Principles on battling sin

1. Not aimed at the external improvement of a personal; if this is done there can yet remain abominable sin

2.) Crucify the Flesh - You must starve the sin at it's roots as Crucifixion suffocates your breath

3.) Consider the enemy general's tactics (this is the one that I liked the best, and take it a different direction that Mr. Matthess did.)

Sin is an enemy, and Satan wants your head on a platter with your soul as seasoning on top. How often do you and I forget this? Every time we purposefully sin and grow lax in our walk with God, is my reply.

If you attacked your enemy tonight what strategy would you use? It is a no-brainer that surprise is useful, that you would exploit the known weaknesses of your opponent. You attack where he does not expect it (mis application of your time; where your guard is down, etc). This could happen in a number of ways. We need the Spirit's discernment to enlighten us in our defenses against Satan's wiles.

4.) Persevere in the Battle

Sometimes God allows us to be effected by the consequences of our sin to keep us humble

5.) fight sin from Scripture, define according to the Word of God

Hating Sin and Loving God are not the same thing. You could be a great giant for political activism for the eradication of abortion or sex trafficking but that does not equate to loving God.

6.) look for Scripture that helps you deal with Struggles

a tightened noose

Romans 8:11-14.
Do you live the Christian life? That God's ways are your ways? IN the words of the Psalmist, "your testimony I will declare." Do you and I live by and in the Spirit? The vigor of our spiritual vitality depends on our mortification of the deeds of the flesh. (Owen) Mortification is this: keeping your sin nature under the tightened noose.

Evangelicals today sacrifice the gospel with new and innovative techniques to mortify the flesh. I am thinking of one such approach as advocated in "Every Man's Battle." The method that the authors propose is that if you would "bounce your eyes" or look away from a woman or man then you defeat sin. Other Christians have proposed asceticism, trusting in yourself, and legalism (trusting in yourself and not Christ.)

When we pick up the sword and shield we must be sure not to use them in a wrong way. It is important to rely on Christ in the way that He said. God has not appointed other means to combat the flesh. (again indulgences and asceticism.)

Mortification is not:
--Conviction without a Solution - the Gospel is sufficient for the Believer's battle vs. sin. Christ freed, Christ defeated, Christ abides within us. It is all about Christ.
--Conviction without Action - Mortification of the sin brings conviction and repentance.
-- Conviction but selective in mortifying. As Augustine prayed, "Make me pure but not yet." True Mortification is total.
-- measured by temperment
-- diverted (think of Simon trying to buy the Holy Spirit)

Principles of Mortification:
-- Continually at way with sin
-- Entirely the work of the Holy Spirit
-- Habitual weakening of sin

do you want to be filled with Grace? Do you want to feast upon the given means? Prayer, Preaching, Singing, the sacraments? Do you realize that the Fruit of the Spirit are killers of Sin? love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self control?

As Christ proclaimed, "Come all who are tired and heavy laden, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

A Single Mindedness

Owen once remarked that it is the duty of every believer to kill their sin. Piper also adds that it is the duty of Christians to delight fully in God and this can only be done by killing sin. It is easy to slip into a daily routine where I go with the flow. I am passive and not active, not challenging what lies ahead. Consequently that can and does lead to sin. It is so easy to forget that Christians, little-Christs, are called to have a single mindedness - Where minds are focused on Christ. Everything we say or do is to complement our God's Glory saturated lifestyle. Is it not easy to forget this? You know it is true.

The Holy Spirit convicted me, as if I was hit by a Spiritual 2x4. You and I forget what it means to bear the name of Jesus. It is easy to wallow in our sins, to cry out to God yet later turning to our sins. Which only hardens our hearts more. But bearing the marks of Christ within us there is hope. God gives us power to say no to sin, this power is life. We are renewed from our old selves. And now the tables are turned. Old Robbie is dead and Christ lives. Do not despair if you wallow in your sin. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is for the weary and heavy laden - it is for all men who want to cast off their struggle with sin.

If you do currently struggle with sin, look to Christ. Forget the methodology that Contemporary Evangelicalism offers you. Take one moment at a time and allow yourself to focus on the Cross, praying that your hardened heart, God will peel away like layers of an onion. Focus on Christ's Glory. (This is the only way to overcome temptation.)

Is your spiritual health declining?

"cough cough."
"Sir, You have the common cold."
It is not so easy to diagnose our spiritual life. Instead it is almost impossible. Actually it is impossible without the guidance and discernment from the Holy Spirit.

Here are seven symptoms of a declining spiritual livelihood.
1.) Spiritual Declension - Declining Spirituality and the interest thereof (God). Octavius Winslow points out that "The path of spiritual declension is a 'sloped plane', each step accelerating the rapidity of the soul's descent. It commences at the closet. The restraining of prayer; especially private devotion; is the first stage in the decay and declension of the believer in the divine life. Soon will follow the fascination and power of the world; and when the world enters like a flood, Christ and prayer and eternal realities are swept before its impetuous torrent, then the gracious soul is stranded upon the bleak, rock bound coast of bitter remorse and dark despair."

2.) Formalized religion - legalism, which is more concerned with our outward actions instead of our heart. This is expressed in the corporate sense through preaching and Pharisaical pastoral care. Also there is no desire to see God's word applied

3.) Distracted Desires - a misplaced desire in anything other than Christ. (this list is endless, including, ideals, politics, sports, romance, etc.) As a godly man once said, "Our minds are Idol Factories."

4.) Habitual sin - Cherished sins that are a habit for your life. A true spiritual life will say that, "I am dead" Look at the great church father, St. Augustine. "Father, give me purity but not yet." Later, one of his promiscuous girlfriends walked down the street and said, "I miss you Augustine." To this Augustine replied, "Augustine is dead."

5.) Ignorance of knowledge of the Truth - pride, no humility except a false coat. (1 Cor. 8:1)

6.) Self reliance - instead of the Cross (you can see easily how this would lead to death)

7.) Spiritual Apathy or Death- the result of our sin. When God does not make sense to you (Matthew 11:20-24.)

These cautions warn you and I to hold on to our first love - DO NOT LET GO! There is no greater trial, test or question set before you and I.

Mortification of Sin: Conviction- God's great mercy

If you really knew me, you would not like me. If I wrote my thoughts and actions in a book, full of sins would it be. Is there any hope for a person like me? Read on....

Q:(Isaiah 6:1-5; Job 42: 5-6) What do we learn about ourselves from these verses?
A: The prophet Isaiah accounts for us the glorious vision of the one true king- Yahweh. Upon this glance Isaiah fell undone; as he fell he cried out, "Woe is Me!" God's holiness caused Isaiah to fall upon his face and worship. This informs us readers that we cannot see God without recognizing our unworthy state. Also we do not recognize who and what we truly are until we encounter God. Job's reaction is one of repentance when he faces the true Creator.

Q: Same Verses: What do we see of the manner of the Love of the Father from These verses?
A: Negatively show His love, because any revelation is mercy. God revealing our sins to us is a great mercy. The love that the Old Testament refers to is God's Covenant and Faithful Love (hesed). We do not deserve conviction, we deserve judgment, for God to do otherwise is nothing short of relentless grace because we do not listen the first time. He comes after us with great loving kindness.

Q: (Habakkuk 3:16; Judges 13:20; Revelation 1:17) What was the effect upon those who witnessed these events?
A: "Rottenness entered my bones and fell on their faces, fell as if I were dead"
Not only was there a sense of Spiritual unworth but also a physical reaction. God does reveal Himself through senses. Have you ever had this encounter? When you realize how big the universe might be, that the universe does not revolve around you (me)? Or upon meditation of a sin, did you (I) collapse on the thought that you (I) offended God? With that petty lie, lust, covet? If so- God is being merciful to you. He loves you.

Think of Conviction in this way. And look to Christ for there is your salvation from your sins.

Practical Application
Q: When you think of God's love to you: what Scripture comes to mind?
Q: We Are called Sons of God what does this mean?
(Hint: Adoption - look at Duguid's article in Tabletalk, have you ever considered yourself to be a true orphan? In the eyes of Scripture you and I once were.)
Q: 1 John 3:3 - Any ideas on what this verse means?
A: Martin Lloyd-Jones once said, "Holiness is not something we might become, instead it has something to do because what we are." We are purified by the hope that we have in Christ, the starting point is God.
A: Mortification is an outworking of Justification (it is sanctification)
Q: What is the motivation given in Scripture for living a pure life?
Q: What are some of the ways in which we mortify indwelling sin?
A: Knowledge of God by faith is what we need to kill sin.
Hebrews 6:11-12; Assurance of Hope... faith and patience
Hebrews 12; with this patience we are to look to Christ who endured the cross (He is the author and perfecter of our faith)

Note that You begin with Christ and His work on the Cross. That is our motivation, that is our salvation and that is our sanctification. The ends, the means and the author is Jesus Christ.

Back to Bible Study: Temptation

Life is a blessing, a great gift from God, it is by His grace that we breathe. And yet there is this thing called temptation... what is temptation? Mr. Matthess opened this question up to us students, one of whom defined it as, "faced with a choice with the possibility of sin." Good choice of words here, note that temptation is not sin, for proof of this all one needs to do is realize that Jesus Christ faced temptation and was without sin.

God does not tempt us... instead it is part of our own lust, of our fallen natures, or the presence of sin within you.

The Apostle James tells us in James 1:12-15 of the steps of temptation:
- drawn
- enticement
- desire
- conception
- accomplishment

For a practical example, Genesis 3 records for us the fall of Adam and Eve.
The Serpent's deception in the garden of Eden is a pattern used by the flesh in our lives. (1) How did the Serpent persuade Eve to eat? Satan warped God's command through lies and deception
(2) What did he hide or disguise? the consequence of the action (3) How did he make sin attractive? You will be like God he said, which is idolatry, and you will know Good and Evil he said.

Simple lies that had drastic consequences. Why did Adam and Eve fail? Ultimately they listened to their own desires instead of looking to God. Remember the place of the mind in resisting temptation - temptation first addresses the mind. The mind makes the choice and is the watchman of the soul.

Personal Application:
1.) How is it that you yield to something that you know is sinful?
2.) What is the most bizarre excuse you have ever given to justify something you did wrong? Did it work? (Do you really need sin? Do you really think that pleasure will help you and satisfy you?)
3.) What are some of the physical results seen in people's lives as a result of sin?
4.) What are some of the ways we can guard against yielding to temptation? (Think of Joseph and Christ in the desert)
5.) what is it about the relationship between the imaginations and the affections that makes the imagination so important to guard?

John Owen is my homeboy

"Temptation is like a knife that may either cut the meat or the throat of a man; it may be his food or his poison, his existence or his destruction." Owen

Jesus Christ faced temptation and did not sin. That is an amazing truth. Many time we are tempted and we give in solely for the reason that we want to. We want to sin. But Owen, who is a surgeon of the soul, points out that we do not have to give into Sin when we are tempted. I John 4 tells us to that the person who abides in us is stronger than our sinful nature and the Devil. This soundbite from Owen challenges me to pursue righteousness, to hunger, to thirst; that i may be filled. As Jesus faced temptation he learned obedience, not that he was ever disobedient - he learned through experience, what it would be like to look temptation in the eye and cry out no with drops of sweaty blood on his forehead. As Christ did that, I can as well- for Christ abides in me and He is more powerful than this world.

if you see a temptation, see an obstacle and cast it aside looking to the author and perfector of your faith.

Book Review: The Enemy Within

Romans 7:19-21 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand.

What is the nature of Sin? Sin is likened to a rhinoceros in a restaurant. As G.K. Chesterson says, "If a rhinoceros were to enter this restaurant now, there is no denying he would have great power here. But I should be the first to rise and assure him that he had no authority whatever." It is the same as in the body of the believer, God has promised us with His son Jesus Christ that we are free from sin, in fact we are ded to sin! The power f sin leads to death, and the aim of the gospel of grace is to glorify God and free us from the reign of the beast within us. The nature of sin has great contempt for God. And as God's chosen children we are called to exterminate the presence of sin remaining in us. Kris Lungaard writes in his book "The Enemy Within," killing sin is like a student in biology class when the teacher calls the students to dissect a live wolverine. When you go to kill it, there is thrashing and gnawing of teeth. Sin does not want to be killed and yet when you do so it hurts and the battle to do so is long. There are two chief ways to kill the sin within you.

1.) pray to God with God; focus on God for who He is in all His majesty.
2.) read the Word with the Word; the word is the Lord Jesus Christ, and as we read the revealed word we read it with the assistance of the Salvation of our souls.

Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good news; lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah, "Behold your God!" Behold, the Lord GOD comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and marked off the heavens with a span, enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure and weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance? Who has measured the Spirit of the LORD, or what man shows him his counsel? Whom did he consult, and who made him understand? Who taught him the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed him the way of understanding?

Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, and are accounted as the dust on the scales; behold, he takes up the coastlands like fine dust.