Articles
How Do We Overcome Sin?
How does man overcome sin and receive the gift of eternal life? For the alien sinner (one that has never obeyed the gospel of Jesus Christ, Mark 16:15-16) he must be "born again" of the "water and the spirit" (John 3:3-5).
Our study last time concluded with the idea that being baptized for the remission of sins was the "new birth" or the idea of being "born again" (2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 3:26-27). How does one that has been "born again" continue to overcome sin?
Notice again what the apostle John said, "For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God" (I John 5:4-5, emp LS)? John says the answer is "our faith", that is, "he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God".
How does one obtain the "faith" to overcome sin (the world)? Paul gives us the answer. "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:17). Hearing the Word of God (the Bible) is the one and only way that we obtain "faith" to have "victory" over sin.
David said, "Thy word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against Thee" (Psalms 119:11). Again, David says, "The law of his God is in his heart; His steps do not slip" (Psalms 37:31). John, in his gospel account, said "And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name" (John 20:30-31).
Why is it that some Christians backslide, miss worship services, lie, get involved with immoral acts, etc? The Word of God is not in their heart's. The continual study of God's Word is lacking in their daily lives. The child of God would not lie if the Word of God was in his heart that says, "Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds" (Colossians 3:9). The Christian would not forsake worship services if "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching" (Hebrews 10:25) was in his heart.
For the child of God to continue to overcome sin (the world) in his life, he must "grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ" (II Peter 3:18). Why? Faith is that which overcomes the world and that faith comes from hearing the Word of God. Friend, please, search the Scriptures.
