While in Mexico City, I was visiting with a sincere Christian gentleman and he asked me a question that many would like to ask but don’t. Do you think you can live without sinning? I attempted to answer him but I don’t believe he really understood my answer; therefore I have been giving it some thought and I believe the Lord has shown me now how to make it easier to understand. I will be writing him soon.
The problem is, we all have the ability to sin ever so easily. If you say, I believe I can live without sinning, it appears that you are in denial of this problem. The problem seems insurmountable – after all everybody sins, right? Not quite. Praise God there is one who did not ever sin; He manged to live holy and righteous all of His life even though he was made in the likeness of sinful flesh (Ro.8:3), and was weak and could do nothing of himself. (John 5:19) Some would say, ‘But that was Jesus.’ That’s absolutely right and guess who now is living in me? Many have endeavored to allow Jesus to take control of their lives, and have denied themselves of the privilege of living after the lusts of the flesh, and were quite faithful even unto death. In the book of Hebrews, chapter eleven, many are recorded as being faithful. Then chapter twelve starts out saying;
“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,”
The faithful have left us testimony of God’s grace. It is a fact that sin does easily beset us, but it doesn’t easily beset Jesus. There is grace to lay sin aside or He would not expect it of us. We are told to run with patience the race that is set before us. Even if we have failed many times, we need to trust Jesus to teach us and lead us into absolute victory. Patience is the fruit of love; if we love Jesus we will wait upon Him to give us grace to run this race and to finish strong.
In Heb11:6 we are told:
“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”
Sometimes our faith wavers; instead of acknowledging our lack of faith, we insist that we believe and continue in unbelief. Our sin does often beset us and we don’t understand why. Sometimes up, and sometimes down; this is not the life that we have been promised. The victorious life is there for those who believe the promise.
Faith is the victory that overcomes the world. (1 John 5:3) This faith seems to be so mysterious at times; it comes and it goes; why? Faith always remains the same – we are the ones coming and going. The same way we found it the first time is the way we shall find it again, in Jesus. That’s why we are told to keep:
“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.” Heb.12: 2,3
If we believe that ‘He is and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him’, then He will increase our faith because we are doing what pleases Him. If we are not pleasing Him, there is no way we can walk in faith, for He is the author and the finisher of our faith. When we fail to look unto Jesus, we are forsaking the fountain of life that flows by His faith working in us. Jesus, for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross. If you have tasted the sweet life of victory, then surly you hunger and thirst for a life that ever pleases the Father; that life is waiting for all those who are willing to take up their cross and bear the shame. Then come to the throne and sit down with Jesus in His presence. The faith of Christ will enable us to rest and wait for all our enemies to be brought under our feet. “Oh how sweet to trust in Jesus and take Him at His word.” May we always consider Him ‘that endured such contradictions of sinners against Him least we be wearied and faint in our minds.’
May we be strong in the grace that is found by looking unto Jesus.