Killing your Sin 4

Freedom from the dominion or domination of sin is not the same thing as freedom from sin’s presence and influence. The presence and influence, or power of sin, remains where God has banished sin’s dominion authority and control. Although the power of sin has been weakened, yet its nature has not changed.

Believers in Christ must not have a slight view of sin because sin is hostile to and hatful toward God. Scripture teaches that the presence of sin is found in the heart of man. The heart refers to man’s mind, emotions and his will. It is how man thinks, feels and makes decisions. All real sins proceed from the heart. 

Mark 7:14-23 says, “And he called the people to him again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand: There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.” And when he had entered the house and left the people, his disciples asked him about the parable. And he said to them, “Then are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.) And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.” (Mark 7:14-23 ESV)

When man in his heart faces sin and sinful choices, he must understand the nature of sin. It urges, presses, and pursues its proposals with an earnestness, strength, and vigor contending fighting and warring to obtain its end, purpose and goal: total rebellion against God. 

Sin is described in Scripture (I John 2:15-17) as lusting. Sin begins stirring and moving imaginations in the mind. It then influences the emotions with ever increasing desire. Finally, it presents them to man’s will to carry out the imaginations of his mind and emotions. The lusts or desires of sin focus their attention upon what man feels, sees and believes he deserves.  

But it does not rest there, for it cannot. Sin is not only brutal but it is also subtle. Scripture speaks of the deceitfulness of sin (Hebrews 3:13; Ephesians 4:22; I Timothy 2:13-14). How often in Scripture are we warned by the phrase “Do not be deceived” (I Corinthians 6:9; I Corinthians 15:33; Galatians 6:7; Ephesians 5:6). 

Sin that brutally and subtly darkens the mind, inflames the emotions and emboldens the will to disobey God also brings at the same time laziness to the mind, emotions and will towards the things of God. Our sin draws us away from the intentional disciplines and duties which keep us from sinning against God and others. Sin engineers a carelessness in mental watchfulness which leads to spiritual sloth, which is not only laziness, but idleness, sluggishness, and an inactivity towards the disciplines and duties God has given believer for the purpose of not only fighting sin but killing it.