B-BE AN OVERCOMER-2

B – BE AN OVERCOMER – 2

We have seen how Satan wants to usurp God and hurt God by causing His children (Christians) to fall away into sin.  It is important that we recognize sin, for temptations come to us daily.  We can’t overcome unless we recognize sin as sin.  Sin is rebellion against God’s law which is the standard of righteousness.  1 Jhn.1:8   Self is put in the place of God.  When we do that, we are egotistical and selfish.

Sin is lawlessness.  1 Jhn.3:4-6   In Romans, Paul adds to a list of sins that even those that give hearty approval to those who practice sin are worthy of death.  When we get our entertainment from those who are acting out sin or are reading about characters involved in sin, we are giving our approval.  Rom.1:32   Great care must be given to what our eyes and ears consume for that will fill our minds and hearts.  Prov.23:7

God did not intend for us to sin.  He did not make us in that way.  Satan brought sin into the world and it remains with us.  Eccl.7:29   The Ephesians had formerly been guilty of sins that were the desires of the flesh and of the mind.  Eph.2:3   They received forgiveness through acceptance of Christ and the gospel.  We can, too.  Eph.2:4-7

James explains the path of sin in Jam.1:14,15   We are tempted, desire, enticed, then fall.  That fall leads to death if we do nothing about it.  We cannot keep on in our sin.  Yes, we will sin but when we realize a certain sin is in our life and we keep on sinning anyway, we have spurned the blood of Christ and there is no more sacrifice until we repent and change.  Heb.10:26

Living in sin is living in the flesh and in so doing, we cannot please God.  Rom.8:7,8   When we became a Christian we were given the gift of the Holy Spirit.  The Spirit and the flesh are opposed to one another.  Gal.5:17,18   We have freedom of choice but we must not use it for the flesh.  Gal.5:13   To keep from that, we need to walk by the Spirit.  Gal.5:16

Not being murderers or thieves, just of what sins are we guilty?  It is impossible to look at all of the sins in Scripture but looking at some of them may help us see ourselves in a different light. 

First, we have sins of action.  Sexual immorality is prevalent today with sins that are outside of marriage such as fornication and adultery.  1 Cor.6:18-20; Matt.15:19   Other sins of action are mentioned in these lists. 

Many sins are listed regarding the tongue:  Some of them are: strife, discord, dissention, faction.  These sins would cause problems between people.  They destroy fellowship as do malice, rage and anger as well as gossip, slander, and fault-finding.  Complaining and grumbling does not show the loving, thankful spirit of a Christian.  We find ourselves guilty of some of these and do not recognize that they are sins.  Jam.5:9; 1 Jhn.2:9; Eph.4:29-31

Sins of the heart cause many other sins.  Lack of forgiveness erases the forgiveness we receive and destroys love and fellowship of a brother.  Pride raises us above others as we become arrogant and full of conceit.  Rom.12:10   This mindset might put an end to pride. 

Being irreconcilable or difficult to be entreated causes love and fellowship to lack.  We not only need to be reconciled to God but also to our fellowman.  Being peaceful is often used in some versions as is the phrase “easily entreated.”  Jam.3:17; 2 Tim.2:24

Bitterness is a danger to the growth of a church.  It does not develop a peaceful situation.  When Peter would not give miraculous power to Simon, his answer is in Acts 8:23   The Ephesians were told to rid themselves of bitterness.  Eph.4:31 

This is such an age of entertainment that many become lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God.  2 Tim.3:3-5   Without love and without self-control are also sins that are mentioned in this passage.  Many of our sins could be averted with both of these elements—love and self-control.  Self-control together with righteousness and judgment was such a touchy subject that the mention of it caused Felix to put off any further discussion with Paul.  Acts 24:25   Lack of love causes most of our heart problems, action sins, and tongue sins.  Paul told the Corinthians:  1 Cor.16:14

We could mention hypocrisy, love of money, ungratefulness, etc.  Almost every epistle lists sins of which we need to be aware.  Read the Bible!!

We need to resist even the appearance of evil.  1 Thess.5:22   We could become a stumbling block.  Rom.14:13   We can overcome.  Rom.12:21   Once we have been an overcomer, we should never become entangled in worldly things again.  2 Pet.2:20   We want to be children of God and not children of Satan.  1 Jhn.3:10