Cherishing Sin

[RMDY]

Read Psalm 66:16-20

Does this apply today? God is the same yesterday, today, and forever isn't he?

Here is the question: Does God listen to christians today who cherish sin in their hearts?

 

[Quoth]

Read Psalm 66:16-20

Does this apply today? God is the same yesterday, today, and forever isn't he?

Here is the question: Does God listen to christians today who cherish sin in their hearts?

I'm not sure what you mean by "cherishing sin", but if you mean that we live in unrepentance and apathy toward our sin, then I do believe that God will not honor our prayers (not "hear them").

 

[brightmorningstar]

To Skellington,

I'm not sure what you mean by "cherishing sin", but if you mean that we live in unrepentance and apathy toward our sin, then I do believe that God will not honor our prayers (not "hear them").

Why not? If we can't decide on what God has said is sin, why would we be sure of God’s reaction to it? I mean I am sure of both but there is much debate.

 

[katautumn]

To Skellington,
Why not? If we can't decide on what God has said is sin, why would we be sure of God’s reaction to it? I mean I am sure of both but there is much debate.

God's Word is pretty good at painting an accurate picture of sin. It's flawed, sin-filled man who chooses to "interpret" the Scriptures and claim the passages are merely "cultural for the day" or "aren't relevant to today's society" or "too controversial". We probably couldn't decide what sin is, but praise God, He told us already. It's in the Book and if more Christians would take the time to read it for themselves they wouldn't be lead so easily astray and so filled with doubt.

Putting all that aside, let's suppose it is an interpretation issue and what one man considers sin the other finds no Biblical justification for such a ruling. That happens all the time; however, the Bible says that when we are truly blood bought and born again there is a regeneration of the heart and of the mind. We are to present our bodies as a living sacrifice before God. We are to hate the things that God hates, namely our depraved nature. Without honest self-examination a person will never understand how wicked they really are and how in dire need of a Savior they are.

Let's say a person professes Christ, reads the Bible and thinks that some verses are interpreted incorrectly so, for example, pre-marital sex isn't really a sin if you intend to marry the person. I may disagree, but we're dealing in hypothetical here. Now, if this same person never, ever feels the chastening of the Holy Spirit, that nagging conviction when they've sinned then I'm almost 100% certain they are not saved and have shut God out completely. Why? Because the Bible says that when we are born again we will be chastened by the Holy Spirit when we sin and we will be predisposed to repentance upon that chastening.

 

[brightmorningstar]

To KatAutumn,
Amen to that!

 

[The Penitent Man]

Man is sin-filled and will *always* find a way to rationalize it.

Jesus came because of the human race's depravity.

 

[Armistead]

I don't that Christians can actually cherish sin in their heart. That doesn't mean they don't sin, they may actually have the ability to enjoy sin, but I think one knows what is sin and that's where we must be careful as we often follow mans rules over God's.

 

[brightmorningstar]

To Armistead,

I don't that Christians can actually cherish sin in their heart. That doesn't mean they don't sin, they may actually have the ability to enjoy sin, but I think one knows what is sin and that's where we must be careful as we often follow mans rules over God's.

Well I agree entirely. To the first point the NT quite frequently explains that believers now live according to the Spirit and not the sinful desires, a mind renewed and transformed; the old is dead the new is born.

But a a matter of interest, how would you distinguish the difference between man's rules and God's?

 

[DamianWarS]

verses 13-15 it are talking about making scarifies of burnt offerings to God. The psalmist is making himself acceptable to God and essentially is seeking forgiveness through these sacrifices. Verse 16 says "Come and listen, all you who fear God". The entire psalm is full of praise and thanksgiving toward God and expressing all the reasons why the psalmist loves God.

So this psalm gives us an impression of someone who is truly seeking God through praise and worship, forgiveness and sincere desire. With that in mind where does "cherished sin" fit in. Well it doesn't because the psalmist is in a mindset to rid himself of things like that.

Does God turn away from people who call upon him yet have "cherished sin". Well we can get into a lot debate about what sin is and what cherished is. Simply put... sin is disobedience to God and if we come to God with the wrong heart and the wrong intentions then we are not submitting ourselves to God and sin will have a grip on us even if the only sin is not submitting. We are all sinful and come to God in a sinful state so it is not "sin" in general that will turn God away from us but instead our hearts and desires.

the Hebrew word used here for "cherished" is רָאָה (ra'ah) and it means "to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider". We see the same word 1314 times in the old testament. It is a usually is translated to the word "see". However in this case it is used to represent not a reflection of oneself but instead a focus on sin in our hearts in a sense of enjoyment. Like a mesmerizing gaze. One that we are not ready to let go of.

If I prepare myself as this psalmist has then I am not hanging on to sin as this passage says. I am not looking at it with lustful eyes and pleasure that I am not willing to let go off. But with the right focus, our eyes off of sin and on God, its no longer an issue because I am putting myself in a place where God can work and mold me how he wants.

God doesn't change something that doesn't want to be changed and to top it off seeks pleasure in the sin they do.

 

[dayhiker]

I agree with these verse. If a person cherishes sin then God wouldn't listen to them. But I also think that there are many Christians that try to tell other Christians that the traditions of men are as evil as the things that God says are sinful.

dayhiker

 

[Jeffwhosoever]

Traditions can be wrong yet not be sinful. I'm not going to cast the first stone, because I am not without sin.

 

[dayhiker]

jeff, could you explain what you mean by wrong but not evil? Thanks

 

[brightmorningstar]

The casting of the first stone was to punish, the sin was identified.

 

[singpeace]

The part of us that clings to sin is our flesh. But that is not who I am. I am living and dwelling inside a body made of flesh. I am limited to physical sight. I see perfectly with these eyes, but have to have faith that what I cannot see is there.

If I could keep the laws and commandments, Jesus would not have died. But none of us can truly keep them, though we try. He paid with his life for our sins past, present, and future.

Even the Apostle Paul admitted that he was always failing to keep God's laws, but thanks God that in Christ, there is forgiveness and a debt already paid:

Romans 7:18-21 (NLT)
18 And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature.[d] I want to do what is right, but I can’t. 19 I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. 20 But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.

21 I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. 22 I love God’s law with all my heart. 23 But there is another power[e] within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. 24 Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? 25 Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.

 

[AlAyeti]

Read Psalm 66:16-20

Does this apply today? God is the same yesterday, today, and forever isn't he?

Here is the question: Does God listen to Christians today who cherish sin in their hearts?

The ones treated as you would a pagan or a tax collector?



(What heppened to your alter girls thread?)

 

[Lemmiwinks]

If a person cherishes sin, I don't think he will have much interest in God, so he probably wouldn't even bother praying since he would be busy cherishing his sin.