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When a person comes to Christ Jesus in repentance and is born again, they become a new creation.
1 Peter 1:15-16 But as he which hath
called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because
it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
The outlook on sin to a born again believer is one from loving it, to abhorring it; from living for it to rejecting it; from being a slave to it to freedom from it. In this sinful world there are many trials a believer must encounter in everyday living that if one is not careful they could be spotted by it (James 1:27) and swept away through minor compromises or simply every day tolerance.
Now, most all believers would admit that we are totally shocked when we hear of a mass shooting or a heinous violent crime committed against someone and we abhor such sinful actions. Christians also admit that profanity (especially the F word, most would say) is horrible to listen to and makes a person cringe upon hearing it. Driving by a crack house and seeing drug addicts shooting up brings tears to our eyes. We hate these sins and righteous anger rises up and we are spurred on to preach the truth to those who are lost in satans world. But are those the only sins that Jesus died for?
Unfortunately man has a way of measuring on a curve and yes the bible clearly shows us there are some sins that will be measured in a greater way but ALL sin leads to death and therefore our Savior died for sins of the man who would not give up his idolatrous love of his motorcycle just the same as He died for the sins of Adolf Hitler who was responsible for millions of murders.
Do you abhor the sin of laziness or overlook it?
2 Thessalonians 3 commands believers not to associate with a lazy brother.
Does your spirit rise in anger at the carnality of the NFL when you see sports-wear with logos imprinted on them or do you have fond thoughts of it? (1 John 2:15 tells us not to love the world or the things of it.) See HERE for a post on the NFL.
Do you flinch and say ‘oh my’ when you see a man wearing a woman’s clothing (a dress) and you overlook the abomination (Deuteronomy 22:5) of a woman wearing a man’s clothing (pants)?
Do you blush or become embarrassed when you see a worldly woman or do you feel it is a normal thing to be able to see the entire shape and form of a woman who is not your wife? (1 Timothy 2:9 women should wear long flowing garments to hide their form, see HERE for more info.)
Do you shake your head in shame over gluttonous feasts?
(Proverbs 23:2 And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite.)
Do you cringe when someone has an idolatrous relationship with their pet or do you think it’s cute? (Romans 1 shows us that people will love the creation more than the Creator.) See HERE for a post on that.
We see, in man’s eyes, a sharp contrast in sin from ‘big’ to ‘little’ but we are told to abhor what is evil and cling to what is good (Romans 12:9) It doesn’t say to abhor just the ‘big’ ones, it says ‘what is evil’, all inclusive…evil.
The danger is in becoming complacent toward the so called lesser sins or smaller ones to the point where they may begin to influence us and compromise our walk. If we sear our conscience in just one way, we are weak and satan then has a foothold by which to begin tearing us down little by little. For instance: if you do not stand strong against and avoid the violent, carnal, pride filled, immodest, drunken NFL then those who are involved in it will continue to share it with you to tantalize your flesh until you weaken and become blind to the vileness of it. If you simply accept the fact that you can see the shape of a woman’s curves and private parts which should not be looked upon by anyone but her husband, you violate your conscience and the purity of your heart by not protecting your eyes. If you chuckle at the idolatrous relationship of an old woman and her dog, you belittle the magnitude of our Creator.
When a person comes to Christ Jesus in repentance and is born again, they become a new creation.
Therefore
if any man be in Christ, he is a new
creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17)
A Christians nature then becomes one that is no longer
seeking after the carnal things of the flesh but now seeking after the spirit:
"For they
that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are
after the Spirit the things of the Spirit" (Romans
8:5).
They turn away from sin:
Knowing
this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be
destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. (Romans 6:6)
And seek holiness:
The outlook on sin to a born again believer is one from loving it, to abhorring it; from living for it to rejecting it; from being a slave to it to freedom from it. In this sinful world there are many trials a believer must encounter in everyday living that if one is not careful they could be spotted by it (James 1:27) and swept away through minor compromises or simply every day tolerance.
Now, most all believers would admit that we are totally shocked when we hear of a mass shooting or a heinous violent crime committed against someone and we abhor such sinful actions. Christians also admit that profanity (especially the F word, most would say) is horrible to listen to and makes a person cringe upon hearing it. Driving by a crack house and seeing drug addicts shooting up brings tears to our eyes. We hate these sins and righteous anger rises up and we are spurred on to preach the truth to those who are lost in satans world. But are those the only sins that Jesus died for?
Unfortunately man has a way of measuring on a curve and yes the bible clearly shows us there are some sins that will be measured in a greater way but ALL sin leads to death and therefore our Savior died for sins of the man who would not give up his idolatrous love of his motorcycle just the same as He died for the sins of Adolf Hitler who was responsible for millions of murders.
Do you abhor the sin of laziness or overlook it?
2 Thessalonians 3 commands believers not to associate with a lazy brother.
Does your spirit rise in anger at the carnality of the NFL when you see sports-wear with logos imprinted on them or do you have fond thoughts of it? (1 John 2:15 tells us not to love the world or the things of it.) See HERE for a post on the NFL.
Do you flinch and say ‘oh my’ when you see a man wearing a woman’s clothing (a dress) and you overlook the abomination (Deuteronomy 22:5) of a woman wearing a man’s clothing (pants)?
Do you blush or become embarrassed when you see a worldly woman or do you feel it is a normal thing to be able to see the entire shape and form of a woman who is not your wife? (1 Timothy 2:9 women should wear long flowing garments to hide their form, see HERE for more info.)
Do you shake your head in shame over gluttonous feasts?
(Proverbs 23:2 And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite.)
Do you cringe when someone has an idolatrous relationship with their pet or do you think it’s cute? (Romans 1 shows us that people will love the creation more than the Creator.) See HERE for a post on that.
We see, in man’s eyes, a sharp contrast in sin from ‘big’ to ‘little’ but we are told to abhor what is evil and cling to what is good (Romans 12:9) It doesn’t say to abhor just the ‘big’ ones, it says ‘what is evil’, all inclusive…evil.
The danger is in becoming complacent toward the so called lesser sins or smaller ones to the point where they may begin to influence us and compromise our walk. If we sear our conscience in just one way, we are weak and satan then has a foothold by which to begin tearing us down little by little. For instance: if you do not stand strong against and avoid the violent, carnal, pride filled, immodest, drunken NFL then those who are involved in it will continue to share it with you to tantalize your flesh until you weaken and become blind to the vileness of it. If you simply accept the fact that you can see the shape of a woman’s curves and private parts which should not be looked upon by anyone but her husband, you violate your conscience and the purity of your heart by not protecting your eyes. If you chuckle at the idolatrous relationship of an old woman and her dog, you belittle the magnitude of our Creator.
Here are just a few verses with
a list of sins that people focus on and those that are usually considered by
man to be of lesser importance....
Now
the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication,
uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred,
variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings,
murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you
before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things
shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
(Galatians 5:19-21)
For
from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries,
fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit,
lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness (Mark 7:21-22)
Know
ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not
deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate,
nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor
extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6)
For
men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud,
blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural
affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of
those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than
lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from
such turn away. (2 Timothy 3:1-5)
But shun profane and
vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. (2 Timothy 2:16)
But
fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named
among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor
jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. For this ye
know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an
idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. (Ephesians 5:3-5)
But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the
day of judgment. (Matthew 12:36)
Blessed
are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of
life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and
whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a
lie. (Revelation 22:14-15)
If we look closely, we will see all
these sins listed one with another, without any signification of importance through
magnitude. We see that they will all
keep one from heavens gates if there is no repentance from them.
No, we do not hate the sinner
but the sin itself. We do not avoid such
sinners either, instead we are to reach out to them with the love of Christ who
paid the price for our sins that we may have eternal life if we repent and
become a new creation. The warning of
this message is that while reaching out to sinners, let us not become
indifferent to the sin presented before us lest we become tainted by it in our
weakness. All sin is evil and worthy of
death so Christians are to be on guard…
Ephesians
6:11-17 Put on the whole armour of God, that
ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood,
but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness
of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of
God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to
stand. Stand therefore, having your
loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all,
taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery
darts of the wicked. And take the helmet
of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God
Stand strong in the face of the
adversary who is roaming the earth seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8)
which a believer can do with the strength of Jesus Christ (Philippians
4:13). Christians need to recognize and
hate all sin they encounter in order to protect themselves from it.
Please go to God's Word and seek His truth.
Please go to God's Word and seek His truth.