Can The Thorn In THe Flesh Be A Particluar Sin Struggle?

1.God never tempts us to sin, but rather gives us a way to overcome it.

2."You" must reckon yourself "dead to sin".."You"..must "mortify the deeds of the flesh"..."You" must .."strive to enter the straight gate". This is not salvation by works..but rather a salvation that does work. God provides the way..but you must follow.

3. It is not a sin to be tempted. For even Christ was tempted in all points as we are. Yet without sin.

4. Whether or not the "infirmity of the flesh" Paul spoke of was actually a physical ailment, or some ongoing temptation, or circumstance, is not the thrust or subject of this scripture. For truthfully, it matters not. What does matter, is that Paul was continually buffeted by satan...Yet was victorious.

5. Satan will continually tempt us. The bible say's rebuke the devil and he will flee. Satan is also very subtle. He knows our weak areas. Paul gives very good advice in Phil. When he tells us what to think on. As christians we need to keep the Holy Spirit guarding the doors of our minds....Be careful what you think about.

6.Take a look around our society..it's getting worse. What was once Taboo is now being gradually accepted..Right and wrong are becoming confused. It is a VERY, VERY dangerous! thing for a christian, in the age we live in, To stray very far from God's word. If we have an ongoing sin problem..Satan will comfort you by saying everythings Ok..everybody is doing it. But God will through his Holy Spirit convict you, and help you overcome it. The Bible speaks of the continual Warfare going on in our minds. God say's let me fight your battles. The victory is won. But He can't help you if you won't let him.

When things pop up that tempt us..Think of Godly things instead..let go...And let God. Paul did.

soldierundercommand said:

Given that Paul declared that a messenger of Satan was sent to harrass him, and I, myself, feeling like I am harrassed 24/7 by a particular sin issue that has been with me since early childhood, could the thorn in the flesh be a struggle with sin?

I know that there are those who believe the thorn was an infirmity of such, like his eye sight or speech....but....just thinking out loud here.

If anything, it definelty keeps me glued to the incomprehensible mercy He has, which in turn keeps me humbled, reminding me of teh wretch I was and still can be.

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Paul's thorn in the flesh was a messenger of satan sent to buffet him - it was persecution by people who were yielded to satan (some knowingly, most unknowingly) - this is why God wouldn't deliver Paul from this thorn, but instead strengthened him to stand against it. Paul was persecuted by the very people that God sent him to minister to; if God had delivered Paul from these folks, he would have had no ministry.

remember that when you judge yourself, God does not judge you, and remembers your sin no more. every time you repeat a sin, God sees only that one instance - and He reminds you to take take your already-available forgiveness through His already-available mercy, and step right back into grace and fellowship with Him. even the sins you aren't aware of are paid for by Jesus in God's eyes; as a reborn believer, sin is no longer an issue with God where you are concerned; but you can make it an issue in approaching God. be quick to judge yourself and repent again each time you sin as if it were the only time, and it will lose it's grip on you.

Heres glorying found in the same

2Cr 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Romans 5:3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

So he adds...Tribulation worketh patience (even as we are told to consider the patience of Job) and specifically so in respects to his enduring

Though I dont see where Paul gloried in his inquities

2Cr 12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

Same glorying here (in them) patience and faith and the same persecutions and tribulation these too endured

2Thes 1:4 So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:

Just pieces speaking much the same, sin itself isnt listed as something to rejoice in, neither where (in what) he took pleasure in was listed sin. If all sin is unrighteousness, then that would be having pleasure in unrighteousness.

Fireinfolding said:

Though I dont see where Paul gloried in his inquities

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I lol'ed at that so hard haha ...

itdepends said:

I lol'ed at that so hard haha ...

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Glad I could give you a chuckle lol.

Well yeah because obviously Paul could take pleasure infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, and in distresses for Christ but he failed to mention taking pleasure in sins (for Christ sake)

So taking pleasure in "unrighteousness" (which is all sin is) doesnt seem to be on Pauls list of things named to glory in.

Fireinfolding said:

Glad I could give you a chuckle lol.

Well yeah because obviously Paul could take pleasure infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, and in distresses for Christ but he failed to mention taking pleasure in sins (for Christ sake)

So taking pleasure in "unrighteousness" (which is all sin is) doesnt seem to be on Pauls list of things named to glory in.

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Yeah I don't see where Paul is sticking his hands up and thanking God for all his iniquities lol

soldierundercommand said:

Given that Paul declared that a messenger of Satan was sent to harrass him, and I, myself, feeling like I am harrassed 24/7 by a particular sin issue that has been with me since early childhood, could the thorn in the flesh be a struggle with sin?

I know that there are those who believe the thorn was an infirmity of such, like his eye sight or speech....but....just thinking out loud here.

If anything, it definelty keeps me glued to the incomprehensible mercy He has, which in turn keeps me humbled, reminding me of teh wretch I was and still can be.

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I have every reason after much contemplation and study of the Greek that Pauls thorn was very likely a besetting sin. The Greek word used for thorne is not used anywhere else in the Bible! That's very interesting to start with. Secondly, if this 'thorne' was given to Paul to keep him humble then what is the other alternative that could tempt him to be proud? I'm sure if Satan himself was assigned to us we could feel pretty proud about that due to our ministry and or influence for the Lord. Re an eye/sight problem or other physical issue, the only thing that would keep Paul humble would be if he is healing others with the same condition but can't find healing himself. However, Paul says to rejoice in suffering, so him feeling/doing the opposite would be hypocrisy. The Greek word for 'thorn' is to be pierced and for it remain in you, only used in this instance in the whole bible. The Greek word for 'flesh' includes also the carnality of the flesh. Paul says in Romans of his awareness of sin being present 'the things I want to do I do not do etc' referring to the sinful flesh nature. The one thing that keeps me humble is knowing my own weakness and sin that is ever present. David says my sin is ever before me, and David is the one whom God refers to as the man after His own heart. We all know the enormity of Davids failings and many would condemn him today. But God had chosen him with his faults to fulfill what God wanted to do. So much could be said. There is nothing like our awareness of sin to keep us humble, even more so when we see God is with us and blessing us even when our hearts are pursuing sin. If any reader of this is willing to contemplate these ideas it can open our eyes to what John says about 'there is sin that leads to death and sin that doesn't. I am convinced due to 35 years of study that sins of the flesh, lust, greed etc are seen differently by the Lord than sins of the heart that are hidden and are the motivation of relationship destruction. God is a God of relationship and all the sins that Paul and others are continually emphasizing are the secret sins within the heart/spirit of man, hate, anger, selfishness, selfish ambition, envy, jealousy etc etc everything that destroys relationship. I believe Jesus made this clear in His time one earth as man, He loved the 'sinners' but was against the people of the day who were full of evil intent yet on the outside made themselves look like saints. There is so much revelation in this . Blessings and grace Mark

To me it is easy to see the possibility that my main besetting sin I have struggled against for decades is "the thorn in the flesh" that Paul experienced. But, I imagine that most anyone with any besetting sin could say the same. Maybe the reason Paul wrote it the way he did was so that Christians could directly relate with Paul.

But having said that, in my opinion, the most likely sin this could be, if it was a sin, was the main sinful problem that Paul preached against. Self righteousness through the observance of the Law. Consider that Paul spent his entire life before his meeting on the Damascus Road being a Pharisee of the Pharisees. I believe it is entirely possible that Paul greatly struggled with the concept that his sins were actually forgiven because of his accepting the payment of his sins by the Death of Jesus Christ on the Cross. He may have been tempted to believe he had to accomplish works of righteousness to be right with God instead of trusting in the Grace of God.

It is entirely possible that the very man that God ordained from the foundations of the world to be the one to bring the message that Salvation is through Faith in Jesus Christ and his death on the cross for everyone that believes, was himself, one who struggled with understanding and accepting that message. Even though he knew better, Paul may have really struggled with feelings that he was not right with God unless he observed his former ways as a Pharisee. We all know old habits we have held from childhood are hard to break. . .

This thread was begun in 2013. It's been long dead.

aiki said:

This thread was begun in 2013. It's been long dead.

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Wondering how it ever pertained to asking for advise as well.