Change of Perspective
It is impossible for us to stop sinning 100%
Sin entered the world through Adam and as long as we are in this world we too carry that sin nature.
However, God sent His son so that through the one man we can be forgiven and redeemed from the punishment of sin.
When we believe in Jesus Christ the incarnate son of God, who lived a sinless life, suffered death, burial and resurrection, and accept Him as Lord! We step into redemption. Our sins are forgiven and will continue to be forgiven.
However, we live in a fallen world and still inhabit a body that has been ravaged by sin. As believers we now make a choice to be obedient to the Lord.
Its not that we stop sinning. More importantly, it’s the choice to obey.
We will make mistakes and sometimes we still sin. Even Paul says, “For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am made out of flesh, sold into sin’s power. For I do not understand what I am doing, because I do not practice what I want to do, but I do what I hate. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree with the law that it is good. So now I am no longer the one doing it, but it is sin living in me.” Romans 7:14-17 HCSB
As believers it’s time to stop focusing on not sinning but rather focus on obeying Gods Word.
Obedience means accepting the Lords authority in your life.
In the garden the serpent asked Eve, “Did God really say....?” She listened to the serpent and questioned God’s divine authority. We need to stop questioning his authority by asking “Did you really say....?” (Yes, he did say it, its plainly written. Study it for yourself, he encourages it! Acts 17:11)
We live in a corrupt world and need to step under the authority of our Lord and obey him, not question him.
Will we stop sinning in this life? Not likely. But what we can do is start obeying. Take Gods Word in our hearts and treasure it. “I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws. I will obey your decrees; do not utterly forsake me.” Psalms 119:7-8 NIV.
The more we obey the less we will sin.
Should we overlook our sin? No. Do we accept sin? No. Should we be grieved in our hearts because of our sin? Yes. Do we live under the condemnation of that sin? NO!
As a believer our redemption has been sealed. It is complete when we pass through those pearly gates. The promise is already…and not yet.
We carry on in the hope of our salvation.
Will we sin? Yes. Should we like it? No. How can we stop? We won’t.
What can we do? OBEY! We can obey God every day of our lives. We can obey him in everything. We can obey him in our sadness, we can obey him in our anger, we can obey him in our desperation, and Obey him in our temptations.
Come against your sin nature with obedience to the Lord!
That’s all he ever wanted. Our obedience! How does he know we love Him? When we obey. “If you love me keep my commands.” John 14:15
Don’t let his grace be an excuse to sin. Rather than seeing yourself as a sinner saved by grace, remember who you are in Him and see yourself as a Saint who sins sometimes.
Maybe if we stop trying not to sin, and instead try to do what is right and OBEY, there will be no room left in our lives for sin.