How To Defeat Sin (Sin Series Pt. 4)
How To Defeat Sin! CDs for last three weeks.
1 Peter 2:24 who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness— by whose stripes you were healed[1] NKJV
1 Peter 2:24 24 He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed.[2] NLT
1. Identify Sin-We did this in the first couple of messages. We looked at lists. We saw that there were some Bible lists. Certainly these things are sin. But what if it’s not on the list? Is it a sin only because it is on the list? Paul said in Romans that sin was sin first and then the list was made so we could know what sin was. There was only one sin on the list to begin with.
We saw that sin was transgression of the law. But more importantly we saw that sin was missing the mark. Anytime we miss the mark of what would be in keeping with God’s expectations or His character, we have sinned. John narrowed it down to three sins, lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh, pride of life. Bottom line we sin when we displease God. What would Jesus do? Or What would Jesus have me to do? Are both good questions.
2. Secondly Acknowledge that you sin. Acknowledge that the idea of sin is to big for me to handle. Last week we learned that we sin when we are drawn away of our own wrong desires and enticed. When we yield we sin! Paul said that when he would try to do good sin would hunt him down and he would give in. He concluded that He was miserable. He then asked this desperate question, “Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?”
3. Trust the work of Calvary. His death makes it possible for believers to be free from both the (1)penalty and the (2)power of sin.
A. CONFESS 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Over and over again we read that Jesus took the penalty for our sin. He took our sin and gave us his righteousness. This is a legal transaction. We don’t have to go to hell and we don’t have to live under that cumulative effect of sin. So we might now ask ourselves that question found in the next scripture.
NIV Romans 6 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? YOU BURIED THE SIN LIFE3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
5 If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7 because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.
8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10 The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
B. COUNT
11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.
C. OFFER 13 Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. 14 For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.
Slaves to Righteousness
15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! 16 Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. 18 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.
19 I put this in human terms because you are weak in your natural selves. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness. 20 When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. 21 What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death!
22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
[3]
Romans 8:12 12 Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation—but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live,[4]
THE CHOICE IS YOUR. Your sins and needs have been nailed to the cross. They are at the cross. We are going to commemorate that this morning.
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[1]The New King James Version. 1982 (1 Pe 2:24). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
[2]Tyndale House Publishers. (2004). Holy Bible : New Living Translation. "Text edition"--Spine. (2nd ed.) (1 Pe 2:24). Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House Publishers.
[3]The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.) (Ro 6:1-23). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.
[4]The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.) (Ro 8:12-13). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.