How to overcome sin?       

 

 

Dear Five Doves,

We are in the end time, our beloved Lord Jesus will return, I invite you to reflect on the word of God, and prepare ourselves as the faithful church of Jesus Christ, with the aim of being saved from the hour of trial. On this occasion we will talk about how to overcome sin?

 

Probably many Christians ask this question, this because many believers who attend churches, and even have leadership positions, continue to live a Christian life in sin.

 

We will start by analyzing Romans 7, taking the opportunity to answer some questions posed.

 

When reading Romans 7, we have some expressions from the Apostle Paul:

 

Romans 7:15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.

17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

 

The apostle Paul does not say that he is sinning freely, nor does he say that we must accept sin in our lives.

 

The context of this chapter is that Paul speaks of the commandments of the Law, where he states:

 

Romans 7:12 Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good

 

God's commandments are good, and they expose our sin (Rom 7:7), they show our weakness and weaknesses, and as a consequence they force us to humble ourselves and humbly acknowledge that we need Jesus as our savior.

 

What does Paul want us to understand?

 

Paul recognizes that he cannot obey God only with his own strength, his own ability.

Paul acknowledges that in his carnal nature and his own strength he can only serve God in his mind, but that he will continue to sin. That's why he says:

 

Romans 7:21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.

22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:

23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

 

This same situation is the one that many Christians face today, they rejoice in the Church and in praise, but inside they continue to sin and are slaves to sin.

 

 

What is the solution that Paul teaches us?

 

In the next verse Paul teaches us the solution. (Remember that in our Bibles the chapter 7 was cut and chapter 8 begins, but in the original it is a continuous letter).

 

Paul goes on to say:

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

 

The expression There is therefore, is explicitly linking this verse with the previous text, and Paul teaches us that in order to overcome sin you need to walk according to the Spirit.

 

So your fight is to walk in the Spirit, in other words, you must fight to be strengthened by the Holy Spirit in order to overcome your weaknesses.

 

This is why Paul says that we who walk in the Spirit can obey God, and Paul declares that he walks in the Spirit:

 

Romans 8:4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit

 

Paul commands us in the same chapter, that we must walk in the Spirit:

Romans 8:5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

 

12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.

13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

 

We are saved by the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus, our beloved Lord Jesus paid the price for our salvation, however, the grace of Jesus Christ is no excuse to continue living in the flesh and continue sinning voluntarily.

 

Your obligation is to walk in the Spirit, so your effort must be to consecrate yourself and seek the things of the Spirit, to obey Jesus.

The beloved Holy Spirit will help you overcome sin to the same extent that you seek to have a daily relationship with God, in prayer, adoration, feeding on his word, knowing Jesus and striving to obey him, this is sanctification.

                   

Paul reiterates that he walks in the Spirit, not in the flesh:

 

Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.

 

Galatians 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

 

Galatians 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

 

If you walk in the Spirit, and not in the flesh, you will have the strength of God, and you will strive to obey and with the grace of Jesus you will overcome the slavery of sin, just as Paul was able to overcome. To accomplish this Paul insists that you must sanctify yourself:

Romans 6:22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

 

1 Thessalonians 4:3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication.

 

The problem of many current believers is that they have God in their lives as something important along with many other important things such as: their work, their professional goals, their studies, sports, television, material things, entertainment, etc., then these believers do not really love God and do not give God the first place in their lives, that is why our Lord Jesus said:

 

Matthew 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

 

Many believers who go to church don't know Jesus, they don't have a real relationship with him. Many believers are religious who attend a church, they do not want to carry the cross and pay the price, and this attitude of hypocrisy will prevent them from receiving the strength of the Spirit to overcome.

 

Religious believers, that is, hypocrites, have a hardened heart, because they love this world and its riches, and they only pretend that they love God. That is why Jesus said:

Matthew 15: 7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,

8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

 

The big problem for hypocritical Christians is that they will not be freed from the things that will come, God will not protect them and He will not answer them, because they did not prepare by obeying Him, they are foolish virgins, they know how to do good but they do not do it, they are rebellious because They do not obey Jesus:

Micah 3:4 Then shall they cry unto the Lord, but he will not hear them: he will even hide his face from them at that time, as they have behaved themselves ill in their doings.

 

God is love, he demonstrated it by giving his son Jesus, and God is also a just Judge, he will judge and make purifying judgment first to his Church, and then to the world. As Peter indicates:

1 Peter 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

 

Remember that the difference between the church of Laodicea and Philadelphia is the attitude, Philadelphia determined to love Jesus and obey his word.

 

God's expectation is that you give him your heart, your love, 100% of your life. This is why God says:

Jeremiah 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart

 

The expression will searh for me with all your heart, it is consistent with the first commandment of the law:

Matthew 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

 

That is why our beloved Jesus demands your life completely for him:

Luke 9:24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

 

You must be willing to love Jesus with all your being and lose your life for Jesus. You must give God, through Jesus Christ, the first place in your life, seeking and loving him, God loves you and wants a true relationship with you, you must remove hypocrisy from your life.

 

If you walk in the Spirit it does not mean that you cannot fail, if you sin you must repent and ask God for forgiveness, in the name of Jesus, and you will receive his forgiveness, but his grace is not a license to sin:

 

1 John 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

 

If you walk in the Spirit you will not be a slave to sin, you will not practice sin (1 John 3:9). You may fail at times, but if you walk in the Spirit you will fight and overcome your recurring sins.

 

You decide if you want to humble yourself, and make a change in your life in order to search and know Jesus, and thus walk in the Spirit; Otherwise, you will be a hypocrite who pretends to be a Christian, and for being a lukewarm believer, you will be spue out by Jesus (Rev 3:16) and you will not be saved from the afflictions that will come to this world.

 

Jesus said:

Revelation 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

 

Remember that we are in the end time, you manage your life, your time, your priorities. Make good decisions!

 

Blessings in Christ Jesus,

 

Final Restoration