March 11, 2018 - Inscriptions From The Heart

March 11, 2018
Pastor Immanuel Garcera

OVERCOMING SIN

You have to admit that sin feels good. That may not be the case now or it might still be, but at one point in your life you enjoyed sin. Now, this is normal in a sense, because we live in a sinful world and we indwell the flesh which is sinful by nature, and we choose to and like sin (see John 3:19 one of the passages I quote the most). By ourselves we neither want to stop the sinner or even desire God. But, if you have committed yourself to Christ and follow Him as your Lord and Saviour – things change.

Our pulpit theme for the month is “Overcoming Sin” which brings me to the “Jewel of the New Testament,” as some scholars have dubbed it, probably my favourite chapter in the Bible; Romans 8. In it says “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.” (V. 1-2) You have to keep in mind that “therefore” is in the beginning of the verse because you’re supposed to look at what Paul in this case have said previously in this passage. Basically, Paul is saying he’s a terrible person. Although he himself is an apostle of Christ, there is a war “waging within” him as his sinful nature and the Holy Spirit along with his own being fight for control of his thoughts, actions, and desires (Romans 7:7-23). But please, read on because the next few words at the end of Romans 7 and the chapter after it should give anyone who reads it, hope. Again in Romans 8 it says “there is now no condemnation… The law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.” (1-2) This is our reality now, as much as we still indwell out flesh the Spirit of God has set us free. So how do we live it out?

Church, freedom from sin is simply a fruit of abiding in Christ and especially by keeping in step with the Holy Spirit. Abiding in Christ enables us (because without Him we can’t do it; see John 15) to overcome sin even when it is knocking on our front door or staring us in the face. Keeping in step with the Holy Spirit straight up says that the results is that we will not gratify the desires of the flesh (Galatians 5:16). What this looks like in our everyday lives is a man or a woman of God resting in God’s presence, by reading the Word, taking time to pray, and desiring to glorify God. By delighting in God so much, the temptations of the flesh and the world are in hindsight compared to what he or she is focusing on. By being guided by the Spirit our paths don’t go down the wrong road and when faced with sin we are able to see a way out. The hard part is we have to keep in step with the Holy Spirit, day by day, moment by moment – but that’s what it’s going to take: to overcome sin.  

To God be all the Glory!