Lance Rowe

Freedom. Freedom from the power of sin over our lives and the condemnation and self loathing that it brings with it. That's what Christ came to give us through that precious Blood He shed on the cross. Don't settle for less. Christ didn't go to the cross so that you could continue wallowing in your sin and excuse it with a mindset of "I'm just a sinner saved by Grace. God knows I am prone to sin, and so He sent Jesus to pay for the penalty of my past, present and future sins." Paul asks "Shall we sin that Grace may abound?" His answer is a resounding "God forbid". "No Way". God sent Christ into the world to deliver us from bondage. To set us free from the guilt and shame that comes with sin. Are we prone to sin? As long as we are in this flesh, there will always be temptation to fulfill the lust of the flesh in one form or the other. But temptation is not sin. Sin happens when we act on the temptation and give into our fleshly demands. And God knows our natural inclination to respond to the demands of our flesh. He made a Provision for us through Jesus Christ's sacrifice on the cross. We are to resist sin. But for what ever reason, sometimes the pull is greater than our resolve. In that case, He tells us that IF (not WHEN) we sin, Jesus Christ is our Advocate, our attorney. 1Jn 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: What things was John writing about? The fact that if we incline toward the darkness of sin (all sin is dark) we break fellowship with the Father. If we say we have a personal relationship with Him, and continue in our sin, we deceive ourselves, because it is not possible that light and darkness can dwell with one another. 1Jn 1:5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. The writer of Hebrews assumes the Christian STRIVES against sin. In Hebrews 12:1, he admits that we are prone to sin. But we are told to "lay aside" (or to cast off) the sin that so easily besets us, much like we would cast off something that was repulsive to us: Heb 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Heb 12:4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. In Romans 13:12, we are told to "cast off the works of darkness" (sin): Rom 13:12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. 13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. 14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. Before Christ, we were slaves to sin, but now in Christ, we have the victory over sin, and we can choose not to make room in our lives for sin. The Word of God is clear on this point. We are faced with choices, and because of what Christ accomplished on the cross, we are able to make the right choices. Here are some other scriptures where the Word tells us it is our responsibility as Christians to to "cast off" things. Eph 4:22 That ye put off (cast off) concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Eph 4:25 Wherefore putting away (cast off) lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. Col 3:8 But now ye also put off (cast off) all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. 9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off (apekduomei= wholly put off from oneself) the old man with his deeds; 10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: Jas 1:21 Wherefore lay apart (cast off) all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. All the above quoted scripture is able to save your soul, if you heed it and do what it says you are responsible to do. False teachers tell you you are not able to obey the Word of God. If you try to, they tell you that you are bringing yourself under the Law or trying to work your way to salvation. But obedience to God and His Word is simply what a true child of God desires to walk in. Jas 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: 24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. 1Pe 2:1 Wherefore laying aside (cast off) all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, 2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. God knows our frame. He knows we have a tendency to sin. He made a Way through His Son and the Holy Spirit to give us victory over sin. IF we fall into temptation and sin, we have an advocate with our Father. God is so Good. He is for you, and not against you. Because of Christ's finished Work on the Cross, you are able to bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ (2 Cor 10:5). It is easier and more pleasant to the flesh to believe the teacher that will scratch your ear and tell you that it is O.K.to sin. But when you find yourself standing before the Judgment seat of Christ, being judged for your willful disobedience to God, it wont be so pleasant. Personally, I would rather believe the Word of God and spend eternity in the Light of God, rather than believe some great speaker or "nice guy" that makes me feel good in my sin and leads me to an eternity in darkness. The preacher that says you don't need to obey Christ's command to "Go" into the harvest field is leading you to darkness. The teacher who tells you that Jesus died so you can feel better about your sin is leading you into darkness. The teacher who tells you that even if you sin, as long as you said "the prayer" you have a personal relationship with the Father is deceiving you. The preacher who says you have no power over sin in your life is a liar. Christ empowers you through the Holy Spirit Who indwells the believer. God is long suffering and full of Mercy and Grace, and He doesn't want us to perish. But He is a just God as well. He will not contradict His Word. Don't be deceived. As a Born Again Believer, you have a responsibility to walk in obedience to God. Rom 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? 17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. 18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. 19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. 20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. 21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. 22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

There are leaders who want to control you and to tell you what you need to do, where you need to go, how you need to act...But that is really supposed to be the work of God. There are other leaders who will assist you in your walk, wash your feet when you are weary, and teach you how to do what you are called to do. They will labor beside you, not expect you to labor for them. When you begin to focus outside the four walls, those who are controllers will try to keep you busy so you will stay inside. Those who are equippers will bless you and commission you to to "GO" and do the Work the Lord has called you to. There is a difference. Every believer needs to be aware. 1Pe 5:1 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: 2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; 3 Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.