Holiness – TGN

The Dangers Of Sin

Enoch Anti — Thu, 26 May 2016 19:28:53 +0000

Take care , brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end (Hebrews 3:12-14).The book of Hebrews contains some of the stern warnings in Scriptures against sin, drawing lessons from the Israelites who were saved from Egypt and later perished in the wilderness for disobedience towards God. These warnings are to ensure believers don’t presume on the grace of God. Believers are not to play trifle with the salvation they have received from the Lord, hence these numerous warnings.

The believer, purchased and redeemed by Christ’s sacrifice is eternally secured never to be separated from Christ. Sadly, this truth is wrongly taken by some as a license to live their lives licentiously, disregarding the commands and laws of God. Anyone who thus lives, we may conclude has not truly known the Lord. The warnings in Hebrews are instructive for the believer to live victoriously and not under the bondage and slavery of sin.

Perhaps one of the least spoken about subject in our generation is the doctrine of sin–want of conformity unto, or transgression of, the law of God.¹ Sin is the breaking of God’s law and the Bible affirms that all humans are guilty of sin and without Christ, are separated from God (Romans 3:23). The believer who has come to saving faith in Christ is indeed saved, sanctified and set apart for “good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them”(Eph 2:10). However, there still remains in him residues of the fallen old Adamic nature which needs to be subdued and brought under control of the Spirit’s ongoing progressive sanctification. John Owen, in his book Indwelling Sin In Believers aptly captured the dangers of sin in a believer. He wrote:

Wherever you are, whatever you are about, this law of sin is always in you; in the best that You do, and in the worst. Men little consider what a dangerous companion is always at home with them. When they are in company, when alone, by night or by day, all is one , sin is with them. There is a living coal continually in their houses; which, if it be not looked unto, will fire them, and it may be consume them. Oh, the woful security of poor souls! How little do the most of men think of this inbred enemy that is never from home! How little, for the most part , doth the watchfulness of any professors answer the danger of their state and condition! ²

Sin is dangerous and not to be toyed with in its slightest appearance. Paul writes that “Abstain from all appearances of evil (1Thes 5:22 KJV). Peter admonishes that we should “gird up the loins of [our] mind, be sober… [and ] as obedient children, not fashioning [ourselves] according to the former lust…”(1Peter 1:13-14 KJV).

“Take care brothers…”(v.1a) the Hebrews writer admonishes. This is a warning to believers against the potency and power of sin not dealt with by submission to the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit. Sin kills faith. It produces unbelief. Sin deceives. Sin hardens and kills our conscience. Like a sniper, sin, if not dealt with can take us out and lead to apostasy: “lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God” (v.1b). The battle against sin is both individual and communal. The author further tells us; “But exhort one another every day … that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin”(v.13). Sin is deceitful. Its pleasure is temporal and cannot be compared to the eternal glory and reward that awaits us (Hebrews 11:23-28).

Unlike Cain who asked “Am I my brother’s keeper?”(Genesis 4:9), we as believers are each other’s keeper and must be engaged in watching over each other to ensure we finish this race together living victoriously over sin by the power available in Christ through the Holy Spirit. Our union with Christ is only true when we are actively engaged in resisting sin in cooperation with the Spirit’s work of progressive sanctification:

For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end (Hebrews 3:14).

Notes

1: Westminster Shorter Catechism Q&A 14

2: John Owen, Indwelling Sin in Believers, Vintage Puritan Series GLH Publishing Louisville, KY

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Six Things You Must Know About Pornography

Ebenezer Foster-Nyarko — Tue, 23 Feb 2016 13:20:40 +0000

Most Christians would not like to talk about it. However, in an age of information where every imaginable information is available at the click of a button, you might have come into contact with pornography in one shape or form in your life. The truth is that nudity is no longer a hushed subject in today’s society. Men and women, young and old alike are constantly inundated with nudity in the print and electronic media.

Recently, I had a Bible study with some Christian friends on Ephesians 5:3-4, during which I shared my testimony of how the Lord delivered me from what could have easily become an addiction to pornography. What humbled me was the fact that a number of them afterwards admitted how they too had experienced the enthralling captivity of pornography, or knew other Christians who had or were still indulging in it.The question that begs answering is, what does the Bible say about Pornography? Do we have Biblical grounds to call it sin? In this article I present 6 Biblical reasons why I believe pornography is a ‘no’ for Christians.

To start with, I invite you to review with me the verse we discussed. Paul there says “But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. “For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.”(Ephesians 5:3-5).

Simply put, all who practice the above will not make it to heaven.

We may ask, what does sexual impurity mean in this text?
In answer I will say sexual impurity or immorality is anything that goes against the God – ordained and prescribed use of sex and sexuality as described in the Bible. By saying in the text above that those who do these will not inherit the kingdom of God, Paul means that those who practice these things as a lifestyle (not the believer who falls into sin for example; but those who live in sin) are destined for hell. 1Corinthians 6:9-10, a parallel to this verse carries this same meaning.

If you or someone you know is caught up in addiction to pornography, here are six things I trust will encourage you to deal with this sinful behaviour:

1 Pornography Is Not God Glorifying

Pornography does not lead to the giving of thanks. We are called upon to avoid filthiness and in contrast, give thanks! (Ephesians 5:4b). Another way to put this, is to say that whatever does not lead to the giving of thanks to God, is out of place for the believer. Colossians 3:17 also affirms that whatever we do should lead to the giving of thanks, and to the Glory of God. I’m yet to meet anyone who after watching pornography can straightaway give thanks to God for watching it. Nor can we watch a pornographic movie in Church on Sunday. That’s because we know it’s not glorifying to God and out of place. We are called upon to think on things that are true, honourable, pure, lovely, commendable, and excellent, worthy of praise – Philippians 4:8. I doubt any one will say pornography has any of these holy attributes.

2 Pornography Is Sexual Sin

Engaging in pornography is committing sexual sin. Even if a married couple engage in it together, they are violating the first sacred rule of marriage, which is that the marriage bed is holy and honourable and undefiled (Hebrews 13:4); and private – something that God ordained to be shared between only two people, and not a spectator sport to be watched by the whole world. If these things are true (and they are), then it means that our viewing of Pornography is an express statement of our acceptance, and endorsement, and promotion of a sinful lifestyle. We should not join in celebrating sin. It is sinful to partake in sin. Ephesians 5:11 says to have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather to expose them.

3 Pornography Is Defilement Of The Body

Paul admonishes us to not take our bodies (which are members of the Body of Christ) and join them to a prostitute (1Cor. 6:15-16). He explains that if we did this, we’ll be one flesh with them. If looking at a woman with lust is adultery according to Jesus, then watching pornography is adultery for the married and fornication for the unmarried. Jesus calls us to purge out our eyes instead of committing adultery. Jesus died to purify us (Titus 2:14). He died to save us from sin, adultery included. Why would we want to play with it? Choosing to endorse and enjoy impurity is akin to crucifying Christ yet again. 2Corinthians 7:1 says to cleanse ourselves from every defilement. Pornography does not advance our holiness. It defiles the mind and takes away from our spirituality and holiness.

4 Pornography Revels In Works Of Darkness

Someone has noted in a song that when you’re watching a sexually explicit movie, it’s actually the movie that is watching you! It’s like you’re held in prison – you hide what you’re doing and you’re constantly looking over your shoulder. Jesus said in John3:19-21 that the reason we prefer darkness to light is because we know what we’re doing is evil. Watching nudity in secret suggests that we know it is something that doesn’t belong to the light.

5 Pornography Celebrates Immodesty

1Timothy 2:9 admonishes Christian women to adorn themselves in respectable apparel; in modesty and self-control. Watching pornography directly endorses women who do the exact opposite and bare their bodies on screen and promote the height of immodesty. It contradicts our beliefs as Christians, and amounts to hypocrisy.

6 Pornography Degrades Human Dignity

Pornography is unloving to women (and I believe to men – for women who indulge in it as well). Pornography invites a third party; a competitor into a marriage. Pornography uses women as sex objects. It is a devilish ploy to turn many a man’s thoughts and desire away from their wives.

Pornography reduces women to sex toys. Addicts see women as objects to satisfy their sexual desires only; however there is more to intimacy between man and wife than just sex. The Biblical teaching is that a wife is a help ‘meet’ for the husband; not a sex partner only. Pornography also promotes unholy sexual practices, such as lesbianism, homosexuality and sex orgies. Pornography promotes lust. Lust gives birth to sin. (James 1:14-15) Romans 14:23 says whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.

It is important to note that all the aforementioned hold for all forms of nudity in movies, electronic and print media.

Need I say more?

Just going through these points sends a shiver of holy trepidation and trembling down my spine, to think that indulging in pornography as children of God means our promoting everything that assaults the holiness of God. And I trust that every child of God will come to the realization that pornography is a tool of the devil that is aimed at defiling something holy and honourable and sacred, that God created to be enjoyed only in the sacredness of the marriage covenant.

I pray that each of us will, with the power of the Holy Spirit, vow from today to never condone sexual immorality in any shape or form. Amen.