I was involved in a discussion in Sunday school where the central theme centered on the Apostle Paul’s remarks about his battle with sin. “For I do not do what I want – instead, I do what I hate”. Obviously he didn’t want to sin and it’s apparent that he desired to resist temptation, but he failed miserably, at which point he called himself a “wretched man”.
When Paul speaks of his sin he dejectedly states, “nothing good lives in me”. And he reasons, “For I do not do the good I want, but I do the very evil I do not want!”.
The most poignant idea here is that sin was not eradicated when we were born again. The old nature still leads us to sin even when we don’t want to. There is within us a power of evil that is too strong for us and we must call on Christ to help us resist it.
Some view this series of verses as an excuse to continue doing whatever they please. It is important to note that this was not Paul’s view. Sinning was as prevalent in his day as it is in ours, but that lifestyle was not characteristic of Paul’s life, rather the exception. Paul recognized the seriousness of even a single sin in his life, and he recognized it for what it is, something that takes away his victory and he hated it.
It is unfortunate when Christians do not see the seriousness of sin in their lives, because aside from letting our Savior down, with sin there are always consequences.
Paul wrote, “What a wretched man I am!”. These are the words of someone who grieves the fact that He let His Savior down. He was mourning the weakness of his old nature that still lived within his flesh and he was openly acknowledging that no matter how badly he desires it, he cannot meet the high standards God sets before us as Christians in our daily walk on earth.
That is because God’s laws require perfection. Paul asked the rhetorical question, “Who will deliver me?” The answer is simple, no one can but Jesus Christ! Only Jesus Christ can give the victory. It is Christ’s perfection that we realize through His blood sacrifice for us that can defeat the sin in our lives.
The Apostle Paul’s honesty is refreshing. Too many religious leaders will not admit to sin, perhaps because their old nature has choked out the word of God to an extent that they cannot discern right from wrong as clearly spelled out in the Bible. Or just maybe they have not really surrendered to Christ. Only God knows such things.
One point sure, many religious leaders today are blind to sin because they have replaced God’s laws with their own It is as though Jesus Christ and His word the Holy Bible are irrelevant.
Here is a thought provoking real life example of this. I read today where the U.S. Presbyterian church just ordained their first openly homosexual minister.
Hmmm… How nice that this church is so inclusive as to welcome a homosexual to serve as a minister of God.
Not!
Are they blind to the fact that the Bible expressly prohibits such action? Don’t call me homophobic, check it out for yourself. There are two scriptural passages which specify the qualifications of the bishop, pastor, or elder. Both were authored by Paul, first to Timothy and then to Titus.
1 Tim. 3:1 “This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work.
3:2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach;
3:3 not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous;
3:4 one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence
3:5 (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?);
3:6 not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.
3:7 Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.”
Titus 1:6 if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination.
1:7 For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money,
1:8 but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled,
1:9 holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.”
This denomination’s leaders have chosen to ignore God’s laws regarding their ministers and will no doubt experience consequence as a result of their sin. Do they hate their sin and grieve as Paul did?
According to a church spokesman this openly gay minister received a “thunderous standing ovation complimented by roaring cheers” They went on to say, “The ordination was a glorious celebration that touched everyone”.
Throughout the Bible homosexuality is recognized as sin and an abominable one at that. In Romans 1:24 , homosexuality was recognized as an evil by the Apostle Paul. The Romans passage is unmistakably clear. Paul attributes the moral depravity of men and women to their rejection of “the truth of God”. They refused “to retain God in their knowledge”, thereby dethroning God and deifying themselves.
This major denomination has chosen not to minister to someone who admits to openly and repeatedly committing a grievous sin (as defined by Holy Scripture), but instead they have done just the opposite and selected him as a minister to themselves and to their children.
No doubt this is the politically correct position and the hue and cry will condemn any who oppose them based on false charges of bigotry, and Christian fundamentalism gone awry, but the word of God is clear on this subject. The Bible and God’s laws will be around long after sin is destroyed just as it was in the days of Noah and Sodom and Gomorrah.
Recognize sin for what it is in your life and ask Christ for forgiveness, and put on the full armor of God and satan will flee from you.
Proverbs 14:12
There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.