Man who is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble.
-Job 14:1Therefore, we were born as slaves to sin. Technically, nothing in this world can free you from this bondage; not even your own heart.
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?
-Jeremiah 17:9If it weren't for God's intervention in our lives, we're still be slaves to sin. Yet since he sent his son to die on the cross for our sins, we are free from sin's bondage.
Slaves to Righteousness
What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.
For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
-Romans 6:15-23 ESVSo with that knowledge, I've been trying really hard to fight off my sin. Whenever I'm bored, I read my Bible. Whenever, I'm depressed, I pray and read my Bible. I do NOT want to be a slave to sin!
I've been struggling with a particular sin for a while. Even though I prayed for forgiveness and God forgave me, I never forgave myself. I'd beat up the thoughts in my head, thinking that I'm fighting sin. But I wasn't fighting it. In fact, I was letting it consume my energy and control my thoughts. It was so powerful that I grew helpless against it and I gave up. I never talked about it much because I was ashamed about it. I thought about fighting it on my own with the armor of God.
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.
-Ephesians 6:10-18Then last night, my family friend offered me two glasses of wine and three splashes of amazing scotch...
And all of a sudden, my armor just came off. Alcohol lowers inhibitions, which I believe is the armor of God; inhibitions stop you from sinning. As a result, I drunk-texted my friend about my sin and I didn't hold anything back. I let the full extent of my sin take over our conversation. She was so sweet and supportive, and she had no idea that I was affected by alcohol.
It's really easy to talk to yourself; thoughts just keep popping up and runs like wildfire. Yet it's really hard to listen to yourself; if you actually listened to yourself, you would be disgusted with most of the thoughts in your head.
This morning, I was hungover. I looked at my phone and read the texts that I sent to my friend. Even though she thought that it was just girl talk, I read these texts and was disgusted. I saw how ugly, wicked, and manipulative this sin was. If I thought that this sin was ugly, God thought it was horrendous.
The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart were only evil continually. And the Lord regretted that he made man on earth and it grieved him to his heart.
-Genesis 6:5-6The verse above was written right before the flood..
God was sad when he had to wipe off his creations from the face of the earth. Sin makes God sad. The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). God is not be just if he doesn't punish sinners.
And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.
-Matthew 5:30Pretend that you had a large butcher knife in your left hand. With one motion, you swing it onto your other wrist and chop off your right hand. Although blood is gushing, you're in pain, and you're weak, you use your non-dominant hand to throw the right hand far away from you.
That is what you have to do with your sin. Expose it, cut it off, and throw it away. So far I exposed it and cut it off, but it's still creeping around next to me. I keep chanting in my head, throw it away, throw it away, throw it away.
or...haha
No comments:
Post a Comment