How to Kill Sin in Your Life (Part 1)
August 29th, 2007
(By John MacArthur)
The following post is adapted from a message John preached on a practical plan for overcoming personal sin.
The question is, “How do I kill sin in my life? How do I do it?” Let me give you some little principles — very basic and straightforward.
If you live by the Spirit and are headed towards eternal life because of your salvation, the Spirit in you gives the power to be killing the deeds of the flesh.
The question is, “All right, how do I do that? I agree that the power is there, that’s the bent of my life, that’s the way I am going. I want to see the Spirit do more and more of it. How do I get to that point? How do I gain that victory? How do I establish that habitual pattern? What do I do?”
1. Recognize the Presence of Sin in Your Flesh.
Do you know why most Christians are most commonly defeated by sin? I believe it is because their sin has so totally deceived them, that they never really get to the point where they honestly evaluate its reality. They are not dealing with the issue.
They spend so much of their lives justifying their sin as a personality quirk or a product of their environment. They sugar-coat their habitual sins as simply idiosyncrasies of individuality, or some prenatal predilection that their mother had, or whatever. People can become so good at denying the reality of sin that they don’t see it. As a result, they don’t deal with it because they don’t even recognize it for what it is.
Any kind of spiritual victory begins by identifying the enemy. It is the same old story, ”If you don’t know what you are shooting at, how are you going to hit it?” How am I going to eliminate from my life what I don’t even identify as needing to be eliminated?
Sin is not only wicked, it is deceitful. And it’s there inside each of us. Believe me it is there. John Owen was right, he says of sin:
It has no doors to open. It needs no engine by which to work. It lies in the mind and in the understanding. It is found in the will. It is in the inclinations of the affections. It has such intimacy in the soul.
It’s there! But inevitably it’s covered up. As the Psalmist prayed, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my thoughts; and see if there be any wicked way in me” (Psalm 139:22). We must ask God to help us see our sinfulness, if we want to recognize it for what it is.
Don’t be deceived about how good you are. Believe me, your sin is there, and it is wretched and it spurts forth between the cracks of your supposed righteousness. It comes out in anger and bitter words, unkind thoughts, criticisms, self-conceit, lack of understanding, impatience, weak prayers, immoral thoughts, and even overt sins. You need to know your weaknesses.
Haggai the prophet, in chapter one of his prophecy, repeats the command, “Consider your ways! Consider your ways!” (vv. 5, 7). In other words, take a good deep look at yourself. First Kings 8:38 says, “Know the plague in your own heart.” And Paul in Ephesians 4:22 talks about deceitful lusts. From these and many other passages, the Bible makes the point: If you want to kill sin in your life, you must begin by examining your own heart to see the reality of what is there.
(To be continued tomorrow)
This blog and series has come at a perfect time in my life. Thank you!
Oh, and if you edit your posts, I just wanted to let you know it is John Owen, not “Owens.”
Pastor John quoted from the man; John Owen. The book is “The Mortification of Sin” its a very compact book but immense in insight and wisdom. I had to read it twice in the span of a year to soak it in but believe me anyone interested in this post or desperate to slay sin would greatly benefit.
Justin,
Thanks for you comment. Good catch on “Owens.” We’ve made the change.
NB
This is always a timely series as we’re always battling sin in our lives. I’ve read John Owen’s book too and will have to read through it again a couple times as Pat said to let it soak in.
john
My pleasure! ^_^
I find John Owen a little hard reading for now, but hopefully in a few years of practice, I should be able to understand his deep insight that everyone keeps talking about. I only wish he didn’t write in that foreign language so much, in the “Works of John Owen” that I have. I think that’s what makes it difficult for me.
“They spend so much of their lives justifying their sin as a personality quirk or a product of their environment.”
Thanks for the reminder. My environment doesn’t make me. In Christ, I can choose to not sin. Praise God.
This is the kind of reading that should be mandatory for everybody!
I’ve met many Christians who believe they no longer sin, and unsaved people have been led to believe in the “quick-fix”.
Once Again, Pulpit Magazine hits the mark. Thank you!
I long to be righteous. As righteous as our Lord really. But I know that ain’t gonna happen.
I hate sin. I hate that I love my sin. I have conquered the habits of sin, the vices, in my life through His grace. but there are so many times I’m so proud.
What a sin, pride. I hate that i love it. And the reason i hate it is that it displeases my Lord, and it also causes harm to others, especially my wife.
I do see the light of God’s grace working in my heart and life, and I have grown in His grace. I am so thankful for the Cross. The Lord took all my sin, and He has given me full forgiveness. He bore my sin, and He gives me His righteousness. Wow!
That you pastor Mac for being such a great example to us all. Lord bless.
In a world which is so bent on constantly moving forward (immediate gratification), evaluating the path you have taken to get where you are is almost nonexistent at times. The world says, “Sinning is acceptable to a certain level because that is what it takes to be successful since all truth is relative.”
I have fallen prey to this type of “worldly” argument because I have moved forward without “considering my ways!” What a great and powerful verse from the prophet Haggai. We must look for sin, recognize that it is sin, and eliminate it before it festers into something which will ultimately destroy you.
Thanks for the post. It is a great lesson on seeking out the sin in my life and living holy according to the Word, not the world.
In Christ
Try Reading Wayne Mack’s “A fight to the death”. It is a 21st century read.
Oh man! I thank God for this coming at this time.
This is a much appreciated subject and one that I’m in need of.
thanks,
bob
I am so very, very pleased to see this subject addressed.
I came from a very legalistic background and am so thankful that God has shown me the meaning of grace. But, I am continually grieved by the apathy toward sin and the presumption from many pulpits that sin is something we cannot overcome…ever! When we give Christians the idea that they MUST sin, that the words “God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it” aren’t the basis of our striving against sin, why do we seem surprised when so many plateau and resign themselves to sinning?
What ever happened to growing in endurance? Our purpose is to be “…those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality”, correct?
Thanks for this message which is so sorely needed by all of us. God bless your efforts.