Appendix D
The Delineation of Sins
Man has an inherent sinful nature. Sin is missing the mark
- the ideal set by God for his creation. We all acknowledge this when
we wish to be excused by others when we say, "Nobody's perfect, thats
why there are erasers on pencils." Yet our imperfection is the most difficult
thing to cope with and admit to ourselves and to others. We like to think
that we are okay, and that God will gloss over our imperfections. But
God cannot compromise his essence in saving us, blessing us, and taking
us to heaven without the satisfaction of the just demands of his infinitely
violated holiness and righteousness being met - two important elements
of his character. Thus we have his impeccable Son, who vicariously satisfied
the just demands and requirements of God’s essence for us, thereby permitting
the godhead to save us, bless us, and take us to heaven, while remaining
in tact and uncompromised as a holy and just God. True, God loves us,
but that is merely the motivating factor for him to save and care for
us. Love alone is not enough to do the job of saving mankind. In the garden
of Eden our point of contact with God was divine personal love. But now,
because of sin, our point of contact with God is satisfied justice. Once
it is satisfied by our faithing and trusting into Christ who paid for our
sins, he can deal with us and yet remain intact as uncompromised, and thus
we can become saved if we choose to be. God in all fairness could not save
us by force, or choose us by an arbitrary whim of sovereignty, or based
upon our good deeds which vary with each individual, or based upon emotion
which subjectively vascillates, and still be unbiased and fair. His divine
fairness would not allow him to be unfair. Though many are called, all who
have been chosen come to God on his terms - through the merits of Jesus
Christ alone. His righteousness alone is acceptable to God, and therefore
we must appropriate his righteousness as the free gift of God provided
for covering our sins by adjusting to God's justice by faithing into
Jesus Christ. God does all the work, and God gets all the glory. We just
choose to adjust, receive, and then benefit.
God did not initially create man with the defect of sin.
It remained potential. Sin came about when God put to the test the
first man and woman in the Garden of Eden. It was a test case for fidelity,
and they failed miserably. It was necessary to test them because Satan
and one third of the angels of God exercised their free will in rebellion
against God already. That is the risk God takes when he is willing to
create individuals with free volition. You would not enjoy being in the
presence of one very long, who was programmed to do and say everything
you wished ad-nauseam! God does not want "robots" programmed to do his
will. He wants those who desire to have a relationship with him of their
own free volition - who will seek to do his revealed will in appreciation
for what he has done for them. The effects of the disobedience of the first
people created are inherited, and propagated in the progeny of all. Therefore
we all, without exception, have a rebellious sinful nature. Example:
Does one have to teach a child how to be bad, manipulative, and disobedient?
Definitely not! A child misbehaves because it is within the parameters
of his inherited inherent sinful human nature. As a result of our forebearer's
disobedience, the whole creation groans and travails in suffering together
to this day, waiting for its deliverance and the revelation of the offspring
of God [Romans 8].
God has made a provision for dealing with this inherent
material defect. It is called a spiritual catharsis. When one places his
trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, believing that he paid for our sins, and
that God raised him from the dead, he is spiritually cleansed, and a
spiritual operation is performed which has lasting results. The sinful
nature is dethroned and all of our sins are put under the blood of Christ;
for all of our sins were future when he was on the cross. God becomes the
believer's Father as he becomes born anew by God's Spirit, all his past
sins are eradicated, and his future sins then become a family matter and
are dealt with accordingly. The sinful nature of a lost man is as a monarch
on the throne of his heart, calling all the shots in his life. But when
the Holy Spirit of God comes in as a result of his faith in Christ, this
monarch is dethroned, and is no longer in absolute control, though it is
still lurking around on the premises, waiting for the chance to "act out"
with the man's permission. The Holy Spirit has taken residence in the
believer and now his life is under new management. You can read about
this process in Romans chapters 6, 7 and 8.
Imagine the concept of the Living God taking residence in
you by his Holy Spirit - awesome! It is Christ in you, the confident
expectation of glory! Therefore we should strive to live like God is
in us, because he is. We would not want to misrepresent the power of
God to the rest of the world; but we still have our own free will to
deal with. With the indwelling Holy Spirit of God in us, our life is
under new mangement. We now have the ability to, and must, choose daily,
even moment by moment, who will now call the shots in our life.
It now has become a matter of volition. Volition is the
moderator that allows or disallows the sinful nature to take over the
reigns in one’s life. God is a gentleman. Though he is the ultimate
determining Power with regard to the eternal destiny of each individual,
he will not force himself on anyone who choses not to do His will in
this life; yet there are consequences to one’s disobedience, which
becomes maladjustment to God's satisfied justice, thus breaking fellowship
with Him. We do not lose our salvation in sinning, as some erroneously
teach, but our fellowship is interrupted until such a time as amends are
initiated by the believer through the exercise of 1st John 1:9 - God’s
prescribed method of stall recovery. Stubborn failure to comply, with divine
discipline for the believer, which is designed to bring him back, can result
in disastrous consequences. Consequently it can be the sinning unto death.
We often hear of the wrath of God and in our minds picture a peeved diety
in the heavens, waiting to pounce on our every infraction; but if that
were the case, God would never stop being angered at all the sin in this
world which occurs moment by moment in the lives of all of his people. God
is perpetually happy. Sin has built in consequences, and when we experience
its consequences, we are experiencing the wrath of God. This is not to
be confused with his final and conclusive expression of wrath upon the
lost world on judgment day. Even though a dethroning of the sinful nature
of the believer has been performed, it has not been eliminated completely
- it is still lurking around on the premises like a mole waiting for an
opportunity to manifest itself with your permission.
Now it is your volition which is the deciding factor which
will allow or disallow the sinful nature to take over and ruin your
life. You now have the ability to freely decide. You choose! Will you
be controlled by the sinful nature, or by the Holy Spirit? It is a moment
by moment decision, and a life-long struggle that will not end until
your body is in the ground and your soul is in heaven with God. That is
why the apostle Paul said, "In my flesh dwells a no-good thing." When
he wanted to do good, evil was also present. The reason why so many Christians
are a shame and reproach to the body of Christ, and such a hindrance
and poor testimony of the grace of God to the rest of the world, is that
they have not learned how to deal with their sinful nature and to rely
upon the power of God to overcome its solicitations which are always
constant. The older you get, the stronger the solicitations become;
yet by relying on the power of God's indwelling Holy Spirit, you can
be continuously victorious over it. If we can learn to know ourselves
through introspection, and the enemy within that we struggle with, we
will have an easier time in asserting our volition, and enjoy more
time in fellowship with God, and less time out of fellowship and in
the wood shed for divine discipline.
Now there are three categories of sins, though they can
be divided into two types: overt sins and covert sins. They are all
manifestations of the old sin nature. Mental attitude sins are of the
covert type; outright acts of sin and sins of the tongue are of the
overt type. It really is a matter of the hidden vs. the obvious, but
they are all sin, and are all equally able to interrupt one’s fellowship
adjustment to the justice of God.
Category one, mental attitude sins - under cover, or covert
sins: These are the most insidious ones, for they cannot be seen until
acted out, and are rarely dealt with as a result. The solicitation
of the old sin nature to a mental attitude sin can barely be detected
by others apart from the manifestation of the overt acts of sin which
may come about as a result of such mental deliberation. All sin has its
beginning in the mind, and therefore the battle against sin is won or
lost in the mind. Jesus taught that that which enters into a man does
not defile the man, but what defiles him comes out of him - from his heart.
He then lists some mental attitude sins which come out of a man’s heart
(the mind). Therefore sin begins in the mind, fueled by the old sin nature,
which is a mole - an inside agent Satan can use to trip you up. We are
sinful by nature because we have this mole as an inside agent of Satan
residing within each of us which he uses to thwart us in our walk as Christians.
There are no exceptions. We all are sinners in need of the grace and the
power of God for victory over the world (the external systematic evil order),
the flesh (the carnal nature or sin nature), and the devil (the adversary
or his minions). Although the old sin nature has been dethroned, and no
longer has dominion, it can still negatively affect us if we give it permission.
Some mental attitude sins which engender and foster overt
acts of sin are: unbelief, self righteousness, pride, arrogance, approbation
lust, anger, hatred, bitterness, vindictiveness, malignity, revenge,
resentment, self-pity, worry, fear, cowardice, anxiety, hypocrisy,
deceit, guile, greed, coveteousness, indifference, negligence, envy, jealousy,
implacability, guilt reaction, vain glory, paranoic evil suspicions,
a critically judgmental spirit, imputing bad motives to peoples actions,
power lust, selfishness, debauchery, presumptuousness, unforgiveness,
stubbornness, faithlessness, carnal lust, willfulness, condemnation,
evil deliberations and creatively inventing evil things. These are some
of the many motivating factors which are the root from which spring
overt acts of sin. It all begins in your mind. Today, for the most part,
Christians have become heavy mental attitude sinners, constantly maladjusted
to the justice of God. Their spiritual walk is like going around in a
circle with one shoe nailed to the floor. Suffering for divine discipline
has become the order of the day as God takes each one out to the woodshed
for a spiritual whipping! We bear his name, and he must protect his reputation.
This deserved suffering is necessary so that we will not be condemned along
with the rest of the world.
The next category is overt acts of sin - those which are
plain and evident to all who have the necessary discernment and perspicacity
to identify them as such - that which is done with the body as an
external manifestation of the inward deliberations of the mind. All
sin has its beginning in the mind, therefore, it is an imperative
to control your thought life by drawing upon the power of the indwelling
Holy Spirit in order to overcome the solicitations of the old sin
nature which are always constant. The scripture says, "Thy word have
I hid in mine heart that I might not sin against thee." And “Be not
conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your
mind.” Resident Bible doctrine in your soul serves as an effective deterrent
to sin in order that it might not ever get beyond the point of a thought.
It gives the Holy Spirit within you something to work with in your consciousness,
since your volition is key to success or failure as a Christian. Again,
the battle is won or lost in the mind; and thus it is an imperative that
we guard our minds against the daily barrage of adverse and ungodly
influences which bombard us through our eyes and ears - the most prominent
entrances to our minds. You become what you willingly pursue or look
to. A principle to remember is that the nature which you feed becomes
the strongest and most dominant in your life. If you load up on a daily
diet of smut, you'll end up acting and thinking like a lascivious reprobate.
Conversely, if you give diligence to a daily intake of the Word of God,
through Bible reading, and listening to bonafide preaching by sound
men of God, you will be able to live a consecrated life which is pleasing
to God. The scripture says, "as a man thinks in his heart, so he is,"
and "out of the treasury in a man's heart his mouth speaks." You are the
personnification of your own thought life. You are as you think, and
therefore as you think, so you are, and will act. When you are acting
out, your brain is on parade for all with perspicacity to see. Therefore,
a tree is known by its fruits.
Some overt acts of sin are: adultery, lasciviousness, incest,
uncleanness, fornication, drunkenness, homosexuality, lesbianism,
bestiality, theft, murder, foolishness, partying, human motivated good,
debauchery, idolatry, divisiveness, wickedness, witchcraft, necromancy,
lawlessness, disobedience, insolence, rioting, fighting, embezzlement,
fraud, sneakiness, being critical, manipulation and backsliding through
spiritual neglect. These are what many consider to be the sins of ill
repute - the scarlet sins; but the mental attitude sins behind them
are the real culprits. These may seem like unpardonable sins to you,
but they are no worse than those covert sins which spring from the spawning
ground of one's mind. The only difference is that those who perpetrate
such travesties as these against God’s justice have the courage, stupidity,
or boldness, to act upon their mental cogitations, while the wise and
cowards can only dream of it. It is the inward deliberations of the sinner's
heart that pollutes him initially. Do not be surprised if you see from
time to time Christians behaving abominably. A Christian is every bit as
capable of heinous sin as a lost person, when he gives his sin nature permission
in his heart to carry out the travesties conjured up first in his mind.
As such, it is imperative that we feed our minds with healthy input (the
garbage in - garbage out principle) and exercise self control through the
power of the indwelling Holy Spirit.
Jesus said that the harlots and the publicans would enter
the kingdom of heaven before the Pharisees; for these, in self-righteous
judgement and religious pride, looked down upon those who were commoners
as the damned of God. But Jesus also said that unless our righteousness
exceeded the righteousness of the scribes and the Pharisees, we ourselves
would not enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5). The scribes and
Pharisees were meticulous sticklers for exactly following the letter
of the Jewish Law, but this is rejected out of hand by God as human
effort attempting to merit favor and gain the approbation of God by good
works. Jesus Christ is our righteousness which indeed already exceeds
the righteousness of the scribes and the Pharisees in both quality, scope
and kind; and by doing his commandments, our lives will overtly and covertly
exceed in righteousness those of the scribes and Pharisees. We trust in
Christ and are so justified in the eyes of God as his righteousness is
set to the credit side of our ledger. We are to forsake sin and put on
Christ through the renovation or renewing of our minds [Romans 12]. Again:
“As a man thinks in his heart, so he is.” Christ alone is our “ticket”
to heaven, not works of merit. If we fall short attempting to do one letter
of the Law, we are guilty of violating the whole of it. Therefore, as
Paul admonished the Galatians, if we try to be justified by the works
of the Law of Moses, Christ will be of no use to us at all. We would be
then obligated to obey the whole Law, which no one is really able to do.
We must repudiate our works of human righteousness which are unacceptable
to God for justification, and come to God for the acceptable righteousness
which is freely given in Jesus Christ alone. Then we do good in gratitude
for what he has done for us as Christ remains our fulfillment and satisfaction
of the requirements, sacrifices and letter the Law of Moses, and the covering
of our imperfections and shortfalls as we get our feet dirty going through
this world, and we are rewarded both in time and eternity for choosing
that good. Thank God for his saving grace through our Lord Jesus Christ.
All sin is equally bad in the eyes of God, and all sins
are equally able to send the unregenerate to hell, and also the regenerate
to the divine woodshed. Many Christians are suffering today in unprecedented
numbers, but by far, most of it is suffering for divine discipline for
chronic maladjustment to the justice of God. In other words, their failure
to stay adjusted, and to keep their accounts short with God through
the regular utilization of 1st John 1:9 for their confession of sin,
has them in the divine wood shed getting a whipping. Are you enduring
undeserved suffering for future blessing, or suffering deserved divine
discipline as a child of God? Better check up on your thought life and
your resultant conduct. "There is presently therefore no divine discipline
for those who are in Christ Jesus, who are maintaining a walk, not according
to the carnal nature (as the seat of passion and frailty), but according
to the (Holy) Spirit; For the principle of the spiritual frame of living
in Christ Jesus has set us free from the principle of the propensity toward
sin and temporal separation from God." Romans 8:1-2. You can discern the
difference by this: Suffering for blessing is bearable because of the
special grace afforded the believer by the Holy Spirit for his glorification
of God - the privelege of suffering for blessing is exclusively that of believers
who are mature in The Faith; But suffering for divine discipline - it
is unbearable. Only two percent of all Christianity qualifies for the
privilege of undeserved suffering for the glory of God. They have reached
greater grace status [James 4:6], and can be trusted by God to maintain
their fellowship adjustment to the justice of God, and to protect his
reputation before both principalities and powers, and a lost and perishing
world.
Job was such a one (Old Testament). He was totally unaware
of the dialogue concerning him between the Lord God and Satan. And when
he was afflicted, even his miserable wretched wife told him to curse
God and die; but he said, “He knows the way that I take, and when
I am tried, I shall come forth as Gold.” Job knew that he was being
tested. God knew him, that he could be consistently trusted because of
what he was before God; and Job knew his God. Job had such awe and respect
for God that he even sacrificed on the behalf of his children lest that
at any time they might have cursed God in their heart. All that he had
lost as a result was restored to him ten fold for passing the test. Suffering
for blessing is good for the believer though most people will naturally
decline the discomfort.
There is also undeserved suffering that comes about as a result
of the sins of other people. Free volition comes with cost, risk and affect.
Some of the worst crimes in the world have come about when people have exercised
free will without responsibility. Nobody merely sins unto themselves alone.
All our sins affect other people in some way and to a certain degree. It
is like the butterfly effect where some say a flutter of wings here eventually
causes a typhoon across the globe. Our sins will most certainly cause grief
and heartache, not only to the Holy Spirit, but also in those around us
whom we influence. I know a man whose wife of twenty years had an illicit
affair. She subsequently divorced him, and this destroyed and obliterated
their once healthy, happy and prosperous Christian home. He had been studying
for the ministry. This immediately precluded him from serving in that
capacity. He had to file bankruptcy twice to deal with the catastrophic
losses incurred during the course of the three year court battle. He finally
won a no-fault divorce decree which cleared his name of her false allegations,
levied because she wanted him to support her for life, but the only winners
were the lawyers who had attained all that they had. He lost his wife,
his home, his retirement account, his good name, his children, his flawless
credit rating, his dream, his ambition, his job of eighteen years, his
self esteem, self confidence and self respect, and he eventually fell victim
to severe chronic depression, persistent anxiety and mood disorder over
the abyssmal failure that his life had become as a result. Your sins affect
other people. Christian love demands that we do not sin against one another.
Now, going back to the subject of overt acts of sin, some
present day controversy needs to be touched on. With regard to capital
punishment, war, and God’s orders to utterly destroy the Cananites:
"Thou shalt not kill" is a mistranslation of the original Hebrew text
of the ten commandments. It should be translated: "thou shalt not do murder"
(which is the taking of a human life with premeditated malice.) The misconception
is that a loving God would never want such a thing as an execution,
or a war. Those who espouse such a “phoolosophy” do not know God or
his word. What they are badly in need of is a paradigm shift. God gave
the Caananites plenty of time (400 years) until the measure of their
sins was full, and Israel was used as his instrument of judgement against
them after their exodus from Egypt, even as he used the Babylonians
against the Israelites in divine discipline. The love of God towards the
lost is impersonal, and is extended through common grace - food, air,
security, etc.. God's love to believers is personal, since the sacrifice
of Christ enables him to so love. The love of God is a loving-care which
seeks the highest good of the object. It is subject love based upon the
character and qualities of the one doing the loving, directed towards an
object, the qualities and characteristics of that object being of no consequence.
The love of God is always directional. The Caananites, in need of judgement,
would have, and did, pollute the purity of God’s people because God’s
people were not decisive in dealing with them in obedience to the Word
of God. Love is directional. In war, killing the enemy is designed to
seek the highest good of those who are being defended against the aggressor.
The same principle holds in self defense. The taking of a life in the
defense of your self and loved ones is legitimate and bonafide, and well
within the parameters of the principle of God's love. By doing nothing
you would fail love in allowing harm to come to your loved ones. Carrying
out justice by means of execution is also a bonafide practice, and unimpeded,
serves as an effective deterrent against the predatory practices of incorrigible
criminals. Love is directional. Law provides for seeking the highest good
of society in eradicating the scourge of the criminal element. This has
its origins in the Word of God as a principle of government. Those who
protest the execution of criminals are acting in ignorance.
Another unconscionable act of murder - the taking of human
life with premeditated malice - is the contraceptive infanticide of
the abortion industry; for life begins at conception. Abortion stops
a beating heart. The same people who cry, "Save the whales!" also say,
"Kill the babies." Why is one species to be preferred and chosen over
another? Why can they be so moved with compassion towards the creatures
of nature, and yet be so cold-hearted towards their own offspring. This
is beyond me, and it can only be explained in the context of the reprobate
mind of Romans chapter one - a mind void of discernment - filled to the
brim with evil - one either deceived by the indoctrination of those who
actively promote such hostility towards our own, or one given over to
its own depravity by God in the context of judicial blinding. It is called
"Volitional Immutability" [Romans 1:18-32; II Thessalonians 2:11-12; II
Corinthians 4:4].
The latest thing now is to refer to the fetus as a thing
that imposes itself upon the woman - invades her body - but this can
only be an act of volition. A fetus is incapable of imposition and invasion.
If a fetus can exercise its will in imposition and invasion, then I
will also believe in Santa Claus. What God has ordained as natural
human procreation and a blessing, women have distorted into a “bane” against
profligate wanton sexual license. They want free love without the attendant
responsibilty that goes with it. Margaret Thatcher once said that
the most hideous crimes that have been committed in history have been
by those who exercised their free will without responsibility. In the
evangelical letter of Mathetes to Diognetes, AD 130, in chapter 5 he
says referring to Christians: “They marry, as do all others; they beget
children; but they do not cast out their fetuses”
The judgement of God is evident, even in this, with the
impending failure of the Medicare System, the Social Security System,
failing gross national product, the trade imbalance and the out of
control, spiraling deficits incurred by our government; all because we
have aborted our taxpayer base, our productivity base, those who might
have found the cure for cancer, alzheimers, diabetes, invented new things
for man’s good - a holocost of fifty million human beings in America
alone who could have been productive contributors to the well being of
the whole world, wasted in a garbage can, torn apart in partial birth
abortion in the third trimester - even to the final week of delivery.
Don't they feel pain? Don't their hearts stop beating? Don't they bleed?
If they had a chance to breathe they would cry. They will be waiting for
us in heaven as those saved because they had not reached the age of accountability,
wanting to know why? Was it for money? Many would gladly pay to take the
infant as their own. Was it for convenience? Since when does a parent's
convenience outweigh a child's right to live? Was it because of fear? It
is not an uncommon occurrence among women of all ages to give birth to
a child. Family planning? Since when do we tell God when to bless us with
a child? Choice? Choose to stay out of the sack if a pregnancy is not wanted!
We are bound to be held responsible for our actions! America is as guilty
as Saddam Hussein, Joseph Stalin and Adolph Hitler.
Homosexuality and lesbianism are sins. They are not bonafide
alternative lifestyles to be espoused, practiced, promoted and taught
in our society. Besides being patently condemned by God in his Word,
nature also teaches us that they are an unnatural practice. It takes a
man and a woman to make a baby - not a man and a man - not a woman and
a woman. Sex between a man and a woman is normal, beautiful, and natural.
Adultery is the violation of the institution of marriage, but it is merely
the abuse of that which is legitimate, bonafide, and natural between a man
and a woman. Fornication is sex outside of the institution of marriage,
where neither party is married to another, but again, it is only the abuse
of that which is bonafide and natural between a married man and woman.
Homosexuality and lesbianism are perversions of the legitimate and natural
use of sex. Homosexual and lesbian marriage is a mockery of the institution
ordained by God for a man and a woman for the procreation, the preservation
and perpetuation of the human species. It is undeserving of being categorized
among minority statuses, for it is a chosen lifestyle, not an unalterable
fact such as color, race, or gender. But some may say, "I can't help
it, I was born that way; its in my genes." Well, I'm a murderer, a serial
killer, a predatory rapist; I can't help it; I was born that way; Its
in my genes! See how ridiculous that argument is? Society has adopted
the habit of placing blame on everything else but themselves on order
to be absolved from guilt, rather than to accept responsibility for their
actions. It is clearly a learned behavior, and a life choice of sin, and
those who habitually practice these things will be condemned if they do
not repent. God deals in absolutes, not relativism; right is right, even
if nobody is doing it; wrong is wrong, even if everybody is doing it.
His standard of integrity is immutable. Gays need to repent of their sin
like everybody else. Enough said about these things.
Category three sins, also overtly manifested, are sins of
the tongue: gossipping, backbiting, maligning, criticizing, tale-bearing,
whispering, censorious criticism, slander, false accusation, lying,
mockery, indictment, blasphemy, misleading, judging, bantering, boasting,
and cutting others down in order to build one’s self up.
In the New Testament, the epistle of James deals with the
effects of the tongue, likening it to a tiny spark that ignites a great
forest fire. It is a small member of our body, but it sure can cause
a lot of damage. He states that any man that gives no offense in word
is a mature man, and is able also to control his whole body. This
means that we should start by controlling what springs to life in our
minds, and then what is tempted to come out of our mouths. All sins of the
tongue are the result of mental attitude sins which occur first in the
mind. Again, the battle against sin is won or lost in the mind. Bible
principles in your soul will help you think as God thinks, and then you
will be able to resist the solicitations of the sinful nature to sin
with our lips, which are always constant. You will then have what you
need to live a controlled life which is pleasing to God, and to be a
suitable witness to the world around you by the life that you live, and
the words that you speak.
Herein lies the key to the elusive utopia men have been
seeking for millenia. If everybody could be saved, and master the monster
within, this world would be so much a better place.
Being controlled by the Holy Spirit - you will be surprised
at what peace you will have - not having to look over your shoulder,
cover your tracks, or remember what lies that you told in order to remain
consistent. Be honest, up front, sincere, forthright, a person of integrity,
desiring to please your Lord as your motivation. Bear the fruit of
the Spirit and you will have your rewards; you will be able to fulfil
that scripture of the Bible which says, "Be ye holy, for I am holy."
If anything, get the relationship between covert sinning
and overt sinning: hatred begets murder; coveteousness begets theft
or even adultery; a lack of self control begets drunkenness; pride
begets boasting; arrogance begets unteachability; resentment begets
character assassination; a party spirit sows discord; on and on the
list can go - but I think now, you should be able to get the point.
Now there is a fourth category of "sins" which are not necessarily
sin, but which could possibly lead to sin if not handled with discretion.
These are called taboos, or more accurately, illegitimate prohibitions.
Taboos are norms and standards inculcated in one's soul which are not
necessarily sin, yet which have been cultivated as such by many evangelists
for creating guilt trips and illegitimate pressures of accountability
in order to bring about tabulated results which will promote them to
their next speaking engagement. Taboos can be a "point system" with
God wherein many feel that God is impressed with them by what they do
or do not do. It is a sign of Christian immaturity, because God is not
impressed with what we do or do not do; God is only impressed with his
son, and he wants us to be impressed with him also. Also God is more keenly
interested in what we are - not so much in what we do; for if what we are
is right, then what we do will be right, and God will then be properly
glorified in our lives.
Taboos are illegitimate prohibitions because they are not
necessarily forbidden in the Bible - God's written and revealed will
- our standard and guide for conduct. They are man-made prohibitions
- much like the multitudinous prohibitions and precepts imposed by the
Pharisees upon the Law and culture of their day - man-made embellishments
on the word of God which have no validity or support; and Jesus rebuked
them for this evil work in no uncertain terms. They made of the Law of
Moses 6,000 precepts to follow, where Christ has made only two: Love God
and your neighbor as yourself.
Today illegitimate prohibitions are things like, "I don't smoke
- I don't chew - and I don't go with the ones who do!"
This is self-righteous legalism in the first degree! Tobacco
use may be bad taste - poor judgement - but it is not sin because it
does not violate the justice of God, and it is not directly prohibited
in the scriptures. “Destroying the body” of Christ in context refers
to persecution of believers unto death, not the chemical poisoning
of ourselves.
But one may say it is the destruction of the temple of the
Holy Spirit; well, what about caffeine, or bleached flour, or artificial
colors, flavors, and preservatives? These can be linked to cancer. Valium
is the Christians' "alcohol"! What about that? You see, it is a matter
of subjectivity, where we pick and choose in a self-imposed point system
created by men in order to supposedly impress God. But God is only impressed
with his son, who was the visible manifestation of himself to the world;
and that isn't narcissism - merely a statement of the facts.
You see, in the Christian life the truth always lies between
two extremes - (in this matter, total abstinence vs. overindulgence).
Charles Haddon Spurgeon was known as the prince of preachers, yet he
smoked cigars all of his life, and fought bouts of depression many of
his days. G. Campbell Morgan wrote textbooks for seminaries, still in
use today, yet he was refused the opportunity to speak at Moody because
he smoked cigarettes. The list of victims is legion.
Other illegitimate prohibitions include: no playing cards,
no gambling, no dancing, don't shoot pool, don't go to the movies,
though today, that might be a good idea; don't wear makeup, don’t wear
jewelry, no bathing suits, don't drink alcohol - yes, don't drink alcohol
- as if we were more righteous than Jesus!
At the wedding feast in Cana of Galilee Jesus turned the water
into wine. The Greek word used is - “OINOS” - the first of his many miracles.
The master of ceremonies who tasted it sure knew what wine was. It sure
wasn't grape-juice! The apostle Paul told his understudy, Timothy,
to take a little wine for his stomach's sake, and his oft infirmities.
Proper rendering of this wedding passage reveals that Jesus made abundant
provision for those wedding guests after they were already wasted.
The Lord Jesus Christ used wine at the last supper. Are we
supposedly more righteous than him because we use grape-juice instead?
Yet pastors all over America impose their personal prejudice, subjective
bias and dogmatic prepossessions upon their flocks every time they take
communion! It appears to be a 'hangover' from the days of prohibition
peculiar to the American Christian; but people will find a way - and they
did - considering all of the "contraband" the authorities had to deal with
in those days when legislated spiritual self-righteousness was the order
of the day. If you turn to the Old Testament - Deuteronomy chapter fourteen,
verse twenty-six - it says that those who were too far from Jerusalem were
to take their offering and turn it into money: "use it to buy whatever you
like: cattle, sheep, WINE, STRONG DRINK, or anything you wish. Then you and
your household shall eat there in the presence of the Lord your God and
rejoice." The Lord would never give a charge to do anything that would violate
his justice, so if this were sin they would not have been instructed to
do so. I am sorry if any take issue with this, but I must proclaim the whole
counsel of God, and expose error.
So again, the truth lies between two extremes. On the one hand,
you have the self-righteous legalist with clogged arteries dying of
a heart attack, and imposing his illegitimate prohibitions upon his fellow
man, and on the other, you have the man who is in a drunken stupor, endangering
himself and others, not being controlled by the Spirit, but by the "spirits."
Both extremes are wrong. Moderation in all things is acceptable. Table
wine was a staple of the middle east because potable water was in short
supply. The custom of wine with a meal is still practiced today among
European Christians and Jews. Europeans eat a high-fat diet as we do,
yet have fewer heart problems because they have wine with their meals.
Tetotalism is strictly an American thing - a 'hangover' from the days of
prohibition, but not an issue in the rest of Christendom.
Now I would be remiss if I were not to mention the rest
of the admonitions of the Bible which warn of overindulgence, or crossing
the boundaries of love towards one's fellow man. If you have a problem
with alcohol, or gambling, or anything else, then by all means abstain
from the practice. The aim of Christianity on earth is to seek the highest
good of others, salvation and peace. If the practice of your legitimate
liberty in Christ were to cause an immature believer to stumble into
the sin of indiscretion, or overindulgence, then by all means refrain
from exercising your right in his presence [Romans 14]. Paul said
he would not eat meat as long as the world stands if it meant offending
his brother in Christ [1st Corinthians 8 and 10. This offense has no
reference to those who ought to be mature and know better, but there are
always those who grow old in the Lord without growing up in the Lord.
They are the mature Christian's bane.
We as believers have three laws to consider: The law of liberty,
where you are entitled to indulge in certain practices not directly prohibited
in scripture;
The law of love, where in all we do we are to consider the
highest good of our brother or sister in Christ by not doing anything
in their presence to make them unwittingly stumble into sin;
And the law of expediency, where we do not adversely influence
or offend the lost by what we do in their presence by misrepresenting
Jesus Christ.
All things are lawful for the Spirit controlled believer,
for what he does will be motivated by his love and appreciation for
God; yet all things are not necessarily expedient for the believer,
for he must always consider the highest good of others. Christianity
is the return of the age of conscience. This is one of the reasons why
the religious crowd rejected Christ so vehemiantly. They were not used
to the idea of thinking for themselves. In the volitional exercise of
love, we make free-will choices of eternal significance, and accept the
responsibility, and yes, rewards, for doing them.
These principles, of course, are tempered by the knowledge
that some people will be offended no matter what you do. Christians
who have grown old in the Lord, yet have not grown up in the Lord
should not be allowed to impose their acquired, legalistic, illegitimate
prohibitions of false doctrine upon others, and they have no excuse
for taking offense at another’s legitimately enjoyed liberty. They should
know better. Many people are opposed to Christianity. That does not
mean then that we are to refrain from practicing our faith in their presence
just because they do not like it. Do not allow them to control you. You
have rights under heaven as well. As a matter of fact, civil disobedience
is called for in situations where the dictates of man and government conflict
with the laws of God; as it is written, "Let God be true, and every man
a liar." When Antichrist comes, Christianity may be outlawed. Many will
practice their faith despite the dictates of such a one. Of course in
normal circumstances, though, Christians should “obey every ordinance
of government for the Lord's sake,” letting the chips fall where they may.
People who know how to lead, first learned how to follow. Good leaders
are made - not born. Show me someone who has respect for legitimate, bonafide
authority, and I'll show you one who is capable of being a good leader -
because he has humility. It takes humility to be teachable. It takes humility
to learn from those who know more than we do. It takes humility to be moldable
by the One who made us. It takes humility to recognize our desperate need
which only God can fulfill. Arrogance is the enemy of every person on this
earth who is in need of God's unmerited favor. Arrogance will keep you
from accepting God's provision for your salvation. Humility is not humiliation,
but a true assessment of one's low estate before God. Fortunate are the
humble, for the kingdom of heaven consists of them.
Trends of the Sinful Nature
Now, we have seen how sinful mankind can be. What now needs
to be examined is the sinful trends factor of the sinful nature which
is so much a part of us.
The sinful nature of man has two basic trends which are
manifested in its function: lasciviousness and asceticism. People basically
fall into either one of these two categories, sometimes exhibiting
a combination of the two, one or the other being more dominant.
The ascetic type of person will generally gravitate toward
abstinence from substance abuse, tend to stay out of trouble, and basically
appear to be a good person by societies standards. But in this is the
deceptiveness of the sinful nature. The sinful nature will generally
have this type of person deceived into thinking that he is all right -
he is good enough to get into heaven by his own merits - and will tend
to be very philanthropic in his interests and activities. Everyone will
have a good opinion of him which will usually end up being the driving
force behind his perception of himself.
This type of person can be very unnerving as well, and a
bane to the those who fit into the other category, for the most prominent
manifestation exhibited by him is a tendency towards legalism, phariseeism,
being self-righteous and judgmental of others, having a general intolerance
for persons of the other type. This aescetic trend is known as the
strength side of the sinful nature, because, for all intents and purposes,
it appears to demonstrate a form of "godliness" which seems acceptable
to the untrained observer. But under scrutnizing examination it falls
short when one considers the motivational factor. It is not only a
matter of what you do, but also why you do what you do. If one practices
righteousness because he has been saved through faith in Christ, loves
God, and seeks to do his will in obedience to his commands, this motivation
is acceptable to God. If one seeks to glorify self, impress others, and
impress God, this is unacceptable.
The person who possesses the lascivious trend is usually
very easy to identify. This type of person is usually involved in some
kind of sexual escapade, tends to overindulge in abusive substances,
and is generally on operation play around all of the time. Eat, drink,
tie one on and be merry - party till you die! Usually despised by the self-righteous
and embraced by fellows of like disposition, this type will self-destruct
if allowed to do so. This tendency is viewed as the weakness side of
the sinful nature due to a flagrant lack of self control. It is also
harder for this type of person to resist the solicitations of their sinful
nature due to the fact that their trend relates mainly to the appetites
of their body.
As stated earlier, either type of person can exhibit the
tendencies of the other at times, but will generally operate within
the area of their basic "weakness" or "strength" when out of fellowship
with God. The self-righteous person could on occasion hop in the sack
with somebody, and the indulgent person might do a good job resisting
temptation from time to time. But all persons fall into either one
or both of these categories. There are no exceptions. Knowing this,
and discovering your trend, will help tremendously in your pursuit of
Godliness. Self-examination takes humilty, and a willingness to do
something about it, and it takes vigilance and fortitude for control.
You will discover your area of weakness and better be able to identify
and resist the tendency of your old sin nature, and avoid those things
and circumstances which will tend to trip you up. The devil knows what
will turn your head, and he will make sure of that. Once you know your
trend, the battle is half-way won in your pursuit of righteousness.
Always remember this: your trend will be with you the rest of your life.
You can resist it successfully as you submit to the control of the Holy
Spirit. But if you fall into temptation and succumb to sin, you will
be maladjusted to the justice of God, and as a result, out of fellowship
with him, and will naturally gravitate back towards your trend, thus opening
the door to chain-sinning. If you catch yourself exhibiting your trend,
then it is most likely that this has already happened because you are no
longer under the control of the Holy Spirit, but under the dictates of
the sinful nature. Do 1st John 1:9 to get back on track after such a derailment.
Confess your sins and you will again be controlled by the Holy Spirit.
With God there are two kinds of righteousness, the imputed
righteousness of Christ which is what saves you - Christ is our righteousness
- and the practical righteousness which we learn and practice as a
result of learning and applying ourselves to God's will and Bible doctrine.
The processes involved are called positional sanctification and progressive
sanctification. Positional is Christ's imputed righteousness set to the
credit side of your ledger by God when you accepted Christ in faith as
your Savior and Lord; progressive is your improving daily walk with God
as you learn and grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ
with spiritual maturity as your ultimate goal in becoming more like him.
God has not called us to pass judgement on one another, but to seek one
another's highest good as we help each other attain to this objective.
Walk in the light that you have. Don't try to change others; leave that
up to God, for he is able to do so. They will walk in the light that they
have been given, and you set a good example by your obedience to the will
of God for you. You cannot "will" not to sin apart from the indwelling
power of the Holy Spirit, for that is against human nature. The Pin-Oak
Tree is the only northern deciduous tree which keeps its dead leaves through
the winter. In the spring, when the sap begins to flow, the dead leaves
are pushed off, making room for new growth. We do not pluck off our own
sins like dead leaves in order to become righteous, but as we yield to
the penetrating sap of the Holy Spirit within us, our old sins drop off
like dead leaves, and are replaced with new living growth, and we even
produce fruit. This is a work of God by the power of his Holy Spirit indwelling
every believer faithing into Jesus Christ.
Now we’ll look at handling our sins. It is written in scripture,
"If we keep on confessing our sins (to God), he is faithful and just
to keep on forgiving our sins, and to keep on cleansing us from all
unrighteousness." [1st John 1:9]. The name of the game is to keep your accounts
with God short. The fact that this verse exists implies that we will
need to use it. When we accidentally or willfully sin against God as
believers - and we will - its human nature to err or presume - our fellowship
with God is impeded and interrupted because we are then maladjusted to
the satisfied justice of God and therefore not controlled by his indwelling
Holy Spirit; for he cannot have fellowship with, condone or gloss over
sin. Therefore God has provided us with a method of stall-recovery, called
confession and repentance. Its mere existence indicates that we will find
it necessary to utilize. To repent of your sin means to have a change of
mind and heart with corresponding conduct, such as forsaking that sin.
Confession of sin restores fellowship with God, and the enabling power
of his Holy Spirit. The Greek word "homologeo" means to say the same thing.
We agree with God that we indeed did sin. When fellowship is broken by
sin you are then controlled by your sinful nature and can't help but sin,
and chain sinning can result; so to stop this you must realize it, repent
of it, and confess it to God. Fellowship is then restored, and you are
again controlled by the indwelling Spirit of God. He never leaves you,
but merely sits down and lets you have your way until you break the chain
of events of your own accord, or ensuing divine discipline burns your
britches enough, straightens you out, and puts you in your place. God
can’t change the circumstances we create in such a state, but can make things
right again to his glory afterwards. When we first believe, we are cleansed
from all past sins right there on the spot. But as we walk through this
world we will get our feet dirty on the way, thus necessitating the above
maintenance program of daily confession and repentance. Remember to keep
your accounts short with God; don't let sins pile up. Confession can be
immediate - even as we catch ourselves gossipping about somebody behind
their back. Don’t wait until prayer time. You can do it quietly in your
head. God hears your mental confession. When you see carnal Christians
living abominably, keep this in mind: they either were never taught this
doctrine, or they have become careless in their walk with God.
The advantage to being constantly controlled by the Spirit
of God is in what is called the fruit of the Spirit [Galatians 5:22-24].
This is: love, joy, peace, endurance, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, and self control - in other words, immense capacity for
life [Romans chapter 8]. When you have these things operating in your
life, you will know for sure that you have been born again, and are being
controlled by the Spirit of God. Every believer is a priest with the
vertical priesthood function of direct access to the throne of God. When
you pray to God he hears you, and you can be assured that he will always
act in your best interest. All of your other functions are horizontally
directed towards others as ambassadors of heaven, and rely upon the exercise
of your vertical priesthood function.
Spiritual growth is a life-long process, with many ups and
downs. All believers are at different stages in their growth at any given
time; But God will make all things work out in the end according to his
purpose and will for our lives. Imagine the honor and privilege of being
a useful tool in the hand of the Almighty God, serving him in gratitude
for what he has done for you. Constantly maintaining your fellowship with
him will be the way to guarantee your rapid spiritual advancement and readiness
for his use and leading. Therefore, do not be discouraged if and when
you fall. Just repent, confess, get up, and keep on walking. This is what
babies do, and what God expects of you in being able to handle your sins.
God is a God of second chances, third, fourth, etc.. He is in the business
of recovery. Babies fall about 300 times while learning to walk. If we sin
70 x 7 and repent and confess, we will be forgiven; God expects this of
us, and lives by the same policy; but if we do not forgive others their shortcomings
against us, we cannot be forgiven by God until we do. God's fairness requires
this. You were redeemed - bought out of the slave market of sin by the
blood of Christ - never to be put up for sale again. You are now a precious
possession of God; you are not your own; you were bought with a price
- the precious blood of his son, The Lord Jesus Christ. Now it is time
act like it. Now that you know how, guard and maintain your fellowship
adjustment to the justice of God.
The Ideal Walk
One must admit that all of the demands of New Testament
living are a tall order to fill. Humanly speaking, do you have enough
human grit to perform all of the Bible's admonishments to integrity,
and avoid all of the trappings of unrighteousness with which one can
become entangled? Do you have a lot of "sweat equity" in your Christian
walk? Are you walking a "tight-rope" Christianity? We must agree that
the Christian life is an impossibility. It is impossible to live it in
the energy of the flesh. Only by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit
of God, can anyone hope to enter into its fulfilment.
Happily, the key to success is nestled neatly within a passage
of scripture from the pen of the apostle Paul. "Be not drunk with
wine wherein is excess, but be filled with (controlled by) the Spirit."
Don't be controlled by the spirits, but conversely, be controlled by
the Spirit. "Be filled" is a second person plural present passive imperative
- linear actionsart. Being an imperative, it is a command. Jesus said,
"If you love me, do my commandments." If you love Jesus, then you
will demonstrate that love in obedience. Never mind that it came from
the pen of the apostle Paul; Paul had the indwelling Holy Spirit, which
is Christ in us, the confident expectation of glory. The Holy Spirit
is Christ, and Christ is the Holy Spirit. God was in Christ reconciling
the world to himself, and Christ was God manifested in the flesh [cf.
Colossians 1:15], as indicated in the Jewish feast of tabernacles, or
booths. God is manifested in three persons, Amen. The Holy Spirit, and
therefore, Jesus, via the pen of Paul, was indicating this command. "Be
ye filled with the Spirit."
The present tense demonstrates continuous linear action.
"Be ye continually filled with the Spirit." The passive voice indicates
that you receive the filling. "Keep on being filled with the Spirit."
"Keep on keeping on being continually filled with the Spirit." You choose;
you decide, moment by moment, day by day.
Volition is the moderator that allows or disallows the sinful
nature to take control. The Holy Spirit is a gentleman. He will step
aside when you determine to act out in sin. You choose. Will you be
controlled by the old sin nature? or the Holy Spirit? You decide moment
by moment, day by day. With practice, you can learn to identify the promptings
and warnings of the Holy Spirit who dwells within every sanctified
believer. It is God in you - the down-payment of your eternal life,
and the confident expectation of glory. By heeding his signals, you
can live the Christian life with good success, and avoid living out
your Christian life where most believers dwell - in default. You will
accrue eternal rewards for obedience, and avoid divine discipline for
disobedience.
You are to keep on being filled with the Spirit, when you
are washing the dishes, or cleaning your car, or eating your dinner,
or taking a shower - it is not just for Church, or only when you are
doing spiritual things. It is to govern your life by the moment in order
that you may fulfil the command of your Lord and Savior. It is your
position of strength for making good decisions. If you do not comply
with this command you are walking in the flesh, or carnal nature, fulfilling
its lusts, desires, and passions. You are then out of fellowship with
God and are walking in disobedience. Walking in disobedience causes self
induced misery due to bad decisions made from a position of weakness,
and opens the door for deserved divine suffering for discipline, which
is geared to steer you to repentance and the utilization of 1st John
1:9, thereby channeling you back in line. Stay filled with the Holy
Spirit, and you will avoid the unpleasant experience of grieving the
Holy Spirit and going to the divine woodshed. Choose to continually stay
filled with the Spirit and you will not fulfil the sinful lusts of the
"flesh" or carnal nature.
Galatians 5:16-18: "This I say then, keep on habitually
walking (present imperative - a command) in the Spirit, and you can
not at all fulfil (1st aorist active subjunctive) the lusts of the
flesh; For the flesh earnestly desires against the Spirit, and the Spirit
against the flesh [cf. James 4:5]: and these are contrary to one another
so that you cannot do the (sinful) things that you would. But if you
allow yourself to be continually led by the Spirit, you are not under
Law (The Torah)."
Law is for those who cannot control the carnal passions
and desires and their propensity for evil. Law, with its inherent penalties,
acts as a restrainer when the Restrainer is not restraining. Law
is for the natural man. The natural man cannot receive the things
of God; for they are foolishness to him. But to those who love God,
and are the called according to his purpose, the filling of the Spirit
makes Law unnecessary, for the Spirit himself acts as a restrainer.
"Keep on walking - having your habitual manner of conduct - in the
control of the Holy Spirit, and you will not at all fulfil the passions
and desires of the carnal nature."
Galatians 5:19-21: "Now the works of the flesh (carnal nature)
are evident, which are these: adultery, fornication, impurity, a wanton
unrestrained appetite, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, contention, jealousy,
wrath, strife, seditions, self-seeking ambitions, envyings, murders,
drunkenness, rioting, and such like, of which I presently tell you,
as I have also told you in time past, that they which habitually practice
such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God."
Another comprehensive list of works of the flesh, or the carnal
nature, can be found in Romans 1:18-32.
If and when you find yourself demonstrating any of the preceding
works of the carnal nature, rest assured that you are under the control
of your old sin nature. You are out of fellowship with God. The Holy
Spirit has stepped aside until by an act of your volition, you decide
to allow God to control your life by his Holy Spirit again. You cannot
will to live the Christian life in the energy of the flesh. You cannot
imitate the control of the Holy Spirit. All you might be able to do in
the flesh is to put your church face on for about an hour each week. The
only way to regain the control of the Holy Spirit is to do 1st John 1:9:
"If we keep on confessing our sins (to God) he is just and faithful to
keep on forgiving our sins, and keeps on cleansing us from all unrighteousness."
This is how you can jump-start your Christian walk after a stumble into
carnality. It is the first step to assure control by God's Holy Spirit.
We all sin every day. So the trick is to humble yourself and confess
- keep your accounts short with God. Don't allow sin to build up where
chain-sinning occurs and you enter into the phase of divine discipline.
Have you ever wondered why there is so much sickness and suffering in
the Church today? Most Christians are carnal, and living out their spiritual
lives in default. They have no understanding of our present subject.
Of course, it is also a work of the flesh to try
to live the Christian life merely by human "grit". It is impossible.
It cannot be done. By it you are out of control and out of the will
of God. The Pharisees did, and many Christians do today, live their lives
by the strength side of their sinful nature (self-righteousness) by doing
good, and acting religious, and putting on their "church face," but if
you cross them, they'll bite you as sure as a Rottweiler. That is because
they have no genuine self control. They have a pseudo-self-control that
is easy to maintain for the duration of a church service. Genuine Holy
Spirit self-control is tolerant and enduring. Pray to God that you may
develop the perspicacity to learn the difference.
Galatians 5:22-23: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love,
joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness,
temperance: against such there is no law."
Note that the word "fruit" is in the singular. This means
that, in contradistinction to the multitude of violations against God's
holiness and righteousness, there is only one fruit of the Holy Spirit.
In other words, when you are being controlled by the Holy Spirit, all
nine qualities will be present - not five, not seven - all nine. Second:
they do not have to be learned or developed: they will occur naturally
when you are under the Spirit's control. Third: they will be conspicuous
by their absence - a dead giveaway that you have crossed over the line
into carnality. Exercise 1st John 1:9 and get back under control. Fourth:
there is no law against these qualities. There are plenty of laws against
the works of the flesh [cf. Romans chapter 7].
Galatians 5:24: "And they that are Christ's
have crucified the flesh with its affections and lusts [cf. Romans
chapter 6]."
Galatians 5:25: "Since we live (have eternal life) in
the Spirit, let us also habitually walk (have our manner of living)
in the Spirit [cf Romans chapter 8]."