We’ve been trying to find a good answer to the question of “If Jesus set us free from sin, why do we keep on sinning?”
I made the case yesterday that two possible reasons may have to do with either a person simply never being informed of this piece of news, or taught incorrectly (man made doctrines) that differed from what the Word says. In both cases...we end up with a lot of folks who ‘walk in a form of godliness but deny the power’. (2 Tim. 3:1-5). It is more widespread than we would care to acknowledge, sadly.
Look at some of the ‘fruit’ he identifies there in that passage in 2 Timothy. We like to think he’s talking about all those ‘sinner folks in the world’. Actually...he’s talking about all those folks to ‘profess to know God, but by their actions they deny Him’. (Tit. 1:16). That’s why he refers to them having a ‘form of godliness’. I mean, let’s be honest here...Jesus makes no attempt to gloss this over or sugar coat it. He said “many will come in that day...saying ‘Lord....we did all these things in Your Name...like casting out devils and prophesying...” (Matt. 7:21-23)
So let’s move in the direction of offering up a third possible reason as to why so many continue to sin despite being ‘set free’. But before I do, let’s define ‘sin’. Better yet, let’s let the Word define it: “Sin is lawlessness (breaking God’s Law)” (1 John 3:4). And if anyone immediately thought to themselves that ‘the law was done away with’...that’s a lie. The law was NOT done away with. (Matt. 5:17)
You might have thought “but we are not under the law...we are under grace”. (Rom. 6:14). Well, that is true IF...you are being led by or ‘walking in the spirit’. (Gal. 5:18). Guess what Jesus came to do? He came to lead us to put to death all the deeds of the flesh (Rom. 8:13) so that He could fulfill the law IN us (Rom. 8:4). And IF...we are ‘walking in the spirit’, we won’t be fulfilling the lust and deeds of the flesh. (Gal. 5:16). You might read vs. 19-21 there as well for a lengthy list of what that ‘fruit’ looks like.
Don’t feel like you have to rush through all this....it has taken some time for the truth and reality of all this to sink in...for me. I’m just sharing what all I have learned and am experiencing. It hs multiple layers of false teaching , disillusionment, and traditions to work through...trust me!
So why do some folks keep on sinning? Well…Because they just are not ready to give it up and die to it. And if you have never been taught that you have to, then why bother?
We forget sometimes that when it comes to the ‘Law’, the law is summed up in this: “You are going to love God with ALL your heart...soul, mind, and strength and love your neighbor as yourself”. (Matt. 22:36-40). When God points something out in our defiled heart that needs to go (or that we need to repent of or turn from) He means it. IF we balk or resist...what we are actually telling Him is that we love that sin more than we love Him. Did Jesus not say “IF you love me, you will do what I say?” (John 14:15). “Why do you call me Lord, Lord and not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46). A true disciple comes to Him with ALL their heart...willing to ‘forsake all’.
Look at our friend in Matt. 19 who came asking Jesus about this eternal life message he was hearing about. (16-22). He inquired as to what he might do to inherit it. Guess what Jesus pointed him to? The Law.
The young man perked up with confidence announcing he had been keeping those commandments since he was a young child. Then we read where Jesus looked at him…and loved him…and then told him the truth: “One thing you lack…” (Mark 10:21). This is where, (as the old saying goes) the ‘rubber meets the road’. Jesus was being very candid and upfront with this young man who came seeking truth. Jesus saw in him, as he is able to see into all our hearts, something this man was loving greatly. It was tied up in his wealth and greed and covetousness and Jesus called him out and said…leave this behind and follow me.
Please note that this directive to cut loose of all your earthly belongings was given to this particular young man. It’s not some blanket requirement for anyone and everyone who comes to Christ. Trust me…you will know when the Holy Spirit points out things that ‘need to go’ or we need to repent of. And that young man blinked…and turned away. He simply was not willing to ‘lay it all down’. His message to Jesus was even though I believe in you I don’t love you THAT much to set aside something you ask me to lay down.
It's sin…that Jesus wants to root out of our hearts. All of it. When we hold on to that pride or anger or bitterness or greed…we are in effect telling God we love it more than we love Him. And God’s response is clear…you can’t come on this ‘ark’ with that. When you travel by plane these days and go through a TSA security checkpoint, it’s not uncommon for people to discover they had something on them they forgot to leave at home or in the car…maybe a beloved pocketknife or something similar. It can be a painful parting where you have to decide to leave it behind because you are not going to be allowed to get on that plane with it.
This explains an observation made by Jesus in John 3:19. He came as light into this dark world to save people, not condemn them. But it was clear…many people would not come to the light simply because they loved darkness more. That really is hard to wrap your head around when you know what Jesus is willing and able to do in our lives.
Again…this is not about trying to make people feel ‘guilty’ or shame them because they continue to ‘struggle with sin’. Scripture does not teach us that we will always ‘struggle’ with the same sin; we are taught to repent or turn from it and die to it…completely. And that does not happen until a person truly surrenders to God and makes Jesus Lord of their lives. To the man who, no matter how faithful he is to his local church, if he is still constantly struggling with anger issues and outburst of wrath, or maybe it’s impatience or sexual lust issues… can I just tell you now that Jesus can truly set you free and it does not have to be an ongoing ‘struggle’ the rest of your life!? But He won’t lead you to just ‘dial it down’ or put it on a leash or in a cage. He leads you to put it to death as in die to it where you truly overcome it… and you don’t do this without Him.
‘Another gospel’ will tell you that you are always going to struggle some with that sin or maybe not do it as much. But that is not what Paul implied. Look at Ephesians 5:1-6 where he list just some of those areas of sin like fornication and foolish and coarse talking and covetousness and that things like this should not even be named among those who call themselves believers as it is not fitting or proper. (3-4). Then look how he drives home this point in Galatians 5:19-21 with even a longer and more detailed list adding the fact that anyone who continues to practice such things Not inherit the Kingdom of God.
To the woman who has struggled for as long as she can remember with a particular area in her life…Jesus came to set you totally free from that area…not just comfort and console you every time you succumb to it. That woman who had suffered for years with a blood issue…she spent all she had on doctors and was no better off. When she pressed through the crowd and touched the hem of Jesus’s garment, she was made whole in that very moment. (Mark 5:25). This getting set free of sin or being healed by Jesus does not have to be some long drawn out process that we tend to make it. Is it bitterness or unforgiveness that you have been holding on to in your heart all these years? Why? Why not let Jesus remove it and empower you to overcome it?
I can’t explain why but lots of people refuse to turn loose of past hurts and offenses. It may be tied in with parents or a spouse or even close a friend who hurt you. No one is arguing that the pain of that past hurt or offense is not real and deep. But can I show you in scripture where not letting it go has been the source of much torment for you? Look at Matt. 18:23-35. Jesus shares a parable about a person who was forgiven of a great debt by a king and then not long after, was not willing to forgive someone else of an offense or debt. When the king heard about this he was not pleased, and had him brought to him and then called him wicked before having him imprisoned and turned over to the jailers ,or as some translations read…’tormentors-torturers’. Jesus then says that our heavenly Father will do the same with us if we don’t from the heart …forgive those who have sinned against us. Would you like to guess who those tormentors are? They are the powers of darkness who come to steal, kill, and destroy.
Maybe you are one of those people who are easily offended. That is no accident…it is a scheme of the devil who knows where he can always fine an ‘open door’ in to your life through getting you offended where you are then hurt and embittered. It’s easy to spot that kind of fruit in people’s life…it just rolls out of their heart and off their tongue. (2 Cor. 2:5-11). Have you ever ended up with a splinter in your hand and unable to get it out? Before long, you know it’s infected and swells and grows painfully tender. Every time you accidentally brush up against that spot, pain just rivets through your whole body when normally on any other given day, you’d never even know it had it not been infected.
Sin that we hold on to is like that splinter. It needs to come out. Otherwise, the painful infection will only grow worse. Jesus can and is willing to remove it but you have to turn totally to Him and cooperate with Him. And when he removes that thing…bury it…don’t try take it back again. When the enemy comes and starts to remind you of all those words or actions that led to the offense…know that God wants you to overcome this thing for good. Take the advice given in 2 Cor. 10 and ‘bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ’ (5). Stand in this hour of temptation and truly resist the devil…reminding yourself you love God more than you do that sin of bitterness and resentment and unforgiveness. Let the words of Christ resonate with you that he spoke to that woman saying ‘You are Free’! (Luke 13:12). You don’t have to hurt and suffer…and struggle any longer.
This gospel truly works…to them that believe.
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