Just to recap ‘Sin (Part 2)’…

Sin is anything that goes against God’s written Word and God’s spoken Word.  If we are a truly, born again, Spirit filled believers we have a new Master – Jesus.  Sin is no longer our master.  The power of sin is broken in our lives and we are called to a life of obedience in Jesus.  Jesus has given us His Holy Spirit to enable us to live this life of power and victory over sin.

Sin (Part 3) – Displaying God’s Power and Glory!

Now I am thinking to myself, how could I have such a title?  I mean, am I suggesting that we should sin more so that God’s grace can be displayed more?  No! – this is a nonsense (Paul deals with this type of thinking in Romans 6).  What I am suggesting is, whether we like it or not, our lives are on display to God and to others.  Each one of us is a light on a hill [Matt 5:14-15].  Now if we are truly born of the Holy Spirit and Jesus is our Master then we will have the power and the victory to display God’s glory through our lives by the choices that we make.

To sin or not to sin? – this is the question

In Genesis chapter 4 for have the story of Cain and Abel.  If you remember, Abel’s offering was acceptable to the Lord but Cain’s offering was not.  Instead of Cain examining himself he became angry and bitter towards Abel (and killed him).  This is what the Lord said to Cain as he sat in his temptation…

Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.” [Gen 4:6-7]

Let me make this clear,

Sin is crouching at OUR door but we must master it

Listen to what James says about sin…

When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. [James 1:13-15]

Are we tempted by God?  No way!  Are we tempted by Satan?  Ah – what an interesting point!  Yes, we can be tempted by Satan but Satan is a single being and is not omnipresent so normally we would be tempted by the Satanic influences of this world.  But consider the verses above in James “but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed”. These influences tap into our own evil desires.  We cannot say if we sin that “the Devil made me do it” or, if we remember the story of Adam and Eve’s sin, blame shift.

“The woman you put here with me — she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”  13 Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?”  The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” [Gen 3:12-13]

Each of us are responsible for the attitudes of our hearts and the ‘birth of sin’ in our lives

Just before Adam and Eve made their excuses to God I want to bring up something interesting in the story.  Let’s read Genesis 3:6-7…

6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.

Sin appeals to our senses and our self centred sinful nature

For Eve the fruit looked good for food and was pleasing to the eye and also desirable for gaining wisdom.  Eve was also justifying her actions.

Looks good, feels good, tastes good

Many people try to justify their sin by their senses.  Take adultery for example, looks good, feels good, tastes good.  Take homosexuality, looks good, feels good, tastes good.  Take drugs and alcohol, looks good, feel good, tastes good.  Take the sin of revenge, looks good, feels good, tastes good.  Take the sin of gossipping, looks good, feels good, tastes good.  And on and on.

There is a certain amount of evil, sensual pleasure otherwise the battle against sin would be a no brainer.  Sin appears enjoyable and the sinner justifies the sin.

Let me state something…

God is not going to change the taste of sin!

Rom 7:5-6 says:

5 For when we were controlled by the sinful nature,  the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in our bodies, so that we bore fruit for death. 6 But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.

If you are waiting for God to change the taste of sin you will be waiting a hell of a long time.  But, if on the other hand, you submit your heart and life to Him, throwing yourself at the mercy of God in repentance, there is hope for you.

Say to yourself…

Today, am I going to display God’s power and glory in my life?

or am I going to

‘Glorify’ the power of sin and the fruit of death in my life today

THIS CHOICE IS UP TO US!

If you are a born again believer,

You have the power to choose the fruit of death or the fruit of life!

Now if you don’t believe you have the power to choose you have believed a lie of the enemy and you make a mockery of Jesus’ death and resurrection.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, I believe your Word.  I submit my life to your power and authority achieved for me through the cross.  I no longer want to sow into the fruit of death and sin in my life.  Forgive me Lord that I have allowed the power of the enemy into my life.  I renounce my evil ways and I am truly sorry for my sin.  Come live in me Lord and transform me from the inside out.  I want to display your power and your glory in my life.  Holy Spirit, I receive you.  Come live in me and give me a new heart.  Lord I want to live for your glory and your Kingdom, transform me, I never want to serve sin and death again, in Jesus name, Amen