How can I overcome a habitual sin?
The first thing to consider in how to overcome habitual sin is to note the change, or transformation, that takes place when a person is saved. The Bible describes the natural man as “dead in sin and trespasses” (Ephesians 2:1). As a result of Adam’s fall into sin, man is born spiritually dead. In this…
What is the conviction of sin?
The Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit will convict the world of sin (John 16:8). To help us understand what the conviction of sin is, we can look at what it is not. First, it is not simply a guilty conscience or even shame over sin. Such feelings are naturally experienced by almost everyone.…
What is the danger/consequence of unconfessed sin?
First John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sin, he is faithful and just to forgive our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” This verse is written to Christians and hinges on the word if. God offers total pardon for every sin His children commit IF we confess it to Him. The word…
What are the noetic effects of sin?
Derived from the Greek adjective noētikos, meaning “intellectual”; the Greek verb noein, meaning “to think”; and the Greek noun nous, meaning “mind,” the word noetic refers to the action of thinking. The noetic effect of sin is the effect of sin on man’s intellect. Because of sin, man’s ability to think and reason is clouded.…
Isn’t it unloving to tell someone he/she is sinning?
Talk of sin is commonly frowned upon today. Even many pastors avoid making statements that could be seen as remotely condemning or reproachful. The conventional wisdom is that it is unkind or unloving—and therefore ungodly—to take a stand against certain activities. However, what is socially acceptable is not always biblically acceptable, and the issue of…
How should Christians react to the death of evil people?
Christians are often left wondering how they ought to feel when an especially evil person dies. For instance, at the death of Kim Jong Il, Osama bin Laden, or even in history at the death of Hitler, are we to rejoice/celebrate? Interestingly, the authors of the Bible seem to have struggled with this issue as…
How should Christians respond when people use God’s name as a curse word?
It is a clear violation of the third commandment to use God’s name in a vain and meaningless way (Exodus 20:7). It’s a sin. With that in mind, the profane use of God’s name should be treated like any other sin. Using God’s name as a curse word shows a heart that doesn’t have a…
Why can’t I stop sinning? Please help!
Every believer has, at one time or another, lamented his or her inability to stop sinning. While we tend to think the problem stems from weakness in ourselves, the inability to stop sinning usually indicates a deficiency in our understanding of God’s strength. When we do not understand His power to save, forgive, and cleanse…
Is there a biblical list of sins?
We often think that our lives can be simplified if we just have a checklist to follow. We have shopping lists, to-do lists, wish lists, and more. Surely, if God wants us to have success in living for Him, there must be a list in the Bible of sins to avoid. When we look to…
What does it mean to flee from temptation?
Fleeing from temptation means we recognize it as an enemy and we go the other way, with no hesitation and no compromise. First Corinthians 6:18 says, “Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body.” While the temptation is not sin,…