Sinning is a Choice

Sinning is a Choice

Text: Romans 6:13-14

A Christian is not expected to be committing willful sin after coming to the knowledge of the truth, because Jesus came to save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21). If a Christian has truly repented and converted from darkness to light, then the old things must pass away from his life (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Purity and holiness are possible by the power of the Holy Spirit(Galatians 5:16). A Christian can determine not to commit sin and keep himself pure for God. Some of the biblical examples are:

Ø Daniel in Daniel 1:8 purposed in his heart that he will not defile himself with the King’s meat.

Ø In Genesis 39:10, Potiphar’s wife tempted Joseph day by day but he hearkened not unto her. The temptation was continuous but he determined not to sin against God and he did not.

Ø Job made a covenant that he would not lust after a woman (Job 31:1)

Ø David in Psalm 17:3 took a decision not to allow his mouth to transgress.

Many Christians are yet to come to the reality that they cannot be a servant of Satan and sin on one hand and also be a servant of Christ and righteousness at the same time (Romans 6:13-14). We cannot serve God and Mammon together (Matthew 6:24).

Living a holy life before God starts with taking a firm decision to avoid the unclean things (2 Corinthians 6:14-18).  In addition, fleeing all appearances of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:22), through praying (Psalm 19:13) and abiding by Galatians 5:16.

Holiness is possible by the power of the Holy Spirit. Do not be deceived by the lie of the devil that holiness is not possible. That lie is one of the doctrines of the Devil being circulated in this Last Day Church. If Daniel and Joseph were holy and righteous in the Old Testament, why cannot we achieve same in the New Testament?

Let us pray:

Ø Lord Jesus, deliver me from what is right in my own eyes (Judges 21:25) & empower me to do what is right in your eyes (Deuteronomy 6:18).

Ø Lord Jesus, give me a new heart that will hunger and thirst for righteousness (Deuteronomy 30:6)

Ø Lord Jesus, deliver me from presumptuous sinning and let not sin have dominion over me (Psalm 19:13)

Ayodele John Adegbulugbe

www.xtianrace.blogspot.com

How to Love God (Deuteronomy 6:5)

How to Love God

In the Old Testament, Deuteronomy 6:5 says, ‘thou shall love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, with all thine soul and with all thine might.’ Likewise, Matthew 22:37 also say the same thing as Deuteronomy 6:5. This command is the greatest of all the commandments.

The natural man finds it impossible to obey this command because he lives under the control of his fleshly passions. The fleshly passion is the animal part of man, sensual and depraved and in contrast to the spiritual man. He has no sense of spiritual values, therefore lives for this world and its carnal pleasures (Romans 1:29-32), fulfilling the lusts and desires of the flesh and mind (Ephesians 2:1-3).

Spiritual things are foolishness to him because he cannot see their spiritual excellence since he is spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:1-9). The natural man was born into this world as a spiritually dead person and without a spiritual rebirth; he is heading to eternal destruction at the end of his earthly phase.

The natural man cannot love someone he does not know, so knowing Him is the first priority. This is why the spiritual rebirth is necessary by which a man become born again (John 3:3) and is transformed into a spiritual man who lives under the control of the Holy Spirit and minds the things of the Spirit.

The spiritual man, having been transformed now has the mind of Christ, therefore lives for Christ and esteems spiritual values above the sensual and the carnal. He is a new creature resurrected from spiritual death (2 Corinthians 5:17). The animal part of him is crucified and put off (Ephesians 4:22-24) (Colossians 3:9) and he is now a member of God’s family (John 1:12).

The spiritual man, who has the mind of Christ, sets his sights on the things that are above (Colossians 3:2-3) and not of the earth. He demonstrates his love for God by seeking first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33). He takes seriously the command to love Him above all else and is consumed with the things of God.

He has a hunger and burning thirst for righteousness. He is eager to study God’s Word (Joshua 1:8) (Psalm 1:1-3); eager to pray (1 Thessalonians 5:17); eager to obey and honor God in all things (1 John 5:2), and eager to share Jesus Christ with others (Mark 16:15). It is through these spiritual disciplines that the love for God grows and matures to the glory of God.

Ayodele Adegbulugbe

Email: ayodeleade2002@yahoo.com

Phone: + 2348035978352