Sin.

[com7fy8]

according to human standards there are levels of immorality.

By the way . . . welcome to Christian Forums

As you have pointed out, it can be adultery for me to just look at a woman the wrong way. Even so, if I stop there and do not go through all the activity of getting with her and arranging to betray her husband . . . I would say looking is not the same as committing the whole thing.

And Jesus does say there are ones who will receive more stripes than others >

"'And that servant who knew his master's will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he who did not know, yet committed things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few.'" (Luke 12:47-48)

Although I may be forgiven by God (after confession and repentance) I cannot seem to forgive myself. I see the evil within me and despise it.

It can help to keep your forgiving up to date . . . I mean forgiving others.

And . . . if you spend time criticizing yourself, this could be a trick to keep you away from getting real correction by God!! Yes, it is good to consider your wrong things to be bad, but then be encouraged how God our Father is able to forgive us. And as we get real correction, now we can feel for others in their sin problems, plus have hope for them since we have experienced how God has changed us.

And, yes, we can not get ourselves to become better. We need God for all which is right . . . of correction and then of what we do and how we handle things and stay emotionally the right way, and in our thinking discover how God has us thinking. All is meant to be shared with God.

So . . . do not isolate yourself with your own trying and crying and denying.

I have this prompting of the holy spirit after doing this particular sin but not towards all sin in my life.

Maybe there are sins which are less destructive and less enslaving.

In my case, sexual stuff, even only in my mind, can be degrading and it can have me not loving women the way I need to personally care for every woman. So, mental sexual sin is anti-love. But if I spend too much time on my photography, possibly this at least does not have me in some uncaring way about people.

But there can be sins which don't get much attention; yet, they can help to keep us weak so we can keep giving in to the more obvious ones.

"Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation" (in Philippians 2:13-16).

So . . . arguing and complaining are sins. But these can seem so natural and unavoidable. And yet . . . if we stop giving in to stuff in us that has us arguing or complaining, we can become strong in Jesus, instead > right "in the midst of" this evil world's "crooked and perverse generation" we can become "blameless and harmless" and "without fault".

Because God's word is about how God is able.

can we truly remove sin from our lives? if we sin in our thoughts, we cant remove sin from our lives completely. although I would agree that we can drastically decrease the amount of sin in our lives.

Our character has a lot to do with what we are able to give in to, and to think, and to feel. God is able to change us to have the character of Jesus and His love. And >

"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment." (in 1 John 4:18)

And God's love can make us immune, even, to any and all other cruel and wrong feelings and thinking and drives. Because God's love is almighty.

if when Christ teaches his disciples to pray the lords prayer he tells them to ask for forgiveness as we forgive those who trespass against us.

Forgiveness lives in God's love; so if we have this forgiveness for others, we have this forgiveness also for ourselves . . . in ourselves while we love any and all people

I have heard of this idea in the past, however I haven't seen biblical evidence to support this claim. instead God says if you have committed one sin you are guilty of the whole law. He says if we even look at a woman to lust after her or hate someone we are guilty of murder and sexual immorality with that woman. These seem like thought crime. if it is in your heart and its evil it is sin. the heart is deceitfully wicked afterall.

And, as I have offered, God is able to change our character.

how do you suggest I start?

Trust God to correct us, how He is able. And feed on His word, so we may seek Him for all He means about how to be like Jesus and how to relate in His love.

And have hope for others, too > love "hopes all things" > in 1 Corinthians 13:7.

And in case your pastors are real Jesus people, but they might not tell you things about yourself specifically . . . listen to their sermons > they are talking to you, then Any real sermon should be able to help you somehow. Plus, share with Christians who are mature and good examples. Maybe just listen, and see how their sharing can help you.

 

[TedT]

What do you guys make of this conundrum, any advice? thanks.

Since it is the job of the Holy Spirit to sanctify you, Titus 3:5, and He does so by harsh scourgings (Hebrews 12:6) that train us in righteousness, Hebrews 12:5-11, maybe if you were really serious you could pray that He not hold back His painful discipline because you are ready for Him to turn up the heat so to speak...