Obtaining Victory Over Sin - NetBibleStudy.com
Obtaining Victory Over Sin - NetBibleStudy.com Obtaining Victory Over Sin - NetBibleStudy.com
Victory Over Sin 86God hates self-righteousness, a superior, judgmental attitude. How easy it is tothink, “I’d never do what he did!” Anyone who says that has no idea of what he iscapable of doing. There is no sin beyond the capacity of any one of us. If we’ve notsuccumbed to the same degree of evil as others, it is because we have not had the sameopportunities to do evil, and more importantly, because God’s grace has restrained us.Remember the Pharisee who went into the Temple to pray? He’s generallyremembered for reciting all of his good works to God. But what we often overlook isthat he didn’t take the credit for his performance – at least he said, “God, I thank Theethat I am not like other people…” (Luke 18:11). But although he thanked God he was notlike others, he did not receive God’s mercy. Why? Because even good works done inGod’s name are never the basis for God’s acceptance of us. The publican, the tax-gatherer,was accepted precisely because he understood that the basis of his acceptance was God’smercy alone.Even the oft-repeated assertion, “There but for the grace of God go I,” can be said ina self-righteousness attitude. If we think we are different, better than others, becausewe have attracted God’s favor, then we need to examine our own hearts. Godcondemns self-righteousness. He wants us to see that in essence, all human beings arethe same. If we are objects of His special grace, it is nothing righteous on our part, butHis grace alone.Our failures help us learn these lessons. We may not know exactly what Paul’s“thorn in the flesh” was, but, this we can be sure of, it originated with the devil. Paulwrites, “it was a messenger of Satan to buffet me --- to keep me from exalting myself”(2 Corinthians 12:7b). Yet that infirmity (whatever it was) was expressly allowed byGod to keep Paul from self-righteousness.God does not cause us to sin, but He uses our sins to remind us of our weakness.We are less tempted to judge others, and, certainly, more understanding of others whodo sin, when we become well acquainted with the wickedness of our own heart. Wethen learn how to view others with humility, considering ourselves, lest we also betempted. When we are caught by sin, God uses the experience to teach us about Hisrighteousness and His hatred for sin.God also wants us to appreciate the wonder of His grace: “Where sin increased,grace abounded all the more” (Romans 5:20). Because of pride, we find it hard to admitthat we need God’s grace so continually, so desperately. How we would all like to beable to say, “I’ve not committed that sin – [whatever we are struggling with] – in such-andsucha period of time.” But our continual problems with sin crowd us to the Cross ofChrist. Again and again, we are confronted with Calvary; we are forced to come withnothing in our hands to receive God’s provision freely given by His grace.Peter summarizes it all for us by saying, “Clothe yourselves with humility towardone another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves,
Victory Over Sin 87therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time” (1 Peter5:5b-6).Signposts to FailureAt Niagara Falls, there is a point of no return; a place where the water rushes sofiercely that it is impossible to make any progress against the stream. Going over thefalls is inevitable. There are warning signs that tell the unwary where that point is, butsome foolhardy souls either have ignored the signs or have not seen them. (They’re notaround to tell us which it was.)We have our warning signs too. Generally, it’s a slow leak and not a blowoutthat stops us. Failure, actually, is quite predictable. We can tell whether we are on ourway to the point of not return.What are those signposts? The first is a feeling of self-satisfaction, a sigh ofrelief that finally we have everything under control. At that moment, we arevulnerable because our confidence rests with ourselves --- and our past record ---rather than with the Lord. Remember the alcoholic? He thinks he has drinking undercontrol. Even at Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, the participants are trained to say, “Iam an alcoholic.” And they must remember that even after they have been dry for manyyears.We must remember that, in spite the new nature we received in Christ Jesuswhen we were born-gain, we still, also, have our old “sinning nature” -- and will haveone until the day we die! We need to beware of thinking that we have any sinpermanently under control. 1 Corinthians 10:12 says “Therefore let him who thinks hestands take heed lest he fall.”Then there is the danger of making hidden provision for defeat! We can’t affordto be like the man who desperately to overcome his addiction to pornography, but keptobscene pictures hidden in his room, just in case he became tempted. Or the personwho wants to stop smoking but keeps a pack of cigarettes in the drawer, just in case hemight need them. Our mind is like a huge house with many rooms. We might bewilling to clean up the kitchen, living room, and even some of the bedrooms. But whatabout that closet crammed with junk? It may seem precious to us, because it representsa small part of our life we are not willing to surrender to the searchlight of the HolySpirit. But Christ wants to be the Master of our entire life. Everything that is hidden Hewants to reveal. There is only one way we can meet Christ’s requirement, and that is byrefusing to have any room in our life that can be used to retreat to from our spiritualcommitment.God wants us to perform radical surgery on sinful habits. We must burn allbridges behind us. This is what Christ taught in the Sermon on the Mount.Immediately following His remark about the sin of lust, He made a shocking statement–-- “And if your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out, and throw it from you; for it is better
- Page 35 and 36: Victory Over Sin 35The fact that we
- Page 37 and 38: Victory Over Sin 37Titus 3:9; “de
- Page 39 and 40: Victory Over Sin 39The Bible puts a
- Page 41 and 42: Victory Over Sin 41we became tired
- Page 43 and 44: Victory Over Sin 43(a) Give thanks
- Page 45 and 46: Victory Over Sin 45How Do We Receiv
- Page 47 and 48: Victory Over Sin 47God delights whe
- Page 49 and 50: Victory Over Sin 49What does it all
- Page 51 and 52: Victory Over Sin 51knowledge of God
- Page 53 and 54: Victory Over Sin 53Remember, if you
- Page 55 and 56: Victory Over Sin 55Jesus, “Then c
- Page 57 and 58: Victory Over Sin 57Someone has simp
- Page 59 and 60: Victory Over Sin 59The counselor ex
- Page 61 and 62: Victory Over Sin 61away. The result
- Page 63 and 64: Victory Over Sin 63comes to us when
- Page 65 and 66: Victory Over Sin 65~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- Page 67 and 68: Victory Over Sin 67accomplish -- we
- Page 69 and 70: Victory Over Sin 69Our goal to lose
- Page 71 and 72: Victory Over Sin 71We may be hoveri
- Page 73 and 74: Victory Over Sin 73temptations, He
- Page 75 and 76: Victory Over Sin 75Believers just s
- Page 77 and 78: Victory Over Sin 773. In what ways
- Page 79 and 80: Victory Over Sin 79the earth, seeki
- Page 81 and 82: Victory Over Sin 81Sometimes Christ
- Page 83 and 84: Victory Over Sin 83(a) The belt of
- Page 85: Victory Over Sin 853. Overconfident
- Page 89 and 90: Victory Over Sin 89our guilt by mai
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<strong>Victory</strong> <strong>Over</strong> <strong>Sin</strong> 86God hates self-righteousness, a superior, judgmental attitude. How easy it is tothink, “I’d never do what he did!” Anyone who says that has no idea of what he iscapable of doing. There is no sin beyond the capacity of any one of us. If we’ve notsuccumbed to the same degree of evil as others, it is because we have not had the sameopportunities to do evil, and more importantly, because God’s grace has restrained us.Remember the Pharisee who went into the Temple to pray? He’s generallyremembered for reciting all of his good works to God. But what we often overlook isthat he didn’t take the credit for his performance – at least he said, “God, I thank Theethat I am not like other people…” (Luke 18:11). But although he thanked God he was notlike others, he did not receive God’s mercy. Why? Because even good works done inGod’s name are never the basis for God’s acceptance of us. The publican, the tax-gatherer,was accepted precisely because he understood that the basis of his acceptance was God’smercy alone.Even the oft-repeated assertion, “There but for the grace of God go I,” can be said ina self-righteousness attitude. If we think we are different, better than others, becausewe have attracted God’s favor, then we need to examine our own hearts. Godcondemns self-righteousness. He wants us to see that in essence, all human beings arethe same. If we are objects of His special grace, it is nothing righteous on our part, butHis grace alone.Our failures help us learn these lessons. We may not know exactly what Paul’s“thorn in the flesh” was, but, this we can be sure of, it originated with the devil. Paulwrites, “it was a messenger of Satan to buffet me --- to keep me from exalting myself”(2 Corinthians 12:7b). Yet that infirmity (whatever it was) was expressly allowed byGod to keep Paul from self-righteousness.God does not cause us to sin, but He uses our sins to remind us of our weakness.We are less tempted to judge others, and, certainly, more understanding of others whodo sin, when we be<strong>com</strong>e well acquainted with the wickedness of our own heart. Wethen learn how to view others with humility, considering ourselves, lest we also betempted. When we are caught by sin, God uses the experience to teach us about Hisrighteousness and His hatred for sin.God also wants us to appreciate the wonder of His grace: “Where sin increased,grace abounded all the more” (Romans 5:20). Because of pride, we find it hard to admitthat we need God’s grace so continually, so desperately. How we would all like to beable to say, “I’ve not <strong>com</strong>mitted that sin – [whatever we are struggling with] – in such-andsucha period of time.” But our continual problems with sin crowd us to the Cross ofChrist. Again and again, we are confronted with Calvary; we are forced to <strong>com</strong>e withnothing in our hands to receive God’s provision freely given by His grace.Peter summarizes it all for us by saying, “Clothe yourselves with humility towardone another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves,