So, we’ve got Paul, a man in Christ yet still prone to sin, and we want to know how he deals with it.
First of all, before you condemn Paul and yourself as a result, do know that the Bible never condemns us for being human and having human desires. Yes, God made us this way. Yes, your desires are fine, and that girl really is that pretty. And guess what, you won’t get rid of them; you’ll probably take them to the grave. You see, the answer to temptation isn’t necessarily denying who and what you are.
So, we should just give up trying and just accept that we’re gonna mess up?
Well, before you make your mind up, here’s something else for you to think about. The Bible never allows us to make excuses based on our humanity and our normal God-given desires.
But that doesn’t make sense. God made me this way. How can He expect me not to fall over and over again?
Your desires are from God. The temptations…are not.
Don’t believe me?
James 1:13-15.
13 When tempted, no one should say, ‘God is tempting me.’ For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
Also, don’t forget, God has made provision for victory over temptation.
But I get you, it’s still a little complicated. But we’ve got a man here who’s dealt with our struggles. Paul wasn’t one to shy away from his struggles. He talks about them so openly that people wonder whether he was even Christian at the point of writing. But if you check Romans 7, it really does sound like a Christian who is fighting his urges.
For example, verses 17-19.
17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 For 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. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do – this I keep on doing.
Paul says he’s doing things he doesn’t even want to do. Sound a little familiar?
This could still be Paul before coming to Christ. Not every unbeliever wants to do bad things.
I would agree, if it wasn’t for verse 25.
25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful naturea slave to the law of sin.
Paul isn’t trying to tell us about his past. He isn’t giving us a little story of how he was before salvation. He is writing from personal experience to help us understand what it is that causes the habit of sin and the addictions that bring us under their control. Really, Paul wants us to know what to do about it.
That’s kinda reassuring, but scary at the same time, even Paul had to deal with these urges despite his status and faith.
A lot of people think that once you become a strong, spiritual Christian, the kind of Christian Paul was, you sort of rise above the problem of sin. You aren’t bothered by it anymore.
The truth really is that the more you grow in Christ, the more you will be aware of your propensity to sin.
Propensity to sin?
Let’s just say you’ll have a greater sensitivity to sin; you’ll be able to recognise it way more.
What does this all mean though? The closer I get to God, the more likely I am to sin because everything will seem like a sin?
Nah. The reason Paul was so conscious of the battle going on within him was because he was a mature and spiritual man. I mean, if you were at war, wouldn’t it be dumb not to constantly be alert for the enemy.
Sometimes I look back at myself and wonder, how did you think this was okay? I genuinely believed I had such a level of control over my urges and desires, not fully realising that I made a habit of lying and deceiving. Lying to teachers, effortless. Talking to multiple girls, standard.
You see it’s those who go around thinking that temptation is no problem who have probably been conquered by it so often that they no longer feel any conflict.
Paul’s faith and experience told him that he would struggle with sin as long as he was in the flesh.
Fortunately, there’s freedom in Christ.
My Sunday Skl 