Dig a Little Deeper: The War with Sin

 

Sin is a very real struggle in believers' lives. The more we grow in our faith, the more we become aware of the sin within us. 

While we may try to fight our sin, ultimately we come to a point in which we realize that we are unable to live up to God's standards of righteousness. The only hope we have is Jesus Christ. 

Through his cross we are forgiven and justified, and through his life we are given his standard of perfection. Through his ascension we are given the Holy Spirit who not only reveals sin, but empowers us to stand against it.

Awareness

Our struggle with sin begins with our awareness of it in our lives. Mankind is prone to remain ignorant of God's standards in order to excuse our disobedience. We believe that as long as we are unaware that what we are doing is sin, we are able to continue in it without consequence.

But as any law enforcement, lawyer, or judge will tell you: ignorance is no excuse of the law.

Therefore, it ultimately does us no good to play ignorant.

If, however, we look at God's Word and understand how we fall short of his standards--as well as the consequences and punishment that comes with our sin--we can then begin the process of seeking out what is necessary to please God.

Indwelling Sin

Once we realize the gravity of our sin, we face a choice: embrace it or wage war against it. In Romans 7:7-25, the apostle Paul openly shares his struggle with sin, demonstrating the importance of proclaiming the whole gospel.

Paul recognized his inability to meet the law's standards and understood that the law revealed the sin within him. This is a crucial aspect of our faith journey – acknowledging our own sinfulness.

Blaming external forces for our actions is not the solution. All sin is a choice, and we must take responsibility for our actions. It is our own hearts and minds that entice us to sin. Pointing the finger at Satan and demons does not justify our actions.

We are responsible for the choices we make. While the forces of darkness may, or may not, play a role in influencing us, sin is ultimately our own choice. We must stand firm against it. Temptation is not sin--our decision to act on it is. And every action we make is our own choice.

Rescue

The good news is that God does not abandon us in our sin. Christ's sacrifice fulfilled the righteous requirements of God, and through him, we are justified. The Holy Spirit empowers us to withstand temptation, providing us the strength to fight against indwelling sin.

Our hope is in Christ's victory on the cross. The enemy has been defeated, and we are delivered from sin's grasp if we confess and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.