witnessed in the scriptures as people burning books, turning from idols, and ceasing from sinful lives.  The doctrines of union with Christ and regeneration are often left out of discussions on sanctification. Sanctification is often treated as a separate subject or category to justification. Such treatment of sanctification is unfortunate since both justification and sanctification directly come from Christ Himself and His work. Both are the results of union with Christ in His life, death and resurrection.  Therefore, before one can properly understand progressive sanctification it is better that one have a clear knowledge of union with Christ and the definitive sanctification that results from it. God gives a certain amount of definitive sanctification at our conversion so the grosser outward life of flesh and ungodliness is changed, we become a new creation. Old things are passed.
We no longer continue to practice these grosser outwardly visible sins or continue to willfully intentionally sin. Or else if God slowly sanctified murderers and thieves it would be OK for the church to have them improve little by little, killing, adultering and stealing as long as they improved steadily with only a few “relapses” and “backslidings”; killing fewer people, robbing, divorcing and lying less often. Can a member of the covenant be accepted as long as he is only committing robberies once a week and then down to once a month because he is struggling hard against it and says he repents after each offense though there is no real turning away from it permanently?? Of course not this is ridiculous; it would bring a bad reputation on the church.

So why do ministers and elders allow  members to divorce which is adultery, and be involved with pornography, drunkenness, non-attendance at worship, Sabbath breaking, and a host of other sins and not put them under discipline or excommunicate them?  This lack of discipline manifests a serious weakness in the churches today; especially since most agree that discipline is one of the marks of a true church.

The most detailed and systematic discussion of sanctification in the New Testament is found in Rom 6:1-8:13. Rom 6:22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.

“This means that those people who were united with Jesus in His suffering and death are dead to sin and now live as slaves of righteousness. The decisive factor for Christian living is not our past but Christ’s past.”

~ Sinclair B. Ferguson “The Reformed View” in Christian Spirituality, pg 57.

 

Note that before Paul issues even one imperative regarding the Christian life he spends a good deal of time discussing the foundation of personal godliness. For Paul all the imperatives relating to a Christian’s progressive sanctification are grounded upon definitive sanctification which is the direct result of union with Christ. By virtue of a believer’s intimate union with Christ in His death and resurrection Christians have been delivered from the power of sin. Jesus’ death is the reason that Christians have died to the reigning, enslaving, defiling power of sin. His resurrection is the reason that Christians become a new creation and live in newness of life because His Spirit indwells them. Definitive sanctification refers to the, once and for all, defeat of the power of sin and the simultaneous renovation and renewal of the sinner that occurs at regeneration. This is why it is called conversion because it comes with change. One is changed from what he was and how he lived, even regarding his race and culture, to a new oneness with others, living from new desires of his new nature and the power of the Spirit now controlling him.

2 Cor 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.  NKJV

The older Reformed theologians referred to it as “initial sanctification.” This teaching is clearly reflected in the Westminster Standards: “They who are effectually called and regenerated, having a new heart and a new spirit created in them, are further sanctified, really and personally, through the virtue of Christ’s death and resurrection” (Confession of Faith, XIII: 1).  “Sanctification is the work of God’s free grace, whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God, and are enabled more and more to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness.” (Shorter Catechism #35).
So there is a certain amount of sanctification which is done at conversion or immediately following, which varies from person to person. But in all of us there is the death of the old man, and the breaking of the bondage to sin and the sin nature. The new nature willing and desiring holiness is given as well as the Spirit indwelling in us. “Repentance Unto Life” is made resulting in the putting away of all known sin and turning to obedience to God’s word. All of these producing a radical change in the person’s whole being, motives, beliefs, submission to and trust in God.  (WC Chapt XV)

Gal 5:24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

Sanctification and justification are both gifts from God and expressions of His grace. Though they are each distinct aspects of salvation, they can never be separated. God never grants justification without also giving sanctification at the same time. – Jerry Bridges

Ongoing sanctification affects each of us differently and we grow in different areas and at different speeds. This sanctification is also a work of grace and we have nothing to boast of about our growth, though we must diligently apply the means and be responsible, working out this earthly aspect of our salvation as God works with us and in us.

Phil 2:12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.  NKJV

It is hard to compare one to another and say one is more holy than another, though there are obvious signs of maturity and the scriptures speak to some as babes, going on to maturity, young men, older men, etc. in the process of walking in union with Christ and developing the mind of Christ. But for gross sins they are changed at once, though some temptations for them may remain in the old nature.  This is one reason why we want to teach our youth not to indulge their flesh and sin because it will cause them more pain and struggle in life.

Jer 31:19 Surely, after my turning, I repented; And after I was instructed, I struck myself on the thigh;

I was ashamed, yes, even humiliated, Because I bore the reproach of my youth.’  NKJV

 

“The conclusion is: it is not what thoughts are in your hearts, or what passes through them, but it is what lodging you give to them that makes the difference, that proves your repentance. Many good thoughts and motions may pass as strangers through a bad man’s heart. And, likewise, multitudes of vain thoughts may make a thoroughfare of a believer’s heart, disturbing him in good duties, knocking on his heart to interrupt him. These may break in upon the heart of a good man, but they will not be allowed to stay there, they will not be fostered or harbored there.”

To delight in past sins is to rake in those wounds which we have already given Christ. To view the sins of others with pleasure is made more than to commit them (Romans 1:32). How much more to view and revive our own with a fresh delight!  Know this, that whatever delight you may take here in repeating your old sins to yourself, yet in hell nothing will gall you more than the remembrance of them. Every circumstance in every sin will then be as a dagger at your heart. This was the task and study given to the rich man in hell, to “remember the good things he had received,” and his sins committed in the abuse of them. And if godly men here are made to “possess the sins of their youth” with horror (as Job), and to “have them ever before” them (as David), then how will wicked men in hell escape from the frightening memory of them? In Psalm 50:21, the Lord sets this forth to us in part, “These things you have done, and I kept silence; you thought that I was one like yourself, but I will reprove you, and I will set them in order before your eyes.”   This may well be the meaning of Psalm 50:18, which pictures a hypocrite who outwardly abstains from gross sins, but God says, “Men you saw a thief, then you were pleased to be with him, and you have taken part with adulterers.” That is, in his heart and in his imagination, supposing himself to be with them, he desired to be doing what they were doing.

But rather remember what God has said in Isaiah 55:7, “Let the unrighteous man forsake his thoughts,” and God will have mercy upon him.

Use Number 2. Forever make conscience of them. So Job did, “I made a covenant with my eyes; why should I think upon a maid?”  Solomon gives us a special charge, Keep your heart with all diligence. (Prov 4:23).”

~ Thomas Goodwin – Vanity of Thoughts

 

 The Christian has no business ever with sin. God has promised to subdue our sins.

Mic 7:18 Who is a God like You, Pardoning iniquity And passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, Because He delights in mercy. ¹⁹ He will again have compassion on us, And will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.  NKJV
A converted person has been predestined to be conformed to the image of Christ, to walk in His statutes and keep His judgments, so it will happen.  Ezek 36:27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. NKJV

A Christian cannot continue in sinning. We must keep the commands or we are not converted. We must not have a life marked by scandalous sins or continuing in sin. We are deceived if we think we are new creatures born of the Spirit. In fact it is by our life characterized by the absence of presumptuous sin and keeping the commands that we can know we are saved. At least one who continues in sin has no ground for assurance, for this is it:

1 John 2:3Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. NKJV

1 John 2:15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world — the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life — is not of the Father but is of the world. NKJV

John goes on to say that the reason we can receive whatever we ask of God is because we live in accord with His commandments and do what is pleasing to Him. This is the life His people are living.  This is not some high goal few ever get to. This is the Christian life.

1 John 3:22 And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.  ²⁴ Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us. NKJV

1 John 4:4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. NKJV

How can professing Christians adhere to a teaching that says one can be a truly saved person yet not love Jesus Christ more than their sins which then are idols? The evidence there is love to Him is:

1 John 5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. ³ For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. ⁴ For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world — our faith. NKJV

Do we even need to raise the question of how many, 9 or 10 of God’s commandments they will keep?

And note we have overcome the world, we are not losing to it and succumbing to temptations and sinning.

1 John 5:18 We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.  NKJV

The previous passage may refer to committing a sin unto death, but may not. It is consistent with the 1Jn3:5-9. A sin unto death may be something a Christian can do, and God kills him for it, like Annanias and Saphira just as some sins in the OT received death from God. God may just take the person’s life for some sins and we are not to pray for them. But it shows the incompatibility of sin and a converted life whether this is only physical death of a converted person or more.

Is this Perfectionsism?

In an effort to avoid the errors of perfectionsts, (those who say we can live in perfect holiness in this life, o completely sinless), some may speak in a misleading way about sin.  Others who have been taught by modern evangelicals highly influenced by decades of dispensational Arminian teaching may use language meant to include the carnal christian, which is a heresy. For example, one is correct to say we do not keep the commandments perfectly. But we do nothing perfectly, even good works are not done perfectly. This does not give us an allowance to, or excuse us to sin or live pathetically. We are to live victoriously mortifying sin, one after another. We need to see that we had better be holy in our living. We had better be those who do keep the commandments. We do not continue to sin. We had better be able to say we are holy and obedient keeping the commands. But we admit, not perfectly, we still have indwelling sin. We miss, we fall short. We will never become perfect or without sin because we have sinned in the past and we have a sin nature, we have sinned in Adam, there may be some pride or impatience or manipulation etc. even in our best good works; they are tainted with sin because we do nothing perfectly or from a single heart to the glory of God and from love to God.

We may sin from time to time. We are not perfect. But this does not mean we continue in sinful lifestyles.

We all sin daily in many ways we don’t even know. We do not love others perfectly, we do not forgive perfectly, we to not serve with our whole heart, these are all sins, and there sins we are not even aware of that we do. We are not perfect or perfectly aware of all out heart’s motives or all of the pure holiness of God. Our motive is not always only for God’s glory as Christ’s was, and even if that is our primary in an act or thought, it is seldom our only motive. So does a converted person sin? Yes but in these minor sins and they hate them, they do not want to keep one of them, they do not seek them or make opportunity for them and are not even aware they are doing some sins because we do not know what perfect holiness is; we do not know it all and don’t even know what the right way or best way to perform in each circumstance.

But intentional and premeditated sin is not something a regenerated person can allow themselves to continue in. Now with a new nature, the Spirit within and better covenant promises we no longer have to yield to temptation. They cannot make excuses for or think they can get away with these because their sins are forgiven, or that God will not see or care. These are the deceived who think this way. Are you living with a denial of God’s omnipresence, or ignoring that He is watching every thing you do, even the angels look on sometimes or even visit you? To not live as before the face of God is a denial that He is El Roi: Gen 16:13 Then she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees; for she said, “Have I also here seen Him who sees me?”

Would you do that sin if Jesus was standing there watching? And isn’t He? If you truly believed this it would result in your living differently. We can say I believe, but if we truly believe we act on that belief. If I said your house is on fire run outside, I can tell if he believes, because he runs. If he stays, he does not really believe me.

Rev. Benjamin Needler in his sermon in the Morning Exercises at Cripplegate titled How May Beloved Lusts Be discovered and Mortified, speaks of 3 stages of sin in our lives. He says, “True Christians hate sin so perfectly that they cannot be quiet until it be utterly abolished. First they go to God for Justification, that sin may lose its condemning power, then for sanctification that it may not reign, then for glorification that sin may no longer exist.”
“The great cause of all the sadness and depression in the followers of Christ, is the small degree of their piety. The only reason why they are disconsolate, is because they “follow the Lord afar off.” One single uncrucified, unbemoaned sin -will not only destroy all pious enjoyment – but open the soul to the devil, with his whole black train of guilt and misery. It matters not what this sin is. Any one sin habitually indulged in, whether it is pride, malice, backbiting, covetousness, filling the mind with unholy images, or murmuring under adverse providences–will exclude from the soul all pious enjoyment.

After all, the great secret of being happy, is to be holy. He who grows in practical piety has opened a thousand sources of true bliss. The “golden fruit of happiness” grows only on the “tree of holiness”. If happiness is sought in any other way than by being holy–it is sought in vain.” ~ Cornelius Tyree, “The Moral Power of a Pious Life”

“Heart-work is hard work indeed. To shuffle over religious duties with a loose anal heedless spirit, will cost no great pains; but to set thyself before the Lord, and tie up thy loose and vain thoughts to a constant and serious attendance upon him; this will cost you something. To attain a facility and dexterity of language in prayer, and put thy meaning into apt and decent expressions, is easy; but to get thy heart broken for sin, while thou art confessing it; melted with free grace while thou art blessing God for it; to be really ashamed and humbled though the apprehensions of God is infinite holiness, and to keep thy heart in this frame, not only in, but after duty, will surely cost thee some groans and pains of soul. To repress the outward acts of sin, and compose the external part of thy life in a laudable manner, is no great matter; even carnal persons, by the force of common principles, can do this: but to kill the root of corruption within, to set and keep up an holy government over thy thought, to have all things lie straight and orderly in the heart, this is not easy.” John Flavel – Keeping the Heart
Christians are to be confessing their areas of weakness and temptation to others and seeking accountability and prayer support to be upheld if they are struggling with a temptation to sin. Christians should be getting victory and mortifying these desires and temptations out of their lives resisting temptation every time, using the fruit of the Spirit, self control, continually until they grow in their sanctification to the point the desire is gone, if it ever goes completely away. They remain continually on guard mortifying because we can never know for sure that a temptation will never arise again even if it has not for a long time.  We should see improvement and less failure if we are being sanctified by the Spirit and disciplined by the Father. If we are not being disciplined for our sin then we are not children of God. For whom He loves He chastens. If we are not bearing fruit of repentance we should be concerned for our soul. Holiness or sanctification is the cutting away our flesh and the world from us, losing the desire for it, becoming more completely focused on the Spiritual. Do you think Peter denied Christ again after he was filled with the Spirit?  How then can he be an example of one who is repeating a sin?

1 Thess 5:19  Do not quench the Spirit. NKJV Even if God were to withdraw His Spirit’s presence to some degree because one quenched the Spirit through giving in to temptations and being unrepentant of their sins, whether a short season or long, that person would have not much sense of assurance if any. If one is fearful because they may not be converted, this can be a good thing that God may use to drive them to Him. We should not fear that one will go into too much despair because if they are converted God will protect them and if not this may be what drives them to Him and we do not want to prevent that. If one is doing well and not sinning, yet still has doubts, we should offer comforts and promises from the word and encourage them to have faith and trust God, not look to themselves for comfort from their works. The tendency in most people today is not to be truly mournful or despairing over their sin, but lax and in live with the world. But there could be some in this state the truly need comforting.

It is also possible that a true believer may repeat the same sin.  We should tell people not to despair of all hope that they may be converted if they repent, but they must step up their war against it and seek God more in those times, doing whatever it takes to resist each temptation. For a period of time God may pull back His grace and allow them to fall in small sins, even sins they had previously mortified. This would not be our assumption for gross sins; repeating those results in excommunication. God may allow this so that they see their inability by their flesh to stop sinning; so they will give up self reliance and seek for the Spirit to give grace to mortify the sin. God may also allow this to cause them to separate more from the world and devote themselves to Him more.

We do want to encourage them not to give up but to persevere and wait on the Lord and to apply themselves more diligently to all the means of grace. This may call for special seasons of fasting and to sanctify themselves as the Jews did before a battle or rebuilding the temple; as well as extra time in the word and prayer. They should examine themselves to see what the core desire in them is and for the Spirit to convict them of this, so they can better mortify it at the root. Also to reveal any areas of life they may not have sanctified to God or duties they have been slack in and to increase their hate for sin and the world.

2Thess 3:13; Gal 6:7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. ⁸ For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. ⁹ And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. ¹⁰ Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.

As long as there are these good responses in the person, they have hope that grace and mortification will come, but if they are careless, not attending church consistently, are weak in family devotions, person prayer and study and do not seek more closely to all the means of grace, then their care and desire is so weak their faith may be spurious.

It is not necessary for us to judge whether conversion is needed or only more grace to sanctify, either way we still call them to repent and cry out to God for relief until He gives it because we do not know their state and the remedy is the same. We support them to careful use of the means of grace and to hope in the mercy of the Lord which He bestows even on the worst of sinners. These words always need to be given from service and love to the person, not from a place of thinking our self superior, knowing it is only the grace of God that makes us to differ. Even when we confront or reprove another in sin we do it with an eye to our own weakness.

Gal 6:1 Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. NKJV
“A great motive to Mortifying your favorite sin is to solemnly consider that the conquest and effectual mortifying of one bosom sin will yield a Christian more glorious joy comfort and peace than he has ever found in the gratifying, committing of all other sins.   The pleasure and sweetness which follows victory over sin is a thousand times beyond that seeming sweetness which is in gratifying of sin.
The joy which attends the subduing of sin is a noble joy, a pure joy, a special joy, an increasing joy, and a lasting joy. The joy which attends the committing sin is an ignoble joy, a corrupt joy, a decreasing joy, a dying joy.

Be restless until in the Spirit and power of Jesus you have brought under control that sin which sticks so close to you. It is not a man’s whining and complaining over sin, but his mortifying sin which will make his soul a paradise of pleasure.

If you are still resolved to dally with sin, then you must resolve to live as a stranger to God, you must expect sad trials without and sore troubles within; this will be your just wages for playing with sin.
If you like the wages then dally with sin still, if otherwise then sacrifice your Isaac.

Ah souls, of all unpardoned sins, your bosom sins will be presented by God, conscience and satan at last, as the most filthy and ugly, as the most terrible and dreadful. Your bosom sins at last will appear to be those monsters, those fiends of hell which have most provoked God against you which have shut up Christ’s affection of love and compassion from you, which have armed conscience against you, barred the gates of glory against you, which have prepared the hottest place in hell for you and which have given satan the greatest advantage eternally to triumph over you” – Thomas Brooks

Are you controlled by sin? If one can allow themselves to continue to practice any sin, they have no right to think they have been converted; for he who has been born again is not only freed from the guilt of his sin, but the power of his sin nature as well. His new nature detests sin and loves Christ; it delights in the law of God and obeying Him.  How can one say He loves Christ and continue to practice sin that adds torture to Him? Paul even warns us of the normally legitimate things in this world becoming sin if we let them control us.

1 Cor 6:12 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

Rom 6:16 …whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, …NKJV
How often can you sin and not be a slave, Jesus says:
John 8:34 Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. ³⁵ And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. NKJV

If one is obeying sin they are a slave of sin; they are not converted, they are only in the visible church, “house,” temporarily and on their way to death and hell unless they get true repentance.

Man’s  Problem – do you find yourself with the Ethiopian?

Jer 13:23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil. NIV

As much as the hog once washed, will go back to his mud to wallow in, so will one accustomed to evil keep going back to sin because it is his nature to do so. Seeking to wash and improve the old nature will not last. And one who does not persevere continually until the end will not be saved.

Ezek 18:26 When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity, and dies in it, it is because of the iniquity which he has done that he dies. NKJV

The Solution – the only way we can become holy and mortify sins and persevere in it until the day we die is to keep asking God to give you His Spirit and a make you a new creation that hates sin and loves God’s commands and serving Him. When Christ comes and puts His Spirit in a person He gives a new nature: 2 Cor 5:17. So if it is the case with you that you have allowed sins to continue in your life and you have not had the repentance from sins that the scripture tells us puts sin to death, then cry out to God to have mercy on you and do not stop until you get that relief from Him which assures you that you are changed and no longer love the sins or seek pleasures in this world and to satisfy your feelings as you once did.  Beg until you hate them as traps and deceptions which cause you to lie to yourself and make excuses why you are not more Christ like and cannot confront others about their sins. Cry until you see that sin is not pleasing or good for you, but it only appears that way because it is a deception of satan. Until you see that it is good that God protects you from sin by forbidding it. Until you detest life here and long for heaven as all saints do and you have no desire to even once taste any sin again, but prefer death than to sin against your beloved Lord.
Luke 14:26 “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple NKJV John 12:25 He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.  26 If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.  NKJV
Then you will be assured you have become a new person, you have the mind of Christ. What else is the mind of Christ but to hate all sin, reject it and obey the will of the Father? John 5:30 I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me. You must be willing to pay any price and give up all else even loving earthly relations if necessary to obey God.  Matt 10:34-39

 

This only comes with true repentance unto life. True saving repentance is the turning once for all for the rest of your life from sin to live in holiness to the Lord and obedience to His word that we have grace and salvation. But if we seem to be righteous for years and yet go back to practicing sins, we will die. It is vital to have a Biblical understanding of repentance. True gospel repentance is a turning from sin to a life of obedience. It is not a turning away for a while, then continuing to live in sin and just keep asking forgiveness. It is a turning from it to a different way of living. It is a permanent lifestyle and heart desire shift. And a continual watching for temptation and turning away from it to good actions and thoughts all the days of our lives.

Only God can give you this repentance and only God can turn you and then you will repent.

Jer 31:18 I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the Lord my God. ¹⁹ Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh: I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth.  KJV

 

True Repentance is not to be repented of or regretted.  Luke 9:62 But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”   NKJV

2 Cor 7:10- For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. 11 For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! NKJV

Look and check to see if these fruits mentioned result from your sorrow to know if it is genuine repentance.

Not only is there a real leaving of the sinful actions or desires behind, but there is real sorrow for your having sinned against God in true repentance. Be careful to make sure you do not have only an earthly repentance or sorrow for being caught or disciplined of the Lord. That is a mere humanistic repentance and is not the fruit of saving faith. Repentance has often been reduced to asking forgiveness or saying I am sorry, but this alone is not repentance. It is not simply a sad feeling or feeling guilty or punishing yourself a while. It is a turning from one kind of action or thinking and replacing it with a new one and continuing in that.  Rejoice in His discipline until it breaks your heart with sorrow and changes your desires and new fruit produced. Ask Him for it.

Ps 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart — NKJV

True repentance will entirely change you; the bias of your souls will be changed, then you will delight in God, in Christ, in His Law, and in His people. ~ George Whitefield

Ezek 18:31 Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel?

Zech 1:3-4 Return to Me,” says the LORD of hosts, “and I will return to you,” says the LORD of hosts. 4 “Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets preached, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts: “Turn now from your evil ways and your evil deeds.”‘ NKJV
Dan 9:13 “As it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come upon us; yet we have not made our prayer before the LORD our God, that we might turn from our iniquities and understand Your truth. 14 Therefore the LORD has kept the disaster in mind, and brought it upon us; for the LORD our God is righteous in all the works which He does, though we have not obeyed His voice.  NKJV
Neh 1:9 but if you return to Me, and keep My commandments and do them, though some of you were cast out to the farthest part of the heavens, yet I will gather them from there, and bring them to the place which I have chosen as a dwelling for My name.’ 10 Now these are Your servants and Your people, whom You have redeemed by Your great power, and by Your strong hand.  NKJV

Rev 3:3 Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. NKJV

Rev 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. NKJV

 

Hear the word on who gets mercy:

Ex 20:6 but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.

Deut 5:9 visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, ¹⁰ but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.  NKJV
Deut 7:9 “Therefore know that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments; ¹⁰ and He repays those who hate Him to their face, to destroy them. He will not be slack with him who hates Him; He will repay him to his face. ¹¹ Therefore you shall keep the commandment, the statutes, and the judgments which I command you today, to observe them.  NKJV

Prov 4:4 He also taught me, and said to me: “Let your heart retain my words; Keep my commands, and live.

Prov 7:2 Keep my commands and live, And my law as the apple of your eye. ³ Bind them on your fingers; Write them on the tablet of your heart.  NKJV

Prov 16:6- In mercy and truth Atonement is provided for iniquity; And by the fear of the LORD one departs from evil.  ⁷ When a man’s ways please the LORD, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.  NKJV
Prov 28:13 He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.  NKJV
There is mercy for those who no longer walk in the world and will turn away from that life and live in obedience to God’s commandments. Forsake – leave behind, give up any right to ever do it.
Let His own words awaken you.

John 14:15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments.

John 14:21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me … ²³ “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word… ²⁴ He who does not love Me does not keep My words; NKJV

John 15:10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.   NKJV

Matt 19:17 Now behold, one came and said to Him, “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” ¹⁷ So He said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” NKJV

Matt 7:21″Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’  23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

Luke 6:46 But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?  NKJV
1 John 2:3 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.  NKJV

His promise for salvation has the same conditions today and no less. The Spirit gives us a new nature and faith that enable us to obey the commandments and use extreme care to protect ourselves from sinning.

2 Kings 21:8 only if they are careful to do according to all that I have commanded them, NKJV

Shamar  OT:8104 shamar (shaw-mar’); a primitive root; properly, to hedge about (as with thorns), i.e. guard; generally, to protect, attend to, etc.:

One may say, if this is so, or if we teach this it will lead people to despair. Well praise God if they despair. This is a healthy place for a sinner to be. Far better than content in their sin, that they are sensible of the burden of their sin. If they are not troubled by their sin why would they want a savior or to be freed from their sin? God wants them to feel terrible in their sin. He wants them sensible of how horrible sin makes them feel. Their joy is to be removed as was David’s. The work of the Spirit is to make us hate sin so we will watch for temptations and avoid it.

Jude 23 but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh. NKJV

Sin is a terrible thing and we can now offer them the greatest comfort. The Spirit has troubled them that they may be willing to turn once and for all from the deception of sin and worldly pleasures. And now then we give them hope and point them to Christ for grace and repentance.  We do not offer them some psychology or humanistic comfort in their sin. We point them to the solution to free them from their guilt, from the power, and from the punishment of their sin. We offer real hope for their sin problem, a savior who can and will fill them with His Spirit so they can walk in obedience and have lasting assurance. We do not want to be their comfort or give them comfort with our words; we point them to Christ who alone can give them true and lasting comfort. Woe to those who comfort people who continue to presumptuously sin. They will be worse off than those they seek to comfort. They key is Repentance.

Jesus tells us that we must give up our life in this world to live only for Him and His kingdom, as well as sinful desires. Only in this way can one produce fruit and have eternal life. John 12:24 Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.  ²⁵ He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. NKJV

When we are born again we are dead to sin. We have nothing to do with sin at all. We deny ourselves those things. We put our bodies to death daily in respect of sin and fleshly desires.

Rom 6:11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. NKJV

Gal 5:24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

Col 3:5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. ⁶ Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, ⁷ in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.  NKJV

1 Cor 15:31 I affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.

 

Cease to comfort yourself with the words of the false prophets who speak sweet things to comfort you while you still sin. They are like the false shepherds of Ezek 3:18 When I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. ¹⁹ Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul. NKJV

Ezek 34:2 ‘Thus says the Lord GOD to the shepherds: “Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! NKJV

Do not be deceived by the broad road of that deceptive false religion that looks like Christianity with its false prophets who do not warn you and tell you the truth. The true ministers will not speak peace to you they warn.

Ezek 33:9-17

“Moist tears of repentance dry up sin—and quench the wrath of God. Repentance is the nourisher of piety, the procurer of mercy.” – Thomas Watson in ‘The Doctrine of Repentance’

To say that one living in scandalous sin is converted is demeaning to the miraculous grace of God in converting a person, where one is given a new nature and the Spirit of Christ now lives in the person. It is to call evil good. It is to deny the Confessional doctrine of Repentance Unto Life and water down what saving repentance really is.  It is to teach the carnal Christian heresy and reinforce a tolerance of a life of sin in believers. It is not the means of grace to get one out of sin by comforting them in it. They should be made to fear unless they forsake it.  It does not help the person in this trap of satan and may weaken their resolve to get out. Only a fleshly desire to ease the fleshly pains of one in this state, or to have them like you, and appear nice, that one would seek to be more compassionate than Jesus by speaking peace when there is no current sign of peace.  One’s past works and outward profession do not matter if one does not persevere; if they can continue in sin after being reproved.  All scripture speaks against declaring a person in this state righteous before God.

Prov 24:23These things also belong to the wise: It is not good to show partiality in judgment. ²⁴ He who says to the wicked, “You are righteous,” Him the people will curse; Nations will abhor him. ²⁵ But those who rebuke the wicked will have delight, And a good blessing will come upon them. ²⁶ He who gives a right answer kisses the lips. NKJV

Isa 5:20 Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness;

Jer 8:11 For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of My people slightly, Saying, ‘Peace, peace!’ When there is no peace. NKJV

Many think they are strong and have no need to be careful, watch and completely give up their sins because they can control their temptation and not commit the sins. Their false shepherds speak peace to them and they think they are safe, but they have only “healed the wound slightly”, Jer 6:14. They cover over the fact that they still love the sin so the desire festers in them, waiting to break forth to their destruction. They told themselves they had dealt with it when they had only restrained themselves by the flesh. This may be a bosom sin or besetting sin they do not want to give up never to do again. They prefer to keep it than obey the Lord, so they make an excuse or loophole that in a certain situation they may do it again. They only cleaned up the visible branches, but the root is still in them alive. So Paul warns us: 1Cor 10:12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. NKJV

Or they think they can improve the old nature by effort rather than realizing it will always be with them full of evil; whereas true sanctification is as the Spirit strengthens the new nature and grows its desires stronger than the old nature so that it prevails. Mortification is not done with slight effort, but much waiting, watching, meditation, crying out for relief to the only one who can change the heart. When God speaks peace there is no return to the sin. Ps 85:8 For He will speak peace To His people and to His saints; But let them not turn back to folly.

“Though sin lives in him—yet he does not live in sin. A godly man may step into sin through infirmity—but he does not keep on that road.

Question: What is it to indulge sin?

Answer 1: To give the breast to it and feed it. As a fond parent humors his child and lets him have what he wants, so to indulge sin is to humor sin.

Answer 2: To indulge sin is to commit it with delight. The ungodly “delight in wickedness” (2 Thess. 2:12).

In this sense, a godly man does not indulge sin. Though sin is in him, he is troubled at it and would gladly get rid of it. There is as much difference between sin in the wicked and sin in the godly – as between poison being in a serpent and poison being in a man. So sin in a wicked man is delightful, being in its natural place—but sin in a child of God is burdensome and he uses all means to expel it. The sin is trimmed off. The will is against it. A child of God, while he commits sin, hates the sin he commits (Rom 7).

In particular there are four kinds of sin, which a godly man will not allow himself:

1. SECRET sins. Some are more modest than to commit open gross sin. That would be a stain on their reputation. But they will sit brooding upon sin in a corner: “Saul secretly practiced mischief” (1 Sam. 23:9). But a godly man dare not sin secretly:

(1) He knows that God sees in secret, “for he knows the secrets of every heart.” (Psalm 44:21). As God cannot be deceived by our subtlety, so he cannot be excluded by our secrecy.

(2) A godly man knows that secret sins are in some sense worse than others. They reveal more guile and atheism. The curtain-sinner makes himself believe that God does not see. They are saying—The Lord doesn’t see us!” (Ezek. 8:12). As God will reward secret duties, so he will revenge secret sins.

2. GAINFUL sins. Gain is the golden bait, with which Satan fishes for souls! Many who have escaped gross sins, are still caught in a golden net. “What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?” Matthew 16:26.
3. A beloved BESETTING sin. “Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” Hebrews 12:1. There is usually one sin that is the favorite—the sin which the heart is most fond of. A godly man will not indulge a darling sin: “I kept myself from my iniquity” (Psalm 18:23). “I will not indulge the sin of my constitution, to which the bias of my heart more naturally inclines.” If we would have peace in our souls, we must maintain a war against our favorite sin and never leave off until it is subdued.

The besetting sin is, of all others, most dangerous. This is like a poison striking the heart, which brings death. A godly man will lay the axe of repentance to this sin and hew it down! He will sacrifice this Isaac, he will pluck out this right eye, so that he may see better to go to heaven.

4. Those sins which the world counts LESSER. There is no such thing as little sin—yet some may be deemed less comparatively. But a godly man will not indulge himself in these. Such as: Sins of omission. Some think it no great matter to omit family, or private prayer. They can go for several months and God never hears from them. A godly man will as soon live without food, as without prayer. He knows that every creature of God is sanctified by prayer (1 Tim. 4:5).

Use: As you would be numbered among the genealogies of the saints – do not indulge yourselves in any sin. Consider the mischief which one sin lived in, will do:

1. One sin lived in, gives Satan as much advantage against you as more sins. Satan held Judas fast by one sin.
2. One sin lived in, proves that the heart is not sound. He who hides one rebel in his house is a traitor to the crown. The person who indulges one sin is a traitorous hypocrite.
3. One sin lived in, will make way for more, as a little thief can open the door to more. Sins are linked and chained together. One sin will draw on more.
4. One sin lived in, is as much a breach of God’s law as more sins. “Whoever keeps the entire law, yet fails in one point, is guilty of breaking it all” (Jas. 2:10).
5. One sin lived in, prevents Christ from entering. One sin indulged in, obstructs the soul and keeps the streams of Christ’s blood from running into it.
6. One sin lived in, will spoil all your good duties. A drop of poison will spoil a glass of wine. One dead fly will spoil the whole box of precious ointment.
7. One sin lived in will be a cankerworm to eat out the peace of conscience.
8. One sin lived in, will damn as well as more sins. One disease is enough to kill. If only one sin is allowed in the soul, you leave open a gap for the devil to enter! A soldier may have only one gap in his armor–and the bullet may enter there. He may as well be shot there–as if he had no armor on at all. So if you favor only one sin, you leave a part of your soul unprotected–and the bullet of God’s wrath may enter there—and shoot you! One sin lived in, may shut you out of heaven!
9. One sin harbored in the soul will unfit us for suffering. Will he who cannot deny his lust for Christ—deny his life for Christ? One unmortified sin in the soul—will bring forth the bitter fruit of apostasy.

If, then, you would show yourselves godly, give a certificate of divorce to every sin. Kill the Goliath sin! “Let not sin reign” (Romans 6:12). In the original it is “Let not sin king it over you.” Grace and sin may be together—but grace and the love of sin cannot. Therefore parley with sin no longer—but with the spear of mortification, spill the heart-blood of every sin! “For if you live after the flesh, you shall die: but if you through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, you shall live.” Romans 8:13. “So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you.” Colossians 3:5.

– T. Watson From Godly Man’s Picture

 

How to Stop Sinning

Pastors need to ask themselves how they expect their members to put to death the flesh and stop sinning if they do not teach them how; the Biblical way. As mere sinful men many pastors do not want to give up their sins either. Therefore they do not study how to quit sinning themselves let alone preach it to others. They would feel to hypocritical telling others to cease from sins and put them to death if they are not doing it themselves. Ministers are also in need of admonition and reproof for their sins to help them mortify them and to free them to preach and teach others this vital duty.

It is not such a duty that can be done from mere outward obedience, that one may obey the commands or mortify sin; that one can do this without a heart desire for the work. The 1^st part is to beg God for a new heart that desires holy living and forsakes the pleasures of the world. Walter Marshall in his excellent work Gospel Mystery of Sanctification states this in Chapter2:

1. The duties of the law are of such a nature that they cannot possibly be performed while there is wholly an aversion or mere indifferency of the heart to the performance of them, and no good inclination and propensity towards the practice of them, because the chief of all the commandments is to love the Lord with our whole heart, might and soul; to love everything that is in Him; to love His will, and all His ways, and to like them as good. And all duties must be influenced in their performance by this love: we must delight to do the will of God; it must be sweeter to us than the honey or honeycomb (Ps. 40:8; Job 23:12 ; Ps. 63:1; 119:20; 19:10 ). And this love, liking, delight, longing, thirsting, sweet relishing must be continued to the end; and the first indeliberate motion of lust must be regulated by love to God and our neighbour; and sin must be lusted against (Gal. 5:17), and abhorred (Ps. 36:4). If it were true obedience (as some would have it) to love our duty only as a market man loves smelly paths to the market, or as a sick man loves an unpleasant medicinal potion, or as a captive slave loves his hard work for fear of a greater evil – then it might be performed with averseness, or lack of inclination; but we must love it, as the market man loves gain, as the sick man health, as pleasant meat and drink, as the captive liberty. Doubtless there can be no power in the will for this kind of service without an agreeableness of our inclination to the will of God, a heart according to His own heart, an aversion of our hearts from sin and a kind of antipathy against sin; for we know the proverb, ‘Like loveth like.’ There must be an agreeableness in the person or thing beloved to the disposition of the lover. Love to God must flow from a clean heart (1 Tim. 1:5), a heart cleaned from evil propensities and inclinations. And reason will tell us that the first motions of lust which fall not under our choice and deliberations cannot be avoided without a fixed propensity of the heart to holiness.

 

The struggle with sin is not that we are constantly giving in, losing and sinning, it is that we are constantly tempted by our flesh, the indwelling sin nature and the world which we constantly have to resist and fight to say no and be on watch against. We will be freed of these in heaven and it is one of the chief delights and desires of the Christian to be freed from the sinful desires of the flesh, our indwelling sin and this world.

If you still struggle with a temptation each week or day or even each hour perhaps, the desire arises and you have to fight it off so frequently that you are feeling weary, like you might at any moment give in and lose the battle with it, here is hope for you. Here is real relief for now. 1st know this that you are no longer under the bondage of your sin nature. You once were a sinner who could only sin. You have been freed from it. Therefore now the new nature in you by the power of the Spirit can resist temptation and even mortify it, put it to death.

Also know that there is never an excuse for sin. There is not a reason we can give that we had to choose to commit any known sin; it is all our own decision. God has promised not to temp us above what we are able to bear so we do not sin. He has provided a way of escape so we do not have to sin.  We choose to look for it or we choose to go ahead and sin anyway. 1Cor 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.  NKJV

There is never an instance when you have to sin. And Christ told those he healed, Go sin no more. He did not say sin less or begin to cut down over time. John 5:14 “Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.” NKJV

“One circumstance attends the growth in grace of a real Christian, is the clearer and deeper insight which he obtains into the evils of his own heart. Now this is one of the best evidences of growth. But his first conclusion is apt to be, “I am growing worse every day! I see innumerable evils springing up within me which I never saw before!”

This person may be compared to one shut up in a dark room where he is surrounded by many loathsome objects. If a single ray of light be let into the room, he sees the more prominent objects. But if the light gradually increases, he sees more and more of the filth by which he has been surrounded. It was there before, but he did not perceive it.”

Archibald Alexander, “Practical Directions How to Grow in Grace and Make Progress in Piety”)
“Those sins that seem most sweet in life will prove most bitter in death.” ~Thomas Brooks

 

Putting Sin to Death and Dying to Self and Sin

1. How can we end this temptation and stop the devil’s efforts to get you to sin so he can have you?
2. Remember it is far easier to resist temptation the first time than after you give in. If you but once yield to the devil and give in to temptation and sin how easy it is next time and the next and harder to resist it. Fear this downward spiral and do not presume on the grace of God, that He must rescue you if you continue going back to wallow in your sin. Samson presumed God would keep forgiving and restoring him, until God left him to the consequences of his sin. Your next sin could be the one that brings you to apostasy and God gives you over to a reprobate mind. How could you sin again after all the mercy God has shown you in the past, and having promised Him you would never to do it again? Ask yourself how serious about God you could be to prefer sin over Christ. Cry out to Him to deliver you now so you do not do this to Him. Is it God’s will that you do not sin? Then obviously He will hear His child cry out for help to not sin against Him and give you strength to resist. And if you do not cry out then are you not like the woman lying with the man who did not cry out for help, so you also are willfully choosing this sin and deserve the same death as she? Do you not know God kills some people for sin, and worse if He let you go utterly? Allow the sight of hell that you deserve to revive new strength in you and drive you far from the temptation. Pay attention to the warning in scripture. Eli’s sons

1Sam 2:25. If one man sins against another, God will judge him. But if a man sins against the LORD, who will intercede for him?” Nevertheless they did not heed the voice of their father, because the LORD desired to kill them NKJV.

We are strongly warned not to take rebuke and chastening of the Lord lightly and go on in sin.

Prov 29:1 He who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck, Will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.

 

Be warned by the word, pay attention to the warnings in scripture, do not shun them as a negative part or an unpleasant part of the word. We are not to be causal about how we live and deal with sin.

Heb 4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. NKJV

Heb 10:26 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, ²⁷ but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. …²⁹ Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? ³⁰ For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. And again, “The LORD will judge His people.”   ³¹ It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.  NKJV

Renew your mind by feeding on the word until it is rooted and growing in you producing fruit.  And put off the Old man and his deeds, by putting on the new nature.

Eph 5:26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,

Col 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, NKJV

Col 3:9-since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him NKJV

Eph 4:22- that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, ²³ and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, ²⁴ and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.  NKJV

Heb 12:14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: ¹⁵ looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; NKJV

1. Prepare before temptations come by applying yourself to grow your love to God. If you love Him supremely then you will forsake all other loves for Him. You must love God so much that you hate anything that opposes Him. Cultivate and grow your love for God. Meditate on Christ on the cross and the suffering He experienced paying the hell for your sins. You must see how sinful sin is, how much it deceives and cheats you and harms you. You cannot see it as a light thing to sin but realize it is cheating you of your purpose and God’s glory.
   “Some people become desensitized to their own sin because they let popular opinion dictate their standards.” ~ Jonathan Edwards

   If you take seriously that you are not in this world for your enjoyment, peace or advancement, but to war against your flesh and to be an ambassador for Christ, magnifying the Lord in the eyes of others, and drawing them to Him, then what have you to do with sin? If you fail all other tasks in this world do not fail in loving God and preferring Him above all else. Examine yourself to see if you really love the Lord more than your flesh if you can yield to sin again. If you love for Him is weak and cold then before you enter the world which is the devil’s domain prepare yourself well by seeking the Lord until He bless you, it is His desire for you to feel His love. Wrestle with Him as Jacob and do not leave His side until you feel the love of your Father so strong to you that all else is worthless and you are blessed by it with the power to resist the devil so he does not devour you. Vow to marry him and not give yourself to another. You are His bought with an unimaginable price. Let this break your heart and give it all over to Him so you will always be faithful under temptation and never give in to another lover. Bind your heart to His in union through much time in prayer and meditation on His worthiness and loveliness. Allow yourself to empathize deeply when you take the Lord’s Supper with what He endured out of love for you, allow yourself to fall deeper in love with Him for what He suffered and endured for you. If you will be His faithfully then prepare yourself daily with fresh senses of His love before you leave your bedside for the world.  2John 6 This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. John 14:15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments ²¹ He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. ²³ “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; NKJV

Can you really continue to tell yourself that you love God though you do not keep His commands?

Should you not rather fall now in fear and trembling and beg God to secure your state by exercising true faith to ask him to remove your selfish desires and replace them with godly ones. Do you think this a prayer a loving Father will not answer coming to your rescue for truly seeking Him now seeing your helpless state to stop them yourself?  Forsake your excusing ways at once and repent of ever clinging to them again and test your faith of His words. 1John 5:14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. ¹⁵ And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. NKJV

If you really had faith the scripture was true what could you prefer to experiencing this promise:

1John 3:22 And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.

Col 3:3 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. ³ For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. NKJV

Get a tender conscience, sensitive to anything that offends your loving Father so you are warned early and conscience won’t let you. Meditate on how this day you may love and please your ‘husband to be’.

 

1. We are to strive as hard as we would to win a race; we do not run to just finish or even come in 2^nd. Fight to subdue your flesh so you do not sin. 1Cor 9:24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. ²⁵ And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.  ²⁶ Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. ²⁷ But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified. NKJV

Notice that Paul disciplined himself to bring his body into obedience to the word so that he would not end up an apostate or be disqualified for salvation which he knew would be the case if he continued in sin.

Luke 13:24 “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. NKJV

Matt 11:12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. NKJV

 

Resist the devil because just as giving in strengthens the lust, likewise resisting each remembrance weakens his foothold until he gives up on that temptation and goes elsewhere. Each victory increases more and gladdens your heart.  Use the full armor of Eph 6. Apply more effort to resisting sin than in past you put into doing it.

James 4:7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. ⁸ Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. ⁹ Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. ¹⁰ Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. NKJV

If it is true that you are Christ’s and love Him most and yet you do not fight with all your strength against what crucifies Him what does this say of your faith?  Are you really a miracle of Grace a new creation if you weaken under such little temptation? Heb 12:4 You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin. NKJV And what then will you do if the temptations were stronger, maybe touching your flesh or your spouse or child or persecution which many of His true children endure, will you betray Him at last?

Never ever let down or stop fighting temptation, look to Christ who didn’t. Heb 12:3 For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. NKJV

With Joseph quickly run away from anything that arouses you to a besetting temptation. Avoid the thought of it; do not allow yourself to say, “it is not so bad if I only think of it and do not do it”. Dwelling in the savor from the thought is sin also, just as looking on a woman and lusting is adultery. So purge out all thoughts and replace them with scripture and meditate on that which is pure and lovely and good report. Scripture warns us not to enter close to temptations.  Prov 4:14 Do not enter the path of the wicked, And do not walk in the way of evil. ¹⁵ Avoid it, do not travel on it; Turn away from it and pass on. NKJV; Prov 23:31; Phil 4:8.

Fear sinning more than you fear people. Be willing to skip many of the pleasures of this world that you may enjoy the pleasure of the world to come and the comforting presence and blessing of God now rather than dryness and discipline.

1. D. Repent Quickly! If you don’t want to repent over some sin, then repent over that and beg for repentance for the other quickly. Then hate that temptation most and never give in to it again lest it be the seed of your apostasy. If Paul could not take a chance, can you trust in assurance that allows you to rest in sin?

“By delay of repentance, sin strengthens, and the heart hardens. The longer ice freezeth, the harder it is to be broken” ~Thomas Watson

1. E. Mortify, put to death your members. That is, have an attitude that plucking out your right eye or cutting of right hand will be the next step if you will let yourself continue to sin. Reckon yourself dead to sin. That is give up any right you had as a human to enjoy that ever again. Would you trade eternity in heaven for a few more moments of that sin? Is your love for Christ so weak you will give up an eternity with Him and all the heavenly beings to feel that sin one more time? Is there really something more to experience in it, will it be better or different next time? Will it eventually satisfy you? Have you not tasted it enough yet? How many more times must you feel it before it will be enough? There is no number; for it has a foot hold in you, it is an addiction, it deceives and never satisfies; it only leaves you thirstier each time wanting more. Admit that not giving up this one sin will damn you for ever and therefore first put it to death, do not wound, nor contemplate on it, but kill it quick before it seduces you.  Know your weaknesses and be especially watchful for these temptations and be always on guard against anything that could give rise to those desires until they are put to death. Realize these sins are no real good or pleasure to you but the devil makes them appear sweet to you by deception to ensnare you. Do not let Him win once and sift you as wheat.

Decide it is enough. Vow never to taste it again. I am done with it. I will not offend the Lord again. I am not my own and have no right to use my body and eyes this way if I will be Christ’s.  I am His and bought with a price and therefore must make my body a living sacrifice to Him. I give up the right to ever feel that sin again. It is cut off from me; it is cut out of my heart, I sanctify myself from it. Pray, Holy Spirit burn that part out of me with a flaming coal from the altar that I may be clean. Whatever it takes, whatever the cost, change my heart and desires so I never want that sin again. Excise it, burn up your desires and fleshly pleasures as a sacrifice to God. Consider yourself dead, you deserved death and hell and the only reason you live is the mercy of God, therefore live for Him alone. You have no life but for Him.

Rom 12:1- I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. ² And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. NKJV
Sacrifice the right to live as the world and enjoy the pleasures in this world or satisfy your desires.

 

2 Cor 4:16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, ¹⁸ while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Realize that it is mainly your own lusts that cause temptations. James 1:14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. ¹⁵ Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. NKJV

Change what you like. Stop liking what hurts you and others. Would you like to jump off a high cliff and feel the freedom of flying, but you don’t because the end result is too severe. So you change your desire. The same is true of sin, the cost to you and others will be too severe, so change your desire to what is really best for you and your family.

Will you risk bringing destruction and the disciplining hand of the Lord on your family?  Will you tempt God? Do you not fear what He may do to you? Have you been lied to that He is all loving and not also just and wrathful? Do you think He is like your human fathers who do not discipline you because they are weak?  Do you not see what He did to His children in the scriptures who sinned? Do not let His slowness to punish the wicked make you think He does not see you or care. They will get theirs in the end, so He does not always discipline them now. If you are His child you will not escape His discipline. He will not let you slide by, He cannot, He must train you and break your will and conform you to Christ. He will not quit until He has broken your will and conformed it completely to His. Trust me and learn from one whom He has made shake to the bones, to become immobile and helpless as dead before Him, do not test Him.

Heb 12:5 “My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; ⁶ For whom the LORD loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.”   ⁷ If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? ⁸ But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.    ¹⁰ For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. ¹¹ Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.  NKJV

1. Realize that you can not do this on your own, but need God to give you the desire and ability to resist temptation and not sin. As you see your efforts in the above practices fail then do them in the power of the Spirit, not from your own flesh and strength. Call on Him for grace to stay obedient, the fruit of the Spirit to increase your self control, and love to God and others to be strong and constant enough to restrain you from sin. Repent quickly for any toying with temptations; confess that you know you do not have to sin and walk constantly in the Spirit, communing with God and praying always. Gal 5:16 Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. NKJV

Rom 8:4- that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. ⁵ For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. ⁶ For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. ⁷ Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. ⁸ So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. ⁹ But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you.  NKJV

“Mortification of sin is Trinity centered and not self-centered. The child of God is motivated by a desire to please his Father and is set on honouring Christ to whom he is joined and from whom he derives his strength. But especially is mortification enabled by the indwelling working and power of the Holy Spirit. The work of mortification is a work of partnership in which we exercise our mind and wills to mortify sin. But we do so through the Holy Spirit who works in us. The Holy Spirit has given us a new heart and mind and has written God’s laws on our hearts and inscribed them in our minds. We understand and love that writing and the Holy Spirit enables us by the power of a new affection to drive out that which is alien and opposed to God’s mind and will.” ~ John Owen

Faith does not unite us to Christ by its own virtue, but by the power of the Spirit working by it and with it.

Consider that if born again you are in union with Christ and as a result have been crucified with Him and are dead to sin and by His resurrection alive with Him living in and through you. This mystical union must be meditated on much and often to work it into our hearts. Ask yourself: How can I drag Christ and His Spirit who is in me off to this sin I will do? It is only by our union with Christ that we have the power to no longer sin.

I cannot speak enough to the fact that the spiritual life and true mortification comes from constant meditation not only on the warnings in scripture, which may even drive the carnal man to abstain from most sins, but on the undeserved benefits and privileges given to us in our union with Christ. For example: our assurance and sense of love and comfort from the Spirit are closely tied to holy living. Once a person experiences these glories they are so bound to not loose the enjoyment of them that they will do all to abstain from even the thought of sin. There is no pleasure in sin so pleasing as the constant comfort of the spiritual walk, free from fear, depression, anxiety, that one would be willing to quench the Spirit trade them. The loss of this sense is the most painful experience not to be compared with missing a fleshly pleasure, that one is driven to fly back to Christ as their shield, protector and rock. Words that express such powerful meaning to those exercised in them that they ring a dull clang when used by those who do not experience them in their heart. David when He cried out, Restore unto me the joy of the salvation, take not Your Spirit from me cries from heart knowledge of this loss. These blessing must be impressed on the soul so deeply by meditation that they take control of the mind and heart and will to the extent we are enslaved by them. The love of Christ constrains us. 2Cor 5:14 For the love of Christ controls* us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; ¹⁵ and He died for all, that they who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf. NASB *sunecho NT:4912 sunecho (soon-ekh’-o); from NT:4862 and NT:2192; to hold together, i.e. to compress (the ears, with a crowd or siege) or arrest (a prisoner); (Strong’s Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary).

Those who tire of and find it a most difficult and unsatisfying task, struggling and suffering defeat over and over in their efforts to stop sinning, are still trying in the flesh or for fleshly motives. They seek to do this to give them some peace from their guilty conscience, which with each indulgence gives rise to doubt and discouragement, seeing another failure again after so many promises that they would not.  Or their motive is so they can comfort themselves that they are able to be holy or that they are growing and therefore in a safe state, or to look holy and command respect of others, or to win the favor of God and blessings.

Whereas they would find it an easier duty if they pursued it from godly motives of a renewed heart that disdains self and seeks only that God be glorified in them, even if it means their speech and lifestyle cause them to be avoided or rejected by others in the visible church. Rather than struggling to suppress and resist sinful desires they would have new desires for the good delighting them in obedience to God who gives them the feet of deer  to walk on high places and mounts them up with eagle’s wings. The hard work is not so much resisting the foolish partaking of the same old unsatisfying sin, but is that which few apply themselves to; the abstaining from “lawful” worldly pleasures, instead preferring and loving listening to or reading sermons, reading the word and edifying books by godly men, preparation by praying and meditation, communing constantly with the living God, feeling that our every breath comes from Him. Washing and renewing their minds with the word they long for perfection and joy in keeping His commands and doing what is pleasing in His sight.

To lose the sense of walking with God or assurance is the worst pain in this life and to those who have really experienced these, and certainly those who by a fall have lost it for a time, will not allow themselves to repeat. Only those self-deceived into a false assurance based merely on the facts of an intellectual faith can recklessly allow themselves the folly of one sin which, to the wise, could be the seed of apostasy. Who that is connected to the vine with the essence of all fruit flowing through them would cut this off, would risk all that they have in Christ for one more taste of some sin, preferring it over Christ, keeping them from growing deeper in intimacy with God through the communion of the Spirit and pressing toward their goal of perfection?

1. Consider the joy you will have from knowing you are at peace with God. It is the Father’s delight that you have joy. It is a fruit His Spirit gives us as we walk by the power of the Spirit. We are even given peace and joy in the midst of trials. A life of guilt and weakness or a life of joy, spreading joy to others and enjoying sweet fellowship with those who also have left the world and speak of the spiritual realities in this life. Consider that He wrote to us that if we do not sin and keep the commandments we can ask Him for what we want and that our joy will be full. 1John 1:4 And these things we write to you that your joy may be full. 1 John 3:22 And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.

John 15:10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. ¹¹ “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. John 16:24 Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

Job 22:21 “Now acquaint yourself with Him, and be at peace; Thereby good will come to you. ²² Receive, please, instruction from His mouth, And lay up His words in your heart. ²³ If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up; You will remove iniquity far from your tents. ²⁴ Then you will lay your gold in the dust, And the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks. ²⁵ Yes, the Almighty will be your gold And your precious silver; ²⁶ For then you will have your delight in the Almighty, And lift up your face to God. ²⁷ You will make your prayer to Him, He will hear you, And you will pay your vows. ²⁸ You will also declare a thing, And it will be established for you; So light will shine on your ways.

 

How could one pass up these great joys for some deceptive sin that will make him suffer soon after the sweetness has been swallowed? Let Christ be your example of looking to the joy to help you run your race.

Heb 12:1Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross,

1 Thess 1:6 1 Peter 1:6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, 8… yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9 receiving the end of your faith — the salvation of your souls.   NKJV

 

1. Pray the Prayers of our Fathers and read books and sermons by Godly people and on holiness.

Lam 5:21 Turn us back to You, O LORD, and we will be restored; Renew our days as of old,

²² Unless You have utterly rejected us, And are very angry with us! NKJV

Ps 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. ¹¹ Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. ¹² Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit. NKJV

And remember, a major motive to be rid of secret sin is that sin allowed will destroy their life of prayer.

Ps 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear NKJV

If you are not having success at mortifying a sin seek accountability from others and prayer support to be delivered until the Spirit changes your desires so completely the sin is mortified and your desire is replaced with a godly desire.  This is a time we confess our faults to one another.

Sin is so horrible, it deceives us into thinking that we can get away with it and that and we can press close to the line as long as we don’t cross. The Christian should not want to see how close to the line he can get, but run from it, avoiding the appearance of evil because he does not love the world and need it any longer, but loves the spiritual world he has entered. We do not dare to see if we can get by with a little more of the world and the flesh, because our love and purpose is not to enjoy the world or get ahead in the world, but to be storing up treasures in heaven and doing work to advance the spiritual kingdom and the church.

When they seek to get a little closer or just do it one more time, it becomes one more, then one more and they end up a sinner going to hell. One ends up in hell by little sins, little by little while boasting to themselves of how they do not commit adultery or steal or hurt others. I wish we did hurt others more with preaching and warning and rebuking them out of their blindness and deception in sin as Paul did, rather than worrying about the feelings of people whose major concern is not having their feelings hurt, their life infringed upon, rather than seeking first the kingdom and appreciating the admonition.

2 Cor 7:8 For even if I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it; NKJV

1 Cor 4:21 What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?  NKJV

Seek out those friends who will confront you and reprove you when needed.

Prov 9:8 Rebuke a wise man, and he will love you. 9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; Teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. NKJV

Prov 13:18 Poverty and shame will come to him who disdains correction, But he who regards a rebuke will be honored. NKJV

Prov 15:10 Harsh discipline is for him who forsakes the way, And he who hates correction will die. NKJV

Prov 15:31 The ear that hears the rebukes of life Will abide among the wise.  ³² He who disdains instruction despises his own soul, But he who heeds rebuke gets understanding NKJV

Prov 27:5 Open rebuke is better Than love carefully concealed. ⁶ Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. NKJV

Rom 15:14 Now I myself am confident concerning you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another. NKJV

People don’t believe how bad sin is or how severely God may choose to deal with them. They need to be constantly warned from it; over and over because they over and over are called to sin by the world and their flesh. Oh the sheep bleat and cry and say we do not want to move, we are enjoying green grass here why make us change, why push us and drive us from where we are, it doesn’t feel good. And woe, yes woe to the pastors who listen to the cries of the sheep yea even the goats in the midst, and seek their own ease rather than drive the sheep to new pastures and further from their sins, even if the sheep cry occasionally under the firm words. Is it not better they cry and suffer in this life on their way to heaven than be happy on their way to hell?

Prov 6:15 Therefore his calamity shall come suddenly; Suddenly he shall be broken without remedy. NKJV

Seek out strong consistent preaching to help you keep on watch, to keep from being wearied in the struggle by Satan and giving in. We can even become sick or die as a result of allowing ourselves to sin.

1 Cor 11:30 For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. ³¹ For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. ³² But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world. NKJV

Let us also be warned by Annanias and Saphira; who can say the Lord may not do this to you?

Christians keep the commandments as a way of life and may break one from time to time in the less scandalous ways, like thoughts, but do not regularly violate the commands and do not violate them in more severe heinous ways. We struggle with repeated temptations plaguing us while in this world but we do not continue to give in to any one or more sins. We may have temptations that continue to plague us continually because of our past indulgences or our tendencies, but we are saying no to it.

The arminian carnal christian heresy says Christians may live a life in sin and not controlled by the Spirit and may not live as if Christ is their master and Lord. They look carnal or earthly, fleshly like non-Christians but are converted. This is unbiblical.

There may be some period of time, as a person becomes convicted of sin and they are working to mortify it that they sin. But by the power of the Spirit they out it to death by resisting, saying no each time to temptation comes, so it gets weaker and weaker; the temptation may not be so put to death that it never arises again, but they have victory over it and do not yield to it. We must always be on guard to say no to it in its first risings. Some by grace we mortify to well that temptations may no longer plague us at all, the desires for them gone. Many who have been delivered from addictions or habits, cursing etc. Our goal is to have our new desires for good and to please God stronger than any fleshly desires and so completely put to death every sin and temptation, and ourselves die to that lust that we are no longer even tempted by it.

Again this is not perfectionism, but believers do not continue to allow any sin to reign in their lives. And how long would one think a true convert could allow it to rein; for 2 years, five years, or continue in it his whole life?  And how would we know they will eventually stop it until they do? We could have no assurance of hope for the person until repentance from it comes and new consistent obedience replaces it.

Sanctification is not our old nature becoming better or even self controlled. The old nature can’t be improved. Sanctification is the new nature in us being made stronger and more desires for the kingdom and leaving pleasures in this world more and more. As we shed the old body of the sin nature and put on the new nature, we live more for the kingdom and are more about the spiritual side of life than this world. It is the dying of the old nature.

If you seriously hate how sin is ravaging you and satan gets to mock you and bring guilt on you and you are tied of losing the sweetness of the Spirit and sensibility of your assurance, then once for all commit to be done with sin, give God glory and seek first the kingdom. Apply diligently to the means of mortification of sin and sanctification. Trust God with all earthly needs and results in your life. Do all your duty unto Him not just to please man and be advanced. Sever all relationships with sin, have no peace with or tolerance of temptations. Read and pray much about mortification as well as love to Christ. Warn yourself with scripture and the words of our fathers.

We need to speak of our temptations and get support from others, esp. confessing our sins. Accountability from a brother who has little tolerance for a sinful life will do much to strengthen your resolve. Do not seek sympathy from another who is content to live in sin, it will do no good. Ask others to be firm with you and give them permission to check up on you.

James 5:14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. ¹⁵ And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. ¹⁶ Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. NKJV

Prov 19:25 Strike a scoffer, and the simple will become wary; Rebuke one who has understanding, and he will discern knowledge. NKJV

Prov 25:12 As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear.

Prov 27:5 Open rebuke is better than secret love.

Prov 17:10 Rebuke is more effective for a wise man Than a hundred blows on a fool.

Prov 20:30 Blows that hurt cleanse away evil, As do stripes the inner depths of the heart. NKJV

Prov 27:17 As iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.  NKJV

The picture here is of sparks and heat and chunks flying off as two exhort and admonish each other; that is part of the relationship of true Christian FRIENDS who love each other.

Painful experiences or having our feelings hurt are not so bad that we need to avoid them at all cost.

Prov 27:6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. (KJV)

We must love each other enough to wound each other with admonition from the word. There is no way around it. Confronting is unpleasant no matter how gently done or when done by the gentlest of people. Often the one confronting feels the worst in the end. But it must be done, not put off out of selfishness or concern that feelings may get hurt.  God has not told us to be concerned that feelings may get hurt. Yes do it as gentle as you are able. Yes in meekness knowing your own frailties that equally deserve to be admonished. But still do it!!   And those who love more the kisses flattery and approval of others are in a great deception!!

Prov 28:23 He who rebukes a man will find more favor afterward Than he who flatters with the tongue.  NKJV

Why is it that the rebuker finds favor?  Because the wise know it is good and rare and appreciates it, even if not done perfectly. Is this what we find in our congregation? Or do we find the following?

“Hard words, if they be true, are better than soft words if they be false.” – C.H. Spurgeon

“It is one of the severest tests of friendship to tell your friend his faults. To love a man so that you cannot bear to see a stain upon him, and to speak painful truth through loving words, that is friendship.”

– Henry Ward Beecher

Prov 15:12 A scoffer does not love one who corrects him, Nor will he go to the wise.  NKJV

Isn’t this amazing. They could get help from the wise and become better and free from their troubles but they won’t go to them; they avoid any meaningful talk with them because they think it may hurt to get help and humble their pride.  Here is where the pain comes from, when we resist the reproof, instead of seeing it as a gift from God and a token of love and care from another.

Ask yourself, do I choose to feel hurt when I am reproved? Does my ego rise and feel bruised, or do I favor the ones who give it to me and thank God for His fatherly discipline, sending them, so I can be more holy, happy and pleasing to Him?

We all need to find wise people and go to them for counsel and support; not try to do it on our own.

It is so much easier to say nice things and just let the wrong go. To speak a word of correction takes love and faith and we are commanded to reprove one another.

Lev 19:17 You shall surely rebuke your neighbor, and not bear sin because of him. NKJV

Your only hope is to get a new nature, to be filled with the Spirit.

Call upon God to have mercy on you. Ask for forgiveness and repent of all your sins and turn to a life of new obedience, which He will give you the strength to live in. Your new nature will leave the past desires more and more as you resist and feed and wash your mind with the word.

Those who are truly born again in Christ will persevere to the end; so we must strive to make sure of our election by seeing that we are persevering consistent with scripture right up to the end; that we are not continuing in sin, we are loving the brethren and are doing good works, not out of a slavish fear and only obedience; but out of love and thankfulness to God. We cannot give up or grow faint, because the one thing a false believer cannot do is persevere until the end in these things. If we die one day and are still clinging to the feet of Jesus as our only righteousness and for forgiveness, believing in Him and seeking to obey with all our heart mind and strength that person will no doubt be saved.  But if we grow weary of doing good and draw back and lose our self control we should fear.

Another key is not just in the works we do, which any can do, but in the heart motives of why we do them. This is much harder work to discern and takes careful watchfulness and pouring over the word and time in prayer asking God, Ps 26:2 Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; Try my mind and my heart.  NKJV

Not only is the teaching on sin weak in modern churches but the entire gospel presentation has been perverted. Rather than making the gospel appealing and acceptable to worldly people it should repulse them, unless God is doing a miraculous work in their heart and transforming their mind. The true gospel is an offense to people, not a wonderful life opportunity with all good things and blessings and a wonderful plan for you. That is a false gospel and Christ never preached it nor did Peter or Paul speak that way. That is why it attracts worldly people who do not look or experience much difference than the world and do not have the Power in their lives.

The true gospel is a call to death to self. It is a call to be a servant and give up this life and its pursuits. It is a call to suffer for Christ and be put into a refining fire and under the discipline of God to sanctify you from the world.

Read the gospels and listen to how Christ speaks to people, what He says and how He tells then and what He commands of them and asks of them. It is not what preachers today have made the gospel to be.

Today ministers seek to comfort people before God is done breaking them down. Many are too selfish to watch people go through the pain, they want to ease them into the kingdom and help carry them through, hoping they will get it eventually by just learning to love Jesus even though they do not FEEL to their bones the need for a savior as the woman who wept at His feet felt.

Many have invented a Christianity with such a broad easy door that they can keep their sins and come through it. Rather than such a narrow door that they must take off all their sins before they can enter. Why would you change what Jesus said? Many pervert this verse to point only to riches and letting go of worldly wealth, instead of letting go of and casting off all worldly sins and pleasures, turning to a life of sacrificial service to the spiritual kingdom.

At best, at best, they create a group who love God weakly because they were not allowed to feel long enough the horrifying weight of their sin and the punishment coming on them that they deserved.

Paul Washer speaking of the true gospel made these statements, “Many preachers say, “we are all sinners”, so the unconverted don’t feel isolated, guilty and all by yourself; I do want you to feel isolated and guilty by yourself!! ” … “We show men the terrifying nature of sin and the state they are in and we stay there until it has done its work and God changes their heart.”

“The worst thing that could happen to a minister or a church is to become civilized and respectable”

“You know you are saved because… you are changed and changing in a process and when the changing stalls God comes and disciplines you. Do you see why there is no power in the gospel that is preached today?”

Pray God will once again raise up ministers who will preach a gospel that does offend people, and stop trying by humanistic means to give a gentler presentation as if they were more compassionate than Christ. As if the true gospel would turn people off and they have found a more effective way to convince people to believe. No wonder their “converts” have no power in their lives to live holy and do not look much different than the rest in the world. No wonder many say 80% in the churches are not converted.

If we have been converted we have died to this life. We do not take off some burdens as we enter the narrow gate, we take off all sins and die to self and now live our life and spend our time doing things for God’s Kingdom not our own prosperity and peace.

Do not believe that the common Christianity of the present age will carry anybody to heaven. It is a counterfeit and a sham. It does not make men to differ from their fellows, it pretends to faith and has none, talks about love and does not show it, brags of truth and evaporates it into thin air in its latitudinarian charity.

God give us back the real thing—stimuli, strong belief in the gospel, real faith in Jesus, real prayer to him, real spiritual power.

Then again there will be persecution, but it will only blow away the chaff and leave the pure wheat!

The world likes us better because we like the world better; it calls us friends because we doff our colors and sheathe our swords and play the craven; but if we preach and live the gospel in the old apostolic way, we shall soon have the devil roaring round the camp and the seed of the serpent hissing on all sides, but we fear not, for “the Lord of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.”

“I and the Children,” – sermon preached Sunday 20 Sept 1874 at the Met Tab by Charles Spurgeon

2Cor 4:1Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart. ² But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth NKJV

What makes heaven, heaven, is not the gold or mansion there, but being in the presence of God who is holy and hates sin. How will those who still love sin be happy in that place?  If we have not had our affections changed here to hate sin and be like Christ, why would we want to be in the Real heaven?  The Christian desires heaven now because we hate sin and this world now. They don’t hold on to their sin and love of it and then get changed when they die.

It is a heart issue. And we see the heart in the things we pursue in this life, spend out time on.

James 4:4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God   NKJV

1 John 2:15- Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world — the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life — is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.  NKJV

A Christian does not make peace with sin and learn to live with it, maybe trying to cut back on it gradually. We kill every last one of them as soon as we become aware of it because we fear it, knowing it can be the one that leads to apostasy, that God gives us over to a reprobate mind and it keep us from Christ if we entertain it.

If one can allow sin from time to time; if it does not repulse him so much seeing it as nailing Christ to the Cross and the greatest offense to a holy God, that he gets rid of it out of His presence, then he still has friendship with the world, and he does not know the true pure and Holy One. No more would we leave a known offensive thing in our living room when we have friends or relatives over, we would put it away. Shall you do less for God and then think He will send His Holy Spirit into your living room for private and family worship with that idol there?

Sanctify yourselves if you will come into the presence of God. That is cut yourself off from every sin, every earthly desire.

Regard the Voices of our fathers!

The Christian’s battle is first of all with sin. Seek grace to fight that battle in your own heart.

Endeavor by divine grace to overcome those propensities which continually push you towards iniquity.

Take all your lusts as they bestir themselves to the foot of the cross, and let the blood of Jesus

fall upon those vipers and they must die.

The blood of Christ shall spill the blood of sin. The death of Christ shall be the death of iniquity, the cross of Christ shall be the crucifixion of transgression.

Labor with yourselves to drive the Canaanites out of your hearts. Spare none, let no petty lust escape.

Put down pride and sloth, and lust, and unbelief and you have now a battle before you which may fill your hands, and more than fill them.

Oh! cry unto God your strength, and look unto the hills from where comes your help, and then fight on again, and as each sin is overcome, each evil habit broken off, each lust denied, go on to the rooting up of another, and the destruction of more of them, until all being subdued, body, soul and spirit shall be consecrated to Christ as a living sacrifice, purified by his Holy Spirit.

From Spurgeon’s sermon, “WAR! WAR! WAR!” “Fight the Lord’s battles.” -1 Samuel 18:17.

The position of sin in a natural man is that of a king on his throne.

The position of sin in a Christian is that of a bandit hiding in secret places trying to get back its old usurped dominion, but failing in the attempt, for sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under the law, but under grace.  – C. H. Spurgeon

“Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from hidden faults. Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me. Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression.” Psalm 19:12, 13

“Here the Psalmist prays to be kept from committing presumptuous sins. He knows the danger there is in such sins—and so pleads to be held back from them, that is, from willful, conscious, high-handed sins. Mark the teaching, too, that these presumptuous sins spring out of the minute hidden faults. From hidden, obscure, undiscovered faults—come presumptuous sins.
A slight moral weakness—grows into an evil tendency;
and the evil tendency indulged—develops into a loathsome vice;
and the loathsome vice—ripens into a presumptuous sin!
We need to guard against carelessness concerning ‘little sins’. The hidden fault lurking in the nature—may grow into a presumptuous sin!  The course of sin is terrible! The little beginnings of sin—grow into appalling consequences! Be afraid of little sins and temptations.
There are some people who are always courting danger. Sin seems to have a fascination for them. One of the petitions of the Lord’s Prayer is, “Lead us not into temptation.” To expose ourselves needlessly to temptation, is presumption! Yet there are many who do this. They play with fire—and wonder why they are burned! They dally with ‘little sins’, and end in shameful degradation at the last! They pay the penalty in moral and spiritual ruin.” J. R. Miller, “The Way of Safety“
“It is evident that our conversion is sound when we loathe and hate sin from the heart.

A man may know his hatred of evil to be true, first, if it is universal- he that hates sin truly, hates all sin.

Secondly, true hatred of sin is fixed- there is no appeasing it but by abolishing the thing hated.

Thirdly, true hatred of sin is a more rooted affection than anger- anger may be appeased, but hatred of sin remains and sets itself against the whole kind.

Fourthly, if our hatred of sin is true, we hate all evil, in ourselves foremost, and secondarily in others- he that hates a toad, would hate it most in his own bosom.

Many, like Judah, are severe in censuring others (Genesis 38:24), but partial to themselves.

Fifthly, he that hates sin truly, hates the greatest sin in the greatest measure; he hates all evil in a just proportion.

Sixthly, our hatred to sin is right if we can endure admonition and reproof for sin, and not be enraged- therefore, those that swell against reproof do not appear to hate sin.”

~ Richard Sibbes commentary, Psalm 97:10, “YOU THAT LOVE THE brooks

LORD, HATE EVIL.”

To abstain from sin when one can no longer sin, is to be forsaken by sin, not to forsake it.” ~ St. Augustine

“Peace if possible, truth at all costs.” – Martin Luther

‘For the love of Christ constrains us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: and that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again’ (2 Cor. 5:14).

It is certainly true, and eminently in accordance with Paul’s teaching elsewhere, that the love of Christ which we have in our hearts restrains us from doing things which otherwise we might do. We refrain from doing those things not only because we are afraid to do them, but also because we love Christ too much to do them. Ah, how powerful a restraining force in the Christian’s life is the love he bears to Christ, his Saviour! That love in the Christian’s heart is a restraining force even more powerful than any fear.

“As a matter of fact, however, that is not Paul’s meaning here. The love of Christ which he here says constrains us is not our love for Christ, but it is Christ’s love for us. We are restrained from doing evil things, Paul says, by that unspeakable love which Christ manifested when He died for us on the cross.

Well, then, if it is Christ’s love for us which constrains us according to this verse, how does Christ’s love for us produce that constraining effect in our lives?

The following words give the answer. ‘The love of Christ constraineth us,’ Paul says, ‘because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead.’ I do not think that the translation ‘because we thus judge,’ though it appears in both the Authorized and in the Revised Version, is strictly accurate. It ought rather to be ‘because we have thus judged.’ The great conviction that Christ died for all and that therefore all died is not formed again and again in Paul’s mind as though it were a new conviction, but it has already been formed. It is one of the basic convictions underlying all Paul’s Christian life. ‘The love of Christ constraineth us,’ Paul says, ‘because we formed the conviction long ago that Christ died for all and that therefore all died.’ Those who have that conviction, as Paul had, already formed in their minds are restrained ever after from doing certain things which otherwise they might do. Since they are convinced that Christ died for them they cannot thereafter do the things that are displeasing to Him, to Him who by His death for them showed that He loved them with such a wonderful love. Once they are convinced that Christ’s death was a death for them, their gratitude to the one who died hems them in, restrains them from evil, more effectively than they could have been restrained by prison bars.”  ~ Constraining Love by J. Gresham Machen   http://www.the-highway.com/articleJuly07.html 

“Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.” Ephesians 6:10
When you are to resist a temptation, or to mortify a corruption, do not go out in your own strength, but in the strength of Christ.
Some go out to duty in the strength of their abilities; and go out against sin in the strength of their resolutions—and they both come home foiled. Alas! What are our resolutions, but like the green cords which bound Samson! A sinful
heart will soon break these!
Do as David when he was to go up against Goliath. He said, “I come to you in the name of the Lord!” So say to your Goliath lust, “I come to you in the name of Christ!” Then we conquer, when the Lion of the tribe of Judah marches before us!  ~ (Thomas Watson, “Christ All in All”)
“If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me:” Psalm 66:18 KJV

What is it to regard iniquity in the heart?
When we INDULGE in sin. When sin not only lives in us—but when we live in sin. Some will leave all their sins, but one. Jacob would let all his sons go, but Benjamin. The fowler holds the bird fast enough by one claw. Just so, Satan can hold a man by one sin.
Others HIDE their sins. Just so, many seem to leave their sins—but they only hide them from the eye of others. Their heart still goes after them, and at last they nurse and give breast to their sins.

To regard iniquity is to DELIGHT in iniquity. Though a child of God sins—yet he does not take a delight in sin. “I do the very thing I hate” (Romans 7:15). But the wicked make a recreation of sin. They “delight in wickedness” (2 Thessalonians 2:12).
To regard iniquity is to make PROVISION for sin. “Make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.” (Rom. 13:14). The wicked are caterers for their lusts. This is to make provision for the flesh—when one studies to satisfy the flesh and provide fuel for lust. Thus Amnon made provision for the flesh (2 Samuel 13:5). He pretends to be sick, and his sister Tamar, must be his nurse. It is sad when men’s concern is not to be holy—but to satisfy lust!

Thomas Watson, “The Beatitudes” 1660

Eph. 6:14 Shall the armor of God fail us? Is it not able to stand against all the fiery darts of the wicked one?

This describes the Christian’s posture in his fight against Satan. It is a military expression, a word of command that a captain would use to his soldier. A coward does not stand, but Christ directs us to stand our ground to stoutly repel the enemy. Uriah stood in the face of death. He did not dispute with his General; obey he must, though he lost his life. To resist some temptations may cost us dear. The Roman captain said it was necessary to sail, not to live. The soldier carries his prince’s honour with him into the field. How unworthy it is to expose the name of God to reproach to avoid the little scorn, temporal loss, or trouble!

Truly, God is not careless with the blood of his servants, yet sometimes he tries their loyalty in hard service and sharp temptations, that he may from their faithfulness and holy stoutness in their suffering for him triumph over Satan. God furnishes armour for us to stand. Stand, and the day is ours; flee, and all is lost. There is no armour for the back in God’s armoury. Stand, and the bullets fall; flee, and they enter your heart. He that stands believing, comes off with his life. He that recoils and runs from his colours, God will have no pleasure in him. There is comfort in striving against sin and Satan, though through blood . Would you not rather die in the field for your Prince, than by the axe for cowardice or trechery? Satan is a cowardly enemy. He is discouraged when he finds the soul awake to oppose him. He fears and trembles at your faith. Pray for help against him, and vigorously reject the motions he makes, and he will run (James 4:7). He cannot hurt us without our consent. When we resist, his heart fails and he leaves. If we only weakly resist, he continues his assault. The only way to be rid of him is to shut the door upon him and deny all discourse with him.
William Gurnall, The Christian in Complete Armour, I:275-278

 

“And for those of you who have fought and mortified sin and your members; to you “young men” to whom John wrote, “because ye have overcome the wicked one”, I say watch and stay on guard. To you whose love to Christ is so dear that the sweet daily communion interrupted for a moment would be hell enough; do not for a moment think you stand and are safe. Keep on the armor of God all day, and do not let the victories cause you to become proud, for then Satan has got you again by your strength rather than your weakness.  And remember how long you struggled with sin. Do you wish it back?  Remember it was not your strength, effort and goodness that made it leave, but only Christ and the Spirit who drove it off. Yes you prayed often then in those struggling times, and exercised self-control, so now because he has given you peace and comfort and much assurance will you commune with Him less rather than more?  Will you leave off those duties once so vital moment by moment when you were so hard in the battle? This is only a beckoning to satan to return with 10 times as many demons to attack you while you are at ease in Zion.

 

And to you “Fathers who have known Him who is from the beginning”;

Though the temptations change do not think they are not there; for as long as you are in the body there will be battles, there will be temptations and their will be trials. So now. as the watchman, stay alert all night and long for and look for the coming dayspring, Be as those vigilant 10 virgins, never leave your post though legitimate duties and works would call you. Wait and watch for His coming. Being careful to be an example to all those around you in charity, and kindness with edifying speech and correction to those who have not yet suffered enough in their flesh to cast it off for good. Who in their youth and inexperience still hold some hope and love for this world. How can you stand by and not have your conscience afflicted as you watch them be torn apart little by little by satan and this world’s lusts and not reach your hand into the fire with them to pull them out?

 

Now the watch is short and the day draws near. Now more than ever after victories would satan love to steal you at last through vain conceit, pride or judging others. Remain on guard, immerse yourself in the word, become one with Christ and His spokesman to the world. What else will profit you when you leave this life except for the treasures of spiritual fruit you have gathered for Him? Be busy about holy living and speaking and ask Him to use you to gather in His harvest and encourage the saints, provoking them to love and good works. Become violent for Him Matt 11:12 the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.

 

You of all should know that no harm shall come to you, no serpent bite shall devour you, no shipwreck stop you and the most comfort of all is when, you like Daniel’s 3 friends, are in the hottest fire or when confronted with an army so great your bones shake, until with Elisha’s servant, your spiritual eye beholds the flaming chariots without number readied to protect and assist you. Will you now make shipwreck of your faith? Will you let old age cause you to be grumpy and complaining? Will you begin to make excuse for your not persevering until the end when it draws so close? Will you satisfy yourself with old victories, which even wicked Saul could do, or will you seek new grace from living waters that will make you cup run over even in the mist of the Valley of Shadows and will you spread seed and bring fruit, color and brightness of God’s glory to Baca’s Vale as you pass through?  

Ps 84:5 Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, Whose heart is set on pilgrimage. ⁶ As they pass through the Valley of Baca, They make it a spring; The rain also covers it with pools. 7 They go from strength to strength; Each one appears before God in Zion. NKJV

 

Yes, Now is the season to bring the most glory to your King. Press on triumphant in His grace that has carried you so far. The race is almost over and the victory can be won, will you slow up now? Will you not finish the race with as much patience and fight as you did when your flesh was weak? Do not faint, or look to the weakness of your flesh now; lift up the hand and strengthen the feeble knees seeing your King comes. You can pray now like never before and have power to prevail with God through faith for His people and His kingdom workers. 

Where is room for any despondence as you keep one eye toward heaven? You will soon ride across Jordan’s waves on angel’s wings as did your brothers and sisters so long ago. Though the waters were swift and deep the priests stepped first into the waters to dry it up before their brothers. And now it is your turn. Are you not His royal priest? Lead the way for others.  Dare you draw back now after so long being upheld by His strength?  Will you consider your flesh and blood now as though it had more control of your life purpose and success than before? Do not look at the decaying flesh and world you are leaving but continue steadfast as Stephen, looking into heaven and into the very face of Him who will greet you. Think not of your past sins and ill deserving, but only look at Him who was wounded for you. Yes mercy, let it break your heart of pride as you undeservingly receive the prize.

 

Will you now at the last waste His suffering by considering your own? Keep your focus on His face. Trust Him and rest in Him more now than ever. The flesh now so obviously dead and worthless to you, and He is now more real to you than before. You are moving further into heaven itself, do not look back, as Lot’s wife, to this world of sin; give it not one thought, simply press on up the mount, until from His Holiness your face becomes aglow for all beneath to see. He had made your feet like the deer’s and has set you upon the high places, Mount up with Eagle’s wings, Listen and Prepare yourself ; Sing the Song of Songs, My Beloved is Mine and I am His. Can you hear Him call, Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee. Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled:  Make haste, my beloved, and be thou like a roe or a young hart upon the mountains of spices. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.

Rejoice and sing, My beloved is mine, and I am his; for the Wedding Feast of the Lamb draws nigh. Draw us into this celebration with you, give us cause to put off this world and long for His coming to us.

 

Sin never appears so odious, as when we behold it in the red glass of Christ’s sufferings. Can we look upon sin as the occasion of all Christ’s sufferings; can we look upon sin as that which made Christ a curse, and which made Him forsaken of His Father, and which made Him live such a miserable life, and which brought Him to die such a shameful, painful, and cruel death—and our hearts not rise against it?

 

Shall our sins be grievous unto Christ—and shall they not be odious unto us? Shall He die for our sins—and shall not we die to our sins? Did not He suffer for sin —that we might cease from sin?

 

If one would kill our father—would we hug and embrace him? Surely not! We would be revenged on him. Sin has killed our Savior—and shall we not be revenged on it?

 

Can a man look upon that snake which has stung his dearly-loved wife to death—and preserve it alive, warm it at the fire, and hug it in his bosom? Would he not stab it with a thousand wounds? It is sin which has stung our dear Jesus to death, which has crucified our Lord, clouded His glory, and shed His precious blood! Oh, how should this stir up our indignation against sin!

 

Ah, how can a Christian make much of those sins, which have killed his dearest Lord! how can he cherish those sins which betrayed Christ, and bound Christ, and condemned Christ, and scourged Christ, and which violently nailed Him to the cross, and there murdered Him!

 

It was neither Judas, nor Pilate, nor the Jews, nor the soldiers—which could have done our Lord Jesus the least hurt—had not our sins, like so many butchers and hangmen, come in to their assistance!”

Thomas Brooks, “The Golden Key to Open Hidden Treasures”

One reason so few are happy, fulfilled and have the HIDDEN TREASURES of the Christian life is because they allow themselves to sin, rather than battle and resist unto blood against one sin being allowed in their life.

I will not allow any sin to continue in my life. I cannot. God has dealt so severely with me that for that reason alone I can not allow myself to indulge in any sin. I would not bring the discipline of God on my family or others or me again.  I hate sin for what it cost Christ and for the pain it brings on others and me. There is not one sin that feels as good in the moment as the departure of His presence and His displeasure hurts. I cannot think of what I deserve in hell and what Christ suffered so that I do not have to and sin anymore. He broke the power of sin and shall I then waste that and sin against Him?

I am seeking to keep close to my Father and do not want to displease Him. I love Christ for what He endured for me. He gave His life for me how can I add one more stripe to His wounds. I wish the desire was purely out of love for Him and the view of how horrible sin is to Him, and reverence for His all deserving beauty as King of Kings and His purity and Holiness. But my view and affections for Him are not that strong yet and they are not my only motive or even my main motive at all times. So even my desire not to sin misses the mark of perfection and is sin. But it is not an active willful sin preferring my self love or fleshly satisfaction, nor do I take pleasure in it, nor am I content to have it stay as it is. I do what I can to increase in sanctification and love to God and have a clearer view of Him. But I dare not tempt God and presume that He would have mercy on me if I allow myself to indulge the flesh or the world and choose to keep sinning hoping grace would continue and I now at last be found a reprobate.

It is not a matter of pride or self satisfaction and achievement any more. It is out of new desires for obedience, thankfulness to God, the fact He owns me and I am not my own. It is to resist the devil so consistently that he flee from me more, and to have more peace of conscience before the Lord. To have sweet uninterrupted communion with Him feels better than any sin. Sin results in the extreme horrors from the feeling of being caught before the all seeing every present eye of God and what discipline He may bring. He has restored a proper fear of the High King to me.

If I persist in keeping Him first in my life my experience of Him, love and enjoyment of Him will grow and the mind of Christ and love of God will constrain me more and more. I want no more setbacks to this progressing intimacy in communion.

There is no pleasure in sin to me anymore since He has changed my desires. Any appearance of pleasure in sin is only a deception. It only appears good to my flesh but it is not and does not feel as good as walking with Him. There is no joy in any sin you could offer me to offset the sorrow and disappointment of God and the angels that may look on so I can no longer bear to allow it.  I beg for His Spirit to work in me to reveal more and more sin and sanctify my desires and mortify the flesh further that I may have a clean heart for Him and holy desires.

I would rather die than commit a sin. There is nothing in my life I cherish and wish to enjoy or stay here one day longer for if I have to sin. I wish I had felt this way when I was younger but I loved the world and loved satisfying my flesh, but each time though I thought I got away with it, and He did not see or care, it only brought me sorrow. The worst was when God did not bring swift discipline to me and left me in it a while, as it filled up, bringing more destruction to me.

I could not bear to hurt my wife she has been through so much that I won’t risk hurting her by God disciplining me. These are all reasons that cause me to say no to every temptation.

This does not mean that the Spirit has so mortified these things that I could never sin in them. So I keep my guard up watching even though many things no longer tempt me now and I doubt ever will again. I still have some temptations but they are more easily resisted now as I focus on living before God and wanting to please Him and realizing my union with Christ more. I am not perfect, I sin in all that I do, even in this mortification because I am sure I do not love the Lord enough or do it only for Him. I am convicted of new sins and constantly looking and praying that God search my heart and show me sin that I have been blind to or ignored or colored over in my mind as not sin. I abhor my flesh and indwelling sin that blemishes my best services. And as new trials come more temptations and new ones will arise that will need to be put to death. It will be an ongoing process.

My old nature is so deceitful and full of wickedness. I have sinned against so much light that many others have not had that I feel like I could easily challenge Paul for Chief of sinners.  I am probably not as patient as I should be, or as kind or caring and so many others I am sure. But as I am convicted of how I should live or that to do something is sin, I have to stop. I do not see how I could be loving God as supreme, if He tells me to give up something for Him and I choose to keep it. I do not see how I could say I believe in God, that He is all wise, if I choose to think He is wrong and that sin is good, or choose it over Him.

If He sends me through fire or affliction to try my soul, that is fine. I am dead to sin, it offers me no pleasure, joy or advancement. It does nothing for me. God has removed the desires from me for much of it, and even the pleasure in it. I am broken. I no longer strive for advancement or approval in the world. It is so peaceful trusting Him to give me the results He wants and I rest in that and just exercise diligence in the work I do. I need to love Him more and singly and hate sin more because it is offensive to His holiness and purity. I want to have fewer old thoughts come to my head if possible and more constant walking and talking with God in all I do. I want to be careful of my time and how much I allow myself in pastimes and things that do not advance the kingdom, though my main pastimes are reading and studying the word and works of ministers and listening to sermons and writing on what I have learned and sharing with others. Perhaps all of my time should be in ministry and it may be one day. But I do not want to be a Pharisee and I do not see any righteousness that He gives me as efficacious or having any value beyond bringing glory to Him and mortifying this world further. And any progress made in mortification is all by His grace so there is nothing for me to boast in as if I have done it. It is just what God is doing with me, where He has me. Woe to me if I do not.

I enjoy fellowshipping with Christians who have a similar zeal for a pure life and avoiding worldliness and are careful even of those earthly matters which are legitimate in moderation like entertainment, food, clothing etc.

I am not into sports anymore and have no time for these things while I can read and study and write to other people to encourage them in their faith or speak to them of their need for the Lord.  In times past Sola Scriptura or Sola Fide or Sola Gratia would have been foremost in my mind and though I would not really separate any of them, all being cornerstones of the building, yet to me to live now is supremely Soli Deo Gloria, privately and publically, which is done through Sola Christus.

My goal my whole life in work was to make enough money if possible to be able to go full time into ministry or missions and in the meantime support other ministries and esp. seminaries and men going into the ministry in good seminaries. I have no personal aspirations on this earth apart from advancing the kingdom. I have had an abundance and I have had little and He has always cared for us. It matters not what He does with me though my flesh prefers ease, I trust He will give us grace to endure whatever He puts us through to His glory.

This is all by God’s grace alone if I were left to myself I would no doubt be dead from drunkenness and sin decades ago. This is how He has worked in me, praise to Him for this change.

“I have now concentrated all my prayers into one, and that one prayer is this, that I may die to self, and live wholly to Him.” – C.H. Spurgeon

Don P

Walter Marshall expresses the practical outworking of union with Christ in the following excerpts of chapter 12 of Gospel Mystery of Sanctification

1. This is the manner of practice in Scripture, which is expressed by… ‘overcoming the world by faith’ (1John 5:4); ‘quenching all the fiery darts of the wicked, by the shield of faith’ (Eph. 6:16). Some make no more of living and walking by faith than merely a stirring up and encouraging ourselves to our duty by such principles as we believe. Thus the Jews might account that they lived by faith, because they professed and assented unto the doctrine of Moses and the prophets, and were moved thereby to a zeal of God, though they sought righteousness not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law (Rom. 9:32). Thus Paul might think he lived by faith while he was a zealous Pharisee, but afterwards he knew that the life of faith consisted in dying to the law and living to God, and that not himself, but Christ lived in him (Gal. 2:19, 20). As it is one and the same thing to be justified by faith, and by Christ believed on (Rom. 5:1), so to live, walk and work by faith, is all one with living, walking, working by means of Christ and His saving endowments, which we receive and make use of by faith, to guide and move ourselves to the practice of holiness.
2. This is the manner of walking which the apostle Paul directs us to, when he teaches us, by his own example, that the continual work of our lives should be ‘to know Christ, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable to His death; if by any means we may attain unto the resurrection of the dead,’ and to increase and press forward in this kind of knowledge (Phil 3:10-12, 14). Certainly, he means such an experimental knowledge of Christ, and His death and resurrection, as effectually makes us conformable thereunto in dying unto sin and living unto God. And he would hereby guide us to make use of Christ and His death and resurrection by faith, as the powerful means of holiness in heart and life, and to increase in this manner of walking until we attain unto perfection in Christ.

Our way to mortify sinful affections and lusts must be, not by purging them out of the flesh, but by putting off the flesh itself and getting above into Christ by faith, and walking in that new nature that is by Him.

It is likely that Peter sincerely resolved to die with Christ, rather than to deny Him, and to do all that he could by his own power for that end; but Christ made him quickly to see the weakness and vanity of such resolutions. And we see by experience what many resolutions made in sickness and other dangers mostly come to. It is not enough for us to trust on Christ to help us to act and endeavour so far only as creatures; for so the worst of men are helped: He is the JEHOVAH in whom we live, move and have our being (Acts 17:28). And it is likely the Pharisee would trust on God to help him in duty, as he would thank God for the performance of duty (Luke 18:11). And this is all the faith that many make use of in order to a holy practice.

But we must trust on Christ to enable us above the strength of our own natural power, by virtue of the new nature which we have in Christ and by His Spirit dwelling and working in us; or else our best endeavours will be altogether sinful, and mere hypocrisy, notwithstanding all the help for which we trust upon Him. We must also take heed of depending for holiness upon any resolution to walk in Christ, or any written covenants, or any holiness that we have already received; for we must know that the virtue of these things continues no longer than we continue walking in Christ, and Christ in us. They must be kept up by the continual presence of Christ in us;

6. Consider what endowments, privileges or properties of your new state are most meet and forcible to incline and strengthen your heart to love God above all, and to renounce all sin, and to give up yourself to universal obedience to His commands; and strive to walk in the persuasion of them, that you may attain to the practice of these great duties. I may well join these together, because ‘to love the Lord with all our heart, might, and soul’, is the first and great commandment, which influences us to all obedience, with a hatred and detestation of all sin, as it is contrary and hateful to God. The same effectual means that produces the one will also produce the other; and holiness chiefly consists in these. So the chief blessings of our holy state are most meet and forcible to enable us for the immediate performance of them, and are to be made use of to this end by faith. Particularly, you must believe steadfastly that all your sins are blotted out, and that you are reconciled to God, and have access to His favour by the blood of Christ; and that He is your God and Father, and altogether love to you, and your all sufficient everlasting portion and happiness through Christ.

Such apprehensions as these do present God as a very lovely object to our hearts, and do thereby allure and win our affections, that cannot be forced by commands or threatenings, but must be sweetly won and drawn by allurements. We must not harbour any suspicions that God would prove a terrible everlasting enemy to us, if we would love Him; for ‘there is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear; because fear has torment; he that fears is not made perfect in love. We love Him, because He first loved us’ (1 John 4:18, 19). …Love, that causes obedience to the law, must proceed from faith unfeigned, whereby we apprehend the remission of our sins, our reconciliation with God by the merits of the blood of Christ (1 Tim. 1:5; Heb. 9:14).

For the same end, that your hearts may be rightly fitted and framed for the performance of these principal duties, the Holy Scripture directs you to walk in the persuasion of other principal endowments of your new state – as that you have fellowship with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ (1 John 1:3); that you are the temple of the living God (2 Cor. 6:16); that you live by the Spirit (Gal. 5:25); that you are called to holiness, and created in Christ Jesus to good works; that God would sanctify you wholly, and make you perfect in holiness at the last (1 Thess. 5:23; Eph. 2:10); that your old man is crucified with Christ; and through Him you are dead to sin, and alive to God; and, being made free from sin, you are become the servants of righteousness, and have your fruit to holiness, and the end everlasting life (Rom. 6:6, 22); ‘You are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, shall appear, then shall you also appear with Him in glory’ (Col. 3:3, 4).

Such persuasions as these, when they are deeply rooted, and constantly maintained in our hearts, do strongly arm and encourage us to practice universal obedience, in opposition to every sinful lust; because we look on it, not only as our duty, but our great privilege, to do all things through Christ strengthening us: and God does certainly work in us both to will and to do by these principles, because they properly belong to the gospel, or New Testament, which is the ministration of the Spirit, and the power of God unto salvation (2 Cor. 3:6, 8; Rom. 1:16).

Finally, you will be able to abstain from all fleshly and worldly lusts that war against the soul, and hinder all godliness, by an assured persuasion, not merely that gluttony, drunkenness, lechery are filthy swinish abominations, and that the pleasures, profits and honours of the world are vain, empty things; but that you are crucified to the flesh and the world, and quickened, raised, and sit in heavenly places together with Christ; and that you have pleasures, profits, honours in Christ, to which the best things in the world are not worthy to be compared; and that you are ‘members of Christ, the temple of His Spirit, citizens of heaven, children of the day, not of the night, nor of darkness,’ so that it is below your state and dignity to practice deeds of darkness, and mind fleshly worldly things.

(Chapter 14) How ready are some to toil continually and macerate their bodies in a melancholy legal way to get holiness, rather than perish for ever? And therefore, how ready should we be, when it is only, ‘Take, and have; believe, and be sanctified and saved?’ (2 Kings 5:13). Christ’s burden is light by His Spirit’s bearing it (Matt. 11: 30). No weariness, but renewing of strength (Isa. 40:31).

5. Our very moving, acting, walking in this way is a pleasure and delight. Every good work is done with pleasure; the very labour of the way is pleasant. Carnal men wish duties were not necessary, and they are burdensome to them; but they are pleasant to us, because we do not gain holiness by our own carnal wrestling with our lusts and crossing them out of carnal fear, with regret and grief, and setting conscience and the law against them, to hinder their actings; but we act naturally, according to the new nature and perform our new spiritual desires by walking in the ways of God through Christ; and our lusts and pleasures in sin are not only restrained, but taken away in Christ, and pleasures in holiness freely given us and implanted in us (Rom. 8:5; Gal. 5:17, 24; John 4:34; 40:8; 119:14, 16, 20). We have a new taste and savour, love and liking by the Spirit of Christ, and look on the law not as a burden, but as our privilege in Christ.

Fifthly, it is a high exalted way, above all other ways. Unto this way the prophet Habakkuk is exalted when making God his strength by faith, ‘his feet should be as hinds’ feet’, and ‘should walk upon His high places’ (Hab 3:18,19). These are the ‘heavenly places in Christ Jesus’ that God has set us in, being quickened and raised up together with Him (Eph 2:5, 6).

2. We are enabled to the most difficult duties (Phil. 4:1, 3), and nothing is too hard for us. See the great works done by faith (Heb 11; Mark 9:23 ) – works that carnal men think folly and madness to venture upon (they are so great), and honourable achievements in doing and suffering for Christ.
3. We walk in an honourable state with God, and on honourable terms – not as guilty creatures, to get our pardon by works; not as bond-servants, to earn our meat and drink; but as sons and heirs, walking towards the full possession of that happiness to which we have a title, and so we have much boldness in God’s presence (Gal. 4:6, 7). We can approach nearer to God than others, and walk before Him confidently without slavish fear, not as strangers, but as such who are of His own family (Eph. 2:19, 20). And this prompts us to do greater things than others, walking as free men (Rom. 6:17,18; John 8:35, 36). It is a kingly way; the law to us is a royal law, a law of liberty and our privilege – not a bond and yoke of compulsion.
4. It is the way to perfection. It leads to such holiness which shall, in a while, be absolutely perfect. It differs only in the degree and manner of manifestation from the holiness of heaven: there the saints live by the same Spirit, and the same God is all in all (1 Cor 15:28; John 4:14); and have the image of the same spiritual man (1Cor 15:49). Only here we have but ‘the first-fruits of the Spirit’ (Rom. 8:23); and ‘live by faith, and not by sight’ (2 Cor 5:7); and are ‘not full grown in Christ’ (Eph. 4:13). Sanctification in Christ is glorification begun, as glorification is sanctification perfected.

Excellent works that will help us search our hearts, desires and motives as well as strengthen us in our fight against temptation and to mortify sin are:

The Mortification of Sin by John Owen also comes in a modern version which is abridged and many great points thereby made easy for most readers by Banner of Truth and Overcoming Sin & Temptation by Crossway.

The Plague of Plagues or the Evil of Evils by Ralph Venning

Mortification of Sin by Christopher Love                           

Anatomy of Secret Sins by Obadiah Sedgwick                               Evangelical Repentance – John Colquhoun

Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices – Thomas Brooks       Holiness – JC Ryle

Distinguishing Traits of the Christian Character – G Spring                        Holiness – Joel Beeke

Almost Christian Discovered – Matthew Mead                                Keeping the Heart – John Flavel

A Cabinet of Choice Jewels – Thomas Brooks                                 How We may be so Spiritual as to Check sin True Gospel of Christ        – by L. R. Shelton, Jr.                                     in the 1^st Risings of it – John Gibbon

Servant of Sin – Donald Cargill

The Evil of Evils, by Jeremiah Burroughs 1st printed in 1654, consists of sixty-seven short chapters that expose sin and urge believers to choose affliction over sin. Burroughs organizes his material around 7 major thoughts:

(1) there is more evil in the least sin than in the greatest affliction;  (2) sin and God are contrary to each other;

(3) sin is directly against our good; (4) sin opposes all that is good; (5) sin is the evil of all other evils;

(6) sin has infinite dimension and character; and (7) sin makes us comfortable with the devil.

This treatise is invaluable for sensitizing our consciences to the “exceeding sinfulness of sin” (cf. Rom. 7:13).

Some of these can be read for free online or there are audios of people reading them to you on http://www.SermonAudio.com if you prefer to download and listen at your leisure.

Westminster Confession of Faith    Chapter XV   Of Repentance unto Life

1. Repentance unto life is an evangelical grace,[1] the doctrine whereof is to be preached by every minister of the Gospel, as well as that of faith in Christ.[2]
2. By it, a sinner, out of the sight and sense not only of the danger, but also of the filthiness and odiousness of his sins, as contrary to the holy nature, and righteous law of God; and upon the apprehension of His mercy in Christ to such as are penitent, so grieves for, and hates his sins, as to turn from them all unto God,[3] purposing and endeavouring to walk with Him in all the ways of His commandments.[4]

III. Although repentance is not to be rested in, as any satisfaction for sin, or any cause of the pardon thereof,[5] which is the act of God’s free grace in Christ,[6] yet it is of such necessity to all sinners, that none may expect pardon without it.[7]

Chapter X   Of Effectual Calling

1. All those whom God hath predestinated unto life, and those only, He is pleased, in His appointed time, effectually to call,[1] by His Word and Spirit,[2] out of that state of sin and death, in which they are by nature to grace and salvation, by Jesus Christ;[3] enlightening their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the things of God,[4] taking away their heart of stone, and giving unto them an heart of flesh;[5] renewing their wills, and, by His almighty power, determining them to that which is good,[6] and effectually drawing them to Jesus Christ:[7] yet so, as they come most freely, being made willing by His grace.[8]
2. Others, not elected, although they may be called by the ministry of the Word,[15] and may have some common operations of the Spirit,[16] yet they never truly come unto Christ, and therefore cannot be saved:[17] much less can men, not professing the Christian religion, be saved in any other way whatsoever, be they never so diligent to frame their lives according to the light of nature, and the laws of that religion they do profess.[18] And to assert and maintain that they may, is very pernicious, and to be detested.[19]

Chapter XIII  Of Sanctification

1. They, who are once effectually called, and regenerated, having a new heart, and a new spirit created in them, are further sanctified, really and personally, through the virtue of Christ’s death and resurrection,[1] by His Word and Spirit dwelling in them:[2] the dominion of the whole body of sin is destroyed,[3] and the several lusts thereof are more and more weakened and mortified;[4] and they more and more quickened and strengthened in all saving graces,[5] to the practice of true holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.[6]
2. This sanctification is throughout, in the whole man;[7] yet imperfect in this life, there abiding still some remnants of corruption in every part;[8] whence arises a continual and irreconcilable war, the flesh lusting against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh.[9]

III. In which war, although the remaining corruption, for a time, may much prevail;[10] yet, through the continual supply of strength from the sanctifying Spirit of Christ, the regenerate part does overcome;[11] and so, the saints grow in grace,[12] perfecting holiness in the fear of God.[13]

Chapter XVII   Of the Perseverance of the Saints

III. Nevertheless, they may, through the temptations of Satan and of the world, the prevalency of corruption remaining in them, and the neglect of the means of their preservation, fall into grievous sins;[7] and, for a time, continue therein:[8] whereby they incur God’s displeasure,[9] and grieve His Holy Spirit,[10] come to be deprived of some measure of their graces and comforts,[11] have their hearts hardened,[12] and their consciences wounded;[13] hurt and scandalize others,[14] and bring temporal judgments upon themselves.[15]

Chapter XIX   Of the Law of God

1. The moral law does forever bind all, as well justified persons as others, to the obedience thereof;[8] and that, not only in regard of the matter contained in it, but also in respect of the authority of God the Creator, who gave it.[9] Neither does Christ, in the Gospel, any way dissolve, but much strengthen this obligation.[10]
2. Although true believers be not under the law, as a covenant of works, to be thereby justified, or condemned;[11] yet is it of great use to them, as well as to others; in that, as a rule of life informing them of the will of God, and their duty, it directs and binds them to walk accordingly;[12] discovering also the sinful pollutions of their nature, hearts and lives;[13] so as, examining themselves thereby, they may come to further conviction of, humiliation for, and hatred against sin,[14] together with a clearer sight of the need they have of Christ, and the perfection of His obedience.[15] It is likewise of use to the regenerate, to restrain their corruptions, in that it forbids sin:[16] and the threatenings of it serve to show what even their sins deserve; and what afflictions, in this life, they may expect for them, although freed from the curse thereof threatened in the law.[17] The promises of it, in like manner, show them God’s approbation of obedience,and what blessings they may expect upon the performance thereof:[18] although not as due to them by the law as a covenant of works.[19] So as, a man’s doing good, and refraining from evil, because the law encourages to the one and deters from the other, is no evidence of his being under the law: and not under grace.[20]

VII. Neither are the forementioned uses of the law contrary to the grace of the Gospel, but do sweetly comply with it;[21] the Spirit of Christ subduing and enabling the will of man to do that freely, and cheerfully, which the will of God, revealed in the law, requires to be done.[22]

Chapter XX     Of Christian Liberty, and Liberty of Conscience

1. The liberty which Christ has purchased for believers under the Gospel consists in their freedom from the guilt of sin, and condemning wrath of God, the curse of the moral law;[1] and, in their being delivered from this present evil world, bondage to Satan, and dominion of sin;[2] from the evil of afflictions, the sting of death, the victory of the grave, and everlasting damnation;[3] as also, in their free access to God,[4] and their yielding obedience unto Him, not out of slavish fear, but a child-like love and willing mind.[5] All which were common also to believers under the law.[6] But, under the New Testament, the liberty of Christians is further enlarged, in their freedom from the yoke of the ceremonial law, to which the Jewish Church was subjected;[7] and in greater boldness of access to the throne of grace,[8] and in fuller communications of the free Spirit of God, than believers under the law did ordinarily partake of.[9]

III. They who, upon pretence of Christian liberty, do practice any sin, or cherish any lust, do thereby destroy the end of Christian liberty, which is, that being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, we might serve the Lord without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him, all the days of our life.[14]

One explanation of Rom 7- The natural flow and meaning of the Rom 7 passage, to a person with a covenant understanding of the word is, Paul is explaining to the Jews in the church how much better the new covenant is than the old. He has been doing this all through the past chapters, which remember do not exist in the original letter. It is one flowing explanation. He also wants to be sure they are not influenced by the Judaizers who want to keep some of the old laws.  He explains his experience as a Jew who wanted to keep the law but couldn’t do it well before Christ’s Resurrection power, compared to the greater benefit of the new covenant where it is written on his heart and he can keep it in a proper way. His desires are now dead to sin. Just as earlier in chapters 4-5 he is going back and forth from old testament experience to the new. He explains the experience and struggle of Jews as Jewish covenant members, some not necessarily converted, but believing the truth and desiring to obey, and to Jews who were converted in the OT but prior to the extra power of the Spirit given after the resurrection and Pentecost with the law written on their hearts and other benefits of the new.

Paul is teaching the supremacy of the New Covenant. Therefore he cannot be speaking of righteousness through Christ, they had that if they were a true convert and not just an outward covenant believer. He can’t be speaking of a struggle where one continues sinning, because they had that experience in the old covenant; it would not be any better now. They had conversion then, so what would be new and better for believers in the new covenant?

For this to be a comparison showing why it is better now, he points to the old life in the old covenant and the lack of ability to stop sinning or keep the law though they wanted to. Similarly he contrasts our new ability to mortify sin versus the old external rules in Col 2:23 These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh. NKJV

He is not debating conversion now being better than conversion then, it isn’t. Rather, like the author of Hebrews did, he is trying to help Jews see the better covenant, where they can walk in the power of the Spirit.  The law did not change the desires of the heart or their ability to resist sin. Many Jews, though desiring in their mind to follow the law, still sinned because they were in the flesh, or even if converted they may not have had the power of the Spirit as it is now in the new covenant, as was promised in Jer 31:33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. NKJV

This seems to be one new thing that was to happen in the new covenant. Now we are free from bondage to sin and we can obey from the heart. This is the glory of the new covenant, the result of the work of Christ who freed us from the bondage of the flesh now, not just forgiveness and imputed righteousness. He solves this struggle with sin problem for the Jews with Rom 7:24 Who will deliver me from this body of death? ²⁵ I thank God — through Jesus Christ our Lord! NKJV

He is not comparing OT justification with NT justification or NT sanctification. It has to be comparing OT sanctification with NT sanctification, and true conversion for the fleshly Jews. He is saying you Jews need Christ because you wanted to do good, but couldn’t. The new solution for this is Christ and the power of His Spirit in us and the law written in our hearts giving us the desire to obey. So we not only obey the law outwardly as Jews did but we have a heart for it and obey the law as Jesus explained it more fully.

After showing the great victory over sin in chapter 6, in 7 he explains the hopeless struggle of the OT Jew in 7:15-23 and then the deliverance in Christ at the end and continuing into Chapter 8. After explaining all of this freedom from sin why would Paul switch to talking about struggling with it in the new covenant?
But either way rom 7 cannot contradict what he just taught in Rom 6.
It may not be written as a timeline continuation from one verse to the next. He may go back in time in Rom 7 to further explain that previous old covenant lifestyle. He is comparing life in Christ now to Judaism and the pre-resurrection lifestyle. How can one chop up the passage and say he is not converted in verse 14 but in vs. 15 he is converted?  Nor do we as some say he is converted in the 1^st half of verse 25 and make this a major division.

[Words inserted inside [ ] will be my added clarification to show a possible meaning]

This is passage one solid flow continuing on from what he said in Chapter 6 about no longer continuing to sin, being dead to sin. Shall we continue in sin, NO WAY! He does not say, that is undesirable but inevitable.

The purpose of this passage is not to give one comfort in spite of their sin, it is to show the better sanctification and the experience of true conversion compared to the OT experience under the law. If you are using this passage to take comfort from the fact you still sin, that may be a reason you do not understand the passage correctly because you want that comfort and it is found no where else in scripture. That is definitely not the intent and purpose of this passage anyway. Our comfort is only in faith in Christ, faith in His work applied to us, and in seeing the fruit of our repentance, the turning from sin to obedience and on going sanctification from the world to more heavenly desires, and consistency of union with Christ the Spirit bearing witness to us with the fruit of the Spirit in our lives.
He starts Chapter 7 by pointing out the difference from the old covenant and the new one, which is the point of all of the rest of this chapter.  He is speaking as an old covenant Jewish believer struggling with sin, having a desire to keep the law but unable to before the power of the new covenant work of the Spirit.

Rom 7:1 (for I speak to those who know the law), 7:5 For when we [ethnic Jews] were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death. ⁶ But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter. NKJV

Note that it says, “were held by” so what ever changed, a Christian is no longer held by it. And it is in relation to “now we serve in newness”, so it is not judgment or justification referred to or the flesh which we are still possessed with, but must refer to sanctification and how we serve and obey and not sin.

Clearly he is contrasting the old covenant difficulty of having the law, wanting to keep it but they did not have the freedom that is in the new better covenant. They had the law and knew better, but struggled and lost often even though they wanted to do good; but thanks be to God that now, through this better covenant, through Christ’s finished work and the filling of the Spirit, believers have a real victory over sin and the body of death in this life, not just forgiveness.

The old covenant could not do this; for sure not the law alone apart from conversion and maybe not even for the converts before the new power of the new covenant with the law written on our heart and Spirit dwelling in us in a more powerful way.

Follow the context. He is saying: has what is good, the law, become death to me? No. Well if the law couldn’t give me the ability to not sin then was it bad?  No, the law is how we know we are sinners. But it never had the power to change our desires and free us from sin.

Rom 7:13 Has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful. ¹⁴ For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin.

I am carnal – he is not saying he is Spiritual, or after he became converted, he speaks of when he was fleshly. In that context he continues…          

¹⁵ For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. ¹⁶ If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. ¹⁷ But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. ¹⁸ For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. ¹⁹ For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.

How could Paul speaking of the new covenant believers experience say: “how to perform what is good I do not find” or as the ESV translates it “not the ability to carry it out”? How can a Christian say he does not have the ability to do good?  Or even can’t find the way to do good?  That would contradict Chapter 6,1Cor 10:13, 1 John and the rest of scripture since this would be the only place in the word that would speaks that way about sin.

 

This is the struggle they had in the old covenant that he now no longer has since the Spirit came. Now in Christ he is free from this bondage to sin.

If instead this is taken as post conversion we only have 2 considerations. He is practicing sin which contradicts the very clear teaching of what he just said in chapter 6. The other possibility is, the kinds of sins he is speaking of are not scandalous, presumptuous sins and he does not continue in them. They are minor sins of omission and infirmities of the flesh just the indwelling sin in his flesh. 1 John makes it clear Christians do not continue committing sin, it would only be his indwelling sin he is speaking of, infirmities of the flesh, but not committing sins.  Paul is not committing sins, in fact he is so separate from the sin that he even says it is not him that is sinning. It is something else; indwelling sin that exists in his flesh tainting all the good he does so that his good works are imperfect and therefore sin. He is doing the evil he doesn’t want to by being imperfect in his good works because of indwelling sin, not by his choosing to commit evil deeds.

²⁰ Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.

²¹ I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. ²² For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. ²³ But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. ²⁴ O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? [there is no hope in this world or me, there is only one solution]²⁵ I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, [ now to recap what I have been speaking of,] with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.

Note he says, “so then”, and not, so now I serve the law of sin. Though then is not necessarily referring to past time, he did not choose to use the word “now” which he could have if that was his intent. He has simply exclaimed the end of the matter is the only deliverance from such a state is Christ and then summarizes what he just said about the OT experience or unconverted experience. The fact he interjected with the only solution does not mean he had to have ended speaking about the old state and from now on has to speak only of a converted state.  That argument has no foundation and is refuted clearly in the next passages where he speaks of the different conditions and benefits of the new covenant.  

8:² For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. ³ For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, ⁴ that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

How can you say that Paul was speaking about himself as converted when he said, “bringing me into captivity to the law of sin”, when in 8:2 the conversion or Christ’s resurrection power in the NT can do what the Old covenant could not do, free him from the law of sin? In Christ we are now free from the law of sin and on who is in captivity to the law of sin is not converted.

Though in this state a Jew may delight in the Moral law, but it could not make one free from the law of sin. But now Christ did make him free from the law of sin and death.  So now believers are not bound by the law of sin, they have died with Christ and they are dead to the previous law of bondage to sin.  

Also note that walking in the flesh is not a weak convert, it is death. Walking in the flesh does not mean we lack perfection and we are still sinning, it means a lifestyle of a spiritually dead person. Christians do not walk in the flesh. A person walks in the flesh or the Spirit, not both as we are told next …

⁵ For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. ⁶ For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. ⁷ Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. ⁸ So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

⁹ But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. NKJV

He now broke the power of sin over you so you can walk in the Spirit and as well as paid for the penalty and imputed perfect righteousness to you. He tells them now the way to be converted and also the way to be able to obey the law from the heart is through Christ.

He does not discuss how to be converted in the OT way because that is no longer relevant.

We must now put to death the deeds of flesh.  Remember what he has been comparing this to in the whole context…

Rom 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? ² Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? ³ Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?

⁶ knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. ⁷ For he who has died has been freed from sin.

¹¹ Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.  ¹² Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.

¹⁴ For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

¹⁸ And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.

²⁰ For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. ²¹ What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. ²² But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.

Clearly here he is speaking to Jews or Gentile proselytes who were under the old covenant and tried to obey the law in obedience to God and experienced this struggle and inability.

Rom 7:1 Or do you not know, brethren (for I speak to those who know the law), that the law has dominion over a man as long as he lives?

⁴ Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ,

Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.

¹³ For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.  NKJV

Again, not speaking only of justification because they had that in the OT, but of what they didn’t have, righteous living with the Law written on their hearts, a desire for the law and obedience, the fruit of the indwelling of the Spirit and the finished work of Christ on the Cross breaking the bondage of the law of sin and death and walking in the Spirit now.  This agrees with the prophecies of the OT.

The reason this is vital to understand is because the church suffers because of this misinterpretation. It is misused to prevent church discipline, which is a means to sanctify people and bring them to repentance. That means not being used as it should be lets many wander in sin and offend God as well as possibly remain unsaved and deceived about it.

Church discipline is preaching the gospel, it is calling people to true repentance from all sin. Repentance is turning from a life of committing sin to committing obedience. Apart from which there is no true conversion.

This understanding of it as Paul in a converted state makes Romans a confusing book of contradictions rather than the most beautiful consistent easy to understand basic book of the basic doctrine of the gospel flowing with the benefits of the new covenant over the old to the glory of the resurrection power of Christ put into us by true conversion. It reveals the breaking of the bond to commit sin and power to keep the law in holiness to God, though our good is tainted by indwelling sin, which is no longer I that sin but the sin that dwells in my flesh.

Oh yes when the true gospel is preached, the law brought to bear on a person and seeing there is no decision he can make, no simple prayer to get him out of the judgment and predicament of chapter 1-3, seeing the holiness of the law and its righteous requirement which I cannot fulfill, the oh yes the convicted will cry, oh wretched man that I am who will deliver me!!! And the answer is the long awaited Deliverer from Zion.

And he will not only take away the penalty for sin, but by his resurrection power He will take away your sinning now, your desire to, you will be dead to sin, and give you the ability to not commit sin. But He will leave you for a time with the flesh and the indwelling sin in it that even when you want to do good works, evil will be present in them. You will never be perfect you will miss the mark and still be a sinner who is sinning because of that, but you will not continue to commit sin. One who does should be under the discipline of the church to help them get back to a lifestyle that manifests and credible profession or they must be excommunicated to show them they are not living like Christians who are able to mortify sins and do not continue to commit sins.

But even if Paul is speaking of his experience after conversion in Rom 7 look how different he speaks of sin than many would “I do the very thing I hate” (Romans 7:15)  With many they sin because they do not hate their sin. This is not the experience Paul expresses. It is when he is trying to do a good thing that he finds he still sins in doing it. When he tries to be perfect he is not. This is not describing his choosing to commit sins. Indwelling sin, not committing sins is the most we can draw from this passage. So ask God to search your heart to find if you hate that sin you do or like it, enjoy it and get pleasure from it. Then it is not the kind of sin Paul speaks of that is not intentionally committed but only due to imperfections of the flesh and indwelling sin. If we sin because of occasion as Peter, where he did not set out to sin because he wanted to do it or enjoyed it, that is one thing; thus we say fell into it. If we reserve the right for ourselves and make occasions to go to a sin we get pleasure from, that is completely different. I suggest Paul was referring to the former and did not commit the latter at most.
Do not let your desire for comfort blind you to this clear scripture on part of the work of Christ. We are strongly warned not to be deceived here and no wonder because this is exactly where many are deceived.
1 John 3:5 And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. 6 Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him. 7 Little children, let no one deceive you. NKJV
And this is not referring to the penalty for them because he speaks before an after this of our not sinning.                                                                                                                                                                                   _{Rev 10-2017}

Sin is not really enjoyable, its a decpetion to our fallen flesh

Beware if you still think some sins are enjoyable. That God has restricted you from some good pleasures in this world. Sin is a deception. It looks good or tastes good initially, but it is a poison that kills you slowly, taking you away from God and making you cold in your zeal for the kingdom, and intimacy with God. It leaves you with guilt driving you from God, seeing how horribly you treated Him after knowing what He did in Christ. You lose out on storing treasures in heaven.
All sins are a deception, do not be fooled they are not really fun or good. Even the so called legitimate pleasures of this world can be a trap if you live to enjoy them more than God and kingdom work. The pleasures of this world are for the people of this world. Be free to skip them to spend more time finding pleasures in work to advance the kingdom.

Has any sin ever left you satisfied, or only longing for more, as with all addictive poisons?  God does not with hold Good from His people, rather He tells them no, only to keep them from the deception that only looks or feels good because the flesh is fallen, darkened and does not see reality.  All His commands are good and pleasant, so mortify your temptations until the Spirit replaces all your fleshy desires with desires for holy works instead. It is a gradual process and each yield to sin slows the process.
And be warned, any sin may be the last on God bears with and cuts you off to hell sudden;y without warning. Prov 29:1 He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck Shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. ASV How many times has God warned you and convicted you of that sin already and you have gotten harder rather than mortified it?  Will it really feel that good to taste it one more time? Haven’t you done it enough?  If not when will you be done with it?  If you have no date for the last one, then you are a trapped addict to it. Get help quickly.

(Thomas Watson, “The Doctrine of Repentance”)
“The deceitfulness of sin.” Hebrews 3:13

SIN is a mere cheat. While it pretends to please us,
it beguiles us! Sin does as Jael did. First she brought
the milk and butter to Sisera—then she pounded
the tent peg through his head! (Judges 5:26).

Sin first courts—and then kills!

Sin is first a fox—and then a lion!

Those locusts in Revelation 9 are fit emblems of
sin: “They had gold crowns on their heads . . .
They had tails that stung like scorpions, with
power to torture people!”

Judas pleased himself with the thirty pieces
of silver—but they proved deceitful riches.
Ask him now how he likes his bargain!