Ready To Quit Sinning?

So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. [Galatians 5.16]

Here is what "doing what your sinful nature craves" looks like:

When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God. [Galatians 5.19-21]

Let me very clear, this is not a "buffet" list. We simply cannot pick and choose which of these we think apply to us and which do not. If we practice any one of these sinful cravings, we are NOT letting the Holy Spirit guide our lives.

Does this mean if we do any of these things that we are not saved? Hold on to that thought and consider what it means to "follow the desires of your sinful nature." "Follow" is an action verb - it is something done on purpose. So, God knows which sins we do in willful disobedience and which ones we don't. May I suggest that in our spirits we know too? Sometimes we genuinely "fall" into sin, but far too often, we follow our lusts and jump into it. See the difference?

Okay, with that established, I want to compare this discussion from Paul to a similar discussion from Peter in light of the question, "how do we purposefully avoid sin?"

So then, since Christ suffered physical pain, you must arm yourselves with the same attitude he had, and be ready to suffer, too. For if you have suffered physically for Christ, you have finished with sin. [1 Peter 4.1]

There is a mindset that, according to Peter, is effective in avoiding sin. That mindset is a willingness to suffer physically for Gospel. Peter said that willingness signifies our being "finished with sin."

Note: Let's be sure that we establish here that physical suffering for Christ is not sickness, disease, or any other curse described in Deuteronomy 28. If there are any doubts in our hearts and minds about this, we will totally miss the Kingdom lesson here.

Being willing to physically suffer for the sake of the Christ and His Message comes from a Kingdom attitude that believes the life of another is worth mine. You see, there was young man who witnessed the stoning of Stephen (murdered for is confession of Jesus) that later became known for the spread of Christianity and writing half of the New Testament - the Apostle Paul.

It will not be an easy task however to have this willingness to suffer physically for the Gospel. The society in which we live, including Western Church culture, is more focused on preserving our personal life than it is in laying it down.

Jesus Himself said it best:

There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. [John 15.13]

Well, if Jesus said "friends," what about our enemies? Great question and the perfect introduction for forgiveness! If you can receive it, your forgiveness of any and everyone makes them your friend. That is how Jesus was able to pray on the Cross, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.”

It is not ironic then what Stephen said as he was being killed:

As they stoned him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” He fell to his knees, shouting, “Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!” And with that, he died. [Acts 7.59-60]

Our lives only have real value when we are genuinely willing to lay them down. It is at that point that sin is really "behind us" and no longer a problem.

Ready to quit sinning?

Father, help us to understand what it means to take up our cross and follow Jesus.