“For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not” (Ecclesiastes 7:20 KJV). The vanity of trying to do it right but not succeeding was felt even by the Apostle Paul. “19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. 24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” (Romans 7:19, 24). Is there deliverance from sinning? Yes! Paul answers the question. “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord” (7:25). And, immediately tells how. “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (8:1). Walking after the Spirit is either a mystical, theological description of what every Christian has-but-doesn’t-know or we really don’t understand, since too many Professed Christians still identify with the camp of Desperately Seeking Deliverance from sinning. If that isn’t true, why don’t we hear more testimonies of overcoming sin in the daily life than testimonies of the dramatic change, when first becoming a disciple?
Quite simply, Jesus Christ our Advocate is and should be the reason we do not sin, for the very name of Jesus means “YHWH delivers,” from the penalty of sin and the necessity to sin. “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1John 2:1). Jesus Christ is our Advocate or Paraklete with the Father. He functions in us through the work of the Blessed Holy Spirit. This is what Paul began to tell the Romans in Romans 8. “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:2). Paul explained the liberation from sinning was needed, because of past vain attempts to render obedience to the law of sin and death. The Jews already proved that method of rendering obedience and not sinning didn’t work, for they ended up crucifying the very Messiah, who was sent to set them free. “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me; because the LORD hath anointed Me to preach good tidings unto the meek; He hath sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound” (Isaiah 61:1).
The virtue of not sinning is clearly the victory that overcomes the world. “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith” (1John 5:4). Our pisteuō commitment of faith to Jesus is our sense of abiding or remaining in Christ, which understanding Jesus was especially trying to impart to His inner circle in the days immediately before His crucifixion. “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in Me” (John 15:4).
We do not immediately think of the virtue of not sinning, since it is an inverse method of reflecting on faith, obedience, and knowing Christ. “Whosoever abideth in Him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen Him, neither known Him” (1John 3:6). The mental gymnastics of how only a present tense abiding in Christ can yield a present tense condition of not sinning, must actually and more firmly be a part of the foundational thinking of every disciple, or else we will develop the alarming condition of reassuring ourselves of having come to know Jesus, even while we are continuing in present sin and disobedience.
This weakness will especially be exploited by the Man of Sin before the soon reappearing of the Lord Jesus Christ, for he knows the uselessness of a faith, which does not produce the work of the abiding fruit of “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness [gentleness], temperance [self-control]” (Galatians 5:22-23), for he will re-explain all of reality to those left behind after the Harpazō Rapture. Your faith was only an illusion of which I am now your present, powerful, and awe inspiring reality. “Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time” (1John 2:18).
Not sinning is virtuous, since it is part of our wholehearted pisteuō commitment to our Lord Jesus Christ, which is the antithesis of the works of the devil. “He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil” (1John 3:8). Destroying the works of the devil and destabilizing the future foundation of the Antichrist requires us to be campaigning to not sin, as much as our need to abide in Christ. “Whosoever abideth in Him sinneth not” (3:6).
O be careful little heart whom you trust
O be careful little heart whom you trust
For the Father up above
He’s looking down in love
So, be careful little heart whom you trust.
Father, You are the One who sets the agenda for how we should act in these Last Days. May we enlarge our thinking that we will perceive more of the reality of what is fast unfolding before our eyes. May we do our small part of destroying the works of the devil by not sinning. Increase the understanding of the Body of Christ of how not sinning must be part of abiding in Christ. We know we cannot stop all sin or the embrace of the world for Antichrist, but help us to give our last full measure in promoting and embracing Jesus, the only Way, Truth, and Life. Lord Jesus, return quickly. In Your name, we pray. Amen.
We Need A Miracle 