The Battle Against Sin – Week 2

Being aware and alarmed by our sinful condition is evidence of the Holy Spirit at work in us.

Identifying an issue is the beginning of healing.

What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.Romans 7:7

This requires a view of God’s expectations of holiness and righteousness.

For the Christian, we hate our sin not only because it is harmful to us, but because it is hurtful to God.

Sin grieves the Spirit.

And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.Ephesians 4:30

Sin dishonors God.

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Sin hinders prayer.

For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.1 Peter 3:12

Sin causes God to withhold good.

Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withholden good things from you.Jeremiah 5:25

Sin steals our joy.

Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.Psalm 51:12

Sin invites chastisement.

And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?Hebrews 12:5-7

Sin contaminates the body of Christ.

Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils.1 Corinthians 10:21

That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;Colossians 1:10

As a Christian grows in maturity, our hatred for sin and love for righteousness will grow.

Our desire to please God must overcome our desire to please self.

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.Romans 12:1-2

While sin still tempts us, it is no longer master and has no more life-dominating power.

Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.Romans 6:13-14

We must see clearly and repent of our doublemindedness.

A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.James 1:8

Any battle plan against sin that leaves out Jesus is destined to fail.