FORGET NONE OF HIS BENEFITS, volume 9, number 29, July 22, 2010

Each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lusts, James 1:14.

Why Do You Still Battle Sin and What Should You Do About It?

Darryl Strawberry signed his first professional baseball contract in 1980, after graduating from high school. By 1983 he was in the Majors and helped the New York Mets win the World Series in 1986. One day early in his rookie year with the Mets a teammate offered him cocaine saying, “Welcome to the Big Leagues!” Soon he was hooked on cocaine, amphetamines, and alcohol. He was divorced three times, had countless women, and was arrested for illegal drug possession and domestic abuse. He says that he became a Christian in 1991 and there were times of progress in his Christian life, followed by serious falls back into sinful living. Finally, he was sentenced in 2002 to eighteen months in prison after his sixth parole violation. Since that time, however, Strawberry has lived in gospel holiness, traveling around the country, telling people of Jesus. He was recently in Connecticut and spoke powerfully of God’s work of grace in saving him and keeping him from his former addictions. Let’s assume that Strawberry was truly converted in 1991. If so, then why the constant failure to overcome his sinful patterns, and why has he been able the last several years to have victory over these sins? And what about you—why do you still battle sin, often falling grievously, going back to your former sinful ways? Why do you still battle sin and what should you do about it? What is God’s means of sanctification?¹

I mentioned last week² that until you come to grips with your own culpability and quit blaming God or someone else for your sinful behavior, you will not progress in gospel holiness. This is absolutely fundamental. Okay, let’s assume you are there, that you admit your sin is your own fault, then what’s next? We are given three vivid metaphors in James 1:14-15 that speak powerfully to the issue. First, he says that we are carried away by our own lust. This alludes to a predator taking away its prey, like a lion hauling off a young antelope that wandered too far from the herd. Second, he says that we are enticed by our own lust. The Greek word for enticed has the idea of a fishing lure. Think large mouth bass which sees something silver “swimming by” and goes after it, eventually latching onto a silver spoon with treble hooks, resulting in its capture, eventually ending up in a frying pan. And third, James alludes to the seduction, act, and horrific consequences of fornication—“. . . and when lust is conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.”

What goes on in the life of the believer who falls into grievous sin? Why do you still battle the same sins? Why so you find yourself succumbing time and again to the same temptation, bringing great hardship on you and your family? You need to understand the root of your problem is indwelling sin, sometimes called the flesh (Romans 7:18-20, Galatians 5:19ff). Even as a believer you have a depraved desire, a lurid longing, a powerful propensity to sin. You cannot help it. It is simply there! This root of sin is growing in the soil of lust. The Greek word is sometimes used positively in the New Testament (Jesus “lusted” to eat the Passover with His disciples, Luke 22:15), but generally it is pejorative (among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, Ephesians 2:3). This inward lust is a deformed desire, a dominant dalliance, a perverted passion. It’s on the inside. Why does a man, who was just intimate with his wife, when seeing another woman, immediately want to be with her? Indwelling sin, rooted in the soil of lust! But the tree trunk is temptation, and this comes from the outside. Jesus, as a man, was tempted by the devil (Matthew 4:1-11, Hebrews 4:15), but He did not battle indwelling sin like us, for He is God incarnate. Temptation comes in multitudinous ways, very often in things for which we long, our idols. And the fruit from the tree, that which comes from the root of indwelling sin, in the soil of our lusts, gaining strength in the tree trunk of temptation are actual sins. Darryl Strawberry’s fall back into sin as a believer was due to indwelling sin, rooted in the lust of sordid, inordinate desire, fueled by the sight of cocaine or another woman. And James tells us that the result of sin is death—not simply physical death (Deuteronomy 30:19ff, Romans 6:21-23), but also eternal death (Revelation 20:13-15), what Jesus calls the second death. This physical death also reveals itself in the death of potential, the destruction of families. The recent fall of University of Georgia Athletic Director Damon Evans is another sad example of the devastation of lust, indwelling sin, and temptation.

What then are we to do? Allow me to make this as simple as possible. Let’s number these four components. Number one is the new heart you have in Jesus (Ezekiel 36:26, John 3:5-7, 1 Peter 1:3), the ability you now have to hate your sin and to love and obey God. Number two is the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:2). You are indwelt by the Spirit of Jesus if you are a Christian (Ezekiel 36:27, Isaiah 44:3, Acts 2:38, Romans 8:2-11). To apply this Holy Spirit power, however, you must be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18), you must not grieve or quench the Spirit (Ephesians 4:30, 1 Thessalonians 5:17). You must abide in Christ (John 15:1-5). Number three is indwelling sin, living in a body of lust (Romans 6:12-13). And number four is temptation from the world and the devil (Ephesians 6:10-12). So why do you fall into sin? Number three and four will overpower number one every time! Simply put—your new heart of regeneration, as glorious as it is, is no match for indwelling sin and temptation. That’s why mere accountability groups will not keep you from sin. That’s why sheer discipline will not work. That’s why the fear of getting caught, of suffering the consequences of sinful behavior, will not always work. That’s why thinking with gratitude on all God has done for you in Christ will not always stand up against indwelling sin, lust, and temptation. I am not saying accountability groups, discipline, fearing the consequences of sin, or dwelling on God’s goodness are not helpful. By all means you should practice these regularly. I am saying, however, that these will not work all the time. They are insufficient. Thankfully, you have a greater, more glorious power available to you. Numbers one and two—the new heart and the holiness of Jesus indwelling you by the Spirit—will overcome numbers three and four every time. As you have received Christ Jesus the Lord (by faith), so walk (live in gospel holiness) in Him (Colossians 2:6). I know I sound like a broken record, but you must run to Jesus for His holiness. Here’s what I do—when faced with the real power of lust, indwelling sin, and specific temptation, I cry out to Jesus saying, “Jesus, I cannot stand in my own will and self-discipline against this. I need, this very moment, your holiness (1 Corinthians 1:30) for You alone are my wisdom from God, my righteousness, my sanctification, and my redemption.” When you cry out to God, when you abide in Jesus, when you keep your bucket submerged under the river of living water, filled with the blood of Jesus, then you will stand against sin and temptation. Without this you will surely fail. So, run daily to Jesus, actually crying out to Him, asking Him for His holiness, and He promises to give it to you.

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1 The best thing written, in my estimation, on the topic is John Owen’s classic, “Temptation and Sin”, volume 6, The Works of John Owen, published by Banner of Truth.

2 See my devotional entitled “Are You Really Responsible?” July 15, 2010, archived at <www.christcpc.org>

FORGET NONE OF HIS BENEFITS is a weekly devotional by Reverend Al Baker, pastor of Christ Community Presbyterian Church in West Hartford, Connecticut.

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