I don't really know what to do at the moment, so I thought this site would most likely give me the most reliable advice. Well, long story short, I'm a pretty avid sinner. Whether it's lust, envy, anxiety, anger, sorrow or some other sort of sin/thing i should let God deal with, I fail miserably. I understand what is sin and what isn't, it's just understanding what's the right way of going about avoiding sin and being closer to God. I don't even know why I'm on here conveying to you all my utter hopelessness when doubting my own position in Christianity. All i want to know is how to be certain on God and the way that you've chosen to worship is the right way.
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Proclivity to sin
- Thread starter jjust19
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Hi jjust19, it's great that you came to the forum! As with any forum, there will be a mix of opinions and attitudes that represent anything you can imagine. So read the advice that makes sense to you, and let the other comments slide off your back.
Sin is a funny thing. It binds us in a way that it pretends to own and shape us, demean and keep us down. Sometimes it is more a lack of confidence than goodness.
In our own human strength, we spin in cycles of trying and failing, mustering gumption and losing resolve... sometimes getting nowhere. One thing that can help a bad cycle is just the insertion of a something new -- a distraction.
God promised to help us in our weaknesses. The fruit of the Holy Spirit that He offers us is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, self control... those are gifts of support He is willing to hand to us.
Take your mind off whether you are good enough; we will never be good enough in all our striving. Even if we stopped typical sinning, then sin of arrogance would take over. Christ died to cover our failings.
Try for a while to just converse with God. Tune in to where He is, who He is.
You might panic and think that's not enough, and yes it's not the whole picture... but make it a temporary retreat from all the voices of what people have told you that you should do. Push the should's aside to listen for the real God who wants to connect with you.
Sin is a funny thing. It binds us in a way that it pretends to own and shape us, demean and keep us down. Sometimes it is more a lack of confidence than goodness.
In our own human strength, we spin in cycles of trying and failing, mustering gumption and losing resolve... sometimes getting nowhere. One thing that can help a bad cycle is just the insertion of a something new -- a distraction.
God promised to help us in our weaknesses. The fruit of the Holy Spirit that He offers us is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, self control... those are gifts of support He is willing to hand to us.
Take your mind off whether you are good enough; we will never be good enough in all our striving. Even if we stopped typical sinning, then sin of arrogance would take over. Christ died to cover our failings.
Try for a while to just converse with God. Tune in to where He is, who He is.
You might panic and think that's not enough, and yes it's not the whole picture... but make it a temporary retreat from all the voices of what people have told you that you should do. Push the should's aside to listen for the real God who wants to connect with you.
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Cactus Jack
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You are only as human as the rest of us. I'll have you in my prayers!
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ReesePiece23
The Peanut Buttery Member.
Your fear of sin is the route to your anxiety and anger problems, I guarantee it; every other sin you mention is just a knock on effect from your anxiety and anger.
You have to come to terms with the fact that we are all fallible human beings, and no one on the planet, but the son of God can be perfect. What follows next, are two of my favourite verses:-
"If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us." - 1 John:8-10
"Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "Anyone here who has never sinned can throw the first stone at her." - John 8:4-7
You have to come to terms with the fact that we are all fallible human beings, and no one on the planet, but the son of God can be perfect. What follows next, are two of my favourite verses:-
"If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us." - 1 John:8-10
"Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "Anyone here who has never sinned can throw the first stone at her." - John 8:4-7
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It's hard to write how Jesus' work on the cross frees us of being bound by our proclivity to sin without sounding like we are free to sin. (This was Paul's point when he asked "What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?) Nonetheless, it must be said that for a person in which God has given new life and reconciled them to himself, their sin no longer effects their acceptance before God. In such freedom, the born-again believer finds joy and gratitude and is unencumbered to pursue becoming like Jesus. Do you understand how Jesus provided this for his elect?
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I'm not suggesting we shouldn't be concerned about sin, but please remember that in all of Jesus' parables and teaching about judgement, judgement is based on whether we've done things to make a difference to others. Flawed people can still show God's love.
There's a danger to being overly worried by sin. It can lead you to spend all your time worrying about yourself. If you want until you're perfect before living as a Christian, you're going to find yourself in a downwind spiral of self-absorption. My recommendation is to prioritize your sins. Start with what seems to be the most serious in terms of affecting your effectiveness as a Christian, and balance that with an equal emphasis on prayer and worship, and service to others.
There's a danger to being overly worried by sin. It can lead you to spend all your time worrying about yourself. If you want until you're perfect before living as a Christian, you're going to find yourself in a downwind spiral of self-absorption. My recommendation is to prioritize your sins. Start with what seems to be the most serious in terms of affecting your effectiveness as a Christian, and balance that with an equal emphasis on prayer and worship, and service to others.
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Thomas Jefferson said that Jesus Christ purifies the waters at the fountainhead. The Lord told the prophet Samuel that "man looks on the outer appearance, but the Lord sees the heart". We see attractiveness, giftedness and performance and make judgments. But God knows exactly what's going on under the hood and why we're doing what we do, good or bad.
This is why, while Jesus would often tell people to "sin no more", He always saw deeper than that. He always knew how to get to people in the exact way that was best for them, whether it was gentle or, in the case of hardened hearts, harsh. Sometimes that seemed strange to onlookers who only saw the surface of things.
Hebrews 13 tells us it is good for the heart to be established by grace. If your focus on your sins is part of healthy prayerful evaluation, fine. But if you're taking them unto yourself outside the grace of God, that will be a burden that you cannot carry, that will actually draw you away from the cleansing fountain of grace available in Christ.
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Harry3142
Regular Member
jjust19-
You recognize sin as sin, rather than trying to rationalize it. You also recognize that you have a tendency to sin, which is the same problem which all of us face. Be patient with yourself, realizing that spiritual maturity doesn't come overnight. But with continued faith in God and his power to correct our flaws, it will come eventually.
You recognize sin as sin, rather than trying to rationalize it. You also recognize that you have a tendency to sin, which is the same problem which all of us face. Be patient with yourself, realizing that spiritual maturity doesn't come overnight. But with continued faith in God and his power to correct our flaws, it will come eventually.
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First of all anxiety anger and sorrow arent sins. the mere fact that you feel bad about your sin is a good sign tho. there are 3 parts to repentence. contrition, confession and amendment. contrition is simply feeling bad about your sin. confession is naming your sin, bringing it to God and asking forgiveness. and amendment is the hard part especially when its a sin of thought. but it is turning away from your sin and changing your mind. keep practicing repentence. cheer up and praise the lord.He loves you and will not abandon you. he has obviously put it in your heart to feel bad about it. keep praying that he will change your heart and give you new desires.
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Sanctification is a life long process for those in Christ Jesus. You're not going to be a totally new creature overnight. You will however take a different attitude towards sin, through the knowledge of daily Bible reading.
Keep in mind that we are justified by grace through faith, not of works, lest any man should boast. This however does not mean that we should use this mercy God has given us as a licence to sin. This is when some Christians believe that by advising brothers to avoid sin is bringing works into salvation, which is not true, its simply honoring and being respectful of the doctrine left to us in the Bible.
Just19, you seem a very confused and troubled young man. Try to be more confident in your walk with the Lord.
Galatians 3:11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
God Bless
Keep in mind that we are justified by grace through faith, not of works, lest any man should boast. This however does not mean that we should use this mercy God has given us as a licence to sin. This is when some Christians believe that by advising brothers to avoid sin is bringing works into salvation, which is not true, its simply honoring and being respectful of the doctrine left to us in the Bible.
Just19, you seem a very confused and troubled young man. Try to be more confident in your walk with the Lord.
Galatians 3:11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
God Bless
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Hi buddy,
Do you want virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindess and love...? Who doesn't!
Peter said if you don't have these things its because you have simply forgotten that you're forgiven! (2 Pet 1:9). Jesus washed awayi all your sins... 2000 years ago... that means all your sins, even those of your future are forgiven. Focus on this grace and I'm sure sin will be defeated in your life... actually, you're already dead to sin... thats the truth. But the facts still haven't aligned with the truth. Thats ok. Its a matter of thinking... in this case you're always filled with a consciousness of how guilty you are and thats fueling your sins even more.
Paul said the fruit of the Spirit was love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. Its ONE fruit! If you have the Spirit you have His Fruit! God is love and because you are His temple, you have love - the fruit of the Spirit! You already have this fruit! Actually, it isn't even up to you develop them. Many Christians memorize (Gal 5:22,23) but instead of meditating on how its the work of the Spirit, His fruit and they already have it, they memorize it to remind themselves that that's how they're supposed to behave! Actually, it makes the situation worse!
Hope this helped. Let me know if you have questions.
Cheers,
David
Do you want virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindess and love...? Who doesn't!
Peter said if you don't have these things its because you have simply forgotten that you're forgiven! (2 Pet 1:9). Jesus washed awayi all your sins... 2000 years ago... that means all your sins, even those of your future are forgiven. Focus on this grace and I'm sure sin will be defeated in your life... actually, you're already dead to sin... thats the truth. But the facts still haven't aligned with the truth. Thats ok. Its a matter of thinking... in this case you're always filled with a consciousness of how guilty you are and thats fueling your sins even more.
Paul said the fruit of the Spirit was love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. Its ONE fruit! If you have the Spirit you have His Fruit! God is love and because you are His temple, you have love - the fruit of the Spirit! You already have this fruit! Actually, it isn't even up to you develop them. Many Christians memorize (Gal 5:22,23) but instead of meditating on how its the work of the Spirit, His fruit and they already have it, they memorize it to remind themselves that that's how they're supposed to behave! Actually, it makes the situation worse!
Hope this helped. Let me know if you have questions.
Cheers,
David
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