BEING AN OVERCOMER OF SIN

The question of whether we can overcome sin is one that seems to cause a bit of uneasiness even for many devote Adventists.  Ask a group of regular church-going Adventists if any think it is possible to quit sinning and I’m going to guess the majority will say no and they even have a Bible verse to back up the notation that we have no choice “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” Rom 3:23.

The fact is, that no, we cannot.  However, if we really pay attention to the new testament, we see over and over it is filled with texts that talk about overcoming sin, that “our body of sin is done away with” (Rom 6:6), “we should no longer be slaves to sin” (v. 7), “whoever is born of God does not sin” (I John 3:9), and there are many more.  So, why does the Bible repeatedly say God’s children do not sin?

In fact, let’s go take a deeper look at the verse used by too many to make it seem as if we can’t help but sin and keep on sinning, here is Romans 3:21-26 (CEV):

²¹Now we see how God does make us acceptable to him. The Law and the Prophets tell how we become acceptable, and it isn't by obeying the Law of Moses.²²God treats everyone alike. He accepts people only because they have faith in Jesus Christ. ²³All of us have sinned and fallen short of God's glory. ²⁴But God treats us much better than we deserve, and because of Christ Jesus, he freely accepts us and sets us free from our sins. ^25-26God sent Christ to be our sacrifice. Christ offered his life's blood, so that by faith in him we could come to God. And God did this to show that in the past he was right to be patient and forgive sinners. This also shows that God is right when he accepts people who have faith in Jesus. 

When read in the full context, this is no excuse to keep on sinning but rather a promise that by our faith, we can become partakers in Christ’s forgiveness and that God has provided a way for us to get past the sin problem.  It brings us to a study of justification and sanctification.

Justification is to be made right, to be brought whole, or to have settled a score.  If someone commits a crime, they are taken to court and the verdict is given and “justice is served”, meaning the harmed person has been given reconciliation for the harm done them.  If we apply this idea to our lives then we can look to the cross and see how the victory over death by Christ justifies us for we are made whole again by His having overcome death for us.  Death is the result of sin and we are all sinners.  We need to be reconciled or made whole in order to obtain eternal life and thus win the victory, the verdict in our favor, over sin and death.  This is a one step process which we receive by accepting, thru faith, the gift of Calvary.  The symbol of our acceptance is baptism.

When we feel God working in our life to the point we want to consecrate our life to Him, we are baptized as a symbol.  We are baptized into Christ’s death and His resurrection as a symbol of joining His victory at the cross and the grave.  Romans 6:4 tell us that “we are buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we should walk in newness of life.”  If you keep reading, there is more “we shall be in the likeness of His resurrection” (v. 6) and “he who has died has been freed from sin” (v 7). 

Here is proof that we should not continue to dwell in sin.  Why would we wish to go backwards when we are on a path to glory and eternity?  Paul puts in well, “but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead” (Phil 3:13).  He continues the idea in Col 3:1-2 by saying that if we are raised with Christ then we are to seek those things above rather than the things of this earth.

Here is the crux of the problem for so many Christians, we allow ourselves to be distracted by the things here on this earth or we dwell in our past rather than revel in our future.  The things of this earth are tangible, we experience them here and now and for many, that is easier than to focus on the intangible we experience here on earth when we fully surrender our heart, minds, body, and life to Christ.  Paul lends some excellent perspective on this in 2 Cor 4:18 “For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal”.  Where is your focus?

There is also a danger of using the wrong type of justification, one where we justify repeating the same sin, feeling sorry and asking forgiveness, and then telling ourselves that God will forgive us if we mess up again.  To not acknowledge the power of God to also take away the temptation which we are assured He can, "then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment" 2 Peter 2:9.  It is a dangerous thing to deny God's full power, to not fully accept the gift given in love.


Now let's get to the heart of why we should even ponder this notion of becoming sinless.  Simply put, we won't be among the saved if we don't.  When Christ comes again, His rewards are with Him "And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work." Rev 22:12.  This means that they have already been decided, prior to the second coming.  Continuing to verse 14 we read "Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city." We see clearly here in Revelation, when the prophet is foretelling of the time of Christ's return and who will be saved, that it is those who have kept the commandments.  Keep in mind that to sin is to transgress the law, the commandments.  Thus we are given two sets of people at the end, those who have kept the commandments and if that is true, they are then without sin, and those who have unfortunately made choices to continue in sin.


Before you get scared and think "I can't do that, I'm doomed", remember that God isn't asking that you do it yourself, He has provided everything each person needs to reach this goal.  The main thing to remember is that we don't achieve this goal on our own, our job is to have faith in Christ, to allow His will and character to replace ours.  We do this by the example that Christ Himself gave us while living as a human.  He daily studied the scriptures and prayed, spending time with the Father to have the strength needed to overcome temptation.


Here are just a few promises that show we can be victorious:


Ephesians 6:16 (NKJV) "above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one."


I Corinthians 10:13 "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, w ho will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it."


I Peter 1:5 "You have faith in God, whose power will protect you until the last day.  Then He will save you, just as He has always planned to do."


Psalms 29:11 "The Lord will give strength to His people; The Lord will bless His people with peace."


Phil 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

2 Thess 3:3 "But the Lord is faithful who will establish you and guard you from the evil one."

FAITH VS. SURRENDER

I believe an important topic to understand is the difference and correlation between faith and surrender.  We are justified by faith, we become sanctified through surrender.  Faith is believing in something we cannot see whereas surrender is giving up something.

To overcome sin requires that we have Christ abiding fully within us, replacing our character with His.  We must replace our own selfish will with the Father’s will, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven” is not possible if even a sliver of self remains in our heart.

Faith means that I believe in God even though I cannot see Him.  I believe and claim His precious promises.  I know He has my best interest in mind even if I cannot see the outcome from where I stand while going through trials.  I know Jesus is atoning for my sins right now at this very moment in the Holy of Holies in the heavenly sanctuary and as I come humbly before Him with a repentant heart He washes away my sins and I am forgiven.

Surrender means I also allow God to take the desire to sin away so that the temptation to sin is removed so that I might enjoy the peace that is beyond human comprehension yet not beyond human experience.

By faith we become willing to accept God’s promises…by surrender we give up self so we can experience God’s promises.

Here is an illustration:  let’s say a friend who knows you have been unemployed for sometime now offers you $1,000.  It is not a loan, it is a gift to help you and since you only have $100 left in your bank account and the burden of unpaid bills is pilling up, this would be a wonderful gift.  There is just one string attached however.  You must give up the $100 you currently have and give it away before you can receive the $1,000 offered.  Faith that you can trust your friend is required so that you are willing to let go of your very last cent, fully surrender all, in order to receive the help of the friend, the gift offered in love and the desire to help you in your time of need.

We are greatly in debt to sin, it is like the bill collectors who are relentless in their calls and the stress mounts, this is the devil and how he works with temptations; only sometimes we are not aware it is the devil calling and we pickup the phone only to realize we shouldn’t have and now he is there.  We need to allow Christ to become our caller id, our answering machine if you will, and let Him handle all the calls and pay the debt for us.

Faith merges with surrender in Phil 4:13 when we believe “I can do all things though Christ who strengthens me” and faith is exemplified in v. 11 when we “learn in whatever state I am to be content” and that is what surrender brings.  It means being willing to move past the tangible yet short-lived enjoyment that may come from things of this world and obtaining a peace that “will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (v. 7) and live a life focused on eternity, daily doing the will of the Father.

For the end time people of God, having overcome is required for those who want to be granted eternal life.  Let’s look at Revelation 3:20 where Jesus tells is talking to the final church, the Laodicians of which time period we know we are in now.  Jesus tells us He is standing at the door to our hearts and knocking, we must open the door and invite Him in which is the processing of allowing Christ to abide in us that His power is working rather than our own.  Now let’s backup a couple verses to 18 where He counsels us to buy gold refined in the fire, He is tells us that we must go through a growth process of learning to surrender and learn how to fully keep His commandments to withstand the trials that are soon to come our way.  Without Him, who has already lived the perfect human life required for eternal life, we will not overcome and be granted the throne (vs. 21).

When we look at what is required of God’s end time people in Revelation 3 and 14, we see that those who obtain the ultimate prize are they who have learned how to fully merge faith and surrender together in their lives.  God gives us everything we need to accomplish this and the beauty is that the overcoming part is done by Christ if we will have the faith to surrender our own will to His and let Him to do work for us. 

“Take the yoke I give you. Put it on your shoulders and learn from me. I am gentle and humble, and you will find rest. This yoke is easy to bear, and this burden is light.” Matt 11:29-30 (CEV)

Truth Lost in Easter

Last night, the day most Christians refer to as Good Friday, I was praying with two of my close friends as we welcomed in the Sabbath and I was impressed what a tragedy of lost truth there is amongst far too many Christians.  Easter is the time when many Christians find their thoughts turning to the resurrection of our Lord and this is certainly a wonder that I am grateful for.  Without the life, death, and resurrection, none of us would have the possibility of eternal life; we would be lost forever.

But in the mainstream Christian world, the focus is only on Easter Sunday. In fact, the devil has masterfully turned the day our Lord resurrected from the dead and took victory into His hands, defeating the enemy once and for all; and used it for his deceptive gain.  How many Christians say that we are to observe Sunday worship because of the resurrection, I think most.  Yet, the truth is that even in His death, Christ honored the sanctity of the true Sabbath.  No where in Scripture will you find support for the change.  It is one of the ten commands given by God on Sinai and even more important, it was created at the very beginning of our earth, right after God made us humans.

As I thought about this, I said a prayer for all the Christians who have been lead away from the truth and that those whose hearts are open to hearing the Spirit speak to them will be impressed to find the glorious truth of Sabbath, especially during this weekend of remembrance of Christ's ultimate gift to us.  The enemy knows that when we do not set aside the Sabbath day to fortify ourselves in God, we are drawn away from His awesome power to have created us and to save us and our thoughts will not be in a place of coming to that peaceful place we can enjoy when Christ abides in us.

May God bless you as you take special time this particular Sabbath day to not only thank God for the gift of salvation through Christ and His resurrection, but thank God for having Christ also give us the example of keeping Sabbath even in His death so that it was preserved for our benefit when He rose in victory.

BURDEN OR BLESSING?

There are two institutions that God gave us in Eden…Sabbath and marriage.  There is a strong correlation between these two.  There is a blessing when each is regarded as God intended.

When two people meet and begin to date, they spend time to get to know each other.  As love develops, new love is usually spontaneous, full of hope and excitement.  When love is in the infancy stage, there is a natural desire to spend time together, as much as possible.  It is not forced; it is natural because love is there.

Once the couple decides to get married and spend eternity together, a lot of planning commences.  There is a dress and tuxedo to select, flowers and a cake to pick out, and so forth.  Other special people are asked to participate such as the maid-of-honor and best man.  After the wedding, the marriage ensues.  Marriage is the union of two, becoming as one in purpose and goals.  If the two want to remain close and have a strong relationship, they must continue to spend time together, to talk and share and grow as one body.  Spending time together is vital to the strength of the relationship.

The connection between the marriage relationship and Sabbath is easy to see if you just stop and think about it.  The wedding can be compared to the baptism.  After we “date” Christ, we develop a love that makes us desire to spend our life with Him.  All throughout the Bible, the imagery of the Christ as the bridegroom can be found.  So once we decide to marry Him, we study which is like our premarital counseling and then we set the date and invite our family, the church family, to come and celebrate with us.

Then we begin our life with Christ with our commitment in place.  This is where Sabbath becomes so important.  Our daily lives should have time set aside for Christ, for study and prayer, for devotion.  Each week we are given a full 24 hours to reconnect with God.  It’s like having a special date night with your spouse to keep your love and commitment strong.  Each Sabbath is a special time to renew our vow to God, to study and pray, and commune with Him.  A time to refocus our priorities.

Have you ever thought about how these two institutions are the only two given us in the Garden; before sin entered this planet, God is so good to provide the blessing before we even have the need. If we look at the Sabbath with resentment, as a burden, when we push the hours of sunset on Friday afternoon, clock-watching the Sabbath then it is like not being committed to our spouse in our heart.  Our pastor once asked the question: “which sunset do you look forward to the most?”  Isaiah 58 tells us about the delight of the Sabbath.

As one who grew up a Seventh-Day Adventist, going through Adventist schools and being a member of some wonderful churches, I didn’t always appreciate the true significance of the Sabbath.  As a kid, I enjoyed Sabbath School, potlucks, and nature hikes.  But in my post-college days, I didn’t always follow the guidelines I was taught.  The devil is so subtle in how he works to compromise us…watching tv a little past sundown to finish the show and then you find yourself starting the movie after sunset, and then you are skipping church and watching tv instead and you miss the fellowship of other believers.

I discovered that as I studied and prayed and grew closer to God that I more and more longed for the sunset on Friday.  A day of communion with God was the highlight of my week.  The rest portion of Sabbath is wonderful, but if our primary goal is to get involved in “lay activities”, are we really getting the blessing that is meant for us?

If we don’t spend time with our spouse, then odds are that the relationship will suffer and might even disappear if we aren’t careful.  Don’t take the chance of losing your relationship with God through neglect, losing that relationship means to lose your eternal life.

Long time Seventh-Day Adventists need to find a way, through prayer and study, to move beyond observing Sabbath by keeping the rules we were taught and into finding the blessing of time spent with our Heavenly Father.

The rules we learned about Sabbath in my home growing up were never forced on us, they were held out as an example.  Even though I spent some time not honoring the Sabbath hours, those habits of my youth stuck with me and turned into blessings in my life now.

The Scriptures tell us that even after sin is destroyed, we will observe Sabbath through all eternity (Isaiah 66:23). 

Jesus is our example of how to live a life here to prepare and be ready to go home with Him soon.  How did Jesus live a sinless life?  Through prayer and time spent with the Father.  He communed daily with God and Jesus kept the Sabbath, even in His death.  This time helped Him prepare for the trials and allowed Him to life a life free of sin.

God wants us to commune with Him, to strengthen ourselves in His love so we too can endure and overcome.  “For this is love of God, that we keep His commandments, and His commandments are not burdensome” I John 5:3 

When Jesus reached His time of trouble in the garden of Gethsemane, He turned to the Father in prayer for strength (read Mark 14:32-38).  The garden is a symbol of the time of trouble we are soon to see.  We need to be spending time with our Father now if we are to be able to pass through that time, seeking to let God’s will be done in our lives, if we are to be overcomers with Christ.