I've been reading a lot in the old Puritans about dealing with sin. Last night we rather sleepless because I couldn't get it out of my mind. No, I wasn't obsessing but I was struggling with the issue.
We are to hate sin and to mortify (kill) is - battle it throughout our lives here. It is a battle that will not end until we are with Him were He is. So we need to be about that works so we can honor and glorify Him - right? It's all part of conforming us to His likeness - Rom. 12.
But I was struck with a concern over focusing on sin as opposed to focusing on Him. Would it not be true that if I learn to love Him and work on loving Him more I will indeed still mortify sin? Do I have to operate from a position of animosity and hatred toward sin or may I not operate from a desire to love Him.
OK - maybe it's not and either/or but as I consider hating sin I find that I am more prone to operate in my own strength - trying to please Him by "not" sinning - more of a "work" orientation. When I consider loving Him more in thought and deed I have a greater comfort and enthusiasm - a greater strength other than my own.
No, I don't for a moment suggest we ignore sin but rather that we replace it with that which is done, thought, considered, etc. for the purpose of living out a love for Him.
I guess I'm trying to get my head and heart around the difference between addressing sin our of hate for sin and addressing sin out of love for Him. We are told that we should draw near to Him and flee temptation/sin. It's a no brainer that we should flee from temptation and sin in His direction.
We must battle sin but we must battle it in and with His provision. to do this well we need to get obnoxiously close to Him. Loving Him has to remove tolerating sin - right? Drawing closer to Him in our knowledge, understanding and practice would have to decrease our weakness and vulnerability - right?
I would suggest that we (I) begin by making use of three disciplines of the faith. the first is prayer. to be constant (consistent) in prayer is critical for our well being and our intimacy with Him. In prayer we are actually conversing with Him, relating to Him and acknowledging His sovereignty. That's something we can't really do too much.
The second discipline is to be in His Word. In the Word he exposes - reveals all we need to know about Him and His plan for us. The Word is the source of both our understanding and appreciation of His sovereignty and love - not to mention all His other attributes. We need to be careful however that we read with intention and purpose. that being that we grow in our knowledge and understanding which will have a powerful effect on our trust in and faithfulness to Him.
The third disciple is giving. OK - we need to give $ to support His work that demands $ but not all His work demands $. So, give the $s you can. But giving is sooooo much broader. Giving for us is always about using His provision to us for His purposes. he provides for us so our needs can be met - but He also gives to us so we might be meeting the needs of others as well. This is bigger than $s. This is time, patience, compassion, admonition, correction, comfort, encouragement, etc.
Money is "coined life." it represents a period of our time and effort for which we are compensated. So - giving of our time and effort is just as acceptable as giving our money. Money is just time and effort in coin or paper. We need to be giving what $ we can but even more so (to me) we need to be giving of our lives (time and effort) to Him. Not an either/or but a both/and.
Why these three? Well they are fundamentals - basics - a good starting point upon which all other duties depend. They are the fundamental acknowledgment of the grace and mercy He has for us. Each of them in their own way shapes and molds our minds and affections (feelings) toward Him.
As we grow in our regularity in these disciplines we will find two things. First I believe we will find a greater discontent in sin and a greater sensitivity to temptations. What we "do" will become more precious than serving our own desires. Secondly, we will find a new sense of His use of us - a greater sense of our ministry - a greater confidence in doing what He puts in our hands to do.
Yes, we are to hate sin - but not to the detriment of loving God. I believe that the more we love Him intentionally and actively the more the light of His countenance will obscure the deceitful appeal of temptation. I believe that loving Him more and more - actively - will naturally result in a a "hating" of sin in the Spirit instead of the flesh.
Think about it -
Michael "sheepdog" Sanders
ms@tc2v1.com
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