A correct view of sin. A struggle with a few verses: (Most are direct references, a few are paraphrased) How long, O God, will you allow our enemies to mock you? Will you let them dishonor your name forever? Why do you hold back your strong right hand? Unleash your powerful fist and deliver a deathblow (Ps.74:10-11), He will repay them for their sins and destroy them for their wickedness; the LORD our God will destroy them (Ps.94:23), the LORD watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy (Ps.145:20), God will lay hold of His enemies, swallowing them up in His wrath, His fire will consume them, their descendants will be destroyed and their wicked schemes will not prevail (Ps.21:8-12), evil will slay the wicked; the foes of the righteous will be condemned (Ps.34:21), let the wicked be put to shame and lie silent in the grave (Ps.37:17), the wicked will perish: the LORD’s enemies will be like the beauty of the fields, they will vanish - vanish like smoke (Ps.37:20), they are laid in the grave, death will feed on them, the upright will have dominion over them and they will be consumed (Ps.49:14), let evil recoil on those who slander me; in your faithfulness destroy them (Ps.54:5), let them melt away and be cut into pieces (Ps.58:7), O LORD God Almighty, the God of Israel, rouse yourself to punish all the nations; show no mercy to wicked traitors, consume them in wrath, consume them till they are no more (Ps.59:5,13), in your unfailing love, silence my enemies; destroy all my foes, for I am your servant (Ps.143:12); the face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth (Ps.34:16). Trust God’s Word. At times it might not make sense but eventually, through the illumination of His Spirit, it will (1 Cor.2:12). Think of these verses in terms of your spiritual enemies, that keep you from fellowship with Him and all He wants to do in your life. Remember Ps.103:12 - as far as the East is from the West, so far has He removed our sin from us). Bringing it home. Two extremes concerning my sin: Self condemnation. Rom.8:1 - “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Grace is a license. Rom.6:15 - “Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not!” What sin does to the believer: Naturally: Physical consequences for you. Physical consequences for others. Your sin always affects others. Spiritually: Heb.3:13 - Sin hardens us. Sin hinders fellowship with God (Relationship is secure). 1 Peter 3:7 - sin hinders our prayers - communication with God. Sin prevents us from experiencing God’s power and plan for our lives. Eph.4:30 - Sin grieves His Spirit, preventing His power in my life. The correct view of sin: Don’t live in self condemnation. Don’t shrug it off. Acknowledge it and all it produces, see it with the gravity God does, hate and fight it. Ps.36:1-2 - describes sinful man saying, “There is no fear of God before his eyes. For in his own eyes he flatters himself too much to detect or hate his sin.” Learn to allow the Holy Spirit to point out your sin and then hate it and trust God with it. Ask God to destroy it. Confess it: 1 Jn.1:9 - “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” Desire purity. 2 Tim.2:22 - “Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness.” Then walk in God’s sufficient mercy and grace all along, fixing your eyes on Him, knowing the victory is in Him alone. Heb.12:1-2 - “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. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.” You can’t do it on your own, allow His Spirit to empower you to say no. 1 Cor.10:13 - “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” Ez.36:27 - And I will put my Spirit in you so you will obey my laws and do whatever I command. Jude 1:24 - He will keep you from falling, as you allow. Application: Think of a sin right now that is keeping you from your next step with God. Acknowledge the gravity of that sin. Confess it and ask God to destroy it. Begin walking in freedom, by fixing your eyes on Jesus, not on your sin. Get a friend to keep you accountable.
