Complete and Effective Decision About Sin

[Friedrich Rubinstein]

Complete and Effective Decision About Sin
By Oswald Chambers

"…our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin." — Romans 6:6

Co-Crucifixion. Have you made the following decision about sin — that it must be completely killed in you? It takes a long time to come to the point of making this complete and effective decision about sin. It is, however, the greatest moment in your life once you decide that sin must die in you– not simply be restrained, suppressed, or counteracted, but crucified— just as Jesus Christ died for the sin of the world. No one can bring anyone else to this decision. We may be mentally and spiritually convinced, but what we need to do is actually make the decision that Paul urged us to do in this passage.


Pull yourself up, take some time alone with God, and make this important decision, saying, “Lord, identify me with Your death until I know that sin is dead in me.” Make the moral decision that sin in you must be put to death.


This was not some divine future expectation on the part of Paul, but was a very radical and definite experience in his life. Are you prepared to let the Spirit of God search you until you know what the level and nature of sin is in your life — to see the very things that struggle against God’s Spirit in you? If so, will you then agree with God’s verdict on the nature of sin — that it should be identified with the death of Jesus? You cannot “reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin” (Romans 6:11) unless you have radically dealt with the issue of your will before God.


Have you entered into the glorious privilege of being crucified with Christ, until all that remains in your flesh and blood is His life? “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me…” (Galatians 2:20).


From My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers

 

[fhansen]

Complete and Effective Decision About Sin
By Oswald Chambers

"…our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin." — Romans 6:6

Co-Crucifixion. Have you made the following decision about sin — that it must be completely killed in you? It takes a long time to come to the point of making this complete and effective decision about sin. It is, however, the greatest moment in your life once you decide that sin must die in you– not simply be restrained, suppressed, or counteracted, but crucified— just as Jesus Christ died for the sin of the world. No one can bring anyone else to this decision. We may be mentally and spiritually convinced, but what we need to do is actually make the decision that Paul urged us to do in this passage.


Pull yourself up, take some time alone with God, and make this important decision, saying, “Lord, identify me with Your death until I know that sin is dead in me.” Make the moral decision that sin in you must be put to death.


This was not some divine future expectation on the part of Paul, but was a very radical and definite experience in his life. Are you prepared to let the Spirit of God search you until you know what the level and nature of sin is in your life — to see the very things that struggle against God’s Spirit in you? If so, will you then agree with God’s verdict on the nature of sin — that it should be identified with the death of Jesus? You cannot “reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin” (Romans 6:11) unless you have radically dealt with the issue of your will before God.


Have you entered into the glorious privilege of being crucified with Christ, until all that remains in your flesh and blood is His life? “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me…” (Galatians 2:20).


From My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers

Complete and Effective Decision About Sin
By Oswald Chambers

"…our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin." — Romans 6:6

Co-Crucifixion. Have you made the following decision about sin — that it must be completely killed in you? It takes a long time to come to the point of making this complete and effective decision about sin. It is, however, the greatest moment in your life once you decide that sin must die in you– not simply be restrained, suppressed, or counteracted, but crucified— just as Jesus Christ died for the sin of the world. No one can bring anyone else to this decision. We may be mentally and spiritually convinced, but what we need to do is actually make the decision that Paul urged us to do in this passage.


Pull yourself up, take some time alone with God, and make this important decision, saying, “Lord, identify me with Your death until I know that sin is dead in me.” Make the moral decision that sin in you must be put to death.


This was not some divine future expectation on the part of Paul, but was a very radical and definite experience in his life. Are you prepared to let the Spirit of God search you until you know what the level and nature of sin is in your life — to see the very things that struggle against God’s Spirit in you? If so, will you then agree with God’s verdict on the nature of sin — that it should be identified with the death of Jesus? You cannot “reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin” (Romans 6:11) unless you have radically dealt with the issue of your will before God.


Have you entered into the glorious privilege of being crucified with Christ, until all that remains in your flesh and blood is His life? “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me…” (Galatians 2:20).


From My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers

That decision is made to the extent that we love God with our whole heart, soul, mind, nd strength and our neighbor as ourselves. Then obedience and sinlessness would flow of their own accord. It's a process-probably unattainable in the full or absolute sense in this world.

 

[Friedrich Rubinstein]

That decision is made to the extent that we love God with our whole heart, soul, mind, nd strength and our neighbor as ourselves. Then obedience and sinlessness would flow of their own accord. It's a process-probably unattainable in the full or absolute sense in this world.

According to the Bible it is not unattainable "in the full or absolute sense" in this world.
Jesus said "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect". - Mt 5:48

 

[fhansen]

According to the Bible it is not unattainable "in the full or absolute sense" in this world.
Jesus said "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect". - Mt 5:48

Perfection is always the ideal and that goal will be achieved eventually, or else we won't be entering heaven. But if God demanded it absolutely in this life, down to refraining from the smallest white lie, then few or none will make it.

 

[Friedrich Rubinstein]

The difference is the mindset.
You might want to read this: Dear lukewarm Christian :)

 

[fhansen]

The difference is the mindset.
You might want to read this: Dear lukewarm Christian :)

I liked your commentary. FWIW the church teaches that perfection is "technically" possible due to a Christian's relationship with God but that smaller sins are still likely to occur while on this planet, in the body. And in any case it teaches that forgiveness is always available after backsliding- with a new change of heart and sincere repentance and confession. But the overall orientation must be towards sinlessness, and growing in more righteousness yet (and righteousness involves more than sinlessness- and there's no limit to that righteousness because it's defined by love) as we remain in God and walk with Him, making those right choices daily throughout our lives as you say.

The main cause of confusion in Christianity over this is where the doctrine of Sola Fide is misapplied. Some people think that faith is like some kind of license, freeing us from the obligation to be personally righteous. In truth, faith finally provides the true means to authentic righteousness for man because it places us in communion with the only One who can do that work in us. So:
"Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live." Rom 8:12-13

 

[Friedrich Rubinstein]

I liked your commentary. FWIW the church teaches that perfection is "technically" possible due to a Christian's relationship with God but that smaller sins are still likely to occur while on this planet, in the body. And in any case it teaches that forgiveness is always available after backsliding- with a new change of heart and sincere repentance and confession. But the overall orientation must be towards sinlessness, and growing in more righteousness yet (and righteousness involves more than sinlessness- and there's no limit to that righteousness because it's defined by love) as we remain in God and walk with Him, making those right choices daily throughout our lives as you say.

The main cause of confusion in Christianity over this is where the doctrine of Sola Fide is misapplied. Some people think that faith is like some kind of license, freeing us from the obligation to be personally righteous. In truth, faith finally provides the true means to authentic righteousness for man because it places us in communion with the only One who can do that work in us. So:
"Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live." Rom 8:12-13

I fully agree with that. Our way of thinking should not be "we'll always be sinners" but rather aim to please our Lord with all our heart and strength, striving for perfection - or getting as close to it as possible.
I think this is one of the major divisions in church today: on one hand those who want to be free from sin, and on the other hand those who want to sin freely.

God bless you