To borrow a well-used phrase: “I may have been born at night, but I wasn’t born last night.”

 I’ve been around the block a few times. I’ve been in plenty of church circles over the years...even pastored one myself for 17 years. I’ve seen a few things, both good and bad. And I have, like everyone else, fallen short...way short. (Want to see my scars?) 

 But this talk about folks being set free from sin and actually being able to go and ‘sin no more’ can really hit a nerve in us and not set well. Have you ever asked yourself why that is? Truth be told, the spark that initiated this blogging of mine that began some 620+ days ago originated with a ‘discussion’ I was having with someone regarding what Jesus taught in John 8:32-36. 

 Jesus stated ‘most assuredly’ ...that “whoever commits sin is a slave to sin”. (8:34) 

 He goes on to say that a ‘slave does not abide in the house forever...but a son abides forever.” (35) 

 Looks and sounds like a pretty defining line of distinction there to me, does it not to you? 

 So how in the world did we ever come to adapt that line of belief or thinking where we can claim to be ‘sons who sin’. (or ‘saints who sin’) 

 Don’t get me wrong...I understand where and how that came about. The problem is, that does not line up with scripture. 

 First of all, John writes that ‘whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.” (1 John 3:9). His words, not mine. 

 John tells us in the opening of his gospel that Christ, (The Word made flesh) gives us the capacity to become children of God...to those who receive Him (the Word). But it is also made known that to many of those whom He came to...’did not receive Him’. (John 1:1,14,11-12) 

 But to those who do...we can indeed ‘become children of God’. 

 Do you know what the true children of God do? They are led by...His Spirit. (Rom. 8:14). They are...’obedient children’. (1 Pet. 1:14). They follow Him. (Heb. 5:9; John 10:27). Those who make Jesus their ‘Lord’...do what He says. (Luke 6:46). And if...they should ‘mess up’ occasionally, God lets them know about it real quick since he chastens His children. (Heb. 12:5-11). And trust me, it is not pleasant when He does...just like it says there in the word. 

 John did write that ‘IF’...we sin, not ‘when’...that we can come and find mercy and grace in our time of need. (1 John 2:1). But that would be the exception and not the rule. I mean, Paul even asked...’how shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?’ (Rom. 6:2). Having home or auto insurance provides peace of mind, but we do well to never have to use it. But it is there...just in case. 

 So given that it says ‘those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God’ (Rom. 8:14), can I point you to another verse that describes what those who walk according to the Spirit do (or should I say ‘Don’t do’)? 

 They don’t fulfill the lust of the sinful flesh nature. (Gal. 5:16). And if you are not sure what that entails, Paul gives quite the list of what those ‘evident’ deeds of the flesh look like there in vs. 19-21. He even closes out that list by saying, again, -”those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” 

 Trust me....I do realize how this messes with much of the theology and doctrines we’ve been taught. When those doctrines capture our hearts, it can actually make the word of God ineffective which is rather remarkable when you think about it. Yet, that is what Jesus was trying to teach a bunch of religious people there in Mark 7. 

 So can a true believer really be set free to ‘go and sin no more’? And by the way, why would Jesus tell people to do just that...if it was impossible to do? (John 5:14; 8:11; Matt. 5:48) 

 When I said I’ve been around, I have to tell you I understand where all those thoughts and arguments that rise up to refute God’s word come from. That’s probably what Paul was getting at there in 2. Cor. 10:3-5 when he addressed how we should bring ‘every thought into captivity and casting down those arguments’ that come against what God has said. 

 You know...those arguments like how ‘every time you have a bad thought...you sin’. Excuse me, but who told you that every time a bad thought lands on your ‘noggin’ that you sinned? 

 Were you not aware that Jesus had bad thoughts land His way too? Of course He did. We are told plainly that He was tempted in every area that we are tempted. Yet...He did not sin. (Heb. 4:15). Where do you think temptation begins? It starts with a seed or thought. (James 1:14-15) 

 What we do with that thought is where the battle begins. Are we not instructed to ‘bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ’ and to ‘resist the devil’ as opposed to ignoring him? (2 Cor. 10:5; 1 Pet. 5:8-9; James 4:7) 

 Failure to do what we are told results in us welcoming those thoughts that make their way into our hearts. Let me just tell you now, that while it may be easy for you to quickly dismiss some thoughts and images that land in your brain...those other ones that we allow to linger and then entertain...are usually indicative of something within our hearts that is hungering for and welcoming that; and that ‘spirit’ needs to be dealt with...as in confessed, repented of and set free from. You might want to review Eph. 2:1-3 and James 1:12-16) 

 So can we be clear on this: Having bad thoughts is not a sin. Jesus had them and He was sinless. And one thing I have come to learn...this idea of contending with those bad thoughts...is something akin to fighting off a swarm of bees or wasps that are circling your head. Trying to ‘succeed’ in this area of bringing them into captivity will not work...IF...you are not abiding in Christ. Trust me on that one. It has made ALL...the difference in the world for me. IF only...I had learned this early on... 

 Oh, the other arrow that the enemy shoots at you when you ponder this idea of ‘sinning no more’ ties in to that silly argument of ‘sins of omission’. I say ‘silly’ because what the enemy does is come at you with that verse from James 4:17 which says “to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.” 

 You might be having a good day...started out the morning with a time of prayer and bible study...repented and asked God to cleanse your heart....and you leave your house walking in peace (which is what we’ve been called to do...walk in peace). Then, it happens...you are at that red light, the guy with the cardboard sign and pathetic look is asking for a handout. And you don’t roll your window down and give him anything. Then comes the avalanche: “You pathetic hypocrite...how can you harden your heart like that. IF...you really loved Jesus...you would have given him money. In fact, you should have opened your wallet, given him all your cash. In fact you should take him home, give him a shower, a meal, the guest room, the keys to your second car...in fact...you should be doing that for every homeless person in your town.” 

 You have obviously sinned by not doing all that and therefore you have failed God! 

 Anyone relate to that song and dance? Funny...how the ‘accuser of the brethren’ can bury you with all that nonsense. 

 Truth be told...while there was much good that Jesus did do while He was here walking the earth, there were plenty of people whom He did not heal, deliver, and feed bread/food to. Did He sin by not doing so? I don’t believe He did. In fact, one thing He did make clear was that He only did what the Father told Him to do.(John 14:31). I don’t know who needed to hear that but I bet it was more than a few. ;-) 

 There is nothing wrong with helping people out and yes, we are called to do that. But honestly, where we have missed an exit, is not allowing the Holy Spirit to ‘fix us’ before we go out and ‘fix others’. We can get so busy ‘feeding the poor’, but then fall short of allowing God to perfect His love in us and all those ‘good things we did’...profit us nothing. (1 Cor. 13:1-3; Matt. 7:22) 

 Jesus Himself had to go through a ‘time of testing’ before God empowered Him to go and set captives free. Who are we to think we can bypass that step? (Luke 4:1-14) 

 I understand that compulsion we have to want to ‘get busy and help God out’. But we’ve been wearing ourselves out trying to do just that and look where it has gotten us at. We can be so busy having a ‘form of godliness...yet void of the power to set captives free’. (2 Tim. 3:5). I mean...how can we give to others what we ourselves don’t have? (Acts 3:6) And that would be ‘freedom and power'...to go and ‘sin no more’. 

 You know....as much as I fly these days, I am always struck with that line the flight attendants give about ‘should it be necessary in the event of a loss of cabin pressure’...that when those O2 mask drop down, you should first put yours on before you try assisting others. I always say to myself: “That’ll preach!”