A TV evangelist last night said Christians are fooling themselves if they think they can handle sin. He said it is too powerful, too pervasive, too universal. And I’m sitting in my lounge chair saying “Twaddle”. If the evangelist had not used the word “Christian” he would be correct.
But having modified his statement to those who already, by definition, have tasted the forgiving power of the death and resurrection of Christ, and have been placed in Christ and have Christ in them, he is absolutely wrong. In many ways he is reflecting the perilous state of the current Christian church world who accept such doctrines because of the authority figure delivering them.
Even more worrying to me is that he would have to cut out many verses from the New Testament if his statement is true. In essence, it is yet another attack on the integrity of God’s Word.
Romans chapter 6, among many passages, shows the complete work of Christ in dealing with the sin question. “How shall we, that are dead to sin [or, that died to sin], live any longer therein?” (Romans 6:2). You cannot live any longer in your old life; it has gone, never to be experienced again. “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin“ (verses 6-7). Are you dead to sin, and is sin destroyed [or, made ineffective], as the Bible teaches?
I wonder what the evangelist makes of verse 11: “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Verse 2 we are dead to sin, verse 6 sin is destroyed, now verse 11 commands us to “reckon” yourself to be dead to sin but alive to God. In other words, believe it, brother and sister!
Since sin is still present in the world and in unbelievers, if we will to do so we can “let” sin reign (verse 12) and we can “yield” our bodily members to sin, but we are strongly exhorted to “reckon” that as believers we “dead indeed unto sin.”
“But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness” (verses 17-18). You “were” a servant of sin but now are “made free from sin.” Accept it, believe it, confess it!
Now, more than ever, we need to emulate the Berean believers, who “received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so” (Acts 17:11).
I don’t think we can handle sin… good news is that God did – sending His own son in the the likeness of sinful flesh he condemned sin in the flesh! Romans 8. So yes now we can deal with the sin issue! In Him we have everything we need to live free. we love http://www.Peterwade.com
Peter, once again a great article. I agree there are so many who water down what God has accomplished through Jesus Christ. It is as if His death was of no avail, had no power. So we are left to struggle with sin and with all of life throws at us. No wonder so many as weak. Keep up the good work my brother.