Have you ever been shocked at yourself about how sin still roams in parts of your mind and being even after you became a believer? Did you know that that is not abnormal? Did you know, if truth be told, we all deal with this same reality as believers. Its just that many of us have been taught such should not be or that if such is the case there must be something wrong with our experience. Maybe we haven't come all the way thru the door yet, so to speak.
Friends such is not abnormal and such is a common truth experienced by believers In Christ all over the world. Strange how after we all believed and Christ Spirit came into our hearts some of us could still go out at supper time and eat a cow as our stomachs said the heck with prayer combined with fasting, a thing Jesus said we should all do. Even strange how believers sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise behind closed doors (if the truth be known) could cuss, spit and argue with their spouses in disagreement on things. Wonder why they did not AUTOMATICALLY become perfect in heavens love, harmony and agreement in all things after they received Christ? Also many after they believed have been known to not discern the Lords body during the Lords supper and got spanked for it IN THE FLESH. At the church in Corinth one believer got involved in a sexual fellowship that was way forbidden, to have his fathers wife, a weirdo. Paul and Peter had words. Peter lied and denied that he knew Jesus. And after Jesus had spent three years showing his followers that his word was the truth and could never fail the believing heart THEY ALL AT FIRST DOUBTED THAT GOD REALLY RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD WHEN WITNESSES TOLD THEM THEY HAD SEEN AND TALKED TO THE LORD. Paul preached about the danger of pride in the church. John wrote of preachers who did all they could to to be the only ones in their church's spotlight and hated evangelist and others ministers coming around their area. The church at Corinth was also a Tongue Talking church in confusion and disarray. Paul preached that Christians can spiritually dirty their diapers saying, You are still but babes in Christ. You still have envy, strife and discord ruling you. Well the list of Christians dealing with sin can go on and on in the proving of this point and we have not even mentioned anything about the church's history of sin associations after the first 100 years of the church, nor have we mentioned the sins of the church's Jesus addressed in the book of Revelations in the first few chapters.
But we did mention all these sins of Christians recorded in the bible to prove to you that sin is still an issue we deal with even after we have entered into the fellowship of Christ sufferings as believers. We are not to deceive ourselves into thinking that Christians are problem free and pure in all thoughts and deeds after we believe. Like one preacher told me when I was in my 20s after I had asked him the big question which was. Pastor is there ever a time in our christian life on earth that sin is not a problem or a battle? Folks this preacher I asked was nearly 80 years old at the time. He answered, Deno you will battle sin and temptation all the days of your life on earth as a christian until you are in heaven. It is only a yield to the present fleshes deceitful lust and only a choice and a decision away every hour of every day. Well Im over 50 now and his words have stood the test of truth. To Sin Not is not AUTOMATIC as believers. It is wrought by decision and by resisting it. For our spirits are what are Born Again in Christ Jesus, but our flesh body is not. Our present flesh still has sinful cravings and gluttonous hunger pains that must be disciplined like an unruly child or in some cases like unruly beast. The present flesh can deceive you and make you lie and deny that you never even knew the Lord when the truth is you walked with him next to his heart for 3 years day and night, because it wants its way to do as it wants without any pain or suffering.
Volumes more could be said on this matter but this was said to help some of you who are in great wonderment and doubt. Let us all thank God for the Cross of Christ. For Christ died for the ungodly, even for the peace with God that was needed for his enemies. (Read Romans 5:5-10) (Galations 6:12-18) (Ephesians 2:1-22)......And let us all every day walk in Christ love for Gods love hides, over looks the multitude of sins. We must be a forgiving bunch of people. In that matter we have no other choice.....DENO.....AMERICA FOUNDED BY BELIEVERS FOR BELIEVERS.
Scriptures to help you see that even we believers still have a deceitful lust in our present SINFUL FLESH. That sinful lust being there does not mean we are not saved or that we should doubt our salvation. Truth be known and everyone being honest ALL OF US know and are aware of our spiritual advances in Christ and yet we all also know of our carnality's and weaknesses. Jesus is always able to discern his childrens spirits from their flesh. THE SPIRIT IS WILLING HE SAID, BUT THE FLESH IS NOT. IT IS WEAK..
Romans 7:14-25....Paul preached on this that we are talking about here.
Romans 8:10)...And if Christ be in you, your body is still dead (Not Christ Like at all, Not risen with Christ, See John 5:24 and Colossians 3;1-4)..BUT THE SPIRIT IS ALIVE UNTO GOD because of righteouesness *Because it is now born of God making it created in righteousness and true holiness. Our spirit is now what has been raised from the dead with Christ. Our present flesh still moans and groans for its own deliverance which shall come in the rapture or in the resurrection. It shall be changed in the speed of the twinkling of an eye, which is the exact speed that your spirit was born again. .....more to be shared on this matter at another time.
Jesus said in John 3...that which is of the flesh is flesh and that which is of the spirit is spirit.
