By definition, a debased mind is “unapproved” and, by implication, “worthless.” It does not stand the test and, therefore, is not approved. The Greeks used the word translated “debased” to metals and coins that failed the assayer’s test. So, it was cast aside, rejected, “reprobate” (KJV, ASV). The debased mind does not appear suddenly. The Holy Spirit explained that it develops when people no longer approve of holding on to their knowledge of God. Romans 1 catalogs the process and effects of divesting oneself of the knowledge of God (1:19-25). Foolishly refusing to hold God in one’s knowledge results in all manner of immoral conduct (1:26-27, 28-32). What we retain in our minds shapes our lives. We invariably spiral downward when we are comfortable with not retaining God in our thoughts. The gospel of Christ has the power to save us from the sin that is formed in and results from debased minds (Rom. 1:16-17). The gospel renews our minds when we believe, repent, and obey the Lord Jesus (Eph. 4:17-24; Rom. 12:1-2). Otherwise, our sin put us under God’s wrath and righteous judgment of death (Rom. 1:18, 32). Retain God in your knowledge and follow His will.
Tag Archives: sin
Salvation Issues #2160
From pulpits and pews, people speak of “salvation issues.” True, there are issues of personal conscience and choice (on which God has not given a divine pronouncement) that qualify as non-salvation issues (Rom. 14:1-5). But today’s passage is not of that sort. The doctrine of Christ has been revealed and recorded in the Scriptures. We are called to abide in His doctrine (the truth, Jno. 8:31-32). The Scriptures reveal issues that affect salvation. Here are some: 1) Sin is a salvation issue (Rom. 6:23). Violating God’s will (and tolerating its transgression) brings eternal death. 2) Worship is a salvation issue (Jno. 4:22-24). We cannot offer God vain worship (void of “spirit and truth”) and be saved despite sinful worship (Matt. 15:7-9). 3) False doctrine is a salvation issue (2 Tim. 2:16-19). Men strayed from the truth and overthrew people’s faith with their iniquity when they taught error about the resurrection. For this reason, John warned us not to have fellowship with those who teach error (2 Jno. 10-11). 4) Spiritual neglect is a salvation issue (Heb. 2:1-4). Failure to grow in Christ is a sin that brings punishment (v. 3). Simply put, when God speaks His will, it becomes a salvation issue (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:3-4).
A new Creation in Christ #2158
Anyone. What a comfort beyond measure to know that regardless of the depth of our past sins and the eternal death they cause, God in Christ will forgive us (Rom. 6:23). Unquestionably, redemption from sin’s death is “in Christ” – it is not in the world, in ourselves, or anyone else. It is not found in Church traditions, creeds, confessions, and catechisms (Acts 4:12). God forms a new creation (new creature, NASB) when the sinner enters a relationship with Christ. Fresh and free from sin, washed in the blood of the Lamb (1 Pet. 1:18-19). By entering Christ through water baptism, the sinner’s sin is cut away (“old things have passed away”), and “all things have become new” (Gal. 3:27). This is the operation of God, not any meritorious by the sinner (Col. 2:11-13). Freedom from sin’s guilt, burden, and death is “in Christ.” When you stop waiting, but “arise and be baptized,” your sins will be washed away in Christ. In Christ, you can then truly live with and for Jesus, since Christians “are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:10). The question is not whether God can or will save you; it is will you believe and obey Jesus to be a new creation in Him?
Sin and Its Guilt are not Inherited #2121
The guilt of sin does not pass from parent to child. We do not inherit sin and its guilt (Ezek. 18:4, 20). The false doctrines of original sin and total hereditary depravity are rampant. The Catholic Church teaches people inherit the stain of original sin. The Protestant Reformation codified these errors in their creeds as orthodox. Untold millions are convinced to baptize their babies due to this error. These teachings have convinced many they became sinners at their first breath instead of their initial transgression against God’s will (Rom. 7:7-9; 3:23). Many today think they have a “sinful nature.” Jesus said we must become as little children to enter the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 18:3). If little children are sinners or have a sinful nature, then why should we become like them to be saved? When asked why the man was born blind, Jesus refused to link his suffering to the generational transference of sin’s guilt (v. 2-3). We accept the weight of our sins, but we refuse to believe we bear the guilt of Adam’s sin. Sin and its wages (spiritual death) entered the world through Adam. Sin and death “spread to all men, because all sinned,” not because Adam sinned (Rom. 5:12).
Forgive Without Limits #2117
Repeatedly forgiving one who has sinned against us is not easy. It requires faith to do as Jesus said (limitless forgiveness). He went on to describe God’s forgiveness is driven by compassion, not withheld due to wearisome repetition. Such unceasing forgiveness means our hearts must be filled with the love, mercy, and longsuffering of God (see Sword Tips #2116 on 1 Timothy 1:15-16). It requires a generous, sympathetic heart toward the sinner and the struggles against sin to repeatedly forgive when wronged. Oh, the magnitude of God’s repeated forgiveness of us and our sins against Him! As God forgives us, we are to forgive others (Matt. 6:12, 14-15; 18:32-35). The numbers Peter proposed were literal. He thought seven was a perfectly generous amount of times to forgive repeat offenders. Jesus used numbers figuratively (“seventy times seven” does not make the four hundred ninety-first sin beyond our need to forgive). In another place Jesus said, “And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him” (Lk. 17:4). Ready, willing, abundant forgiveness is our task of faith when sinned against. We want and need God’s unending compassion and forgiveness (Matt. 18:23-27). Let us not withhold the same from those who sin against us (Matt. 18:28-35).
Christians Must Not Sanction Fornication #2098
A Christian was committing fornication (porneia) with his father’s wife, and the Corinthian church was doing nothing to remove the immoral man from their number. Sadly, many churches repeat that pattern. Many churches openly accept the sin of fornication (premarital, extra-marital, heterosexual, and homosexual, 1 Cor. 6:9). Some churches condemn fornication but accept false doctrines that result in having fellowship with adulterers (Matt. 5:32; 19:9; 1 Cor. 7:10-11; Rom. 7:2-3). Some churches ignore the issue. But, the Holy Spirit did not ignore the sexual sin at Corinth. The sin’s unaddressed presence was infecting the church with a prideful and casual approach toward sin that had to cease (1 Cor. 5:2-7). Sexual immorality cannot be swept under the rug and ignored. Paul told the Corinthians to discipline the sinner to motivate his repentance and salvation (1 Cor. 5:3-5; 2 Cor. 2:6-11). Christians do not embrace fornication. It is a work of the flesh that is against God, and those who practice it will not inherit the kingdom of God (Gal. 5:19, 21). We must also reject teachings that enable fornicators to continue their sin (Gal. 1:6-9; 2 Jno. 9-11). We must “come out…and be separate” from those who sanction sin (2 Cor. 6:17). Determine not to rationalize and accommodate sin, for that only leads to eternal death (1 Cor. 5:13).
“Sin No More” #2096
This remarkable miracle of healing the lame man at the pool called Bethesda is a marvelous illustration of God’s merciful healing of our souls from sin (Jno. 5:1-9). What followed also illustrates our obligation once God saves us from our past sins. Just as Jesus told the man to “sin no more,” Christians cannot “continue in sin that grace may abound” (Jno. 5:14; Rom. 6:1-2). Just as the lame man’s healing should prompt him to live differently, our salvation from sin compels us to cease practicing sin. We have “died to sin,” being freed from the clutches of its slavery by the blood of Christ (Rom. 6:3-11). Saved in Christ, we are “servants of righteousness” (Rom. 6:17-18). Jesus warned the man that returning to sin would bring a worse outcome upon him. That is also true of Christians who sin (read 2 Pet. 2:20-22). The teaching that Christians cannot sin and be lost is false. Jesus healed the man, yet a far worse thing would occur if he practiced sin (Matt. 5:29-30). Even so, Christ has saved us. But if we turn back to sin, we will be lost. That outcome will be on us, not on Jesus (2 Cor. 5:10).
Use the Law Lawfully #2086
This passage identifies the “sound doctrine according to the glorious gospel” of God with the goodness of divine law. Law is “good” if we use it lawfully (v. 8). That statement probes our use of God’s law. If law can be used lawfully, then it can also be used unlawfully. God’s law identifies our sin against Him, and that is a good thing (Rom. 7:7, 12). But, law cannot save us from our sins (Rom. 3:19-20). So, the law teaches us we need deliverance from sin (Rom. 7:24). God provided Christ and His gospel to save us by grace through faith (Rom. 3:21-26). Today’s text teaches us God’s law restrains sin in our lives when we conform ourselves to it. That is how we use the law lawfully. Sadly, many twist God’s law to justify the very sins it identifies and condemns. Just look at the list of sins in verses 9-10. Religious people approve of many of them. That effort unlawfully uses God’s law. Law identifies us as sinners in need of salvation. It points us to the gospel for salvation so that Christians live by “the law of faith,” the glorious gospel preached by the apostles (Rom. 3:27-28).
God Divided the Light from the Darkness #2082
A friend reminded me recently that God has always separated the light from the darkness. On His first day of creation, God commanded light into existence, called it “good,” and divided the light from the darkness. God’s word is light: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psa. 119:105). (God’s word removes the darkness.) God sent the Messiah “as a light to the Gentiles,” bringing salvation to the ends of the earth (Isa. 49:6). (Christ calls us out of darkness into His marvelous light, 1 Pet. 2:9). Jesus said He is “the light of the world” and that by following Him, we “shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life” (Jno. 8:12). God delivers those redeemed by the blood of Christ from the power of darkness, conveying them into the kingdom of His beloved Son (Col. 1:13-14). (God separates the redeemed from the dark power of sin and death.) God is light, and those who practice His truth walk in the light and have fellowship with Him (1 Jno. 1:5-7). And, the heavenly, eternal city of God is to be illuminated by the Lamb. There, the night is vanquished forever (Rev. 22:23-25). Yes, God separates the light from the darkness. Jesus said, “Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light” (Jno. 12:35-36). Come out of the darkness into the light truth for salvation, divine fellowship, and eternal life.
Why We Should Endure Temptations #2075
Endurance is essential to resisting the temptations of sin. Our adversary, the devil, continually probes for openings and opportunities to entice us not to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength; to sin against God (Mk. 12:30). Endurance is spiritual, mental, and emotional fortitude that perseveres through the moment of trial. James reminds us of some reasons why we endure temptations. 1) Because endurance brings God’s approval. The trials of life test our faith, and the devil seeks to exploit them. When we endure them, our faith grows stronger and has God’s approval (Jas. 1:3-4). 2) Because God has promised us a reward. The crown of life is promised to those who finish the course and keep the faith, not those who shrink back (2 Tim. 4:8; Heb. 10:36-39). God will keep His word to us; We must keep our word to Him. 3) Because we love God. God has promised eternal life “to those who love Him.” We express our love for God over a love of this world when we endure temptation and do God’s will (1 Jno. 2:15-17). Endurance means committing ourselves to love God with more than words, but also with our deeds (Jno. 14:15; 1 Jno. 3:16-19). Enduring temptations is not easy but possible. God gives us a means of escape, that we “may be able to endure it” (1 Cor. 10:13, ESV).