Escaping Sin

  If you know Christ as your Lord and Savior, you probably realized that we are still subject to temptation. As long as we are here on earth, we will be tempted and tried by Satan. We will not reach the goal of total victory until we receive our resurrected bodies and are safe in the bosom of God.  Jesus said, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  John 8:31-32 NKJV As a believer we have total victory over sin through Christ. He is our conquer over sin. We live because He lives, and all that we possess is because of His finished work.  You might ask the question, “Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith. 1 John 5:5,4 NKJV

There is not a righteous person on this earth. All of us have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. The cost of our sin is death. I am not speaking of physical death, but spiritual death which is total separation from God for all eternity. Eternal death has been brought on to us by the sin of Adam, and has been handed down through our fathers, generation after generation, until this generation. We are born separated from God, and unless we make a decision to believe God’s Word, we will remain dead in our trespasses and sins. The One Who delivers us from the penalty of sin is the One Who delivers us from the power of sin. Jesus Christ willingly laid down His life in order for us to escape sin. “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again.  No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.”  John 10:17-18 NKJV  It was by our heavenly Father’s grace that Jesus was allowed to take our place, pay the penalty for our sins, and deliver us from its slavery. Before Jesus took our place in death it was necessary for Him to experience life here on earth so that He would know temptation. Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.  For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted. Hebrews 2:17-18 NKJV

Jesus overcame the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life. He overcame these things, and through Him so can we.  Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.  No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, Who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 NKJV

Any victory over sin begins with daily Bible study and prayer (DBS&P).  We recognize that sin was put to death on the cross, and we were buried with Him by baptism into death. We were raised with Him from the dead to the glory of the Father, and we walk with a newness of life. Knowing that sin and death no longer have the power to control us, and we are free from the wages of sin.  Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. Romans 6:12-14 NKJV

 We have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer we who live, but Christ lives within us; and the life which we now live in the flesh we live by faith in the Son of God, who loved us and gave Himself for us. He died for all of us so that we do not live for ourselves anymore, but for Christ.  Jesus came to take away the sin of disbelief, or that sin which damns the believer. He came to take away the sins of the believer, or those things which rob us from the peace and joy of this life. My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.  And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.  1 John 2:1-2 NKJV We can go to our heavenly Father in prayer, and confess our sins, and He will forgive us our sins so we can live in unity with God.

   Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,  and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. Hebrews 2:14-15 NKJV His incorruptible seed is the word of God and whosoever is born of God does not commit the sin of disbelief (DBS&P). So we have to give over ourselves so that Jesus Christ may possess our hearts, minds and souls. When He has completed this task there is absolutely nothing left in us because all of what we were was sin. Now when we surrender our life, our emotions, our will and our possessions to Christ we become completely empty. This is the only way God can re – create us in His on likeness. We have to surrender to become free. We have to give ourselves away to gain control through Jesus Christ.

It all starts with a relationship with God through daily Bible study and prayer. This gives the Holy Spirit the opportunity to cleanse our souls through the process of regeneration.  Day by day we grow in confidence to overcome the power of the flesh. As we grow, through our example we lead others to Christ. We produce the fruit of salvation to all who will listen.  Even though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death we do not fear evil, because we know that Jesus Christ is with us. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of our life, and we will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalms 23:4,6 NKJV