I am going to make some statements in this post that are strong and forward and I mean them with all my heart.
If you are going to profess Christ, you must get serious about staying free from sin. The cycle of sinning and repenting must be broken and you must resolve to do it at any cost.
If you are having a problem falling into sin and you are not willing to commit to following radical steps to get free and stay free, you probably need to stop professing – as you are just deceiving yourself.
In this post, I am going to give clear instructions on how to put a stop to falling into sin. If you “do these things” (2Pet 1:10) and continue in them, you are guaranteed by the Word of God that “ye shall never fall” (2Pet 1:10) into sin again.
1. Renounce the Sin-You-Must Teaching:
You must renounce the teaching that sin is compatible in any way, shape, or form with the Christian life. When I say sin, I am not talking about driving 10km over the speed limit, lacking patience with others, or being late for some commitment you’ve made. I am talking about willful sins such as anger, lying, viewing porn, giving into hatred, acting spitefully towards others etc… Things where you are clearly tempted and where God promised to “make a way to escape” (1Cor 10:13), but you refused to take it, and instead give into temptation and do what you clearly know is wrong because the Bible stands against it.
It is essential that you clearly understand Romans chapter 7, where “the evil which I would not, that I do” (Rom 7:19) and being in “captivity to the law of sin” (Rom 7:23) is the old covenant experience – where they were not converted in the sense that we are under the new covenant, but only justified. Also, in Romans chapter 8 where “Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death” (Rom 8:2) is the Gospel experience – as “the law could not do” this (Rom 8:3).
It needs to be revealed to you that 1 John 1:8 is written to those that John declared the Word of Life so that they “also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ” (1Joh 1:3), as those that don’t have fellowship with the Father and claimed to be sin free without Christ are deceived. It is those that claim to be Christians and “keepeth not his commandments” that are “a liar” and are deceived (1Joh 2:3,4), not those that are “born of God” and “sinneth not” and have the testimony that they “keepth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not” (1Joh 5:18).
You need to see that when Paul held that he was a chief sinner (1Tim 1:15), it was because he was a blasphemer, a persecutor, and injurious to the church (1Tim 1:13). After he got saved, he had the testimony to have “always a conscience void of offense toward God” (Act 24:16), and noted “how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved” (1The 2:10) to the church of the Thessalonians.
God needs to show you that when Paul stated that there “is none righteous, no, not one” (Rom 3:10), he is referring to those “that understandeth” not and those that refuse to “seeketh after God” (Rom 3:11). Not to the Christian whom Christ has opened “their understanding, that they might understand” (Luk 24:25) or those that have been rewarded because they do “diligently seek him” (Heb 11:6).
Cast out this unholy doctrine that Christ doesn’t have the power or the will to “save his people from thier sins” (Mat 1:21). Plug your ears and cry “eternal life, eternal life”, when the priests of Baal plead for sin. Have no more to do with this foul, blasphemous teaching that holds we must sin in word, thought, and deed daily.
You will never become more Christ-like if you continue sinning, as “he that committeth sin is of the devil” (1Joh 3:8) and you never can be of the devil and be Christ-like at the same time. You can be no more a sinning saint (holy one) than you can be an honest thief, a chaste fornicator, or a sober drunk!
Renounce this teaching at once and have no more to do with it!
2. Pray For Godly Sorrow & Repentance:
You must get before the Lord and beg for godly sorrow that will work repentance unto salvation (2Cor 7:10). See the sins you have been committing as “exceeding sinful” (Rom 7:13). “Bewail” (2Cor 12:21) what a terrible example your sinning experience has been before your family, other Christians and the world. But you say “I thought salvation was by grace alone through faith alone and that it is not of works least we can boast” (Eph 2:8,9). Yes, that is right, but true faith will not be found where God has not worked godly sorrow and repentance in the heart. For it is “godly sorrow” that “worketh repentance to salvation” (2Cor 7:10). godly sorrow and repentance is the ground where saving faith for salvation is born.
Forsake every sin that you have been making room for in your life. Take radical steps that you “enter not into temptation” (Mat 26:41). If you have had problems with porn, get rid of the Internet. Yes that’s right! Get rid of it!Renounce the fleshly thought – that you want to hold unto that which has been a tool of Satan to have you deny Christ. If you have fallen into sin by looking upon a “woman to lust after her” (Mat 5:28) then stay away from the beach and the mall and avoid immodestly dressed woman at all cost. Run from them, flee, close your eyes, plea the blood! Whatever you must do! Take radical measures!
You may say “Why?… this sounds like bondage!” No! Your sinning is bondage. For by what “a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage” (2Pet 2:19); this is the Bible’s instructions to get you free from bondage. Jesus said if your “right eye offend thee, pluck it out” and if your “right hand offend thee, cut it off” (Mat 5:29,30) and you complain at giving up the Internet, the mall, and the beach. Shame on you! You have yet to find godly sorrow.
It is not easy to break and turn away from a “form of godliness” that has been “denying the power thereof” and your habit of sinning and repenting over and over. You have seared your “conscience with a hot iron” (1Tim 4:2) by all your hypocrisy and all this going back to the barf and excrement of sin (2Pet 2:22) so many times. So make sure your godly sorrow is deep and true and your repentance is firm and solid.
3. Practical Christian Living How-to:
After you have made a clean start you now need to take steps so that you will not fall back into sin.
a) Avoid the places of temptation of the sins that you have been falling into (2Tim 2:22; 1 Tim 6:9-11).
b) Find a spiritual person that has victory over sin and be accountable to them (Heb 10:25).
c) Listen very closely to and obey the voice of the Lord – who will be faithful to warn you when temptation is near (1Cor 11:32).
d) You must start your day with prayer and reading of the Bible (1Tim 4:13; 1Tim 2:8). This is more important than breakfast. Make sure you get to bed early so you can get up early and spend at least 30 minutes in devotions every morning. It is by faith that we have the victory over the world and quench all the darts of the evil one. Reading your Bible (Rom 10:17) and praying in the Spirit (Jud 1:20) will build faith.
e) Get a good devotional book and read a portion each day (2Tim 4:13).
f) Get a small New Testament and take it with you everywhere and take time out at lunch and breaks to read and meditate on some of the Word (1Tim 4:15).
g) Memorize scriptures regularly. Start with 1Cor 10:13; 2The 3:3; 2Pet 1:10; and Jud 1:24. Hide these scriptures and others in your heart, that you will not sin against the Lord (Psa 119:11).
h) Spend your free time with spiritually minded people and follow their Godly example (2Thess 3:9).
If you have been having problems with sin, please print this out and put it on your wall and read it every morning and make sure you follow the instructions.
If you have victory over sinning, please take this short tract and give it to everyone that you know is having a sin problem.
Related Posts:
Pauls Experience in Romans Chapter 7
Grace Offered For Obedience
The Importance of Personal Devotions
Retire Early and Get up Early
Progress From Grace to Sin in 8 Steps
June 14th, 2009 at 8:26 pm
(If you have had problems with porn, get rid of the Internet.) Got this from your article Stop Falling Into Sin. Wouldn’t it be better and more powerful for an individual who is addicted to porn on the internet to decide that it is not worth going to sites like that and just like quitting smoking just stop viewing porn instead of getting rid of the internet? Besides what if he or she wanted to go to Spirtual web sties and learn how to except Jesus. Oh yes there is the Bible sorry, there are online bibles also.
June 14th, 2009 at 8:42 pm
Hi Vincent,
I would hold if a person is having problems falling into the sin of porn but they don’t want to give up the Internet yet they keep on falling in sin on the Internet that they don’t have a real holy hatred for sin.
We should be more willing to die than to sin. If this is the case then getting rid of that which is causing you to fall into sin is just a given.
>>>Wouldn’t it be better and more powerful for an individual who is addicted to porn on the internet to decide that it is not worth going to sites like that and just like quitting smoking just stop viewing porn instead of getting rid of the internet?
The Bible teaches us to flee temptation. The Internet is not nessary and if it is causing a person sin they need to get rid of it, plain and simple!
July 15th, 2009 at 2:07 pm
Hi,
Me and my boyfriend are both born again believers, he has been a christian for 5 years and i have for just over 6 months. We have had a problem with sexual sin and are continually trying to fight this temptation.
We both have been though a lot in the past few months and stupidly thought this would take hurt away. We have both been on abstinence courses and both really do not want to be doing this sin. We seem to last a while and eventually after a few months we give into our fleshly needs. We are doing a lot of measures to ensure that we do not do it such as not going to each others places, without someone else there and having accountability partners.
Is there however any other suggestions for us as to preventing this happening again as we do not want this happening and are wanting to change to grow in faith and become closer to God.
Thank you,
Jade
July 17th, 2009 at 1:02 pm
Hi Jade,
The Bible teaches there is no place for dating for fun. It is a very serious thing to trifle with the affections of another person. So if a couple is just dating around with no intent to get married they should break up the relationship whether they are having problems with sin or not.
AI would hold that the Bible would teach that even in the case where a couple are courting with the intent to get married, if they fall into sin they should break off that relationship for a period of 6 months. During this time the couple should not see each other at all and be spending lots of time in prayer and the Word and receive spiritual counsel. If after the 6 months they feel like they are in a spiritual condition to keep pure they could enter back into the courtship if they are both clear it is the Lords will.
After a couple gets the mind of the Lord that he wants them to get married, I would hold that Bible principles teach a short courtship of 3 months and that the couple would NEVER be alone but always have a spiritual adult with them. Also that the courtship would be hands off and the couple would be kept accountable with a weekly phone call from a spiritual adult of the same gender to make sure they are not declining spiritual or giving into the flesh or any secret sins.
If this is followed the chances of the couple falling into sin will be minimized.
Fornication is not only a sin against God but a sin again your body (1Cor 6:18) and it is a sin that causes someone else to sin also. The word of God instructs us to “flee youthful lusts” (2Ti 2:22). You have not only sinned yourself and against your body, which is the Lords, but you are responsible for causing another person that is trying to live for the Lord, to sin also. His spiritual blood is on your hands.
Godly sorrow brings repentance unto salvation and it works in us carefulness what we don’t fall back into sin, eagerness to be completely clear from the sin we fell into, indignation and a holy hatred against that sin, fear of falling back into that sin, vehement desire to live holy, zeal for purity, and revenge against the devil (2Cor 7:11).
If you are continually falling back into this sin either you are not following good godly principles of courtship or you have not truly had godly sorrow and repentance.
August 6th, 2009 at 2:57 pm
In the 40 of my spiritual journey, I was taught and only experienced sin and repent. I concluded that this way is as good as it gets. At age 49, I heard that I could be sanctified by the Holy Spirit. My life changed forever. I am so glad that God gave us power to become the sons of God through the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Thank God for Pentecost. If we do sin, thank God for “I John 1:9, If we confess our sins, He is faithful to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
September 15th, 2009 at 9:14 am
ok u say get rid of the internet if addicted to porn but that doesnt get rid of the desire u can just use ur mind and u say to run from women u lust for but u will always see women..u would literally have to lock yourself in a room 4ever.the piont God is making is that the only way to stop the sin expecially in the deepest parts of our mind is by relying on god not your own abilities or strength….u are wrong to right this post because u are trying to do ut under ur own power….only by the power of god can you achieve this cry out to god for his power amen.
September 22nd, 2009 at 7:13 am
Hi Bob,
I am supposing you are the author of this article.
I really enjoyed it. Most the time i hear that “FAITH ALONE” (and yes they put it in all caps) is all you need to over come sin. My question is about Part 3 of your article. Where in the Bible did you find these. I am not trying to argue, i want to read them in context so the Bible can expand on what you have said. The “how-to” you have given have close ties with the program of AA. alcoholism i believe is a great tool to understanding the slavery of sin.
This brings me to my next question. I am aware of the “disease concept” of alcoholism. And i am convinced that Alcohol has truley enslaved the Alcoholic. But it isn’t the case for everyone, even those who abuse alcohol for years don’t become alcoholic. So if this sin only enslaves some, is it still a sin for others. Eating can be viewed the same way. I am 175lbs and 5″11, but have eaten Mc Donalds to excess most of my life. I have endulged in glutton just as bad as any problem eater. But for some it appears something is different about them, and they can not stop eating. My father is one of these.
Also, what are your views if someone does fall back into sin. What has happened? Did they never have true faith, or has their faith stopped working cause they didn’t have the actions to back it up. And if someone does slip into sin, after part 1 and part 2, and doing part 3 for a while, and they die; what becomes of their soul?
September 22nd, 2009 at 10:08 am
Hi Mitch,
I added more scripture for items a) through h) in part 3. I feel there are Bible principles for all of these items.
With the AA program I would think they have taken principles not only from Christianity but perhaps from other religions also.
As far as alcoholism being a disease I feel that some people are predisposed to become addicted to alcohol much easier than others.
I don’t think you have to be addicted or enslaved to some thing the Bible speaks against for it to be sin. Gal 5:19-21 lists drunkenness as a “work of the flesh” and that those “do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”
Pro 23:2, Pro 23:20-21, Pro 28:7 speak about gluttony. The New Testament scriptures speak of that those which lack self-control or temperance are “blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins” (1Pet 1:9).
Paul also told us in the last days people would be “incontinent” (2Tim 3:3 KJV; 2Tim 3:3 NKJV, 2Tim 3:3 NIV) or lacking in moderation or self-control and that these have “a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof” (2Tim 3:5).
It would be my view of the scriptures if a person falls back into sin they need to come back to Christ with fruits worthy of repentance (Mat 3:8 YLT) and godly sorrow (2Cor 7:10) and confess their sins (1Joh 2:1).
I don’t think the Bible teaches that they were never saved although I think some people that have professed and are falling in and out of sin all the time may never have been truely converted. Of course I reject Eternal Secruity, Once Saved Always Saved, and the Calvinistic P in TULI(P) — Perserverance of the Saints, as unbiblical teachings.
I believe the Bible teaches if you die in unrepented sins you will be lost. While I don’t think the Christian way is as narrow as some try to make it, and I think God has more mercy that some of us can see, if you live and die in willful known sin the New Testament clearly teaches you will be lost forever.
Christian love and prayers,
Bob.
November 6th, 2009 at 5:05 pm
UPON READING THIS I AM DETERMINED TO CHANGE MY LIFE
November 20th, 2009 at 10:07 pm
I agree, I try to convert people to be a christian, yet I still sin. I wish it was easy but I can’t stop it. I’ll get rid of these things in my life. God take away my sin forever amen.
December 17th, 2009 at 9:41 am
Hi.
I found your Web Site by Google
And I wish you the best you can get,
the peace of God through Jesus Christ.
Welcome to visit my Site.
Allan Svensson, Sweden
[Editor: The links and most of the content have been commented out.]
December 17th, 2009 at 1:04 pm
Hi Allan,
You have posted similar canned posts on this site before. Comments are for commenting on the article not posting canned responses that discuss your site.
Here are a couple of your other canned posts.
http://morechristlike.com/failed-end-of-the-world-predictions/#comment-779
http://morechristlike.com/unbiblical-teachings/comment-page-1/#comment-327
Thanks!
Bob.
February 19th, 2010 at 11:40 am
For years I have struggled with an addiction to internet porn. I am praying for the Godly holy hatred of it and to be set free from the chains by which I enslaved myself.
By God’s own grace will I be set free
from the chains by which Satan captured me
By the Blood of the Lamb for sinners slain
will I ever be free to serve God again.
March 25th, 2010 at 1:52 am
Romans 6:14 Sin will not have power over you because you are not under the law but under grace. If sin does still have power over you, clearly you are not under grace (completely) but still operating under the law. Sin passion is arroused by the law (Romans 7:5) The strenght of sin is the law (1 Cor 15:56). Uder grace all we have to do is rest in Him. How? The way I did it was to just thank Him everytime I sinned that I am still righteous before Him because of what Jesus did. Not my obediance but His. After about three days of praying this I felt so free. I started to praise and worship Him because He truely set me free. The accuser will come against you trying to make you feel guilty for sins but don’t listen to him. God nailed the law to the cross and in doing so He disarmed Satan (Col 2:14-15). Don’t give Satan back his power over you by going back under the law. Sin is no longer imputed to us (believers). Sin is not taken into account when there is no law (Romans 5:13), but just by trying to be righteous by the law you are alienating youself from Christ (Galians 5:4) and have fallen from grace. enter into His rest and stop trying to resist the temptation of sin with your own strenght. Satan knows that sooner or later you will fall back into that sin. Resist by simply praising God-Satan hates that. All who rely on observing the law are still under the curse (Galatians 3:10) Why would you continue in the flesh what you started in the spirit (Galatians 3:3). Worship God in spirit and in trueth (John 4:23) by praising Him, that will make you want to know more about Him. The more you know, the more you can’t help but fall in love with such a good God. That is your power to stop sinning. A good man is not even tempted to cheat on his wife. Not because it’s wrong but because he truely loves her and hurting her is just not an option. You won’t earn God’s favor. If you kept the law better than anyone else, Jesus would still be telling you, “there is still one thing you lack.” The law will only make you self-righteous (Phil 3:9) instead you should be seeking His righteousness (Romans 10:3) and not your own. His righteousness is thru faith in Jesus and then you become a slave to righteousness (romans 6:18). The Bible actually calls the teaching of the law “the misistry of death” (2Cor 3:6-11) because the spirit gives life and the letter (law) kills. No matter what anyone tells you remember this: God loves you the same as He loves Jesus (John 17:23) and that is not becasue you are trying so hard to be good. It’s because God is a good God. I hope this helps someone like it helped me a few years ago. God Bless.
March 25th, 2010 at 1:58 am
One more thing…
Please don’t misunderstand, the law is holy, righteous and good (Romans 7:12) which is why it doesn’t work for us-because we are not.
God Bless
September 7th, 2010 at 5:59 am
1.Pray to our Lady always(Blessed Virgin Mary is the mediatrix of all graces.all graces come thru Her.)
2.confess often(graces are obtained thru confession to stop the sin confessed.remember priest is only a representative of Jesus.so It is to Jesus that we are confessing.)
3.receive the Holy Eucharist often(which is truly the body,blood,soul and divinity of Jesus.The fruits of the sacrifice of calvary is applied to us when we receive the Eucharist…… go to http://www.therealpresence.org for several Eucharistic miracles around the world)
September 7th, 2010 at 1:40 pm
Hi RC,
1. There is no support for praying to the dead in the Bible. You should be praying to God through Jesus.
2. I agree that confession to God and to those you have offended is a good thing but you shouldn’t be confessing to a man.
3. There is no merit in taking of the bread or fruit of the vine other than the blessings of obedience to the Word of God and the spiritual blessing one receives when gathering together with the children of God to worship the Lord.
Bob.
September 8th, 2010 at 12:51 pm
The saints will pray for us if we ask their “intercession” .
(Apoc or Rev 8:3-4)
Rv:8:3:
3 And another angel came and stood before the altar, having a golden censer: and there was given to him much incense, that he should offer of the prayers of all saints, upon the golden altar which is before the throne of God. (DRV)
Rv:8:4:
4 And the smoke of the incense of the prayers of the saints ascended up before God from the hand of the angel. (DRV)
September 9th, 2010 at 2:53 am
To be free from sin all you have to do is be born again. When you are born again you are under grace and no longer under the law. When you are not under the law, sin is no longer counted against you (Romans 5:13). How can you break a law that you don’t have? You can’t. It is impossible for you to sin because you are born of God and in God there is no sin (1 John 3:9). So, when you do that which you don’t want to do, it is no longer you doing it but it is the sin nature within you that does it (Romans 7:20). God is not holding your sin against you because sin, all sin, has been atoned for by the blood of Jesus at the cross (1 John 2:2). However, the power to stop doing those things you don’t want to do, is in grace. It is grace that teaches you to say no to ungodliness (Titus 2:11). The strength of sin is the law (1Corinthians 15:56), and it’s the law that arouses the passion for sin (Romans 7:5). Paul called the law the administration of Death and Condemnation (2 Corinthians 3:6-11). The law kills, but the spirit gives life. Your righteousness is of Christ, and has absolutely nothing to do with you other than the fact that it was given to you as a free gift, because you trusted in the name of Jesus for your salvation.
Satan knows that by keeping you under the law, he has power over you because your will-power is no match for him. That’s why God took the “handwriting of requirements” (the law) and nailed them to the cross and in doing so, He disarmed the powers against you (Colossians 2:14-15). If Satan can get you back under the law (even without you realizing it) he has power over you. By far, the most effective weapon Satan uses to get a person back under the law is condemnation. In Christ, there is no condemnation. As Christians we should have no more consciousness of sin because we have been washed clean by the Blood of Jesus (Hebrew 10:22). If Satan can get you to condemn yourself, he knows that you will be warped and sinful because of your self-condemnation (Titus 3:11). Satan can put desires in your mind and in your heart, but if you will delight yourself in the Lord (praise Him), the Lord will give you the desires of your heart (Proverbs). If our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before Him (1 John 3:21) and we can only be truly happy when we don’t condemn ourselves (Romans 14:22). Never oppose yourself in this way (2 Timothy 2:25-26), believe that you are who God says you are—the righteousness of Christ.
We should be seeking His righteousness which is by faith in Christ (Romans 1:16-17), and not seeking our own righteousness (Romans 10:3) which is from works. These good works we do so that God will be pleased with us, or so that He will bless us, are as filthy rags to Him. They are also a true sign that we are still living under the law (at least to some degree), because the law causes self-righteousness (Philippians 3:9). The works of God is this: that you believe in the one that He has sent (John 6:29). If you are born again, you are righteous before God (Romans 10:4). So, the way to flee your youthful lust, is by chasing after His righteousness (2 Timothy 2:22). This is walking in the spirit, and when we walk in the spirit, we won’t fulfill our lust (Galatians 5:16-18), and when we are in the spirit, we are no longer under the law. Don’t confuse the differences, though. Working hard, trying not to fulfill your lust does not mean you are walking in the spirit, it means you are still carnally minded. Being spiritually minded (focused on His righteousness instead of your own) will keep you from fulfilling your lust.
So, in a nut shell, to stop doing what it is that you don’t want to do (sin), stop condemning yourself and you will have the power to stop sinning. Maybe not overnight, but give it a few days and it will come. Instead of accepting the accuser’s condemnation when you fall, thank God that you are still righteous before Him because of Christ’s obedience and not your own. Never, ever forget to praise Him out loud so Satan can hear you, too. Remember what Jesus asked the woman caught in the very act of adultery? Where are those who condemn you? No one, my lord. Neither do I condemn you, now go and sin no more. He told her to sin no more, but only after He gave her the power to sin no more, by ensuring her that she is not condemned. First clean the inside of the cup and the outside will be clean also (Mathew 23:26). Start thinking the right way, then you’ll begin to believe the right way, and sooner or later your actions will get in line with how you think and believe. But, when you focus on your lack of righteousness (condemnation), you are being carnally minded and you will fail because the foundation you’re building on isn’t Christ; it’s on yourself and on your own abilities. There is plenty of grace for every sin that you have, so rest in His grace.
Remember, the Bible is the word of God and His word tells us that we are not condemned because we have been redeemed by the blood of the lamb. Satan is a liar and he will constantly try to get you to condemn yourself, but don’t listen to him; believe God instead. You will begin to understand more about God’s grace, and when that happens, you will see that His burden really is light and His yoke really is easy. Then, you can’t help but to praise and worship Him because you are truly grateful. Thank you God for Jesus!
God has given us some excellent reasons to praise Him (His Grace), so when you are tempted, just praise Him. Get in the habit of praising Him even when you are not being tempted so that when the temptations come, or when hard times come, praising Him will be the only natural response. If you do fall, though, praise Him for His righteousness anyway, because it’s yours as a free gift. Don’t fall from grace by going back under the law—stay under grace and you will have reason to praise Him.
September 9th, 2010 at 11:24 am
1.
Why do Catholics pray to Mary and the saints when Sacred Scripture states that there is one Mediator between God and man-Christ Jesus?(1 Tim. 2:5).
Ans:
when catholics pray to Mary and the other saints in heaven they are not bypassing Christ,whom they acknowledge as the sole Mediator between God and man.They are going to Christ through Mary and the other saints.They are asking Mary and other saints to intercede for them before the throne of Christ in Heaven.
” For the continual prayer of a just man availeth much.” (James 5:16).How much more availing is the unceasing prayer of the sinless Mother of Our Lord Jesus Christ!
St. Paul asked his fellow christians to intercede for him:” Brethren,pray for us.” (2 Thess. 3:1).And again:” I beseech you therefore,brethren through our Lord Jesus Crist,and by the charity of the Holy Ghost,that you help me in your prayers for me to God…” (Rom. 15:30).Christ must particularly approve of our going to Him through Mary,His Blessed Mother,because He chose to come to us through Her. And at Cana, He performed His first miracle after a word from His Mother.(John 2:2-11).
It is clear in Sacred Scripture that the saints in Heaven will intercede for us before the throne of Christ if they are petitioned in prayer(Apoc or Rev 8:3-4),and it is clear in the records of primary Christianity that the first Christians eagerly sought their intercession. Wrote St. John Chrysostom in the fouth century(the protestant reformation took place in 1600’s):” When thou perceivest that God is chastening thee, fly not to His enemies,but to His friends, martyrs, the saints, and those who were pleasing to Him,and who have great power,”If the saints have such power with God, how much more His own Mother.
Taken from the book:
The Catholic Church has the Answer,
by Paul Whitcomb(a protestant converted to the catholic faith),
TAN BOOKS AND PUBLISHERS,INC(www.tanbooks.com)
September 9th, 2010 at 11:38 am
So why does the Miracle of incorruption of bodies of several saints happen only in the catholic church. Is it because God has shown his approval to the catholic church only?
Check out some images and explanation of the in-corrupt bodies of catholic saints here
http://catholicinternet.blogspot.com/2010/08/view-miracle-of-incorrupt-saints.html
September 9th, 2010 at 11:50 am
So why does Eucharistic miracles happen in the catholic church.Is it because God wants to show that the bread and wine in the catholic church after the consecration indeed transubstantiates into the body and blood(soul and divinity too) of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Check out images and explanation of the Eucharistic miracle of Lanciano,Italy.
http://catholicinternet.blogspot.com/2010/08/lanciano-italy.html
September 13th, 2010 at 9:29 am
Friends, try reading the lives of Catholic Saints to know whether they were able to stop sinning.
September 20th, 2010 at 12:01 pm
EXHORTATION TO CATHOLICS —
Regarding heresies,by St. Alphonsus Liguori,
from his book ,History of Heresies and their Refutation.
http://www.archive.org/details/thehistoryofhere00liguuoft
DEAR READER Leave heretics in their wilful blindness I mean wilful when they wish to live deceived and pay no attention to the fallacies by which they would deceive you. Hold on by the sure and firm anchor of the Catholic Church, through which God has promised to teach us the true faith. We should place all ourhope of eternal salvation in the mercy of God and the meritsof Jesus Christ our Saviour, but still we should co-operate, ourselves, by the observance of the Divine Commandments, and thepractice of virtue, and not follow the opinion of the Innovators,who say that faith alone in the merits of Jesus Christ will saveus, without works ; that God is the author both of all the goodand all the evil we do ; that salvation or damnation has beendecreed for us from all eternity, and, consequently, we can donothing to obtain the one or avoid the other. God tells us thathe wishes all to be saved, and gives to all grace to obtain eternalsalvation ; he has promised to listen to those who pray to him, sothat if we are lost, it is solely through our own fault. He alsotells us that if we are saved it must be by those means of salvation which he has given us, the fulfilment of his holy law, theSacraments by which the merits of Christ are communicated tous, prayer, by which we obtain the grace we stand in need of ;and this is the order of the decree of God s predestination orreprobation, to give eternal life to those who correspond to hisgrace, and to punish those who despise it.The devil always strives to deceive heretics, by suggesting tothem that they can be saved in their belief. This was whatTheodore Beza said to St. Francis de Sales, when hard pressedby him on the importance of salvation : I hope to be saved inmy own religion.; Unhappy hope ! which only keeps them inerror here, and exposes them to eternal perdition hereafter, whenthe error cannot be remedied, 1 think the danger of eternal perdition, by dying separated from the Church, should be a sufficient motive to convert every heretic. It was this that made Henry IV. forsake Calvinism, and become a Catholic. Heassembled a conference of Catholics and Calvinists, and after listening for a time to their arguments, he asked the CalvinisticDoctors if it was possible a person could be saved in the Catholicfaith ; they answered that it was ; then, said the king, if thefaith of the Roman Church secures salvation, and the Reformedfaith is at least doubtful, I will take the safe side, and become aCatholic;All the misfortunes of unbelievers spring from too great anattachment to the things of this life. This sickness of heartweakens and darkens the understanding, and leads many toeternal ruin. If they would try to heal their hearts by purgingthem of their vices, they would soon receive light, which wouldshow them the necessity of joining the Catholic Church, wherealone is salvation. My dear Catholics, let us thank the Divinegoodness, who, among so many infidels aud heretics has given usthe grace to be born and live in the bosom of the Holy RomanCatholic Church, and let us take heed and not be ungrateful forso great a benefit. Let us take care and correspond to theDivine Grace, for if we should be lost (which God forbid), thisvery benefit of Grace conferred on us would be one of ourgreatest torments in hell.
October 28th, 2010 at 12:20 am
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2pF5XhNSJk
St. Catherine Laboure and the Miraculous Medal
November 5th, 2010 at 12:57 pm
To roman catholic in answer to 24 dont be deceived. Mary, Jesus mother is not omnipresent as Yeshua is, there is no place in the Bible to say we need to pray to Mary. In the last days there will also be ‘lying signs and wonders’ the Bible says we take communion to remember Our precious Lord Jesus, there is no place that it turns into the actual blood or Body of our Lord. In the Catholic Church I was never encouraged to read the Bible or given one. Yeshua never said get saved to a church such as the Roman Catholic Church, We need to live in Christ and He in us. The Church are the people. Not some organisation or religion, God forbid. Yeshua said repent, the Kingdom of God is at hand, He said, You must be born again to see the Kingdom of Heaven. I was brought up in a Catholic Church, I chose to stop going when I was 13. I later accepted Yeshua as Lord and Saviour when I was 25 because of 2 street evangelists, preaching the Word. thank you Adonai for saving me. Please read the Bible, this is the Word of God. The truth will set you free. Adonai bless you.
November 7th, 2010 at 8:49 pm
Hi,
In this website it says to give up the internet to stop viewing bad sites; but there are some people who have to use the internet for study, work and other important things… then what can those people do if they truly hate this sin but keep going back to it and have no choice but keep the internet??
December 31st, 2010 at 4:00 am
http://natgeotv.com/asia/sleeping-beauties—the-incorrupt
January 4th, 2011 at 1:24 am
http://www.ewtn.com/library/SPIRIT/granada.htm THE SINNER’S GUIDE by Venerable Louis of Granada., OP
Its a great book.
January 16th, 2011 at 4:13 am
Rand,
thanks for your post. I believe you have a mature understanding of the scriptures. Here are a few more thoughts. First, forgiveness is a door that you must walk through but you must also leave it behind. This leads to a life of relationship with God based on trust and dependence instead of repentance and obedience. Second, the intial lie in the garden was to go and eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil to be like God. That is, if we can only know a system of good and evil or right and wrong, (i.e. identify the right things to do and identify the wrong things to and stay from), in that day, you will know your God. We know the Jews could never keep the law and we know that the law is not meant to provide the means by which we live before God. That was one of the points of the law. Saan uses laws to beat the day lights out of us. What a clever lie. This has a lot to do with spiritual warfare. We are not created to live by laws before our God but to live in trust and dependence on God and what He has done. The law is good in that it produces fear and condemnation that drives us to grace. When we understand this, we say goodbye to the law which was a tutor, and leave the cycle of repentence and forgiveness behind, This is now the good news where before, because of the law and our inability to keep it, we were always feeling that we were in and out of the presence of God (grounded and inadequate) as we refrained from sin only to give into it again respectively. When Jesus indicated that our righteousness must surpass that of the Pharisees in Matthew 5, he certainly adds to the law to provide the chance to have the surpassng righteousness to gain entrance into the kingdom of heaven. “Don’t think lustfull thoughts and don’t be angry!” How do we reconcile that with Paul’s statement of “It was for freedom that Christ set you free?” The question to ask is for what reason did Jesus say those things? Third, if the Spirit of God lives in you, which is not done by stopping sinning, you a child of the King and you are eternally secure. No sin can now seperate you. Salvation is not the forgiveness of sin but it is the restoration of the Spirit of God that was lost in Adam back into a person. The forgiveness of sins was necessary for the restoration of His life to be able to indwell people. Once His Spirit dwells in you, by defintion, you have eternal life because God is eternal and will never leave you. You now have an eternal Spirit in you. Conversely, if you do not have the Spirit of God in you, you do not have eternal life. If you do the the Spirit in you, but still think you are bound to the law, you will always have trouble being at peace with your God. You will have little intimacy with God except false intimacy that comes when you are obedient those very few times to a particular moral issue. However,expect your pride to increase should you think that you are pulling off intimacy with God during the few times you are obedient to a particulr moral issue. Now you have to get rid of that pride. When Paul says “Therefore do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery” he is saying do not go back into the law system. This of course implies any system of law. Trust God that his work on the cross and ressurection that provided the restoration of His Spirit into believers is enough. Now you can recieve God’s love and you’ll probably start to see sin depart from your life. Making a choice to not sin based on fear is not fruitful, (i.e. developing a holy hatred as a strategy) but choosing not to sin as you now understand that the sinful person is no longer your identity (though we still sin) reveals that God delights in you and it will transform you. Your identity is in Christ. Depart from the lifestyle where you alternate back and forth from obedience and disobediece where you feel you are in and out of God’s presence and never are at peace with Him, and believe that He has done what was needed to restore His Spirit into you. Now you are free to recieve God’s love and to love others. Your deep needs of acceptance will be slowly met in Him and you won’t need to get those needs met elsewhere.
January 18th, 2011 at 10:27 am
I say thank you foe this post, indeed it teaches us a lot. But please if you may. Your direction on how to stop sinning is so inclined to personal efforts. Don’t you know that we cannot win a battle with the devil with our own might. For we no longer fight against the things of the flesh but against principalities of darkness. All we need to do is believe in JESUS. Nothing is impossible with Him. I don’t believe our works can save us. No not al all. What say you?
February 9th, 2011 at 9:05 pm
OK I am 15 yrs old and I have a masterbation problem…Ive been struggling with it for 2 years.
Iv hurt God and my family by doing these immoral practices and I know it is sinful but I keep givin into temptation
SO TOday i realise with Gods help with the holy spirit, I will fight it and win and overcome the temptation
I want to stop doing this because it is very sinfu and i want to stop
I want to enter Gods Kingdom but I fear I cannot if I keep givin in
So please Pray for me so I may overcome and God by his will will make me overcome and make me live the true christian life God bless you all amen
February 11th, 2011 at 3:45 am
I have a question about Hebrews 10: 26-27 “For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins..” It just seems kinda hopeless. Because I know the truth and I keep falling short of it. Really the only thing that comforts me is that I made God a promise that I would never give up. But I’m not sure if I understand this verse so clearly. Any thoughts?
P.S. Please someone other than R.C. respond to this
February 16th, 2011 at 7:01 am
Wow what an extremely powerful blog brother Bob
Malachi Says:
November 6th, 2009 at 5:05 pm
UPON READING THIS I AM DETERMINED TO CHANGE MY LIFE
This is truly beautiful to say the very least!!!
May God abundantly bless you for this my brother
Shalom
Johnny
February 17th, 2011 at 6:20 pm
Hi Frank,
>>>Your direction on how to stop sinning is so inclined to personal efforts.
Did you read the paragraph on Pray For Godly Sorrow & Repentance. While the Bible says to work out your salvation I don’t think the article misses the most important parts which is prayer.
Bob.
February 17th, 2011 at 6:53 pm
Faith without works is dead brethren!!!
Shalom
Johnny
February 17th, 2011 at 7:15 pm
Hi patches
I came across this website a good while back and it truly encouraged me!!!
Please check it out and let me know just what you think if you get time ok brother/sister
Thanks
Is Obedience Essential to Salvation?
http://gospelway.com/salvation/obedience.php
Shalom
Johnny
February 17th, 2011 at 7:28 pm
Hi Roman Catholic
First of all I truly love you no matter what but have you ever truly tried to line up the teachings and traditions of the RCC with thus saith the Lord scripture?
Have you ever truly studied her history?
Do you realize that your Pope clams to be infallible yet as the same time embraces evolution over the six day creation of God as did Pope John Paul 2?
God hold you
Johnny
April 21st, 2011 at 7:47 am
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.
Though I may wonder, I still will follow;
Though I may wonder, I still will follow;
Though I may wonder, I still will follow;
No turning back, no turning back.
The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
No turning back, no turning back.
Though none go with me, still I will follow;
Though none go with me, still I will follow;
Though none go with me, still I will follow;
No turning back, no turning back.
Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
No turning back, no turning back.
May 4th, 2011 at 8:15 am
For this most high and most worthy Sacrament is health both to body and soul, the medicine of all spiritual sickness; in it my vices are cured, my passions bridled, my temptations subdued or lessened, greater grace infused, holiness increased, faith confirmed, hope strengthened, and love inflamed.
Taken from the, Imitation of Christ, Book IV, Chapter IV, On the benefits received by devout communicants.
May 6th, 2011 at 2:03 am
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS CATHOLICS GET OF FREQUENT HOLY COMMUNION?
“Truly it is necessary for me, who offend so often, who am so frail and full of infirmity, by frequent confession and prayer and Holy Communion to refresh and purify myself and to warm my affections; lest by neglect of the means i fall away from grace. For the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; and unless succoured by divine medicine, man soon falls from bad to worse. Therefore Holy Communion restrains from evil, and confirms in good. For if now i find myself so negligent and lukewarm, what would become of me, if i were without the medicine, and neglected so great an aid? And although i be not always in a frame of mind which befits a communicant, yet i will srtive to be frequent in my participation of the holy mysteries, and so to become recipient of Thy grace. For this is one great consolation of the faithful soul, as long as it makes its pilgrimage apart from Thee in its mortal body, that it can receive with devout mind the memorials of Thy love.”
Taken from the, Imitation of Christ, Book IV, Chapter III, ON THE BENEFIT OF FREQUENT COMMUNION
May 15th, 2011 at 12:13 pm
A great post and a great discussion.
Some of us lived lives of the deepest evils and sins before the grace of God brought us to repentance. Sadly, like the Israelites in the desert, our obedience was weak and we have looked back to some of those things, so we must still wander. But only those who cursed Moses and wished for Egypt in their hearts were lost in the dessert. Those who continued to follow were brought to the edge of the promised land. The first ones did not enter and our flesh will not enter the promised land of heaven. Even Moses was kept out because of pride. The children of Israel who did enter likewise went back and forth between obedience with victory, and disobedience with defeat. Besides Joshua himself, how many were perfect? Even God’s greatest king David committed sins worthy of death under the law, yet he lived…but with much trouble for the rest of his life, and he was not allowed to build the temple. Solomon in all his glory built the house of God and was given great wisdom, but sinned greatly afterward. As near as I can tell, only Enoch & Elijah, (some say Moses or Mary?) were allowed entrance to heaven in the flesh. “The flesh profits nothing”. “So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in the flesh a slave to the law of sin.” “Wretched man that I am, who will save me from this body…”
I think the bottom line for me is that the law has taught me two things. 1) The knowledge of my own sinfulness. 2) The fact that there is NO WAY I am getting saved by myself or by you. The knowledge of the law and my own sinfulness have brought me only fear and condemnation, and a continual cycle of sin, repentance, temporary victory and repeated failure. In many ways I am better than I “was” before the knowledge of Christ, but there are still several “besetting” sins that plague me at various frequency. Like the Lepers in the gospels, I am fully aware of my sinful condition, and find condemnation in that knowledge. “Who will save me from this body of death”? Like the lepers, God, in Jesus Christ is my only hope…”if He is willing”. There is no other hope. Without a clean heart and mind, I know that all my righteous behavior is just window-dressing for the crypt.
In the meantime, what can we do? Give up and declare that we are lost to perdition? (give the enemy the victory?). Work with all our strength to avoid sin? (How much righteousness is enough?) Take on a myriad of rituals (ie: roman catholic) into our lives, hoping that they will ensure us of salvation? Ignore our sin with the idea that the power of salvation and grace make our disobedience of no account ? (heaven forbid !).
If the lepers, and the publican, and the thief on the cross teach us anything it’s that God is our only hope and our only last resort. “The things that are impossible with man are still possible with God”. Have you come to the end of your rope? Christ is there. Have you, like a candle. been extinguished and only have the last wisp of smoke left of your light? Christ will not pinch you off. Do you live in fear that you have exceeded the grace of God with your sin? Why do we insist that Grace was sufficient for sin before salvation, but not sufficient for the rest of our lives?
If you have not yet received the grace of God through Christ unto salvation, you must of course seek God for His salvation. But if you have been born again your spirit testifies of this with your desire to do righteousness. The unsaved may even sometimes fear because of their sin, but they do not have the inward desire to live righteously. Our spirit testifies with his Spirit that we are the sons of God because our flesh and our sin plagues us when it overcomes our desire to be good. Again, “Who will save us from this body of death”? Only Christ. When we were first saved, there was no “secret formula”, no daily devotion, no exertion of our own wills that brought Christ out of heaven. There is no way to force the will of God! It was God’s sovereign will that brought us the gospel, and repentance, and the saving grace of salvation.
Did He save us just to lose us again? Is His power to keep us from ending in perdition too weak? Will our Father not forgive us today if we ask Him? “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness”
So like some of you, I cling to the cross with all my strength and await the day of redemption when we shall be separated from this sinful flesh to praise and serve God in utter purity. Hold on dear brothers, our redemption draws near.
“For I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day”.
May 21st, 2011 at 5:41 am
Mario
AMEN!
Bob.
May 21st, 2011 at 6:07 am
Hi Change,
This is a very difficult subject to address and I am been considering it since you have posted this comment back in Feb.
First I would like to say do your best to avoid masturbation as much as possible and try to keep away from it for as long periods as you can. If you are involving porn or evil thoughts you clearly have something to be concerned but if you are staying clear of these two things and just releaving the build up of your sexual drive don’t let the devil beat you up over this.
I believe in this area victory is gained by faith and looking to Jesus, not by works. How ever there are things you can do that will help you to not fall into this.
1. Sleep with your clothes on.
2. If there are places like the bathroom or show where you seem to fall you should consider praying with your Dad or Mom before you enter into places where you will have temptation and ask them to keep you accountable.
3. Stay away from lude places like the beach and malls where there is a lot of undress which will excite the passions of the flesh.
4. Talk to your pastor and ask him to assign a godly married brother that has victory over sinning to you for support and keeping you accountable.
5. Note what leads up to your fall into masturbation and avoid those things.
If you have fallen into porn on the Internet get rid of the internet out of your room and only use it under parental or school supervision. If you have a smart phone where you have fallen into porn get rid of it and get a simple phone that can’t display porn.
I send you an email some time back and I didn’t get a response so I decided to post an answer here.
While the Bible doesn’t say directly say masturbation is sinful I think it is sinful for most and I have taken that position in my own life. Masturbation can lead to other sinful practices or is often associated with evil thoughts and practices that are sinful and therefore is something Christians must avoid. However I don’t agree with teaching that it is a great terrible sin and bringing great guilt and condemnation on youth.
If mutual masturbation by a married couple is not sinful I don’t see that the act in and of its self is sinful. While I know I hold a more liberal view that most I don’t want to leave the impression that it is ok to do or not a big issue.
Bob.
May 24th, 2011 at 10:07 pm
Thanks Bob sorry I just came back to check back.
Thank you very much, Though I will still keep praying for God to give me godly hatared n strength to resist these things n thx.
But I got one more question though, If i have to confess my sins do I have to tell my parents also? I hurt them in the past but i dont want to hurt them again..will praying 4 forgivness help n praying for strength to resist this temptation work?
May 27th, 2011 at 9:37 am
I definitely agree with the other two young men regarding the sin of masturbation. I, being a young man of 23, have been battling this sin for ten years. I have decided that I will no longer have sex until I am married. I am dedicated in that sense. I can easily go with [out] actually engaging in sexual activity with another person. However, I do give in to watching porn. I try to rationalize it by saying it’s “sinning less” than actually engaging in sexual activities. I know no sin is greater than another and there is no such thing as “quality of sin” but there is “quantity of sin”. I have counted the sins and masturbating has less sins than fornication.
As you can see I am in a constant battle. Most likely I am not going to get married within the next three years…if that. I have certain health conditions and I highly doubt I will ever get married. So what am I going to do for the rest of my life. I know the Bible says “I can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens me” but it’s hard (no pun intended). I definitely need some advice and Christian guidance.
May 27th, 2011 at 9:51 am
Hi Change,
You confession of sins is to God through Jesus. Personal sins that don’t effect others don’t need to be confessed to others. If a person sold from there parents they would need to confess this to the parents as that is a sin against the parents.
Bob.
May 27th, 2011 at 9:59 am
Hi Trying,
Yes by all means don’t give into fornication. And yes masturbation is a lessor sin than fornication and masturbating with out porn is a lessor sin then masturbating with porn. If you are professing Christ watching porn is completely unacceptable and you need to gain victory over this sin completely. I would suggest you get serious and get rid of your internet, computer, smart phone and avoid all places where you fall into this sin. This sin must go and must go now.
When you have victory in that area be very careful you don’t fall back into that sin. Guard your soul, be very careful. If you are having this problem you should try to masturbate as little as possible and do it with out evil thoughts. But keeping in mind you want to work toward getting complete victory over this practice.
Bob.
May 28th, 2011 at 2:48 am
To be free from sin all you have to do is be born again. When you are born again you are under grace and no longer under the law. When you are not under the law, sin is no longer counted against you (Romans 5:13). How can you break a law that you don’t have? You can’t. It is impossible for you to sin because you are born of God and in God there is no sin (1 John 3:9). So, when you do that which you don’t want to do, it is no longer you doing it but it is the sin nature within you that does it (Romans 7:20). God is not holding your sin against you because sin, all sin, has been atoned for by the blood of Jesus at the cross (1 John 2:2). However, the power to stop doing those things you don’t want to do, is in grace. It is grace that teaches you to say no to ungodliness (Titus 2:11). The strength of sin is the law (1Corinthians 15:56), and it’s the law that arouses the passion for sin (Romans 7:5). Paul called the law the administration of Death and Condemnation (2 Corinthians 3:6-11). The law kills, but the spirit gives life. Your righteousness is of Christ, and has absolutely nothing to do with you other than the fact that it was given to you as a free gift, because you trusted in the name of Jesus for your salvation.
Satan knows that by keeping you under the law, he has power over you because your will-power is no match for him. That’s why God took the “handwriting of requirements” (the law) and nailed them to the cross and in doing so, He disarmed the powers against you (Colossians 2:14-15). If Satan can get you back under the law (even without you realizing it) he has power over you. By far, the most effective weapon Satan uses to get a person back under the law is condemnation. In Christ, there is no condemnation. As Christians we should have no more consciousness of sin because we have been washed clean by the Blood of Jesus (Hebrew 10:22). If Satan can get you to condemn yourself, he knows that you will be warped and sinful because of your self-condemnation (Titus 3:11). Satan can put desires in your mind and in your heart, but if you will delight yourself in the Lord (praise Him), the Lord will give you the desires of your heart (Proverbs). If our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before Him (1 John 3:21) and we can only be truly happy when we don’t condemn ourselves (Romans 14:22). Never oppose yourself in this way (2 Timothy 2:25-26), believe that you are who God says you are—the righteousness of Christ.
We should be seeking His righteousness which is by faith in Christ (Romans 1:16-17), and not seeking our own righteousness (Romans 10:3) which is from works. These good works we do so that God will be pleased with us, or so that He will bless us, are as filthy rags to Him. They are also a true sign that we are still living under the law (at least to some degree), because the law causes self-righteousness (Philippians 3:9). The works of God is this: that you believe in the one that He has sent (John 6:29). If you are born again, you are righteous before God (Romans 10:4). So, the way to flee your youthful lust, is by chasing after His righteousness (2 Timothy 2:22). This is walking in the spirit, and when we walk in the spirit, we won’t fulfill our lust (Galatians 5:16-18), and when we are in the spirit, we are no longer under the law. Don’t confuse the differences, though. Working hard, trying not to fulfill your lust does not mean you are walking in the spirit, it means you are still carnally minded. Being spiritually minded (focused on His righteousness instead of your own: obtaining or maintaining your own righteousness) will keep you from fulfilling your lust.
So, in a nut shell, to stop doing what it is that you don’t want to do (sin), stop condemning yourself and you will have the power to stop sinning. Maybe not overnight, but give it a few days and it will come. Instead of accepting the accuser’s condemnation when you fall, thank God that you are still righteous before Him because of Christ’s obedience and not your own. Never, ever forget to praise Him out loud so Satan can hear you, too. Remember what Jesus asked the woman caught in the very act of adultery? Where are those who condemn you? No one, my lord. Neither do I condemn you, now go and sin no more. He told her to sin no more, but only after He gave her the power to sin no more, by ensuring her that she is not condemned. First clean the inside of the cup and the outside will be clean also (Mathew 23:26). Start thinking the right way, then you’ll begin to believe the right way, and sooner or later your actions will get in line with how you think and believe. But, when you focus on your lack of righteousness (condemnation), you are being carnally minded and you will fail because the foundation you’re building on isn’t Christ; it’s on yourself and on your own abilities. There is plenty of grace for every sin that you have, so rest in His grace.
Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness. Yes Abraham did have works to backup his faith and so did the prostitute who led the spies in the wrong direction. Abraham offered up his son Isaac on the alter, but that was about forty years after his faith was credited to him as righteousness. The Bible tells us that the prostitute heard all that God had done for the Jews and she believed. There is no way of knowing when she heard, but the crossing of the Red Sea was a long time before she acted in faith. So, take the time to let the seed of truth grow inside of you, and then you will eventually have works worth mentioning.
Remember, the Bible is the word of God and His word tells us that we are not condemned because we have been redeemed by the blood of the lamb. Satan is a liar and he will constantly try to get you to condemn yourself, but don’t listen to him; believe God instead. You will begin to understand more about God’s grace, and when that happens, you will see that His burden really is light and His yoke really is easy. Then, you can’t help but to praise and worship Him because you are truly grateful. Thank you God for Jesus!
God has given us some excellent reasons to praise Him (Grace), so when you are tempted, just praise Him. Get in the habit of praising Him even when you are not being tempted so that when the temptations come, or when hard times come, praising Him will be the natural response. If you do fall, though, praise Him for His righteousness anyway, because it’s yours as a free gift. Don’t fall from grace by going back under the law—stay under grace and you will have reason to praise Him.
NOTE: If you are struggling with an addiction, try fasting. Fasting strengthens your mind. It informs your body that it is not in control over you. Your mind is in control and your mind is surrendered to Christ. There are no rules to fasting, though many people will try to enforce rules on you. Try to go a day, or a half day without food. Do this once or twice a month, or once a week or as often as you feel necessary. Again, it’s between you and God and no one else’s business.
June 5th, 2011 at 5:46 pm
after reading this, i will definitely try and stop sinning. thanks for the helping words.
June 14th, 2011 at 8:05 pm
thank you so much…you nearly brought tears to my eyes
I will praise him all the time…thank the lord almighty :’)
July 12th, 2011 at 9:16 pm
Thank you Rand God bless you brother and thank you Lord for the right perspective for sin. I was wondering if Bob would respond to Rands post? It seems you are causing much confusion. Why would God be so interested in “our” rightouesness? Is he now sharing his glory with “our” flesh? Does the bible teach that we live out our Christian lives in strict obedience for salvation or is it Christ (the only one who was obedient) in us that does the work. When does God give up on his child and walk away from the work he started? There is alot of holes in all that you have stated in this post.
July 12th, 2011 at 10:48 pm
Hi Rand,
>>>To be free from sin all you have to do is be born again.
Agree, whosoever is born of God doeth not commit sin.
>>>When you are born again you are under grace and no longer under the law.
No longer under the law of Moses but we are under the law of Christ, the law of liberty, the perfect law. We are not lawless.
“…being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ…” — 1Cor 9:21
The old agreement commandments like circumcision have passed away and we have a better law, better law giver, better high priest, and the power of God to keep this new law or agreement.
“Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.” — 1Cor 7:19
“And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” 1Joh 2:3-4
>>>It is impossible for you to sin because you are born of God and in God there is no sin (1 John 3:9).
Clearly the Bible states that Christians can sin.
“My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:” — 1Joh 2:1
>>>So, in a nut shell, to stop doing what it is that you don’t want to do (sin), stop condemning yourself and you will have the power to stop sinning.
No. It is by faith we have victory over sin.
“…and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” 1Joh 5:4
“Who are kept by the power of God through faith…” 1Pet 1:5
“Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.” Eph 6:16
And where do we get faith. Through the Word of God and prayer.
“But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,” Jud 1:20
“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Rom 10:17
>>>Remember, the Bible is the word of God and His word tells us that we are not condemned because we have been redeemed by the blood of the lamb. Satan is a liar and he will constantly try to get you to condemn yourself, but don’t listen to him; believe God instead.
If you can willfully sin and not feel condemnation then I would question if that person is even converted.
The only time there is no condemnation is if you “walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (Rom 8:1), or your conscience has been “seared with a hot iron;” (1Tim 4:2).
>>>If you are struggling with an addiction, try fasting.
Faith brother, it is by faith we over come. Faith, faith, faith, not by works!
Christian love,
Bob.
July 13th, 2011 at 2:29 am
>>And where do we get faith. Through the Word of God and prayer.>>
Heb 12:2 says “…Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith”. And Rom 12:3 says ” … God has allotted to each a measure of faith.” These two verses clearly tell us that faith is not something that we do or a presence of mind that we develop, but that faith is a gift from God. Rom 10:17 says ” … faith comes from hearing and hearing by the word of Christ.” So faith is a gift from God that we receive from the word of Christ, which in this dispensation we get from the Bible rather than from a burning bush.
So in His time He will allot faith to us as needed from the word of the Bible. In 2 Cor 10:15 we see that faith can grow, so as we study the Bible God can add to our faith.
Rom 5:1 says, ” … justified by faith” and Rom 4:5 says, ” … his faith is counted as righteousness”. We clearly see from these verses that faith is not of our doing for that would be a works-based salvation and we know from Eph 2:8, 9 that salvation is surely not from works.
However Eph 2:8 says something else that I never hear proclaimed and that is “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.” In Eph 2:8 the “it” refers back to faith, which is consistent with Rom 12:3 and the other scriptures above and speakers very seldom talk about that. Faith is a gift from God. Rom 3:28 also says, ” … a man is justified by faith.” We read in Rom 9:32 that Israel did not arrive at righteousness because they did not pursue righteous by faith but as though it were by works. If we must muster up our own faith then justification is by works and again we know that is not correct. We also see in Heb 12:2 that ” …Jesus is the author and perfecter of faith.” which fits in nicely with what we have already seen. Jesus is not only the author — the originator of faith -; He is also the one who perfects it in us.