Fret not yourself because of evildoers;​

be not envious of wrongdoers!​

For they will soon fade like the grass​

and wither like the green herb.​

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Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;​

fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,​

over the man who carries out evil devices!​

Trust in the Lord, and do good;​

dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.​

Delight yourself in the Lord,​

and he will give you the desires of your heart.​

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Commit your way to the Lord;​

trust in him, and he will act.​

He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,​

and your justice as the noonday.​

PART 1: Defeating the Power of Sin​

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Our every sin is contrary to God's nature. If we can recognise sins for what they are, why do they “easily” gather around us threatening to get the better of us and trip us up? We know only too well that followers of Christ can be held back by many sins. The Bible tells us that when we know the right thing to do but don’t do it, we are guilty of sin. To put it another way, if our hearts don’t accuse us, we will enjoy a confident walk with God (see James 4:17 and 1st John 3:21). Although our lives should be free of nagging guilt and characterised by a healthy conscience that keeps us on the narrow path, there will be occasions when this won’t be our daily experience. Sadly, many of us will fall into sin, hurting ourselves and those around us. Like ripples in a pond, sin can have far-reaching consequences.

The world is highly critical of Christian hypocrisy, and rightly so. But some are clearly delighted when they hear of Christians slipping up, or committing serious crimes. (It’s worth noting that some of these people who say they are Christians may not be genuine followers of Christ.) Of course, we can’t seriously expect our most caustic critics to systematically search through the Bible to try to understand why Christians fall into sin. It wouldn’t interest them. And some of them would rather gloat anyway! They see only hypocrisy, but for the Church its sins are a disgrace that tarnishes the Gospel message. When believers suffer publicly for their sins it is an offence to the name of Jesus. Those who use the name that is above every name should be turning away from wickedness, not giving in to it (Philippians 2:9-11; 2nd Timothy 2:19). We are without excuse and should weep with regret. (Prayerfully consider James 4:8-10.)

We are all uncomfortably complex. Genuine faith is realised through the human condition and we all have stubborn traits that make us uneasy at times. Everyone in this world can chose to be loving, selfless, noble, honest and constructive, or unkind, destructive, wicked, cruel and selfish. Some people are a volatile mix of good and bad. It’s inevitable that true followers of Christ will also be subject to these conflicting forces, but in a unique way that brings the contradictions into sharp focus.

In the Book of Galatians we are told to “walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh [those ungodly thoughts and actions that originate in our fallen human nature]” (5:16). Walking in or by the Spirit is the state of being fully submitted to God’s will in the power of the Holy Spirit Who lives within every believer. But if walking in the Spirit keeps us from giving in to “the desire of the flesh”, it should serve as a warning that the reverse is true. When we don’t walk by the Spirit it’s only a matter of time before we will carry out the desire of the flesh. This can cause a most painful struggle: “…the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please” (v.17).

What are these things that we really don’t want to do? Through Paul God lists many: “The wrong things the sinful self does are clear: being sexually unfaithful, not being pure, taking part in sexual sins, worshipping gods, doing witchcraft, hating, making trouble, being jealous, being angry, being selfish, making people angry with each other, causing divisions among people, feeling envy, being drunk, having wild and wasteful parties, and doing other things like these. I warn you now as I warned you before: Those who do these things will not inherit God’s kingdom…

“We get our new life from the Spirit, so we should follow the Spirit” (vs. 19-21; 25, The Expanded Bible; see also 1st Corinthians 6:9, 10).

When by faith we first give our lives to Christ, we embark on a relationship that is forever. In that moment of first faith we are born again spiritually and become a new creation. Old things pass away. We cross over from the polluted, broad road that leads to destruction onto a narrow path that leads to eternal life, and we discover that there aren’t many travelling with us.

But even though we have willingly surrendered to Christ and our intentions are good, there will be times when we are tempted to go astray and offend Him. Human nature nurtures a defiant, fleshly streak that will do its best to work against God’s influence in our lives. It can undermine godly zeal and chip away at Christ-like character. When the mind is tainted by the things of the flesh it is hostile toward God (see Romans 8:7). When we allow ourselves to be controlled by the sinful nature we cannot possibly please Him.

Sin lives in us all (7:17; 21; 23; 25) and sometimes it’s a destructive force to be reckoned with. Under the influence of the flesh, fruit of the Spirit (see Galatians 5:22, 23) will be lacking. Instead, what proceeds from within will defile us, just as Jesus said. Therefore, by the Spirit Who lives within each believer, we must be those who are "putting to death the deeds of the body" (present tense, an ongoing action), and each day renewing our minds according to the Truth, the living Word, “the teaching of Christ” (read in full Romans 8:5-14; see also, 12:1, 2 and 2nd John v. 9).

Following God faithfully with a pure heart is a very serious matter. If our relationship with Christ isn’t a conscious, daily commitment, we will stumble and possibly fall. The price for giving in to our base impulses and corrupting desires can be very high indeed, especially in a sexual context. Like King David we read about in the Old Testament, those who walk faithfully with God can shift away from Him over time and indulge in secret sexual desires, become devious, and even commit adultery. David also indirectly committed the most serious crime of murder. We remember from Scripture that the first murderer was Cain who was “of the evil one” (1st John 3:12). Our sinful behaviour always furthers Satan's work.

Because of David’s appalling sins, God sent someone to rebuke him to his face: “Why have you despised the word of the Lord by doing evil in His sight?” This question is very revealing. If we apply it to our own experiences we realise that by indulging in sin we are in fact despising the truth we have learned from God's Word. Although He continues to love us in Christ, He must oppose us because we have set ourselves against His revelation and holy nature.

David’s submissive reply is very telling: “I have sinned against the Lord.” (Read this sad account in 2nd Samuel 11 and 12.) He had become a criminal, and was guilty of callous manipulation and sexual lust, but ultimately his wrongdoing was directly against God Himself. By stubbornly living in disobedience we too can grieve away His Spirit and put a gulf between us and Christ. Practising sin and spurning God's Word to us will bring us to our knees. Like King David the day will come when we must confess, “My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear” (Psalm 38:4, NIV; read too his lament in Psalm 51). It's likely David was deeply depressed and for a time emotionally unstable, as many in our churches are today. How many rely on therapy sessions and medication to help them cope with life's demands? Sinful behaviour and the harm caused by a fleshly mind will take their toll, as do suffering and circumstances that are beyond our control (see Part 3 below).

When we continue to do what's wrong, or repeatedly allow ourselves to think unrighteously, our loving Father will not hear us (compare Psalm 66:18 to Proverbs 15:29). Yes, we are still spiritually secure in Christ and we are still in His hand, but because we have disobeyed and insulted Him we must repent to receive His full forgiveness. We must submissively draw close to Him so He can “cleanse us from a guilty conscience” (Hebrews 10:22, NIV). When we eventually face up to our sinfulness in the presence of God’s perfect holiness, we must sincerely humble ourselves in full repentance. God expects us to be filled with regret and to fully acknowledge our sin so we can be made clean again; His blood continues to cleanse us “from all sin”:​

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There will be those who say that the one who repeatedly sins never truly placed his or her faith in Christ. Perhaps those who have given into sin had a meaningless religious experience and had never genuinely received God’s Life. We know them by their fruit, is the judgement. In some contexts in each local church this may be true. But who can know for sure? Do you? Is it not possible that some who have been genuinely saved will drift away over a period of years but in time will be drawn back filled with regret, just like the recklessly wasteful son in Jesus’ parable? God’s chosen will surely sin when they are led away by their own corrupt desires. They can indeed be overtaken by serious faults. They can even be delivered to Satan for the destruction of their flesh so their spirit will be saved (consider the arguments in Part 2).

The worst of sins can cast a lifetime of shadows. The passing of time won’t erase regret. What can we do to make sure we keep the flesh—our fallen nature, the old man—under control? What steps should we take? There are many, but we can start by lovingly encouraging and warning one another to live in Christ as we should (consider Malachi 3:16). We need to think and speak biblically without compromise and listen carefully to men in church leadership who are held accountable before God and are gifted to teach. More than ever before we need spiritually mature pastors and teachers who will lead “many to righteousness” (Daniel 12:3). Do we need revival? Well, by faith we certainly do need to be firmly established in Christ, day after day characterised by obedience to the Truth of Scripture and our love for God. Only then can His will be fully realised in each local assembly.

David told his son Solomon to “acknowledge the God of your father and serve him with a submissive attitude and a willing soul, for the Lord searches every heart and understands the intention of every thought” (1st Chronicles 28:9, from various translations and based on the Hebrew). We can be sure that the Lord will strengthen those “whose hearts are fully committed to him” (2nd Chronicles 16:9, NIV). Being willing and “fully” committed is crucial. Compromise and half measures dilute our relationship with Christ and can pollute it eventually. We must regularly test ourselves and examine our ways (consider Lamentations 3:40; Psalm 119:59; 139:24). We must walk in the Spirit, having been firmly rooted and built up in Christ. With our fellow believers we are called to be steadfast in the faith, just as we have been taught (consider Colossians 2:7).

We must continue in prayer. We must learn to recognise how the subtle influence of the world can loosen our grip on godly values. Through the power of the world around us our spiritual enemy seeks out those he can subdue and lead astray. Never forget that the whole world lies in his power (see Part 2). To help us stand firm we need minds that have been washed in God's Word. Knowing what the Scriptures teach enables us to “prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2). Local churches today are being compromised by teaching that distorts biblical sexuality and gender roles. We should always prioritise our allegiances in obedience to Scripture. Sometimes Christ brings a sword, and division among family members is inevitable.

We must be pliable in God's hands, willing to accept His discipline. We must learn to be patient in trials because we will surely experience lonely, dark days of suffering, pain and loss. Finally, we should take time to be mindful of God’s perfect holiness, remembering that we are commanded to keep ourselves pure. Purity isn't optional. Do we fully understand what offends Him? What is His assessment of morality? What do we learn about purity in His Word? Do we have “clean hands and a pure heart” (Psalm 24:4; consider also Psalm 119:9)?
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Unless noted, all Scripture is from the New American Stand Bible, 1995.
Essay taken from Faith and Flesh.
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Your testimonies are wonderful;​

therefore my soul keeps them.​

130 The unfolding of your words gives light;​

it imparts understanding to the simple.​

131 I open my mouth and pant,​

because I long for your commandments.​

132 Turn to me and be gracious to me,​

as is your way with those who love your name.​

133 Keep steady my steps according to your promise,​

and let no iniquity get dominion over me.​

134 Redeem me from man's oppression,​

that I may keep your precepts.​

135 Make your face shine upon your servant,​

and teach me your statutes.​

136 My eyes shed streams of tears,​

because people do not keep your law.​

PART 2: When We Keep On Sinning
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Those who don’t know Christ are spiritually “dead” and have been “blinded” in their understanding (2nd Corinthians 4:4). Unknown to them they are following the ways of the world and the evil power that comprehensively controls it. Worse still, if they die in that condition they will face God’s righteous wrath and judgement. Unless they are told how will they know that “It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31)?

In the book of 1st Corinthians we read the following very harsh instruction from the apostle Paul: “…I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus” (5:5). A similar judgement is found in 1st Timothy 1:18-20: “…fight the good fight, keeping faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith. Among these are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan, so that they will be taught not to blaspheme.”

Should we conclude from Paul’s terminology that he considered these three men to be spiritually dead and lost because of their serious sins? For the Corinthian, being delivered to Satan and having his flesh destroyed was intended to lead to his spiritual salvation. Hymenaeus and Alexander were guilty of blasphemy and their sin had shipwrecked their faith. Is a shipwrecked faith a forever ruined faith?

What did Paul mean by handing them “over to Satan, so that they will be taught not to blaspheme”? If eventually they learned not to blaspheme that would show they had responded to sound teaching. With 1st Corinthians 5:5 in mind, we can be sure Paul delivered them up in the prayerful hope they would either be restored or saved.

Hymenaeus’ corrupt beliefs were spreading among God’s people like a dangerous disease. He had strayed far from the truth. His false teaching was leading to an increase in ungodliness and was upsetting the faith of some. Alexander was a coppersmith who hurt Paul repeatedly. It was Paul’s desire that the Lord would repay Alexander according to his deeds.

In the above examples, sins, false teaching and repeated mistreatment justified handing people “over to Satan”. It’s fair to conclude that it was Paul’s intention that these men should ultimately benefit from their emphatic rejection. Sin and error would bring untold trouble and pain into their lives, but in time it would lead to salvation and could result in correction. The Corinthian wouldn’t be eternally lost and Hymenaeus and Alexander could learn. Are all minds and consciences that have been defiled beyond hope?

Keeping in mind the truths we read in Ephesians, these stern judgements make sense. Brothers and sisters in our local churches who knowingly disobey God and continue to wilfully sin are in fact stepping back into “the authority of darkness” they were rescued from (Colossians 1:13, literal translation). “...the world forces of this darkness” are our evil enemies (see Ephesians 6:12). When wrestling with their sinful nature and repeatedly giving in to sin, believers are in essence being delivered to their enemy—the evil power that controls the disobedient age we are living in. We shouldn’t confuse this sinful behaviour with the practices of those who, rebellious to the core, shrink back from God and fatally follow the evil spirit who orchestrates the ways of the world. Whatever the context or reason, those who no longer follow Christ faithfully have "turned aside to follow Satan" (consider 1st Timothy 5:11-15).

The extent of Satan’s power in the world cannot be overstated. His sphere of influence is absolute. As the Expanded Bible puts it: “…the Evil One controls the whole world” (1st John 5:19). Jesus prayed, “…I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but that you keep them safe from the evil one” (John 17:9, NET). When teaching us how to pray meaningfully He said, “…deliver us from the evil one” (Matthew 6:13, LSB). The evil that saturates the world flows from one distinct spiritual authority and those who are in Christ have been delivered from it. But those who have carelessly stepped away from Him are living in the domain of spiritual wickedness. They are once again subject to "the power of Satan" (Acts 26:18) and have swapped one authority for another.

We must be very careful not to assume that those who are clearly failing in their spiritual walk have lost their salvation. This is a serious charge to make. We dare not jump to conclusions when for a time we can see no evidence of the “things that accompany salvation” (Hebrews 6:9). Some claim that it’s possible for Christians to forever lose their standing in Christ. They would have us believe that those who are born again, who have been justified by faith, redeemed by His blood and clothed in His righteousness, can fall away into eternal, conscious punishment. But it is God Who alone looks on the heart (1st Samuel 16:7). We cannot.

The Lord knows those who are His. Likewise, He is aware when someone is not genuinely rooted in Christ. We may be fooled for a time, but He is not. He recognises false faith, regardless of its accomplishments (see Matthew 7:15-23). He knows all those who have been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift, who will nevertheless take offence at Christ and fall away into everlasting ruin. (Prayerfully consider Matthew 11:6; 13:18-23; Luke 9:26; Hebrews 6:4-8; 10:23-31.)

There are many who are comfortable with their endless hypocrisy, or are unaware of it. And there are those God has given up to moral uncleanness. Bold hypocrites, pseudo-Christians and those who knowingly disobey the truth while practising sinful behaviour, must be warned: “...because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will render to each person according to his deeds: to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation. There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil...” (Romans 2:5-9).

Those who selfishly suppress God’s will and fail to examine themselves can pay a very high price, but it’s unwise to say their current behaviour proves conclusively that they have definitely lost their salvation. In the lives of true believers disobedience results in God’s correction because He disciplines all those He loves (Hebrews 12:6). That God does indeed discipline His people is proof of sin in the Body of Christ. With this in mind, Hebrews 10:39 is both motivational and sobering: “But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul” (emphasis added). We are not those who recognise the Truth yet wilfully and rebelliously step away from it. Instead, in ongoing faith and obedience, and in spite of our failings, weaknesses and sins, we press on knowing our lives are secure in Christ.

But what are we to make of the solemn words that close the Book of James? “My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins” (5:19, 20). Among believers—the “brethren”—there are those who drift away from Christ’s Truth. They are no longer established in the sound teaching that nourishes and protects their local assemblies. As those who commit sin, Christ is no longer at the centre of their lives. Unchecked their wayward lifestyle will lead to a great number of sins. But worst of all, by living disobediently their souls are facing “death”. What is meant here by death? Is this an eternally lost soul?

Some may argue here that even though these people are part of the “brethren” in the local church, they stray from the truth because they are in fact lost sinners—they had never genuinely come to Christ. Yes, they formerly behaved more or less like true believers but now their ongoing conduct proves they are in fact condemned. The alternative to this view is the belief that straying from the truth is potentially fatal because continually living in error can lead to spiritual death and an everlasting, conscious separation from Christ. One thing is sure: we must be determined to willingly abide in Christ each day, fully surrendered to God’s will without distraction.

Occasionally we may hear about those who seem to be falling away, giving their lives over to unbelief, or in some cases becoming slaves to the absolute disaster of filth (see James 1:21 and Revelation 22:11). Even though we are secure in Christ we must never underestimate human nature’s compulsive desire to do what’s wrong (see part one above). Given half a chance the old self will be tempted to follow the corrupted spirit that controls the world. Many of us know only too well that “the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other” (ESV) to keep us from doing the things we want to do (read Galatians 5:17-25). When we are weakened by struggles and compromises we may hurt ourselves and others.

We must be those who are mindful of God’s holy character. We must nurture personal purity and be fully committed to a righteous lifestyle that stands against the ways of the world. “...do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.” (1st Corinthians 6:19, 20). This ongoing pursuit of moral purity is part of our sanctification process (consider carefully Romans 6:22, 1st Corinthians 6:11 and 1st Thessalonians 4:3-7).

When Paul wrote about handing people over to Satan, he meant it literally. If we aren’t walking with God in the secure power of the Holy Spirit, we will be walking with our spiritual enemy. When we seek out and prefer unrighteous paths, or can no longer recognise them, we will be unable to stand against the corrupting influences that govern Satan’s world. We will be spiritually weakened by the intrinsic disobedience that characterises the lost.

For lasting comfort we should often remind ourselves that no one in this world, and no evil power of wickedness, can snatch us out of Christ’s hand and the Father’s hand: “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” (John 10:27-29).

Those given to Christ by the Father hear His Word and follow Him. They abide (consciously and deliberately remain) in Him and are secure. However, we must accept that it is possible that true believers can take their eyes off Christ because of sinful choices, persistent suffering and the world's many distractions. We must also acknowledge that through God's loving discipline we will suffer painful consequences if we are careless and behave sinfully. It’s true that we are not saved by what we accomplish (our works), but in Christ we have a daily responsibility to walk in His commandments, ever willing to do good deeds.

Having an attitude that seeks to honour and obey God is the evidence of our love for Christ: “Jesus answered and said to him, ‘If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me.’” (John 14:23, 24). From your heart are you showing your love for Christ today?

Jesus also said: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied” (Matthew 5:6). Right living before God, and the righteousness that comes from being in Christ, are precious realities everyone should hunger and thirst for. When we desire righteousness from our hearts we are favoured by God, and He is glorified. The words Jesus chose—”hunger and thirst”—emphasise just how overpowering our need to pursue holiness should be (Hebrews 12:14). To be continually motivated and driven forward in this way will purify our relationship with Christ and spiritually strengthen us against the works of the flesh.

To help us stay strong in Christ each day, we must focus our minds on following the teaching of God’s Word which is able to save our souls (see also 1st Corinthians 15:2). Some of the most famous words of Scripture are found in Psalm 23: “He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.” (v. 3). If you look to Him faithfully every day, He will provide all you need to serve and follow Him until your life is over. By continually leading you along righteous paths He will make sure you don’t disgrace His holy name.
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