Tag: sin

Passion Points

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Here are some good posts focusing on specific sins which undoubtedly tempt many of us:

Do You Take Irritibility Seriously? – Phil Ryken (via Crossway)
A helpful exploration of a common sin.  One quote:  We should take our irritability much more seriously, because it is the very opposite of love.

The Lost Sin of Envy
How Envy Behaves
What Envy Wants
This is a challenging three part series by Tim Challies.  One quote:  When you are proud you compare yourself with another person and there are only two possible outcomes: If you believe you come out on top, you feel even more pride; if you believe you come out on the bottom, you feel envy. Envy comes when Pride is wounded.

Pride and Humility – Tim Challies
It appears I’m not the only one focusing on pride and humility.  Challies surveys the definitions of pride and humility from Mack, Mahaney, and several others, and then gives a helpful summary.

Finally, let me share a quote from John Piper in A God Entranced Vision of All Things:
The power of sin comes from its promise of pleasure and is meant to be defeated by the superior promise of pleasure in God.

Hope you have a great Lord’s Day with God’s people enjoying the superior pleasure found in our Lord!

Robust Repentance

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[Edward’s] writings indicate that whenever he became aware of any sin, he sought to turn away from it. 
With his mind, he would concur with God about the evil of this sin in his life. 
Then, with his heart, he would grieve over such sin. 
Finally, with his will, he would choose to remove it from his life.
Steven J. Lawson in
The Unwavering Resolve of Jonathan Edwards

Here indeed is a robust repentance using the mind, heart, and will – every part of our being.  How often do we only dabble in repentance?  We may acknowledge that we have sinned, but we really don’t feel bad about it, and show no effort to change.  Or maybe we feel bad, and yet don’t think it is really all that bad, and do little to change.  Or maybe we try to change even though we don’t want to or really think we need to.  But none of these will do.  We need to acknowledge the horror of our sin against God, hate and grieve over it, and get serious about fighting to overcome.

Father, by your infinite grace, grant us this robust repentance
that we might better live for your glory.  Amen.

The Antithesis of God’s Glory

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Sin is the antithesis of God’s glory,
a contradiction of His holy nature. 
It is all that falls short of God’s blameless character,
amounting to nothing less than cosmic treason against the Creator.
– Steven J. Lawson in
The Unwavering Resolve of Jonathan Edwards

Gospel Quotes To Ponder

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Remember what the gospel says about us:
we are more sinful and flawed than we ever dared believe
but we are also more loved and welcomed than we ever dared hope.
– Elyse M. Fitzpatrick and Dennis E. Johnson

So when the devil throws your sins in your face
and declares that you deserve death and hell, tell him this:
“I admit that I deserve death and hell, what of it?
For I know One who suffered and made satisfaction on my behalf.
His name is Jesus Christ, Son of God, and where he is there I shall be also!”
– Martin Luther

I am a great sinner, but Christ is a great Savior.
– John Newton

Quotes To Ponder

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Here are some more challenging quotes on sin:

Sin has cast this world into trouble.
You see the smoke and dirt of this trouble
spread throughout the pages of Scripture.
– Paul Tripp

Eve lays all the blame upon the serpent. 
Sin is a brat which nobody is willing to own,
a sign that it is a scandalous thing.
– Matthew Henry

It becomes us to speak of sin with the utmost dread and detestation
as an abominable thing; it certainly is so, for it is that which God hates,
and we are sure that his judgment is according to truth. 
Call it grievous, call it odious, that we may by all means possible
put ourselves and others out of love with it.
– Matthew Henry

We’ll never deal with temptation
unless we deal with it immediately,
unless we deal with it realistically,
unless we deal with it ruthlessly.
– Alistair Begg

Those that make light of sin, make light of Christ.
– Matthew Henry

Quotes To Ponder

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On sin:

He that hath slight thoughts of sin never had great thoughts of God.
— John Owen

No man ever fell into error through being too watchful.
— Charles Spurgeon

The best things which we do have somewhat in them to be pardoned.
– J. C. Ryle

In heaven the chief thing that we look for, next to the presence of Christ,
is complete separation from all sin.
– J. C. Ryle

Quotes To Ponder

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Here are some great quotes addressing the issue of sin:

God’s wounds cure, sin’s kisses kill.
– William Gurnall

Sin doesn’t strike all at once. It kills slowly and persistently.
– Stephen Altrogge

What fools are they who, for a drop of pleasure, drink a sea of wrath.
– Thomas Watson

I have never heard of a sin being committed without knowing full well
that I had the seed of it within myself.
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Beware of no man more than of yourself;
we carry our worst enemies within us.
– C.H. Spurgeon

Passion Points

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Here are some good posts to ponder this weekend:

Sin

Justin Taylor gives us a helpful look at sin according to I John.  Meanwhile, at Desiring God you can consider Sinclair Ferguson’s four steps to kill sin. 

Love

Justin Taylor considers the relationship between love and commandments according to John.

Feelings

Brian Borgman talks about the importance of feelings in the Christian life.  And Erik Kowalker share two related quotes from J. C. Ryle on possessings feelings toward Christ and the secret of a happy Christian.

Church

Jon Nielson shares a helpful post on three reasons youth stay in church after they graduate.  This is important reading for both pastors and parents.  And then as you prepare to gather with your local church tomorrow, ponder Justin Taylor’s warning that it only takes one generation for a church to die.  May we be careful to guard and pray against that happening in our churches.

Open Our Eyes

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I read yesterday that a Christian musician I listened to a few years back is in a homosexual relationship.  What’s more, this person apparently finds this relationship in accordance with Christianity – despite the Bible’s clear statements against it.  Oh the deception of sin!  I find myself wondering if this person is simply trying to justify (excuse) their sin that they find desirable, or have they really come to believe that it is not sin – have they become blind to their sin.  I suppose it would be easy for many to judge this individual, but this entire thing brings two questions to my mind.

Are there sins that I enjoy and seek to justify or excuse?

Are there sins in my own life to which I am blind?

“Search me, O God, and know my heart!  Try me and know my thoughts!  And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” – Psalm 139:23-24