An astute reader asks:
"When it's said that it is impossible to never sin, does that mean that it's just physically impossible to prevent your body from doing sinful things or does it mean that temptation is just so great all people are simply bound to falter sooner or later? On a tangent, it is easier to prevent yourself from physically saying something or doing an action, but it is much more difficult if not impossible to keep thoughts of such actions from running through one's mind. Is it sin to have thoughts of wanting to commit sin acts? Why do these persist after being saved? Is it indication that one may not be saved?"
Dear reader,
First of all, let me just say that I really "get" your last bit! My words and actions seem pretty clean to most people. My thoughts on the other hand.....If you were to suddenly develop telepathy, I'd stay miles away from you! Actually, I'll take it back about my words too -- I can be pretty nice to people, but to just be nice isn't enough. All the time I say things that are funny, or clever, or which get me out of trouble, but they're not loving, they're not holy. God isn't saying them. I'm not saying them by His power. And, that's not right. I aim for the goal of being transformed from glory to glory into the image of Christ Jesus, who is One with God and who is God and who shows us the Father. When people see me, I want them to see the Jesus, and seeing Jesus to see the Father too. But, I'm not there yet! Perhaps that will answer your tangential question :-)
On the other bit, I'm going to say something that may sound a bit strange. I don't think it's very helpful to think of sin and our sinning in terms of what is or is not possible. Put simply, the Christian life isn't lived in the world of possibilities, because the Christian life really is nothing less than sharing in the Life of God -- and God is so great, the words "possible" and "impossible" become virtually meaningless when talking about Him! As Jesus put it, "All things are possible with God." Elsewhere, in a different context, Jesus even said, "All things are possible for those who believe." (i.e. those who trust God and are walking by the Spirit.)
Now, you'll immediately think, then, "So, I can overcome sin?" Actually, I didn't say that :-) I know! Now it seems I'm contradicting myself. What I mean, though is exactly what I said. Opposing sin, pursuing a life of holiness, isn't about what is or isn't possible, because it's not about you and what is available for you to do or not do. It's about God in Christ and what He is doing, not only in you but in the whole creation.
How does this perspective work in practice? I'll try to describe it.
First of all, if you think, "Hey, it's possible for me to overcome bad, anoying habit X." (Where X is mental pornography, or habitual anger, or gossip, or whatever.) Then you go try to do it. In my experience, this just doesn't work. The reason why is because sin isn't just your private bad habit. Sin is more like a wound in the universe -- a total way of being and doing that's much bigger than just you. Sin and death are dramas you are caught up in.
Actually, sin is a much bigger matter than we normally think. Normally, we think of "sin" as bad things that we individually do. Sin, however, is much, much darker and more sinister than that. Sin is the way of doing things that is out of fellowship with God. Sin isn't just about you and God or you, your neighbor and God. Sin always occurs on a cosmic stage, whether you see it or not. Think of Adam's sin in Genesis. Now, Paul in Romans says that through that one person's sin, the whole world was plunged into death and everyone was made to be a sinner! Granted, that was Adam. If we're honest with ourselves, though, when we sin, it really isn't that different -- even when we're only sinning in our minds. When I cultivate lust in my mind, I have trouble relating to the women around me. In that way, even a teeny weeny sin tucked away in an itsy bitsy corner has a way of deranging a big chunk of the Universe. The glorious thing is, the righteousness of God is far, far more powerful than sin! Paul goes on to say that by Christ's one act of righteousness, the many were made right with God. The good things we do in gratitude to God in Christ, by the power of His Holy Spirit, participate in Christ's life and goodness and so, also, happen on a cosmic stage. Revelation 12 even says that those who suffer for Christ's sake in faith are the reason why Satan has and will lose! So, sin and righteousness are big things, not little private things. They occur on the stage of the Universe, not just of our hearts. Think big, cosmic struggle of Light and Darkness, Good and Evil, Life and Death when you think about sin and righteousness -- not just about you, your immediate neighbor, and God.
Not just sin and death, but Life and Peace are dramas in which you are participating. Jesus Christ has played the central act by dying for our sins and rising for our justification. Right now, he's hidden behind the curtain, but he'll return to center stage at The End when He comes again for our glorification with Him. The main guy on the stage now is the Holy Spirit. The problem is, the audience out in the world can't see Him because He is spiritual and not physical. We're the supporting cast. By our living in Him, He makes himself "visible". He forms Christ in us; He unites us to God through Christ Jesus. We're not the stars of the show, though. The act isn't about us and what we can or cannot do. The act is about Him. Our role is supporting -- we help to show Him off. That's what faith and repentence are -- what taking the Lord's Supper at church is, what preaching is, what ministry in Christ's name is. In the process He, as the Savior God, does in and through us for our world what neither we nor the world can do for ourselves. What is impossible for human beings is possible for God. God overcomes sin and death. When the curtain is lifted at The End, the grand finale will show Christ (and us who trusted Him) glorified, ruling and reigning over a creation in which the power of sin and death is no more.
When you view things this way, a lot changes. Before, when I sinned I thought things like, "Whoops. Well, I guess I'm just a sinner still. Try better next time, since right now I couldn't help myself." -- Which is a wrong way of thinking, because it isn't repentant. Alternatively, I have a break down: "*%&W&SD. I did it again! I'm so embarrased. I hate myself. How can I ever be forgiven? Am I even realy saved? I'm doomed. The Holy Spirit must have taken a vacation; God must hate me. How can I ever call God 'Father'?" (Literally, I've felt like this before. Even the *@&#&&SD part!) This isn't a right way of thinking either. Actually, it's blasphemous -- because "nothing can separate you from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Both ways of thinking -- the way I think when I think *I* can overcome sin, and the way I think when I think I can't -- are wrong. The way to think is "The God who raised Christ from the dead can and will overcome this." Then, I confess my sin -- to a brother in Christ sometimes even -- ask for forgiveness and get up again. Through the week, then, I look for ways to join God in what He is already doing as He destroys the works of the Devil. My salvation from this point of view isn't about me or what I can or cannot do, have or have not done. In life and in death I belong to my faithful Lord Jesus, and the anchor holds.
I hope that answers the question, at least in part! Feel free to squeek if it hasn't! Meanwhile, Pastor Mike?
Pax Christi,
Matt
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