As I’m writing this and looking things up, I am realizing that there are so many passages about this in Scripture, which signals to me that the Lord wants us to know the importance of this topic. The following does not do it justice, but this has been my experience. If we were in a Bible study, this is what I would share.
First I want to talk about what it is not. It is a not a license to sin. Alot of people (dare I say the carnally minded?) think that freedom in Christ is like fire insurance: once you come to Christ, you don’t have to worry about Hell, and so you can live the way you want and you’ll be OK, completely ignoring the passages in Romans that warn against this kind of thinking.’
I am talking about freedom from the bondage of sin. What do I mean by the “bondage of sin?” There are habits that become part of us over time that we know are not Godly, that I believe are akin to addictions — ways of behaving that we know are not right, but we just can’t seem to stop because they are so ingrained. It’s “bondage” because we can’t break free. I believe that is what Paul is describing in Romans 7:15: “For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.” (KJV).
Guilt, fear and shame over past sins and continual sins, can form a debilitating mental cycle (may I call it depression?) that goes something like this: we might think that because of the things we have done and continue to wrestle with, we are too unworthy, unable, unloveable, un-[fill-in-the-blank] to be of any kind of service to the Lord, and the fact that we are not in the service of the Lord or not making progress with our habitual sins, compounds the guilt trifecta, which continues the loop.
I believe this is a tool of Satan to keep us chained up and out of the Lord’s commission. It elevates our sin above the capacity of God to forgive it and remove it. Satan can’t take our salvation, but he can render us useless. Psalm 107:10-16 describes this mental place we put ourselves in as a prison:
“10 Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron; 11 Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High: 12 Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help. 13 Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses. 14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder. 15 Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! 16 For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder.”
Staying in this frame of mind is like staying in the prison cell, when the Lord is holding the door open and beckoning us to come out.
What was Paul’s answer to the verse in Romans 7:15? It comes in verses 24-25: “24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.” The answer is Jesus.
As a practical matter, how do we break the cycle? First, pray and give it to Jesus. Ask for His help. He breaks the cycle. Recognize that He has made us new. 2 Corinthians 5:17: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” As my pastor has said in the past, this is not an “upgrade.” We are NEW. Second, praise Jesus, even when you really don’t feel like it. The Lord inhabits the praises of his people (Psalm 22:3) and nothing makes the devil flee like the presence of the Lord. Lastly, as an ongoing process, take thoughts captive that want to drag you back into the loop, stand strong and press on.
2 Corinthians 10:3-6
“3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 6 And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.”
Galatians 5:1:
“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”
Philippians 3:13-14
“13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
Praise Jesus that we can affirm that we are forgiven, children of the Most High God, a new creation and we can say with joy “I’m letting that go; I am free from that and I am just not going to go there anymore.”
Notes/Disclaimers:
*”ASV” refers to the American Standard Version of the Bible and “KJV” refers to the King James Version of the Bible, both of which are in the public domain. Links are to the New International Version on BibleGateway.com.
**I am not affiliated with any of the websites that I mentioned above (other than I may have donated a time or two), nor have they endorsed this website in any way. I am just listing them because I have found them to be very helpful references.
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As always, reading, quoting and referencing from the Word is so enlightening! As we read the Word, the HS works with us and at times “we get it,” and what eluded us can now be seen. These gray areas can become somewhat clear as His Light shines upon our understanding. Pertaining to this topic of sinning, I believe we can get around most of the “traps and snares” that we often fail to avoid. Just recently, I believe I realized that we are all creatures of habit for the most part. Just as someone can push your buttons for good or bad, expecting a certain response, how much havoc can the evil one cause by “pushing our buttons,” having studied human nature for all time! Maybe, just maybe, if we learn to step outside the situation, take a quick look, we will “see through” the manipulations of some around us, good and bad, who knowing or unknowing, set the stage. This starts with us; we can usually rationalize most dumb stuff we believe or act out. To be fair, we push our own buttons at times. We sin, it’s on us, temptations that turn to sin. Yes, it starts with us, we must seek His Face and constantly learn from our short comings. As apostle Paul states, this is a spiritual battle. BUT GOD!!!
Ed
PS The battle is on-going, hopefully with His Word hidden and written on our hearts, victory!