Category Archives: Sin

Character of God, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Justice / Judgment, Sin

No Condemnation For Those Who Belong To Christ Jesus

Many in the world and in the body of Christ focus on God’s love and then use that as an excuse to remain in sin and choose not to repent.

“I was born this way. Since God is love, He would not make me to  be drawn to drunkenness or homosexual behavior or adultery or unrighteous anger or gossip or lying (and so on…)  and then judge me for it.”

This line of reasoning is a rationalization (a.k.a. excuse) to remain in sin. One could use this misguided rationalization to excuse any sin. That is not consistent with God’s call for us to turn from our sin, repent and seek Him wholeheartedly.

We are all born inherently sinful and must ultimately make a choice as to whether we will embrace and accept “our sin” or reject it and work to overcome it through Jesus Christ. Some are drawn more to one sin vs. another, but all sin is offensive to God.

Love is one important aspect of God’s character. His character also includes righteousness, holiness, and justice.  God is holy and righteous and calls us to be the same. There is a necessary judgment for our sin as we fall short of God’s perfect standard. But because God loves us so much, He came in the person of Jesus Christ, lived a perfect life both fully man and fully God, and then died on the cross for our sin.

All we have to do now is accept His grace, His offer of salvation… by accepting Jesus Christ as lord and savior. When we truly do this, our lives change and we become more like Him and less like the world. We turn away from our sin and change our behaviors and thoughts.

[Romans 8:1] So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.

[2 Peter 3:8-10] 8 But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. 9 The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment.

God has given us, as followers of Jesus Christ, the task of reconciling people to Him and sharing the good news of the gospel.

[2 Corinthians 5:18-21] 18 And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. 19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. 20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” 21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin,[e] so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

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Demons, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Doubt / Lacking Faith, Miracles, Praise / Worship / Glorify God, Satan

Some Will Always Find a Reason Not to Accept Jesus

In Matthew 9:27-34 we continue to walk with Jesus through His earthly ministry. We experience once again the joy he can bring when we come to Him in faith and ask for healing.

27 After Jesus left the girl’s home, two blind men followed along behind him, shouting, “Son of David, have mercy on us!”

28 They went right into the house where he was staying, and Jesus asked them, “Do you believe I can make you see?”

“Yes, Lord,” they told him, “we do.”

29 Then he touched their eyes and said, “Because of your faith, it will happen.” 30 Then their eyes were opened, and they could see! Jesus sternly warned them, “Don’t tell anyone about this.” 31 But instead, they went out and spread his fame all over the region.

32 When they left, a demon-possessed man who couldn’t speak was brought to Jesus. 33 So Jesus cast out the demon, and then the man began to speak. The crowds were amazed. “Nothing like this has ever happened in Israel!” they exclaimed.

34 But the Pharisees said, “He can cast out demons because he is empowered by the prince of demons.”

Jesus demonstrates the ability to heal the blind and cast out demons. Those who have eyes to see… see Him for who He really is… God. They cannot contain their thankfulness and praise for God once healed. For those who have already decided to reject Him and do not consider the evidence before them openly… they find a way to convince themselves Jesus is not God.

The Pharisees even rationalized in this case that Jesus cast out demons because He was empowered by the prince of demons. How ridiculous! If He were serving Satan, than why would He cast out demons who also serve Satan. The Pharisees acknowledged that Jesus was casting out demons and still found a way to reject Him!

As followers of Jesus Christ, we should give thanks and praise for what He has already done for us… dying on the cross for our sins, so we can be forgiven and through grace be saved. He will not always provide physical healing in this world, even for His followers. But we must trust Him and praise Him when He does an even when He does not.

For those who do not yet follow Jesus or are unsure… cast aside the biased opinion of the world that God does not exist or the foolish assertion by other religions that Jesus really did everything the Bible says… but is not who He said He is… God. Look instead for the evidence around you… in creation and in the Biblical text and the long line of evidence in archaeology. Evaluate the evidence with an open mind and put some energy and time into it. Your eternal salvation (or damnation) and that of those you influence is at stake.

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Envy / Jealousy / Coveting

Wherever There Is Jealousy You Will Find Evil

God warns us repeatedly about the trap or temptation of  jealousy. Our sinful nature has a tendency to look to others and want what they have. It leads to disorder and evil.

[James 3:16] 16 For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.

[Luke 12:13-15] 13 Then someone called from the crowd, “Teacher, please tell my brother to divide our father’s estate with me.” 14 Jesus replied, “Friend, who made me a judge over you to decide such things as that?” 15 Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.”

[Philippians 4:12-13] 12 I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. 13 For I can do everything through Christ,[a] who gives me strength.

There is always someone who has something else we may want… we will never be satisfied by looking at what others have. Instead, we are to look to Jesus Christ for our joy and fulfillment. Through Christ we can endure times of plenty and times of want.

There is nothing more rewarding than a rich and personal relationship with Jesus Christ, our lord and savior.

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Bad Habits, Children, Consequences of Sin, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Righteousness / Serving God, Selfishness

Reject Sin In Your Life, No Matter How “Small”

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Many of us who follow Jesus can easily recognize some obvious sin in our lives or the lives of others. We may even aggressively work to change some elements of our lives. However, Satan tempts Christians to accept some sin and leads us into rationalizing it.  To follow Jesus we must continually look to His word and the Holy Spirit to identify and then help us eliminate all sin from our lives. Though we will never fully eliminate all sin, we should not accept any.

[Psalm 119:9-11] 9 How can a young person stay pure? By obeying your word. 10 I have tried hard to find you— don’t let me wander from your commands. 11 I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

[Luke 9:23-25] 23 Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me. 24 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. 25 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed?

[Romans 6:10-14] 10 When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. 11 So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.

12 Do not let sin control the way you live;[a] do not give in to sinful desires. 13 Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. 14 Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.

A few examples of sin we may be tempted to rationalize… there are many…

  • Someone who does not have much money and likes to shop or spend money carelessly may say “shopping is my hobby” or “It helps me relax”.
  • Someone who reacts with harsh and angry words, easily upset, may say to themselves “I am just hot-tempered.”
  • Someone who is overweight may just accept poor eating habits or lack of exercise saying they “have a slow metabolism”… to the detriment of their own health.
  • Someone who is selfish may accept and acknowledge it, even when it affects others around them negatively, and rationalize that it is ok or that they “deserve” whatever time, attention, or thing is in question… often putting themselves first.
  • Someone who is drawn to sexual sin outside marriage may rationalize that “I am not hurting anyone” or “we are consenting adults” or “I do not commit adultery because I and the other person are not married”.
  • Someone in a difficult marriage may convince themselves it is ok to be mad and harsh toward their spouse because their spouse is harsh toward them.

Don’t accept sin in your life. Don’t let Satan or the world tell you it is ok. Change your behaviors and thoughts to honor God. Even something you consider to be “just a bad habit” is still, by definition, bad. Do not accept it. Instead, overcome it through Christ Jesus.

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Hypocrisy, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Repenting from Sin, Share the Good News

Bring the Good News to Sinners

Jesus clearly reminds us in Matthew 9:9-13 that we are to bring the good news of the gospel to sinners. To do so requires that we interact with sinners. However that does not mean we need to endorse their sin or sin with them. On the contrary, we show them by our behavior and teach them with our words the truth of God’s word.

9 As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Matthew got up and followed him.

10 Later, Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. 11 But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with such scum?[d]”

12 When Jesus heard this, he said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do.” 13 Then he added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’[e] For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”

Matthew must clearly have known already who Jesus was or he would not have immediately dropped everything and followed Jesus. Matthew also must have known that he was a sinner and not worthy to serve a holy servant of God. Imagine his delight to receive the invitation. He leapt at the chance, leaving everything else behind.

Jesus extends that same invitation to us today. Will we sit in place, remaining in our sin? or jump up to leave sin behind, change our behaviors, and follow Jesus Christ?

There is a message here also for those who feel they are no longer sinners… that they have overcome sin… you have not. Maintain humility and submit to God. Continue on your journey to grow closer to Him. Remember, as soon as you believe you have “arrived”, that is as far as you will ever go.

As we follow Jesus, we are called to bring as many sinners with us as possible. Do not exclude anyone. We follow God’s example… we tell them the truth, allow them the choice to follow Jesus. They are responsible for making the decision to accept the gift of salvation from Jesus Christ. We cannot accept Jesus for them or force them to accept Him.

As a final word of caution as you evangelize… do not miss the example Jesus provides in distinguishing between His inner circle of disciples and those who are openly sinful. His close friends are those who are receptive to the message of the gospel and seeking God. He goes with them to visit with and share the gospel with open sinners who do not yet know God. It is a dangerous trap for someone to try to persuade open sinners to follow God by making them very close friends… you risk instead being influenced away from God.

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Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Doubt / Lacking Faith, Obeying God

Be Sure That Your Faith Is In God Alone

God calls us in His scripture to have faith in Him and in Him alone. We must first accept that He exists and is our creator. We must reject the so-called “wisdom” of the worldly that proclaim with confidence that God does not exist. We must put our faith in God alone.

Only fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, and their actions are evil; not one of them does good![Psalm 14:1]

6 And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. [Hebrews 11:6]

5 If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. 6 But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. 7 Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do. [James 1:5-8]

Have you truly accepted God as our creator? Do you put your faith in Him and Him alone? or do you “hedge your bets” by acknowledging Him with your words but living as the world does.

It can be uncomfortable as we first learn to put our faith and trust in God and God alone. The more we seek Him by studying the scriptures, communicate with Him through prayer, and change our behavior to model what He commands instead of what the world accepts… the easier it is to put our faith in God even during difficult situations.  Do not expect this transition to putting faith in God to be a like an “on/off” switch… but rather a long journey which you must first begin in order to eventually reach the destination.

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Bitterness / Resentment, Forgive Others / Seek Forgiveness, Grace / Forgiveness, Miracles

Bitterness Hurts the One Who Holds It

Bitterness, resentment, and unforgiveness can be real obstacles to healing relationships or just healing in your own life after feeling hurt by others. Even if the person who hurt you does not repent and you never reconcile, holding bitterness and resentment is not helpful. Release it to God and move on with your life.

[Matthew 6:14-15] 14 “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. 15 But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.

[Romans 12:14-19]

14 Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. 15 Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!

17 Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. 19 Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say,

“I will take revenge;
    I will pay them back,”[a]
    says the Lord.

[Hebrew 12:14-15] 14 Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. 15 Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.

Remember that holding bitterness and resentment in your heart continues to hurt you and impede your healing process. It is like holding a hot pot without a handle… it hurts the one who holds it.

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Anger (unrighteous anger), Holy Spirit / Ruach HaKodesh, How do I get started?

Do I Have “Right” To Be Angry?

When we let our sinful natures determine our response to events or people we often respond in anger. The world tells us we have a “right” to be angry based on these situations or words from others.

There are, in fact, situations where a righteous anger is an appropriate response… similar to when Jesus turned the tables of the money changers in the temple.  However, many times we are not responding in righteous anger and a response filled with patience and love would be more effective in managing the situation in a way that honors God.

[Proverbs 29:11] Fools vent their anger, but the wise quietly hold it back.

[Proverbs 15:1] A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare.

[Ephesians 4:26-27]  And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.”[a] Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 for anger gives a foothold to the devil.

[Colossians 3:8]  But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language.

When we accept Jesus Christ as lord and savior and learn to let the Holy Spirit guide our behaviors and our words we begin to transform ourselves to become more like Jesus. We respond less in anger and more in patience and love.

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Addiction, Consequences of Sin, Holy Spirit / Ruach HaKodesh, Sin

Our Sin Nature Can Lead to Crippling Addictions

Our sinful nature can lead to many crippling addictive behaviors. We should remember that it is not God tempting or testing us… God never tempts people. In fact, God provides a helper in the Holy Spirit to dwell inside us and help guide us to choose what is right and reject the destructive path of temptation and sin.

Ultimately we must make a choice to get the help we need and reject the wrong behavior, no matter how strong the temptation or addiction. God wants us to be set free from sin and addiction. He will help us if we turn toward Him wholeheartedly.

James 1:12-15

12 God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. 13 And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong,[c] and he never tempts anyone else. 14 Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. 15 These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.

Galatians 5:16-24

16 So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. 17 The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. 18 But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.

19 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, 21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. 25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. 26 Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.

God is not the one tempting us, but rather He is offering to help.

  • Stop rationalizing the addiction or sin as acceptable.  Christ came to set us free from bondage to sin.
  • Reject the idea that you cannot overcome it.
  • If you have not already done so, accept Jesus as lord and savior.  It is more than words, but rather a matter of your heart.
  • Turn from the addiction with repentant heart and ask God’s forgiveness and help to overcome it.
  • Rely on the Holy Spirit and God’s word to guide you in overcoming addiction and living the way God intends.
  • Seek the help of other Christian believers. God does not intend for us as His children to live in isolation from one another.

Jesus Christ came to set us free from the bondage of sin and addiction. We must not submit to our sin nature in defeat, but rather overcome it through God’s help in the Holy Spirit.

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Adultery / Sex Outside Marriage, Consequences of Sin, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Marriage

Let Your Wife Be a Fountain of Blessing

God uses Proverbs 5 to provide a crystal clear and stern warning for men who are in the midst of adultery or considering adultery. This scripture serves as a  warning also for immoral women who would participate in adultery. Finally, God reminds us to enjoy His gift of sex within the context of a godly marriage between a man and a woman… let your wife be a fountain of blessing to you.

5 My son, pay attention to my wisdom;
    listen carefully to my wise counsel.
2 Then you will show discernment,
    and your lips will express what you’ve learned.
3 For the lips of an immoral woman are as sweet as honey,
    and her mouth is smoother than oil.
4 But in the end she is as bitter as poison,
    as dangerous as a double-edged sword.
5 Her feet go down to death;
    her steps lead straight to the grave.[a]
6 For she cares nothing about the path to life.
    She staggers down a crooked trail and doesn’t realize it.

7 So now, my sons, listen to me.
    Never stray from what I am about to say:
8 Stay away from her!
    Don’t go near the door of her house!
9 If you do, you will lose your honor
    and will lose to merciless people all you have achieved.
10 Strangers will consume your wealth,
    and someone else will enjoy the fruit of your labor.
11 In the end you will groan in anguish
    when disease consumes your body.
12 You will say, “How I hated discipline!
    If only I had not ignored all the warnings!
13 Oh, why didn’t I listen to my teachers?
    Why didn’t I pay attention to my instructors?
14 I have come to the brink of utter ruin,
    and now I must face public disgrace.”

15 Drink water from your own well—
    share your love only with your wife.[b]
16 Why spill the water of your springs in the streets,
    having sex with just anyone?[c]
17 You should reserve it for yourselves.
    Never share it with strangers.

18 Let your wife be a fountain of blessing for you.
    Rejoice in the wife of your youth.
19 She is a loving deer, a graceful doe.
    Let her breasts satisfy you always.
    May you always be captivated by her love.
20 Why be captivated, my son, by an immoral woman,
    or fondle the breasts of a promiscuous woman?

21 For the Lord sees clearly what a man does,
    examining every path he takes.
22 An evil man is held captive by his own sins;
    they are ropes that catch and hold him.
23 He will die for lack of self-control;
    he will be lost because of his great foolishness.

Self control and discipline are essential elements for a Christian life. We must know God’s word and be prepared to follow it. We must make decisions ahead of time, before times of temptation, to decide how we will respond. Will we subject ourselves to situations that lead to temptation, or flee from temptation as Joseph did in Genesis 39:10-12.

10 She kept putting pressure on Joseph day after day, but he refused to sleep with her, and he kept out of her way as much as possible. 11 One day, however, no one else was around when he went in to do his work. 12 She came and grabbed him by his cloak, demanding, “Come on, sleep with me!” Joseph tore himself away, but he left his cloak in her hand as he ran from the house.

Joseph honored God by holding to godly wisdom and values.  He was not worried about being subtle in refusing temptation. He wanted to resist temptation and quickly. He took decisive action.

God also reminds us in Proverbs 5 that we should absolutely enjoy sex within the context of a godly marriage.  After all, God created it as a wonderful part of relationship of man and wife as the two become one.

For those of you who may be in the midst of adultery and maybe only now realize how wrong it is… stop. Stop the immoral behavior immediately. Repent of your sin before God and your spouse. Run from it and never return.

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