How do I conquer sin?
Question: How do I conquer sin?
Dealing with temptation
Answer: Throughout life a Christian remains a sinner (everyday), but nevertheless a forgiven sinner. And yet of course we want to advance in Christ likeness of character. What do we do about temptation? Here are three reactions.
Trouble –think
The trouble-think philosophy sees only gloom and failure – and tends to give up in despair, settling for a 60 percent success rate instead of aiming for the top. Mentally, the trouble-think Christian is a backslider already!
Double-think
The double-think philosophy, by implication, lays the blame for moral failure elsewhere. We may blame the devil – forgetting that the devil’s power is limited to temptation in the life of a believer; he cannot make a Christian sin.
Or we blame ‘our old nature’ – almost as though we are two people, not one. In fact when I sin it is I, myself, who has chosen to do wrong. Or we may, strangely blame God – by moaning that we have not enough power in our lives to combat temptation – ‘if only you gave me more power, I would win.” But it’s all double-think. The power is part of the Christian life from the beginning.
Bubble-think
The Bubble-think philosophy happily forgets the seriousness of sin and says, “Hallelujah anyway!” It’s the balloon-ride mentality which discounts study, discipline and tears. We are on an existential trip.
How in fact, should we react to repeated temptation?
In the long-term, we must realize that we are not in a battle for power, but a battle of the motivation. It is not power that we lack, for if we wanted to win, we would win. But all too often we find it personally inconvenient to say No to temptation. We do not want to win, or if we do want to win, we don’t want to win today!
So strengthen the motivation – through your own devotions, through your church fellowship, through the Holy communion. As the vision of Jesus Christ enlarges, so - more and more – an individual wants to win. Enlarge that vision!
In the short-term, faced by temptation, what do you do as a Christian? The simple answer is that you choose not to sin. You have the power to beat down Satan under your feet. ‘Sorry, Satan, not today.’
Try to avoid situations which may give rise to a particular temptation, and to learn from every failure. But in the last analysis ‘He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4 RSV). Hold your head up high. You are on the winning side.
[Printable Version ]
|
