How God Deals with our Sin

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God deals with our sin by giving us something much, much better!

In the midst of our sinfulness, God has created a home for Himself and given us easy access to Himself in Christ.  Shall we then continue to focus on the sin?  Or rather, on His presence with us?  You choose.

Sin is displaced by that power which is greater than sin…..the power of God, the wisdom of God…..Jesus Christ !!!     quote from the study   The God of Death – Part 2

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“God can’t stand sin!”                                                                                                                “God can’t tolerate sin!”

Have you ever heard such comments?  I have…..often.  From Christians who speak very disparagingly about sin and God’s hate for it.  Who preach about how we need to cleanse ourselves from sin, or else we will suffer for eternity in the flames of hell!

I can understand such rantings, especially if I read only the Old Testament, or even if I understand the New Testament, and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, in the light of the Old Testament. (instead of the other way around, which is the correct way). (See studies  Dark Christian Doctrines and  Dark Christian Doctrines 2)

II Corinthians 3:14-16   But their (those of Israel) minds were blinded; for until this day remains the same veil untaken away in the reading of the Old Testament; which veil is done away in Christ.  But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart.  Nevertheless when it (Israel) shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away.

The truth is that God, the Father of Jesus Christ, simply has nothing to do with sin.  He doesn’t even think about our sin.  He’s too busy saving us by the gift of His life within us.

I John 3:8  He that commits sin is of the devil; for the devil sins from the beginning (in the garden).  For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.  Whosoever is born of God does not commit sin; for his seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

Being “of the devil” simply means your spiritual resources are being drawn from the devil.  Alternately, he whose resources are being drawn from God “cannot sin“!

Look at it this way.  In the Old Testament, sin was considered breaking the law,  But the truth is that sin is not so much breaking the law, as the state of being resourced from the devil.  Before Jesus Christ, Satan was in general the only spiritual resource we had!

Romans 7:18-20  For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwells no good thing; for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.  For the good that I will, I do not; but the evil which I will not, that I do.  Now if I do that which I will not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwells in me.

There is in each of us this presence of non-God-ness.  It is the seat of deception.  Now the devil is the deceiver, whose first sin in this world was deceiving Eve. (See study   What was The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil?)   He took darkness and called it light.  He took what doesn’t work and forced it down our throats.  He took the bottom, and sold Eve on it being the top, and mankind has been spiritually upside down ever since!

Sin is missing the mark, causing life to fade away.  It is using the correct thing incorrectly, or using the incorrect thing.  It’s putting sugar in the gas tank, swimming the English Channel with a 50 pound weight, trying to fly by flapping your arms, trying to have a successful marriage by arguing your rightness all the time, raising children using fear and anger and frustration.  These are all illustrations of sin.  There’s nothing wrong with sugar, a gas tank, a car, the English Channel, a 50 pound weight, physical exercise, marriage, or children.  But when the top is used as the bottom, then everything is out of balance and will not work the way it was designed.  This is sin.     (See study  Truth vs. Reality)

Now in order to get us right-side-up, God simply placed the corrected order within us, a new creation.  This He did by means of the work of His Son, Jesus Christ. And that “corrected order” is called His holy spirit, which is His life.  It is the Spirit of Christ within!

Romans 5:8-10  But God commends His love toward us; in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.  For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life (in us).

God did not say, “Stop sinning and I will save you,” like He did in the Old Testament.  He said, “Receive the gift that I bought for you by the death of my Son, and by means of that life within you I will save you.”  You see, in Christ, God can work freely.  And when Christ is in you, God can work and dwell safely in the midst of the sin which is within you.  This is a most wonderful thing!  Where Christ dwells, sin cannot stop God from working!

Colossians 1:27   To whom  God wants to make known what  is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

By means of the “Christ within you,” God gave you His life….He birthed you as His spiritual child.  He placed His life within your sinful self, and by means of His life within you He is calling you out into a life that is right side up, a life that makes sense and bears much fruit.

Romans 8:32  He that spared not His own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall He not by means of him also freely give us all things?

Do you do better by focusing on the proper way of doing things, or by focusing on how not to do it, or by focusing on your fear of getting it wrong?  Rather than trying to improve our lives by dealing with sin, God is calling us to improve our lives by focusing on the Christ within.

Galatians 3:2, 3   This only would I learn of you; Did you receive the Spirit (of God) by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith.  Are you so foolish?  Having begun (in God’s life) by means of the Spirit, are you now brought to spiritual maturity by (the deeds of) the flesh?

Jesus did what he did.  He died and believed to be raised from the dead by his spiritual Father.  He ascended into the spiritual realm and sent the holy spirit which His Father gave to him to send to us.  Because Jesus did what he did, God can do what He has done for us.  He spiritually birthed us, even while we were filled with sin!

Having become God’s child (having a new, righteous creature created within us) simply by believing on the work of Jesus Christ, we are not to get caught up in now trying to improve on that dead creation which sits like a dead weight within us.  Instead, we are, from the moment we receive it, to focus on, grow in, walk by and enjoy the benefits of that Christ within.

Galatians 3:11  But that no man is justified by (doing) the (works of the) law in the sight of God, it is obvious; for, The just shall live by (the) faith (of Christ).

Israel was bound to the proper behavior of the law (religion).  The need for religion has died.   Rather we have died to that need of religion!

Romans 7:4  Wherefore, my brethren, you also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that you should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.

As opposed to Israel, Gentiles lived lives of vain indulgence.  The life of vain indulgence is also to be put off.

Ephesians 4:17  This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you from now on walk not as Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind; Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; Who being past feeling (calloused in heart) have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness (that which pollutes the soul) with greediness.

For both those of Israel, and for Gentiles, Christ has come and wants to make a home.  On our part, once we have received Christ, all that is left is for us to put that spirit of Christ on, like a suit of clothing, and then grow in it.  And we cannot do this by dwelling in, nor even by dwelling on,  our sinfulness!

Ephesians 4:20-24  But you have not so learned Christ; If so be that you have heard him and have taught by him, (as the truth is in Jesus); That you put off concerning the former behavior the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that you put on the new man, which, resourced by God, is created in righteousness and true holiness.

It doesn’t say “fret and stew and burden yourselves with guilt over…” the sinfulness of your old man.  Rather, simply put that old man off, and put that new creation, that new man, on in your mind and thinking.  Think about it.  Be resourced by it, in your heart.  Continue to grow and develop in it…..for all eternity!

Colossians 2:6, 7  As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk you in him; Rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as you have been taught (by the revelation of Christ within) abounding therein with thanksgiving.

Focusing on sin does not please God.  Thinking about things which don’t work does not make things work.  You’ve been given a gift, the life of Christ.  It works!  Focus on it, dwell in it, learn from and by it, and your life will bear much fruit for God.

Romans 8:5-8  For they that are after (resourced by) the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after (resourced by) the Spirit, (do mind) the things of the Spirit.  For to be fleshly minded is (dwelling in) death; but to be spiritually minded is (dwelling in) life and peace.  Because the fleshly mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God (which is spiritual), neither indeed can be.  So than they that are in (being resourced by) the flesh cannot please God.

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Related studies:
Why do we get Tempted?
Fruitfulness in Christ – Colossians 1:1-15
The Gift of God’s Righteousness
Pruned by God.