Question on putting sin to death.

[Neostarwcc]

I have a question about sin and the Bible's commands for us to put sin to death. I've noticed that I get overwhelmed with trying to put all sin to death so, is this something that God takes care of one sin at a time? Like for example I thought I would never break my porn addiction, yet now several years later I've been free of porn completely. Yet, I was addicted to porn since I was 10 years old. Or is putting sin to death really something that we do on our own and it's just a coincidence I broke from a 20+ year sinful habit? I hope my question makes sense.

 

[fhansen]

I have a question about sin and the Bible's commands for us to put sin to death. I've noticed that I get overwhelmed with trying to put all sin to death so, is this something that God takes care of one sin at a time? Like for example I thought I would never break my porn addiction, yet now several years later I've been free of porn completely. Yet, I was addicted to porn since I was 10 years old. Or is putting sin to death really something that we do on our own and it's just a coincidence I broke from a 20+ year sinful habit? I hope my question makes sense.

It’s a struggle, and a good and worthy one, involving both our wills and His grace. Every time we turn from evil and towards alignment with His will, grace is involved IMO. Our consciences, which convict us of moral evil, of sin, and orient us towards righteousness, are gifts to begin with as I see it.

 

[Neostarwcc]

It’s a struggle, and a good and worthy one, involving both our wills and His grace. Every time we turn from evil and towards alignment with His will, grace is involved IMO. Our consciences, which convict us of moral evil, of sin, and orient us towards righteousness, are gifts to begin with as I see it.

So we cannot take care of one sin at a time instead of getting overwhelmed with the multitude of sins we commit everyday? I find it VERY overwhelming to try to deal with all of my sins at once. We each probably commit hundreds if not thousands of sins everyday that we don't even know about. I mean, why must we mortify sin when Jesus died for all of our sins?

I personally believe the Bible is inerrant but it sure is a Billy club over the head. It's impossible to follow everything in the Bible. Let alone just mortifying sins.

 

[Gregory Thompson]

I have a question about sin and the Bible's commands for us to put sin to death. I've noticed that I get overwhelmed with trying to put all sin to death so, is this something that God takes care of one sin at a time? Like for example I thought I would never break my porn addiction, yet now several years later I've been free of porn completely. Yet, I was addicted to porn since I was 10 years old. Or is putting sin to death really something that we do on our own and it's just a coincidence I broke from a 20+ year sinful habit? I hope my question makes sense.

Sin is described in Romans 7 like a foreign organism, cultivating the kingdom of God as described in the parables in the land of your heart gives sin less room to exist.

 

[fhansen]

So we cannot take care of one sin at a time instead of getting overwhelmed with the multitude of sins we commit everyday? I find it VERY overwhelming to try to deal with all of my sins at once. We each probably commit hundreds if not thousands of sins everyday that we don't even know about. I mean, why must we mortify sin when Jesus died for all of our sins?

I personally believe the Bible is inerrant but it sure is a Billy club over the head. It's impossible to follow everything in the Bible. Let alone just mortifying sins.

Gods patient; we can be too. He’s on our side-He’s proven that-in a process, a journey, a good one. He wants more for us than to remain in our sins; He wants us to ‘go, and sin no more’. He doesn’t demand absolute perfection right now, just that we get on board with Him, in an orientation towards righteousness or alignment with His will. And get back on that path if we slip off. He doesn’t do away with the requirement for us to be righteous, to love as He does IOW, but He’s very patient in achieving that goal in us, to be fully crowned and completed in the next life. That love is our perfection, our goal or purpose as He is our purpose. But it begins here with faith, the first right step for man.

 

[Gregory Thompson]

The bible says He is able to keep us from falling, it doesn't say that we are. However, when we trust Him, anything is possible.

If it's not working and it's stressing you out, this is the opposite direction from Trust and Faith, and that is why it is not working.

 

[GreekOrthodox]

Once on Mount Athos there was a monk who lived in Karyes. He drank and got drunk every day and was the cause of scandal to the pilgrims. Eventually he died and this relieved some of the faithful who went on to tell Elder Paisios that they were delighted that this huge problem was finally solved.

Father Paisios answered them that he knew about the death of the monk, after seeing the entire battalion of angels who came to collect his soul. The pilgrims were amazed and some protested and tried to explain to the Elder of whom they were talking about, thinking that the Elder did not understand.

Elder Paisios explained to them: "This particular monk was born in Asia Minor, shortly before the destruction by the Turks when they gathered all the boys. So as not to take him from their parents, they would take him with them to the reaping, and so he wouldn't cry, they just put raki into his milk in order for him to sleep. Therefore he grew up as an alcoholic. There he found an elder and said to him that he was an alcoholic. The elder told him to do prostrations and prayers every night and beg the Panagia to help him to reduce by one the glasses he drank.

After a year he managed with struggle and repentance to make the 20 glasses he drank into 19 glasses. The struggle continued over the years and he reached 2-3 glasses, with which he would still get drunk."

The world for years saw an alcoholic monk who scandalized the pilgrims, but God saw a fighter who fought a long struggle to reduce his passion.

Without knowing what each one is trying to do what he wants to do, what right do we have to judge his effort?

 

[Servus]

Age has helped me in this. There's a lot of worldly fleshly stuff that I just simply don't covet or lust for any longer. If I didn't have a relationship with the Lord, which grows stronger as things of the would grow dull, I'd probably be feeling really depressed.

 

[Neostarwcc]

Age has helped me in this. There's a lot of worldly fleshly stuff that I just simply don't covet or lust for any longer. If I didn't have a relationship with the Lord, which grows stronger as things of the would grow dull, I'd probably be feeling really depressed.

Is that because God has been helping you with your sins all your life? Or what caused your desire to abandon these things?1

 

[Servus]

Is that because God has been helping you with your sins all your life? Or what caused your desire to abandon these things?1

God is always helping me grow. But that's also just the way it often goes in life. To quote John Mellencamp, "life goes on, long after the thrill of living is gone". I figure there's a scriptural version of that in Ecclesiastes. Think of stuff you were really into as a little kid or teenager compared to now.

 

[Hammster]

I have a question about sin and the Bible's commands for us to put sin to death. I've noticed that I get overwhelmed with trying to put all sin to death so, is this something that God takes care of one sin at a time? Like for example I thought I would never break my porn addiction, yet now several years later I've been free of porn completely. Yet, I was addicted to porn since I was 10 years old. Or is putting sin to death really something that we do on our own and it's just a coincidence I broke from a 20+ year sinful habit? I hope my question makes sense.

So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.
— Philippians 2:12-13

It’s both. Our putting sin to death is possible because God is actively working in us.

This might help.

9 Steps to Putting That Sin to Death | Tim Challies

 

[Neostarwcc]

God is always helping me grow. But that's also just the way it often goes in life. To quote John Mellencamp, "life goes on, long after the thrill of living is gone". I figure there's a scriptural version of that in Ecclesiastes. Think of stuff you were really into as a little kid or teenager compared to now.

A lot of the things I desired as a kid and teenager I still do. While I'm recovering from my hospitalization I don't do a lot of the things I used to because I physically can't. Otherwise I'd do them. But as a young adult? I'm a completely different person. God chose me about 9 years ago and I've done a lot of growing since then. As a young adult I definitely was not a good person and an atheist to boot. I committed WAY more sin back then than I do now.

 

[Neostarwcc]

So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.
— Philippians 2:12-13

It’s both. Our putting sin to death is possible because God is actively working in us.

This might help.

9 Steps to Putting That Sin to Death | Tim Challies

Thank you very much as always you're a great help. I'll read the article later when I have more free time.

 

[Servus]

A lot of the things I desired as a kid and teenager I still do. While I'm recovering from my hospitalization I don't do a lot of the things I used to because I physically can't. Otherwise I'd do them. But as a young adult? I'm a completely different person. God chose me about 9 years ago and I've done a lot of growing since then. As a young adult I definitely was not a good person and an atheist to boot. I committed WAY more sin back then than I do now.

I had an interesting experience in that I had become complacent and had fallen into a lot of sin. Then one day I suddenly realized where I was at and became horrified and appalled by it. And now won't go anywhere near any of it because it's so repellent to me now. And at the same time my relationship with the Lord on my end was restored. Nothing happened per se to bring this repentance about. I have to say the Holy Spirit just opened my eyes to where I was at and put them back on God.

 

[miamited]

Hi @Neostarwcc

Putting habitual sin to death is a difficult matter for many. As Paul has written to us, we still struggle with the desires of the flesh as we are being made holy. I believe that the best way to handle such problems is to look to the Scriptures for guidance.

For example: We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

Taking captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ, is a practice that born again believers need to use in their struggle against habitual sin. When desire or lust begins to bloom in our mind or thoughts, we need to immediately examine those thoughts and desires and look at what they are telling us to do with our body or words. Take them and filter them through the words and instructions of the Scriptures. It may take a fairly lengthy amount of time, but as we become more 'habitual' in weighing our desires and deeds against the Scriptures, I believe we find victory over such sin.

God bless,
Ted

 

[Hammster]

Hi @Neostarwcc

Putting habitual sin to death is a difficult matter for many. As Paul has written to us, we still struggle with the desires of the flesh as we are being made holy. I believe that the best way to handle such problems is to look to the Scriptures for guidance.

For example: We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

Taking captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ, is a practice that born again believers need to use in their struggle against habitual sin. When desire or lust begins to bloom in our mind or thoughts, we need to immediately examine those thoughts and desires and look at what they are telling us to do with our body or words. Take them and filter them through the words and instructions of the Scriptures. It may take a fairly lengthy amount of time, but as we become more 'habitual' in weighing our desires and deeds against the Scriptures, I believe we find victory over such sin.

God bless,
Ted

I hate to be “that guy” because I know you are wanting to be helpful, but that passage has to do with the church fighting the lies of Satan that threaten to infiltrate the church. So it’s not us taking our thoughts captive, but taking the lies of Satan (ie homosexuality, transgenderism, co-habitation, Marxism, etc) captive and destroying them so that they don’t infect the church.

 

[miamited]

Hi @Hammster

I hate to be “that guy” because I know you are wanting to be helpful, but that passage has to do with the church fighting the lies of Satan that threaten to infiltrate the church.

By the humility and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you—I, Paul, who am “timid” when face to face with you, but “bold” toward you when away! I beg you that when I come I may not have to be as bold as I expect to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards of this world. For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

Near as I can tell, this is Paul speaking about "some people who think that we live by the standards of this world." Yes, he is referencing people among the 'church', but it doesn't seem, in the context from the beginning of his letter, that he is only speaking of the 'church' as some large group, fighting the lies of Satan that threaten to infiltrate the 'church'. He tells them that even though 'we' live in the world, (I believe he is referencing all believers here), that believers do not wage war (I believe he is speaking of war against sin) as the world does. He then goes on to explain the weapons that we fight with, (I believe that he's speaking of the fight against sin), and explains that we have divine power to demolish strongholds, (I believe he is again referencing strongholds of sin). That we demolish those strongholds by taking captive every thought, (I believe he is speaking of the thoughts of a person on an individual basis and not, say, some collective thinking of a fellowship body). Remember, we, each of us individually who have trusted in the Lord and thus been born of the Spirit are the 'church'. What was intended by the Greek word as 'those who are called out'.

That's how I read the passage.

God bless,
Ted

 

[Hammster]

Hi @Hammster



By the humility and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you—I, Paul, who am “timid” when face to face with you, but “bold” toward you when away! I beg you that when I come I may not have to be as bold as I expect to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards of this world. For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

Near as I can tell, this is Paul speaking about "some people who think that we live by the standards of this world." Yes, he is referencing people among the 'church', but it doesn't seem, in the context from the beginning of his letter, that he is only speaking of the 'church' as some large group, fighting the lies of Satan that threaten to infiltrate the 'church'. He tells them that even though 'we' live in the world, (I believe he is referencing all believers here), that believers do not wage war (I believe he is speaking of war against sin) as the world does. He then goes on to explain the weapons that we fight with, (I believe that he's speaking of the fight against sin), and explains that we have divine power to demolish strongholds, (I believe he is again referencing strongholds of sin). That we demolish those strongholds by taking captive every thought, (I believe he is speaking of the thoughts of a person on an individual basis and not, say, some collective thinking of a fellowship body). Remember, we, each of us individually who have trusted in the Lord and thus been born of the Spirit are the 'church'. What was intended by the Greek word as 'those who are called out'.

That's how I read the passage.

God bless,
Ted

Fair enough.

 

[GDL]

I have a question about sin and the Bible's commands for us to put sin to death. I've noticed that I get overwhelmed with trying to put all sin to death so, is this something that God takes care of one sin at a time? Like for example I thought I would never break my porn addiction, yet now several years later I've been free of porn completely. Yet, I was addicted to porn since I was 10 years old. Or is putting sin to death really something that we do on our own and it's just a coincidence I broke from a 20+ year sinful habit? I hope my question makes sense.

Please don't read into these, but a few questions:

1. What do you see as the basics of the gospel?

2. Do you practice the confession of sin(s) per 1 John 1?

3. What, if anything, do you do with Hebrews 4:15-16?

4. What exactly are you saying in your last questions above?

 

[Neostarwcc]

1. Jesus died for the sins of the elect past present and future. He took every sin we would ever commit and bore the punishment that the elect deserve so that we don't have to and we could be forgiven.

2. Yes I confess both sins that I know about and those I do not. That's what "forgive us our trespasses" is all about.

3. I take it to mean along the sides of #1.

4. I'm not quite sure what I meant either.


All of the above may be true but the Bible also tells us to put our sin to death. We sin alot less than we did before and at the end of our sanctification we will be totally Holy.