Romans 6: 6 - 11 NKJV
I found a interesting article today that was forwarded to me by my friend Dennis. In this article titled "A surefire way to kill lust in your life" the author Dr. Doug Weiss gave his perspective on defeating these flesh desires of ours. I immediately felt like banging my head against a wall. Really, this is but the latest in a long line of "Sure fire" ways to rid ourselves of those unwanted lustful thoughts. Believe me, I've been there. I can recall trying everything from extended prayer and video programs to all day mens retreats all aimed at defeating that which, if we were smart, would claim no longer even existed. I can remember cowering in fear at the very thought that my Lord who had guaranteed my own salvation would somehow yank it from my grasp if I didn't defeat those evil lusts within me. See, something was wrong with me and I had to deal with it...or else. At least that's what I was told by all of the so called experts. I remember walking out of church feeling utterly rejected one Sunday after being told by a fellow brother in the Lord that he didn't know if he could meet with me until I stood in front of the entire congregation and admitted my shortcomings! For all intents and purposes, I was the problem and God, well, God was sitting there in heaven shaking His finger of condemnation at me. I didn't feel like a good christian at all, and I probably didn't act like one either. However, something changed when I left the church I had been attending for more than a few years. I recall a conversation with Dennis on that very topic of men and lust where he simply told me "Scott...you're DEAD to that now." Of course, it took some time for me to realize just what he was talking about, but that was the first time that someone had affirmed to me that I no longer had to fight, claw and scratch in order to defeat this enemy in my thoughts. That I no longer needed to feel like I needed towork my way into my Lords wonderful grace. Far from it, for it was because of Gods grace that I no longer need to worry about losing the battle against lust...I'm dead to that.
15For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. 16If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. 17But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 18For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 19For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. 20Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 21I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. 22For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. 23But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?
Romans 7: 15 - 24 NKJV
Let me just say that I would much rather lay claim that I am dead to those lusts I fought than to continue on in that struggle for acceptance. This sure fire way of defeating our own lusts which Dr. Weiss lays claim to seems to be designed along the lines of retraining ourselves to resist these temptations. We wear a rubber band on our wrists, so that we may snap it when we feel lustful thoughts creeping in. We seek the help others to keep us honest. This buddy system will seemingly keep any bad thoughts in the light, making us that more unlikely to engage in them. I mean, who wants to face a fellow brother and admit that they've done wrong? That's not on the highest of my things to do. I guess this is exactly what my brother in church wanted when he challanged me to air out my lustful thoughts in front of the entire church. In order to avoid this shame, I would need to avoid lustful thoughts. Or, I could simply just keep my thoughts to myself. This is the issue with accountability relationships, there is always one who is afraid of bringing their sins into the open for fear of condemnation of their brethren. It's about condemnation and IT DOESN'T WORK. What does work is coming to that realization that through Christ Jesus we are now dead to those sins which have so long fought to overcome. Why is it that we fight so hard against sins which Jesus gave Himself to become? {2 Corinthians 5:21} Why do war against sins which Christ died to forgive us of? No, for as the apostle Paul proclaims in Romans 6...we're dead to that! For Christ died that we "should no longer be slaves of sin."{Romans 6:6} We're battling something that Christ put away long ago. We're dead to that. We don't need a reminder or a accountability partner in order for us to realize that the battle has been won. All we need is a reminder of just what Christ has done through us {Galations 2:20}. There is no unclaimed sin, no condemnation and no shame...there is only Christ in us.
"I don't need to punish people for sin. Sin is it's own punishment, devouring you from the inside. It's not my purpose to punish it; it's my joy to cure it.
~William Paul Young, The Shack~
~Scott~
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