Habitual Sins

[nephilimiyr]

It's just as good as that Martin Luther picture I posted 2 days ago.

here's the pic.

I believe it was the "was God behind the Reformation" thread

 

[Tonks]

Thanks fantastic.

*chortle*

 

[ScottBot]

Is it possible to be a Christian and have a habitual sin? The two thoughts seem contradictory in some ways. 1 John 3:6 says -- "No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him."

Go Cards!

Many people speculate that St. Paul had some sort of sinful affliction that he could not overcome. Many theologians have proposed that Paul either had a physical ailment, but the most populat theory is that Paul had some sort of temptation that he was never able to get rid of.

And to keep me from being too elated by the abundance of revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to harass me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I besought the Lord about this, that it should leave me; but he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

 

[PujolsisbetterthanBonds]

I understand there is a difference between struggling with sin and accepting sin in your life. But some people have come to the point where they are addicted to certain sins -- lust, pride, anger, etc; they repeat those sins over and over and over again. They say they're sorry to God and I believe they genuinely are sorry, but they don't change their lifestyle. So evidently, it's not a Godly type of sorrow. They've dulled their conscience to the point of a low level acceptance of thier sin. Overall, I don't think it's a matter of their salvation, I believe it's a matter of discipline. According to Scripture we have been given everything for life and godliness, but we are to make every effort to add to these virtues. If we do that will no longer give in to those same sins over and over. (2 Peter 1:5-11.)

So is it possible to have a habitual sin in your life and still be a Christian? Yes. But allowing that sin to remain in your life is perhaps a greater sin than the one that's holding you captive. It is up to the Christian to rid himself of such things.

Go Cards!

 

[nephilimiyr]

I understand there is a difference between struggling with sin and accepting sin in your life. But some people have come to the point where they are addicted to certain sins -- lust, pride, anger, etc; they repeat those sins over and over and over again.

I was physically addicted to nicotine but do I smoke today? No and I thank God every day for that.

They say they're sorry to God and I believe they genuinely are sorry, but they don't change their lifestyle. So evidently, it's not a Godly type of sorrow. They've dulled their conscience to the point of a low level acceptance of thier sin. Overall, I don't think it's a matter of their salvation, I believe it's a matter of discipline. According to Scripture we have been given everything for life and godliness, but we are to make every effort to add to these virtues. If we do that will no longer give in to those same sins over and over. (2 Peter 1:5-11.)

I agree to a certain point but what are you actually saying? Are we to leave it up to ourselves to change? You certainly are right about virtues playing a big part in it because I can only change, we can only change if we want to change. Virtures can only give us a reason to change, virtures define why we want to change, but there is no power in virtures. In order to want to change there has to be a reason and that reason has to over take you.

The apostles went through change. They witnessed God in the flesh, LOL, they had to change because of it. They saw and were taught how one can put aside worldly things and just love people and have compassion for them.

The power of love is strong, stronger than I think alot of people realize. Virture is great to have but love is what gives us strength. Love is where the power is.

St. Peter had a problem understanding the love Jesus was talking about. Peter had a hard time opening up his mouth, there was that something holding him back. But when the Holy Spirit came and love filled his heart no one could pay him enough to keep his mouth shut! All the apostles were converted and along with then thousands of people. Why? because the power of love, the love that only the Holy Spirit can provide.

So is it possible to have a habitual sin in your life and still be a Christian? Yes. But allowing that sin to remain in your life is perhaps a greater sin than the one that's holding you captive. It is up to the Christian to rid himself of such things.

Go Cards!

Ok, so how do we "rid" ourselves of our habitual sin?

GO BREWERS!!!


GO JESUS!!!

 

[PujolsisbetterthanBonds]

I was physically addicted to nicotine but do I smoke today? No and I thank God every day for that.

I agree to a certain point but what are you actually saying? Are we to leave it up to ourselves to change? You certainly are right about virtues playing a big part in it because I can only change, we can only change if we want to change. Virtures can only give us a reason to change, virtures define why we want to change, but there is no power in virtures. In order to want to change there has to be a reason and that reason has to over take you.

The apostles went through change. They witnessed God in the flesh, LOL, they had to change because of it. They saw and were taught how one can put aside worldly things and just love people and have compassion for them.

The power of love is strong, stronger than I think alot of people realize. Virture is great to have but love is what gives us strength. Love is where the power is.

St. Peter had a problem understanding the love Jesus was talking about. Peter had a hard time opening up his mouth, there was that something holding him back. But when the Holy Spirit came and love filled his heart no one could pay him enough to keep his mouth shut! All the apostles were converted and along with then thousands of people. Why? because the power of love, the love that only the Holy Spirit can provide.



Ok, so how do we "rid" ourselves of our habitual sin?

GO BREWERS!!!


GO JESUS!!!

Well, the way we rid ourselves of habitual sins is through a matter of self-discipline. Yes God is helping, yes the Holy Spirit will assist. The problem is that God rarely wacks us with a bolt of lightning and miraculously causes us to stop a sinful pattern. It is a hand in hand effort. That's what the 2 Peter passage is all about. At salvation we are given those things to a degree. But it is our responsibility to work at those things to build them into our life more effectively and practically.

Go Cards! (Brewers? Are you kidding? )

 

[PujolsisbetterthanBonds]

What has happened to giving attention to self-discipline in obtaining spiritual maturity. Once God saves us He certainly expects effort on our part. Not so much in maintaining our salvation but rather in advancing our salvation. 1 Tim. 4:7 says that we are to ". . .train yourself to be godly." I don't know about you but the Christian life isn't all pie in the sky, it's work, hard work at times. And it is through the discipline of ourselves that we are able to overcome habitual, addictive, sins.

Go Cards!

 

[DeaconDean]

I don't wish to start any trouble in here but seriously people, who in here does not sin? I know we are to live in this world, and not be of this world. But who in here does not sin whether in deed or in thought? We all do, and we will continue to until the day He comes back and we are made like Him.

"Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us," -Heb. 12:1

I know we aren't supposed to purposely sin, but some of us have sins that constantly beseige us. Whether we're hotheaded, suffer from road-rage, trying to get over a lifelong battle with a particular sin, or whatever. I read a book called "Fasting for Spiritual Breakthough" by Elmer L. Towns, published by Gospel Light Publications. One of the fasts they describe that one can go through is the "Disciples Fast." And the scripture they use is Heb. 12:1. Fasting to rid ourselves of those "beseting sins."

 

[PujolsisbetterthanBonds]

I don't wish to start any trouble in here but seriously people, who in here does not sin? I know we are to live in this world, and not be of this world. But who in here does not sin whether in deed or in thought? We all do, and we will continue to until the day He comes back and we are made like Him.

"Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us," -Heb. 12:1

I know we aren't supposed to purposely sin, but some of us have sins that constantly beseige us. Whether we're hotheaded, suffer from road-rage, trying to get over a lifelong battle with a particular sin, or whatever. I read a book called "Fasting for Spiritual Breakthough" by Elmer L. Towns, published by Gospel Light Publications. One of the fasts they describe that one can go through is the "Disciples Fast." And the scripture they use is Heb. 12:1. Fasting to rid ourselves of those "beseting sins."

Have you also read Richard Fosters 'Celebration of the Disciplines' or Dallas Willards 'Spirit of the Disciplines?' or Willards 'The Divine Consipiracy?' Three very good books. Advancement in our walk with God can only come through discipline. Some sins die a hard death and require more action, forethought, planning, etc; than others. I'm not trying to put all the weight in the corner of the Christian, but I am saying that God has already defeated sin through Christ and He has given us that victory as well. However, it is up to us to decide to walk in that victory.

Go Cards!

 

[Sun2]

Habitual Sin for me is like a Dog returning to its vomit. I do it most of the time.

 

[nephilimiyr]

What has happened to giving attention to self-discipline in obtaining spiritual maturity. Once God saves us He certainly expects effort on our part. Not so much in maintaining our salvation but rather in advancing our salvation. 1 Tim. 4:7 says that we are to ". . .train yourself to be godly." I don't know about you but the Christian life isn't all pie in the sky, it's work, hard work at times. And it is through the discipline of ourselves that we are able to overcome habitual, addictive, sins.

Go Cards!

I agree with you that we all have a responsibility in maintaining self-discipline. I'm just saying that in somethings we will fail. As long as we are in this flesh we are going to fail but where we fail we should trust God in being our strength. This strength does not come by us and our self-discipline but by God. The Lord is our strength when we fail, and we will fail at somethings no matter how strong our self-disciplain has grown to become.

Psalm 18:1-3, I love you , O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from mine enemies.

Psalm 46:1, God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

Psalm 68:35, You are awesome, O God, in your sanctuary; the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people. Praise be to God!

Psalm 73:26, My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

2 Corinthians 12:7-10, To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.
That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulies. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

 

[DeaconDean]

Have you also read Richard Fosters 'Celebration of the Disciplines' or Dallas Willards 'Spirit of the Disciplines?' or Willards 'The Divine Consipiracy?' Three very good books. Advancement in our walk with God can only come through discipline. Some sins die a hard death and require more action, forethought, planning, etc; than others. I'm not trying to put all the weight in the corner of the Christian, but I am saying that God has already defeated sin through Christ and He has given us that victory as well. However, it is up to us to decide to walk in that victory.

Go Cards!

When I was in seminary, "Celebration of the Disiplines" was required reading.