You’ve gotta HATE sin, YOUR sin !!!!!! 040512
It seems today that we have a much different view of sin
than that of the Apostles. For us sin is
something “they” do and we have to battle against their doing it.
Now granted, Abortion, Sexual Preference, and criminal
activity are sins we need to stand apart from but I’m afraid that we been
distracted from the most important area of sin – OURS
It is soooooo easy to look at our world and see sinful
things and to work up a real head of steam about them. BUT if this outwardness distracts us from our
own sinfulness, the real battle, we are failing in a very serious way.
The writers of the epistles have a lot to say about the
sinfulness of the world and about our being apart from it. But where, pray tell me, are we directed to
attack it? Certainly we must deal with
it inside the Body of Christ but outside????
Not so much!
The “world” is synonymous with “sin.” We have to accept that. We don’t and shouldn’t like it. We shouldn’t support it. We shouldn’t ignore it. But our response to sin/world has got to be
first and foremost the Gospel. Only here
and not in protests, petitions, etc. is the true power of God for righteousness
found.
When, dear friend was the last time you enumerated all your
sins for which God’s grace has provided redemption and forgiveness? Not your “before Jesus” sins – those were
normal. Rather I speak of those sins
that still hound you.
Paul says to us:
Romans 7:15 For I do not understand my
own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16
Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. 17 So
now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18 For I know
that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to
do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19 For I do not do the
good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do
what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within
me.
Hellooooo? Did you
read that slowly? Note: “sin that dwells
within me.” Now, are we better, more committed, more faithful, more “spiritual”
than Paul? I think not. And yet he makes it very clear that sin – sin
in him – is still active and strongly so.
He goes on:
5 For those who live according to the
flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according
to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit 6 For to set the mind
on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace 7
For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit
to God's law; indeed, it cannot.] 8 Those that are in the flesh cannot please
God.
9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in
the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not
have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. 10 But if Christ is in you,
although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of
righteousness. 11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in
you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your
mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.
And
13 For if you live according to the
flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the
body, you will live.
Why do we refuse to focus on that struggle that is so
central to our being faithful? We have
the Flesh and the Spirit which contend within us for our submission, our
obedience. Why, oh why do we focus on
sin “out there,” when there is plenty “in me?”
How can we expect to be light in the world when we neglect the light
within?
John Owen said that if we are not about the business of
killing sin (in us) then sin will be killing us. He was not speaking in terms of salvation but
rather in terms of faithful effect. If
we, individually and collectively are not killing sin in our lives our witness
is dead.
Jesus calls us on this.
We see the speck and ignore the log.
But He Himself commands us to be about the business of removing our log –
never are we told to remove their specks.
I challenge you to find the scripture that mandates the
hateful bullying we see so called believers taking part in. I challenge you to find the scripture that
mandates political action, civil disobedience, picketing and protests. “Jesus loves you,” and “Baby Killer,” are not
statements that should ever considered mutually edifying or glorifying to God.
Who are we to vilify anyONE?
Yes, we may state that this and that is a sin, wrong, whatever,
according to our faith. But where did we
ever get the idea that we had the right to expect or demand Christian behavior from
non-Christians?
Do you really think that we have any role in redeeming the
world? What pride!! We are merely messengers of hope – of grace –
of redemption. We are not like the OT
prophets who called out to God’s chosen nation to repent – that was then – this
is us. We are prophets of the Gospel –
the promise.
Certainly we need to communicate Holy God vs. Sinful Men –
God’s Judgment / God’s Grace. But, we
are never never never called to enact either His judgment or His wrath. And yet we do – Oh we don’t take the sinner out and stone them – but I
know some believers who’d like to.
It seems that we want two things in an enemy. We want an enemy with skin and we want an
enemy who is “them.” We want to be their
enemy.
Well folks – I have an enemy with skin – “me.”
I wonder if what appears to be the weakness of the Gospel
today isn’t in direct proportion to the failure of the Body of Christ to
provide the world with a clear picture of what holiness and righteousness look
like. The “church” is known for
benevolence, charity, etc. – but curiously she isn’t known for holiness and righteousness. Oh, she is known for vilifying and condemning
others – but not for holiness and righteousness.
As I close I just want to point out one thing. When Paul writes:
(Rom 8:18) For I consider that the
sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is
to be revealed to us.
He’s not right in the middle of a treatise on persecution. He is right in the middle of calling us to
battle – to battle with the flesh – with the sin dwelling in us.
Later – this is really on my heart and mind –
Copyright, Michael Sanders, 2012
All rights reserved
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