Sin Is Not a Swear Word

May 7, 2011

 Why is sin offensive to most Americans?  Because we are:

1.       1.  Prideful:  don’t tell me what I can and cannot do          4.  Short sighted:  live for today

2.       2.  Selfish:  if it feels good, I’m going to do it                     5.  In denial:  Yea but, not me

3. Impressionable:  political correctness & majorities          6.  Obtuse:  no absolutes

 Nevertheless, Americans have a sin problem (1Jo 1:8-10).  To deny this premise is to lie to God and ourselves.  Sin is not a swear word; it is a reality.  We must:

·           Recognize sin resides in us and that each of us fights the same battle (Rom 7:21-23)

·           Mortify the sin in us, mortify the deeds of the body through the Spirit (Rom 8:12-13)

·           Turn from the sin in us; walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh (Gal 5:16)

·           Fight the sin in us; strengthening ourselves by the Spirit (Eph 3:16)

 But how do we recognize, mortify, turn from, and fight sin?  Here are a few suggestions …  No, here are a few commandments:

1)      make no provision for the flesh;  do not feed the enemy (Rom 13:14)

2)      abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul;  starve the enemy (1Pe 2:11)

3)      cut sin off before it gets started;   one sin lead to another sin  (Rom 6:19)

4)      cut sin off in the mind; unholy attitudes lead to unholy actions (Gal 5:19-21)

 The fear of the Lord is to hate evil (Pr 8:13).  Lord, help us to hate sin [and not ignore it, justify it, or discount it].  Help us hate sin so that we desire to put it far from us.

Article Written by Elder Dolph Painter, Moriah Primitive Baptist Church

pastordolph@aol.com

This site created by Steve McCannon. This page last updated 07/04/2011