Sin

For a long time now I have been struggling, feeling like I have very few places to turn.  I have been very discouraged with what I’ve seen going on in different churches and the world seems totally out of control.  The things that we allow to take place in society and many church congregations in our day would have never taken place 50 years ago, not that things were perfect then, and that isn’t what I expect it to be.  I have even allowed myself to get involved in some of these downright sinful activities.

I have tried to be a very positive person, responding with faith to most situations in my 30 some years of serving the Lord, but I have experienced some very negative people over the years that have been in the congregations I have attended and for a while now I have taken on this very negative attitude also, and I blame no one else for it.  We all have choices to make and no one can give you an attitude, they can try but in the end we all have to take responsibility for our own actions.  When a negative attitude gets a hold of a person they see most things through a critical lens, if I can say it that way.  When this sinful attitude takes over, it is very hard to overcome and it will usually require help.  

When this goes on for a period of time, other people and family and friends sense it and they start to back off.  If you are blessed to have any real close friends, they may even forsake you, leaving you to fend for yourself.  Today it seems like there are very few people that are committed to one another, to our shame, and this happens far too often in the church.  If you don’t agree with someone else’s theology they can’t even fellowship with you, taking on that ‘better than thou’ attitude.

This reminds me of the Pharisees, who were hypocrites.  Talk is cheap and commitment is very hard to find even in the church at times but I am thankful for the reminder that not everyone in the church is there for the right reason and not everyone has been born again.  If you want an example of non-commitment, just think about the divorce rate in the church.  There are people that claim God is all powerful and can do all things, which He can, but if people really believed that than why is the divorce rate so high?  Is it God’s fault?  Of course not, God hates divorce. How could He condone it?  God is love but He never winks at sin in any form, He is always committed to us but we have a problem being committed to Him and each other.  

Sometimes I think we use God’s love, mercy and grace as a license to sin.  Paul said this in Romans 6:1-7, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin.”

Sin should never be named among us if we belong to the Lord and I am thankful that I have been made aware of this sinful attitude and have been convicted through the precious Holy Spirit.  I have repented and confessed my sin and I am working on having a better attitude and a more positive outlook as well as a stronger faith, and with the Lord’s help I will be the victor, praise the Lord!  

I am sure that many believers struggle with sin and are having a real problem trying to overcome it. My advice to you is, keep praying and asking for victory, then do your part to resist it.  You may have to tell that old sin nature, or flesh, to shut up, and you will always have to resist the Devil and tell him to get behind you in Jesus’ name and, if you are a child of God, he will flee from you.  Another thing you will have to do is to be committed to live a righteous life with a healthy fear of the good Lord ever before your eyes.

I remember being in a depressed state for many years, then the Lord came through and set me free. The Word says this, “Whom the Son sets free, is free indeed.”  Something to think about, have a super day God bless you and yours!!