Glory be to God!
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💥 Join me today on the podcast (link below) as I exhort: How Do We Resist Sin in this PRESENT EVIL AGE? As children of the Most High God, we are eternally blessed to have His Word on the matter: "6 But He gives us more and more grace [through the power of the Holy Spirit to defy sin and live an obedient life that reflects both our faith and our gratitude for our salvation]. Therefore, it says, “God is opposed to the proud and haughty, but [continually] gives [the gift of] grace to the humble [who turn away from self-righteousness].” 7 So submit to [the authority of] God. Resist the devil [stand firm against him] and he will flee from you. 8 Come close to God [with a contrite heart] and He will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; and purify your [unfaithful] hearts, you double-minded [people]. 9 Be miserable and grieve and weep [over your sin]. Let your [foolish] laughter be turned to mourning and your [reckless] joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves [with an attitude of repentance and insignificance] in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you [He will lift you up, He will give you purpose]" (James 4).
This is exactly how we live in this present evil age, pressing evermore into our Savior, Jesus Christ, who willingly went to the cross on our behalf, dying for our sins and rose the 3rd day! With contrite hearts, we live humble repentant changed lives that represent our appreciation and gratitude for our salvation! Verse 6 in the above text, is the epitome of the born-again, Spirit-filled life of every follower of the Lord Jesus Christ!
There are two times in the Gospels when Jesus tells people to “go and sin no more.” One is after He healed the man by the Pool of Bethesda (John 5:14) and the other is after He rescued the woman caught in adultery from getting stoned to death (John 8:11). The Bible describes sin as something that must be fought, fled from, and confessed and repented of. As the Spirit works in our lives, we experience grace and become convicted of sin. Jesus calls us to “repent and believe in the gospel” in order that we may turn away from our sin and turn to God for forgiveness (Mark 2:15). As David writes in Psalm 51:3, “I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.” Sin is not something we can hide from God, but should be confessed regularly to other believers and to our Heavenly Father (James 5:16). As we turn from sin and put our faith in the gospel, the joy of our salvation is restored (Psalm 51:12)!
We fight sin through the power of God’s Word. Both applying the Scriptures to our lives daily and clinging to them as we take every thought captive (2 Corinthians 10:5, Ephesians 6:10-20). We discipline ourselves to study the Bible with diligence and fight against temptation as Jesus did in the desert (Matthew 4:1-11). Not in order to puff ourselves up with more biblical facts but for a greater experience of grace and truth, and to grow in the knowledge and love of God (John 1:1-14)!
Sin is with us as a constant in the world, but God’s voice is within us. And because He is love, this daily quest to turn and repent of sin is a lifelong renewing. It’s an ongoing relationship, offered by the One who reconciles with our heavenly Father. The Word of God tells us, "No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it (1 Corinthians 10:13).
Amen! 🎯 REPENT and BELIEVE and TURN back to God!
