SIN
What is sin and how it can be defeated?
We live in a society where the definition of sin has become embroiled in legalistic debates over what is right and what is wrong.
Most of us think of breaches of the Ten Commandments as we wonder "What is sin?"
Even back then, we regarded murdering and adultery as "major" sins in comparison to lying, swearing, or idolatry.
The reality is that sin is described as "missing the mark" in the original Bible translations.
In this scenario, the mark is the norm of perfection set by God and shown by Jesus.
Under that light, we can all see that we are all sinners.
What is sin?
When it comes to answering this question, some people get lost. We can sound judgmental as soon as we start talking about sin.
We don't discuss sin to assign blame or pass judgment on one another. It's because we can't truly know God until we comprehend sin.
However, as with all of our queries about God and faith, this one must be addressed with love and kindness, because that is how God treats all of us sinners.
Sin is described as something that goes against God's will. It's a skewed version of the world God created, rather than the perfect world God intended. Stubbornness, defiance, or blatant disobedience are both examples of disobedience.
All pain, hurt, uncertainty, and doubt in the universe stem from sin. And sin is active within us. Sin distorts our minds and prevents us from seeing God clearly. This puts a barrier between us and God, separating us.
Humans were made in the image of God, and we were born to represent his glory, according to Genesis. “All have committed a sin and fall short of the grace of God,” says Romans 3:23.
Because of the entry of sin into the universe, the glory of the Lord, which we were meant to represent and witness, is now dimmed.
Since we, as humans, choose to move away from God, sin entered the universe. Until we were infected with sin, it took control of our hearts and separated us from God.
God, on the other hand, has not abandoned us in our sinful state. Since God loves us, he has supplied us with a route out of this life of sin, a way to reconnect with him in the way he intended: Christ's salvation
Bible Quote
“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
Romans 3:23
How Do I Overcome Sin?
Step 1
Honesty is a prerequisite for success.
Name your sin precisely what it is in front of God and in your own mind. Put an end to all justifications and excuses. Simply get down on your knees and admit that this is completely contrary to God's character, that it is causing harm to others, and that it is killing you.
It is important to express the reality of the situation. This increases your sensitivity and puts your heart in an honest role before God and oneself. “When he is guilty in any of these instances, he shall testify that he has sinned in that thing,” Moses instructed Israel (Leviticus 5:5).
Declare "that thing," the basic "thing," for precisely what it is, without reservation or excuse. I confessed my sin to You, and my iniquity I have not concealed. David set an example of absolute honesty before God. ‘I will acknowledge my transgressions to the LORD,' I said, and You pardoned my sin (Psalm 32:5).
Stop hiding!
Stop lying!
Stop explaining!
Just tell the truth.
Step 2
You have the ability to choose, which was granted to you by God. It's a force that no other force in the universe can match. When a man or woman's will has chosen not to sin, Satan and his unholy angels cannot force them to do so.
“Repentance” is the religious term for turning one's will away from sin and toward God. It simply means making a conscious decision to change one's mind and course. It's been described as a spiritual 180.
New neuronal, synaptic pathways begin to shape the instant you decide to stop sinning and start acting in a new moral way. Your mind starts to take on a different form! You simply "become reborn in the spirit (the bent or inclination) of your mind," according to Paul (Ephesians 4:23).
New personhood in the image of Christ is established as the repentant frame of mind is maintained. Every day, it becomes easier to develop new thinking, sensation, and patterns of behavior. You become used to and at ease in God's persona.
Now comes the most crucial aspect of all.
Step 3
Your willpower does not innately contain the consistency and kind of strength you need to conquer, no matter how sincerely you confess your sin or how strongly you resolve against it. You are completely devoid of the spiritual oomph needed for victory.
You can't just "git 'er done." When it comes to resolving sin, this is not the case. So, where do you stand now?
You, on the other hand, are in dire need of a force greater than and beyond of yourself to be poured into the spiritual fiber of your being. You'll need a steady supply of a certain type of power that isn't created by humans.
This isn't some enigmatic or nebulous force. It's not a magical stream of power or a magical act of divine fiat that takes place without your knowledge or consent. Simply put, the strength you need is... wait for it... God's love!
“The love of Christ compels us,” Paul says. He perished for all so that those who live would no longer live for themselves, but for Him who had died and risen for them.” (2 Corinthians 5:14-15).
That is, Christ's love is the force that motivates us to stop living for ourselves and start living for Him. Only Christ's love has the power to crack the power of sin at its most fundamental level, at the level of our innate desire to live for ourselves.
Paul says it again: “We eagerly wait for the assurance of righteousness by faith... faith energized by God's love.”(Galatians 5:5-6, author's translation). The vital energizing element in the triumphant Christian life is God's love. No other power would suffice because no other power is capable of doing so.
Bible Quote
Those who hide their sins won’t succeed,
but those who confess and give them up will receive mercy.
Proverbs 28:13
Jesus Can Save Us All.
LIE 1:
AS A CHRISTIAN, I SHOULD LIVE A PERFECT LIFE.
It's possible that we won't say it out loud because it sounds serious. However, we frequently believe it. After all, didn't Jesus say in Matthew 5:48, "Be fine, as your heavenly Father is perfect"?
Without a doubt. However, Jesus was referring to God's ideal, which we should aim for. Jesus also recognized that we fall short of that ideal. That is why, in order to atone for our sins, He died on the cross.
“If I'm not fine, God is furious with me,” we tell ourselves with this lie. We mistake our freedom from the punishment of sin with our freedom from the existence of sin when we listen to the lie.
LIE 2:
I’VE TRIED TO STOP SINNING, BUT I CAN’T. I MUST NOT BE SAVED.
This lie goes one step further than LIE #1's false assumption. Since you don't live a great life as you should, you weren't saved in the first place.
But consider this: We can't live the Christian life with our own might, just as we couldn't save ourselves without God's grace (Ephesians 2:8-9).
We also need God's grace to give us the strength to obey.
We are lying if we claim we have no sin, according to the Apostle John, and Jesus is our atoning sacrifice for that cause (1 John 1:8; 2:1).
The reality is that your battle with sin is a strong indicator that the Holy Spirit is at work in your existence. Since the New Testament often instructs Christians who are struggling with sin, we recognize that it is a common occurrence.
LIE 3:
I’LL NEVER STOP MY SIN, SO WHY TRY?
While you'll never be completely free of temptation or the tug of sin in your heart, you can have victory. (Unlike a circus elephant that has no idea what he's doing.)
The ability to make our own decisions is a part of who God created us to be as humans. God endowed Adam and Eve with the ability to make choices (Genesis 2:16-17). Begin to regard temptation as an option rather than a requirement to comply (Romans 6:12-14).
God freed us from sin's shackles so that we could follow Him, not so that we could return to sin's shackles (Galatians 5:1). Obedience is the goal of freedom.
LIE 4:
MY SIN IS TOO GREAT. I’M REALLY NOT SURE GOD WILL FORGIVE ME.
Christians who are grappling with sin have a tendency to make major mistakes. We fall for the fallacy that we reached a point of no return with God since we knew better and did it anyway.
Actually, our pride is the source of this deception. There is no sin—NO SIN—that God cannot forgive. Your sin is no different. While there might be long-term repercussions, God's grace still extends redemption.
God has already forgiven you if you believe in Jesus who perished for your sins, according to the Lord's pledge.
Remember that you can't out sin God's grace. God never leaves His children alone.
Bible Quote
“If we make the decision to sin after we receive the knowledge of the truth, there isn’t a sacrifice for sins left any longer.
There’s only a scary expectation of judgment and of a burning fire that’s going to devour God’s opponents.”
Hebrews 10:26-27
What If I Continue To Sin?
Bible Quote
“If you forgive others their sins, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you don’t forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your sins.
Matthew 6:13-14
In the eyes of God, all sins are equal.
The 7 Deadly Sins
What are the Seven?.
According to Christian beliefs, the seven deadly sins are actions and practices that are deemed among the most cardinal vices.
The seven deadly sins, ironically, are not included in the Bible.
However, each of these vices is mentioned frequently in the Bible, although in isolation.
The seven deadly sins, also known as capital vices or cardinal sins, are thought to give rise to other types of immorality.
1. Pride.
Pride is described as an excessive love for oneself, confidence in one's abilities, and a desire to outperform others.
Since pride is such a heinous sin, it is sometimes blamed for the other six of the seven deadly sins.
It's worth recalling that Satan was cast down from heaven because of pride and jealousy.
Since pride is an unreasonable sense of self-worth, proud people are blind to their own demise.
Opposite of Pride is:
Humility, meekness, love for God and others, and appropriate self-worth.
2. Lust.
Lust is a strong urge to participate in illicit or unethical sexual gratification.
Lust can lead to sexual immorality (fornication) between two unmarried people or between two people who aren't legally married to each other (adultery).
Adultery may also occur when a married person finds sexual gratification with someone who is not married. If the desire for sexual pleasure is not tamed, rape or even bestiality can result.
However, lust isn't limited to sexual attraction. It may also refer to a powerful and irrational desire for money, fame, or power.
Opposite of Lust is:
Love, unselfishness, self-control, and chastity.
3. Gluttony.
Gluttony is described as the excessive consumption of food or other items to the point of waste.
Gluttony is described in the Christian sense as overindulging in food when you should be saving some for the poor.
Gluttony can be committed in a variety of ways, including
eating too much
eating too fast
eating too delicately
eating too expensively
and eating too enthusiastically.
Opposite of Gluttony:
Self-control, contentment, discernment, patience, and temperance.
4. Greed.
Greed is a strong desire and passionate affection for material wealth, also defined as avarice, covetousness, or cupidity. Greed, like lust and gluttony, is an unhealthy desire for something you don't need.
• Material hoarding,
• Theft and robbery,
• Bribery and corruption are all examples of the sin of greed.
Greed was opposed by a number of Biblical prophets, including Nehemiah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and others.
Jesus addressed greed thoroughly, continually urging the wealthy to give to the poor if they want to inherit God's kingdom.
One thing is perfectly evident in the Bible. Those material possessions can pull a man away from God, and that having just enough to get by is preferable.
A man can covet his neighbor's belongings if he has too little, but too much can lead to pride.
Opposite of Greed is:
Kindness, generosity, and charity.
5. Sloth.
Acedia, or sloth, is laziness expressed by the deliberate avoidance of work. Laziness, unlike the other deadly sins we've discussed so far, is not motivated by immorality. Rather, it is motivated by a desire to escape taking responsibility.
“Those who do not labour do not eat,” says an adage that appropriately captures the sin of sloth. It makes more sense, of course, because there is more work to be done than there are people able to do it.
Sloth may also mean a lack of interest in spiritual development. When you stop practising the fruits of the Spirit or using the gifts of the Holy Spirit, you're called slothful spiritually.
Opposite of Sloth is:
Diligence/zeal, perseverance, and servanthood.
6. Wrath.
Wrath is described as an outburst of uncontrollable frustration, rage, or hatred.
Wrath is motivated by an irrational urge to hurt others and is fueled by a deep desire to exact revenge.
The sin of wrath will last even after the person who caused it has died because it is motivated by feelings of vengeance.
Long-running family feuds or corporate rivalries are typical examples of wrath.
Opposite of Wrath is:
Gentleness, self-control, patience, and peace.
7. Envy.
Envy is the longing for others' belongings, enjoyment, skills, and abilities.
The majority of envious people are depressed and would go to great lengths to obtain what others have.
They believe that the other individual does not merit their money, skills, or position.
As you already know, sin entered the world as a result of the devil's desire for God's throne. Cain even killed his brother Abel because he was envious.
Opposite of Envy is:
Love, joy, compassion, kindness, gratitude, and satisfaction.
Accept Jesus Today
Are you ready to transform your life today and start anew with the power and glory of God by your side?
The process of obtaining salvation is very simple. For anyone to be saved, he or she must confess Jesus Christ as Lord through faith.
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