what sin could you never live without?

[Froesler]

I feel bad admitting this, but I think I couldn't live today without the sin of judging other people.
I fight against it but our society is in a state of things that we can't just accept everything from everyone as being righteous, even if they are well intentioned.

 

[kristina411]

Thank you all for the above replies. I'm not in hiding and have read and given much thought to the posts. I will try to respond to each individual post throughout the day when I find the time. God bless!

 

[FanthatSpark]

So true that JLR. The OP author is in a good place right now to turn microscope inward where sin originates from all. It seems she is working on the more complex sins such as taught prejudices. Her being a fellow U.S. citizen I feel her pain, lol, for I am working on that one too. That one is a tough one with years and years of MIND conformity using people we love, friends and even emotion in humor in jokes about the White, black, latino, chinese, indian -American and overseas . Then the rated class such as the rich man , poor man, bum, homeless. All this takes an air of superiority/Pride in self to construct prejudices to others and believe me... Us n.americans are very , very prideful to the point of destruction. Think on who taught us that prejudice and pray for them too who taught in sincere ignorance hate to others in judgment. Thus sins unknown, right?

 

[kristina411]

what is cf?

I believe it was referenced to christianforums.com lol at least that's what I guessed

As to this though,

We don't want to sin as True believers, and as believers we should be able to do without all sins and if we really are believers we can.

We know sin is wrong, and it does pull us away from God, but we are still human. And our flesh will still tempt us. And sometimes we fool ourselves into thinking we can resist and we can falter.

We can! And we do fool ourselves. We have seen men who we know to love God acting in sin. We see preachers cheating on their wives. I'm sure they thought they could control the temptation when it began but it is hard. This is where we should be turning to God, not from him. We will slip many times before we start to feel like it is possible but with anything it takes practice. And when we have become a generation addicted to sin, it makes it that much harder. But the reason AA and NA are founded on biblical teachings? Because some things only God is strong enough to handle and we need Him.
Which brings me to...

Then there are those who have addictions both before and after salvation.

Paul also talks about our weakness as well:

15I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.16And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good.17As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me.18For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.19For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.20Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

-Romans 7:15-20

-The Lowest Servant

I love that passage, the honesty and depth.
I am happy to say I continue to learn. I wanted to look up the scripture to reread what was written before and after, to remember the reason for the writing and it brought me to chapter six. In Romans chapter six he speaks against sin starting the chapter with:
1What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?

He continues for 23 verses on the importance of being free from sin, that you can not live in sin and in God. He even ends the chapter reiterating: 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

But moving onto chapter 7 you will see as Paul has pointed out, we become dead to the law when we accept Jesus. That when you are in the flesh the law can corrupt to bring sin and death (will touch on this in a moment). Being dead to the law we are able to live in spirit. He makes not that the law not sin, and you can only know sin by the law. But sin was able to use the law to create evile desires. What was supposed to bring life seemed to bring death. The verses continue in this manner and as you have posted.
I am noticing a difference between sin and law. The law is meant to do good but as was back in the day, the people used the law as they do today, to twist it for their ideas. To gain from the law selfishness, with spoilt hearts they followed the law a d by this sin was there. The evil desires inside, the things Jesus spent so much time speaking on. Sin doesn't start in the law but in the heart.
So summary of what I've learned from your post, in case you were curious... Law and sin are different. We were freed from the law through Christ but still desired to be free from sin.
Instead of making sure every single law is fulfilled (I kid you not...I have been feeling down the last few weeks since I saw the scripture again where it says women should not have their hair cut short... I felt so bad. I always thought it said shave it off, I always just skimmed past that part. I just got my hair cut really short for the first time ever, right before I read that. I have been feeling bad and wishing it to grow longer every day... Now I see that's law and while its ideal to follow it, the heart behind the matter is the issue not the technicalities) I should keep my heart set right and not allow sin to creep in and always remember the distinction between sin and law.
Whew that was a mouthful lol

 

[kristina411]

There's an implied condition of possibility. The question is unfair.

Your post is what I assume many many many Christians think as they skim over this post and it is a statement in which I hope to give others the chance to really reflect on.
Why is it an impossibility? Where in scripture or anywhere else, apart from what we say today, does it show to be an impossibility? The hardest thing of our lives to accomplish? Most likely. But impossible? Not at all. Not once we are reborn.
And maybe for some people it is. Like my dad who has a drug addiction but the strongest faith I have ever seen. He has tried u successfully for nearly 30 years try to stop. He is now in critical condition and not expected to make it into the summer. Do I think hope is lost on him? No, I do think some of us could possibly not be able to live fully sin free but comments saying it is impossible lead so many to stop trying. This is the issue.
It may nit be possible for everyone, but it is possible for many if they would put forth genuine effort. Maybe not to forever be free from a slip up every once in a while but we can accheive moments of sinlessness and stretch those moments longer and longer until we are as free from sin as possible.
But when we say words like "never" or "impossible" we take away the hope. When we take away the hope, we become accustomed to sin. We excuse it by saying it is "impossible" to go without. But if there really is a sin that one can not live without I wih to know what it is, what it is that makes it "impossible"

 

[kristina411]

Well since I am honest, I'll admit that I do not treat my body like the temple of the Holy Spirit that it is. I smoke cigarettes, eat poorly, don't exercise and cannot seem to be without coffee and Diet Coke.

That is hard, it shows, our flesh is weak. I have the same issue with coffee and hope to begin cutting down soon. Stopping cigarettes (after 14 years, I just stopped 5 months ago) was the hardest thing I have ever done. I prayed and prayed hard and one day, I set my mind and just did it. Deep down I felt it was distancing me from God and I had to give it up. He helped me through it and while it was hard, the difficulty of me quitting has set my mind at never going back there again. Its interesting actually, quitting cigarettes was the first step I took at trying to pull myself closer to God. Since that point my life has changed drastically, as well as my family's
I will pray for you as I know how hard that is. After cigarettes it took a little bit but slowly I just wanted to improve my health more and more. I exercise now and have begun eating healthier. I still drink entirely too much coffee but that's my next step in health.
It worked the same spiritually, once I decided to get rid of one sin, my heart began to want to rid more and more and the the more I get rid of the more liberated I feel. Its incredible!

 

[kristina411]

Those verses are profound if one thinks, prays and asks for His understanding of it. If I may, this verse too is profound the one right before above verses in 14
14For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.

Now this mind goes to Rom 3:10 & John 8 :44 that is humanity, why? 2 stand out to this seeker of big questions like this thread. Firstly above verse in Rom:7:14. We are not Spirit "All the time" = goodness, love and all things good to self and others= sin. Number 2 - Rom:6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. In that, no one escapes the first death ; our carnal bodies mind and deeds these two do that which we hate. Some of our sins are genetic such as addictions. Verses such as the sins of the father in genetic addiction Numb: 14:18 Exodus: 34:7 but not limited too addiction only. Some sins are taught like lying and rating them in white lies. Santa Clause for example given out of love to the child in sincere ignorance that sin is sin.

Try a change in perception to sin. Instead of beating self up over sin look to your justification when us Saints where enveloped in the Holy Spirit and Jesus took your sin upon Himself. That's future sin too. Remember your baptism and look what things have changed in our lives. For me, my baptism came at 12 but teachings and training in the Word were done in OT. Needless to say this mind snapped and a long season in sin ensued under rebellion to the impossibleness of the law . Sin was my love and I reveled in it. Today sin is a part of this vessel in the temple but sins to others are no more (Praise God!) "Self Destruct complex" is what God works on today. So this aint no angle trying to show a different approach to the inner self that shows us our sin in self reflection. That is the "WANT" to examine the sin and can WE, GOD and us, change it in the mind so the body follows. Some of these sins will take seasons to see how they effect not only self but others that love us...too. Some of us do not think in this format of faith in the Spirit that will show us if not in obedience ,of, then in tragedy of another that effects self to the core. God does not forsake His children. For me, this existence was tragedy for fear of the first death = No faith in my God/Jesus/Holy Spirit. Because we are carnal, tragedy to these bodies are perceived as end all things to us who are not Spirit but get to experience Spirit for a time in all that is good (All the things we do and are done to us). However, to God who knows, this is just temporary so we get a gist of how sin destroys and no WANT to participate in it. Thus Phil 1:21 is fluid in perception to the individual. For some it takes a shattering event (carnal) that then drives us for comfort in the Word and in that comfort a change of a perception in a verse (Spirit & mind through carnal/life experience) brings a drastic change in behavior traits due to change in perception. One may think after justification there is no sin. Look upon it like this instead... Once justified (chosen by God as one of His) always justified (Remember our baptism saints). If the "WANT" to overcome sin is not present in you then death finds us quicker for the wage. For those that try = suffering to the flesh = Jesus. Just a change of looken at things CF family. This may not be for you for we all differ on the roads to the grand road to oneness.

This thread is very thought provoking sister . Blessings CF Family !!

Thank you for explaining in a way I can not. I often find myself talking and people are confused. I think I just get so excited (something I should work on) and skip over things I think people already know. The thing they say females are great at, I go above and beyond. Thinking people know what I'm thinking so they will be able to follow my train of thought lol.
Its only been of recently that my view has shifted and it is all I can do, think, want now. Its been over the last five months that I have begun to change and it has already brought me so much fulfillment I just want others to have the joy. Others to see how good it can be if we can give up the idea of "impossible" and replace it with "possible".

 

[ToBeBlessed]

That is hard, it shows, our flesh is weak. I have the same issue with coffee and hope to begin cutting down soon. Stopping cigarettes (after 14 years, I just stopped 5 months ago) was the hardest thing I have ever done. I prayed and prayed hard and one day, I set my mind and just did it. Deep down I felt it was distancing me from God and I had to give it up. He helped me through it and while it was hard, the difficulty of me quitting has set my mind at never going back there again. Its interesting actually, quitting cigarettes was the first step I took at trying to pull myself closer to God. Since that point my life has changed drastically, as well as my family's
I will pray for you as I know how hard that is. After cigarettes it took a little bit but slowly I just wanted to improve my health more and more. I exercise now and have begun eating healthier. I still drink entirely too much coffee but that's my next step in health.
It worked the same spiritually, once I decided to get rid of one sin, my heart began to want to rid more and more and the the more I get rid of the more liberated I feel. Its incredible!

THanks for the encouragement! I bought the patch and the gum but haven't set the date yet. Pray for me!

 

[kristina411]

Don't you know that your sins were covered by the blood on the Cross? Don't you know yet, that God knew that we could never live a sinless life, so that is the reason the blood was on the Cross? Its not about the sin, its about the Son. Its about your belief that Jesus is the Son of God, about His death, burial, and resurrection. No more and no less.

If you are in Jesus, and He is in you, you are filled with the Holy Spirit. Let the Holy Spirit lead you in all things, and you will sin less.

This is very true. I am moved with the desire by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is what has been moving me from the beginning which was as I asked. I asked to be moved and filled by the Holy Spirit and continue to ask every day to be led and this is where it has taken me. Not to condemn others for their sins but in hopes that they will reflect as I have, and see how small their sin is in comparison with the death that it brings. Will a sin condemn a man? Jesus came to prevent that from happening. But does that mean we are exempt from following the commands and should not reach for what our Father calls us to be? I dont think so.
I sat idly on the fence for far too many years with so many others like me. Giving into the excuse of "impossible" that I never put an effort into ending my sins. I thought I was good enough. I was wrong. I was full of so much sin I couldn't see, the kind that ate away my gentleness.
I dont expect everyone to stand and say "I will try to be sin free from here on out" but maybe someone may say "that sin really isn't that impossible to overcome. Maybe I should overcome it so I don't feel that distance from Him."

It doesn't take away from what Jesus has given us, the pursuit of sinlessness. It only helps to improve me and help me to feel closer to God, so long as it starts in the heart, with the Holy Spirit as your guide.

 

[kristina411]

There is no sin I couldn't live without. However, the hardest to not commit is probably gossip.

It took my husband pointing out that I do this to even realize i did. I only do this with my husband and I have a bad habit of trying to twist things to fit my wants. "it may say not to gossip but he is my husband, I should tell him everything." But the Bible doesn't say "do not gossip unless... So I have been working on that. It is just so much in society, people become rich for gossip. Its hard to realize when you are even doing it. I will add you to my prayers tonight that it becomes easier to abstain from this sin. Recognizing when we are doing it seems to help quite a bit. After a while I just got used to not talking my husbands ears off about everyone. Now he is asking for details and I'm trying to tell him it isn't our business lol

 

[kristina411]

You are correct of course, but although sin is covered by the blood and forgiven, nevertheless, it makes us unhappy and makes our lives less effective for God.

Precisely. I think when people read me type sinlessness they think I am taking away from the gift Jesus fave us, but I I not meant to in any way.

 

[kristina411]

I feel bad admitting this, but I think I couldn't live today without the sin of judging other people.
I fight against it but our society is in a state of things that we can't just accept everything from everyone as being righteous, even if they are well intentioned.

You are not alone. Judgement plagues us day and night. Our own judgement. I'm just as guilty. But little by little it can be overcome. Your conviction, admittance, and ak acknowledgement of it shows me you are likely working on overcoming this sin? I will pray for your help as I pray for my own

 

[iambren]

Who loves PURELY? Who gives with absolutely nothing to gain?...even an atom of self-admiration in doing good?

I WISH it were possible--to have sin and the root of sin eradicated from us at conversion but that is not what I see in myself or in others. The best way I theologically deal with it as a trichomatist (sp) is to think of our core spirit being wholly and permanently made holy at justification and from there it "bleeds" out to conform our mind-will-emotions.

 

[Ricky909]

Interesting thread! Hopefully for me the answer is "none" because I hope to be like Christ some day, but as of now the hardest sin is probably my own thoughts. Constant thoughts of hate, and lust and things like that.

 

[iambren]

Oh the possibility of sinlessness. I once had a pastor tell me with a straight face that he had not sinned in 30 years!

Sorry,I just don't buy it and the only way it could come close if you define sin in a rather narrow way eg 10 Commandments--I haven't stolen,committed adultery,made a graven image etc so I've lived a sinless life! Right? Wrong,because sin to me is not a set of rules rather it's like a liquid that can unbeknownst to us, creeps in,until the Holy Spirit enlightens us.

When I was a Christian in my teen years my Christian male friends and I would talk about how HARD it was to avoid sexual temptation. To this day I don't think teen girls have a clue how burdensome this is to the male adolescent.

We would ask--Why did God give us these difficult drives? Is He trying to torture us? Why doesn't He take it away when we're saved? It would be SOOO nice to live sinlessly post-salvation. It would be SOOO nice if God ripped out every sinful tendency when we're saved. But my life experience is that He doesn't; somehow He wants it to be a process.

 

[FanthatSpark]

Oh the possibility of sinlessness. I once had a pastor tell me with a straight face that he had not sinned in 30 years!

Sorry,I just don't buy it and the only way it could come close if you define sin in a rather narrow way eg 10 Commandments--I haven't stolen,committed adultery,made a graven image etc so I've lived a sinless life! Right? Wrong,because sin to me is not a set of rules rather it's like a liquid that can unbeknownst to us, creeps in,until the Holy Spirit enlightens us.

When I was a Christian in my teen years my Christian male friends and I would talk about how HARD it was to avoid sexual temptation. To this day I don't think teen girls have a clue how burdensome this is to the male adolescent.

We would ask--Why did God give us these difficult drives? Is He trying to torture us? Why doesn't He take it away when we're saved? It would be SOOO nice to live sinlessly post-salvation. It would be SOOO nice if God ripped out every sinful tendency when we're saved. But my life experience is that He doesn't; somehow He wants it to be a process.

Agreed, now comes seasons. Eccl 3. It may be that it is for us to capture the thought, identify it, and...??? A young man acts (a lot of the times). Did that guy escape the wage? I haven't met one yet to escape the wage of sin so I must agree that 30 year sinless guy is delusional. However, not known to him that he is delusional, lol. Now comes fluid is as fluid does, correct?

 

[cuja1]

That is hard, it shows, our flesh is weak. I have the same issue with coffee and hope to begin cutting down soon. Stopping cigarettes (after 14 years, I just stopped 5 months ago) was the hardest thing I have ever done. I prayed and prayed hard and one day, I set my mind and just did it. Deep down I felt it was distancing me from God and I had to give it up. He helped me through it and while it was hard, the difficulty of me quitting has set my mind at never going back there again. Its interesting actually, quitting cigarettes was the first step I took at trying to pull myself closer to God. Since that point my life has changed drastically, as well as my family's
I will pray for you as I know how hard that is. After cigarettes it took a little bit but slowly I just wanted to improve my health more and more. I exercise now and have begun eating healthier. I still drink entirely too much coffee but that's my next step in health.
It worked the same spiritually, once I decided to get rid of one sin, my heart began to want to rid more and more and the the more I get rid of the more liberated I feel. Its incredible!

I can honestly say that I quit smoking but only because God gave me the power to quit. I asked Him to help me quit. I wasn't sure if He would do it or not, but He gave me the power to do it.

 

[cuja1]

It probably took at least 2 years though before it finally happened.

 

[cuja1]

It would appear that the sin that I am having and may forever have the most problem with, is an obsession with my weight. I haven't found a way to end the obsession. I am hoping eventually God will show me the way out of this.