04 HOW DOES IT WORK AGAINST SIN?
4
HOW DOES IT
WORK AGAINST SIN?
Battling the Forms of Unbelief
Battling the Unbelief of Anxiety
Definition: The loss of confident security in God owing to feelings of uneasiness or foreboding that something harmful is going to happen.
Battling Anxiety in General
Mat_6:25-34
For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? 27 And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? 28 And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, 29 yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! 31 Do not worry then, saying, "What will we eat?" or "What will we drink?" or "What will we wear for clothing?" 32 For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34 So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Lam_3:22-23
The LORD'S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.
1Co_10:13
No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.
Deu_33:25
As thy days, so shall thy strength be (KJV).
Psa_56:3
When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You.
1Pe_5:7
Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.
Php_4:6-7
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Battling anxiety about being useless
1Co_15:58
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.
Isa_55:9-11
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts. 10 "For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; 11 So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.
Battling Anxiety about Feeling Weak
2Co_12:9-10
And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 10 Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.
Battling Anxiety about Difficult Decisions
Psa_32:8
I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you.
Psa_25:8-9
Good and upright is the LORD; therefore He instructs sinners in the way. 9 He leads the humble in justice, and He teaches the humble His way.
Battling Anxiety about Opponents
Rom_8:31
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?
Battling Anxiety about Afflictions
Psa_34:19
Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all.
Rom_5:3-5
And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; 5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Battling Anxiety about Aging
Isa_46:3-4
Listen to Me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, you who have been borne by Me from birth and have been carried from the womb; 4 even to your old age I will be the same, and even to your graying years I will bear you! I have done it, and I will carry you; and I will bear you and I will deliver you.
Battling Anxiety about Not Persevering to the End in Faith
Php_1:6
For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.
Heb_7:25
Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.
Jer_32:40
I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; and I will put the fear of Me in their hearts so that they will not turn away from Me.
Battling Against Anxiety about Death
Rom_14:7-9
For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself; 8 for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord's. 9 For to this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.
Battling the Unbelief of Covetousness
Definition: Desiring something not for God's glory or in such a way that we lose our contentment in God.
Is Covetousness Idolatry?
Col_3:5
Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.
Exo_20:3 (First of Ten Commandments)
You shall have no other gods before Me.
Exo_20:17 (Last of Ten Commandments)
You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor.
Heb_13:5-6
Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, "I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU," 6 so that we confidently say, "THE LORD IS MY HELPER, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID. WHAT WILL MAN DO TO ME?"
Php_4:19
And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
Php_4:11-13
Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I Amos 12 I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. 13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.
Gracious Warnings about the Dangers of Desiring Money and Things
Abundance of Possessions is Not Life
Luk_12:15
Then He said to them, "Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions."
Desire for Riches Chokes the Word
Mar_4:19
The worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
Loving Money Spans All Kinds of Sins
1Ti_6:10
For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
Desiring to be Rich Destroys the Soul
1Ti_6:9
But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction.
Money Is No Final Help in Death
1Ti_6:7
For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either.
Pray for a Heart for the Truth and Not for Money
Psa_119:36
Incline my heart to Your testimonies And not to gain.
Battling the Unbelief of Lust
Definition: Pursuing illicit thoughts or images in the mind with a view to stimulating sexual pleasures – with or without external stimuli.
Lust Grows out of Suppressing the Knowledge of God and His Promises
Eph_4:22
Lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit.
1Pe_1:14
As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance.
1Th_4:4-5
Each of you [should] know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God.
2Pe_1:3-4
His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. 4 For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.
It Is a Lie that Losing Sex Is Losing Something Essential
Psa_84:11
For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD gives grace and glory; no good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.
The Gain through Purity is Unspeakable
Mat_5:8
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Unfought Lust Will Destroy the Soul
Mat_5:28-29 (See Future Grace, p. 329)
I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 "If your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.
1Pe_2:11
Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul.
Luk_8:14
The seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity.
Be Killing Sin Or It Will Be Killing You (John Owen)
Rom_8:12-13
So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh – for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
Battling the Unbelief of Bitterness and an Unforgiving Spirit
Definition: Holding a grudge or savoring the thought of getting even with no true desire for the salvation and reconciliation of the offending person.
A Crucial Consideration of Bygone Grace
Eph_4:32
Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.
The Blessing You Will Receive Cuts the Need for Vengeance
Mat_5:11-12
Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
1Pe_3:9 (compare 2:21)
Do not return evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.
The Promise of God's Vengeance Releases You from that Role
1Pe_2:21-23
For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, 22 WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH; 23 and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting to Him who judges righteously.
Rom_12:19
Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, "VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY," says the Lord.
In the End There Will Be No Unrecompensed Sins
They will all be duly punished, either in the cross (Isa_53:6) or in hell (2 Thessalonians 7-10). We may leave that finally to God.
Battling the Unbelief of Impatience
Definition: Murmuring against Providence when we are forced to walk the path of obedience in an unplanned place or an unplanned pace. ("Do all things without grumbling or disputing" Php_2:14.)
Examples of Extraordinary Patience and Perseverance (Future Grace, p. 171)
The story of Joseph
Gen_45:7
God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to keep you alive by a great deliverance.
Gen_50:20
As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.
Benjamin and Annie Kinkead Warfield
Rom_8:28
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
B. B. Warfield: "He will so govern all things that we shall reap only good from what befalls us." (Faith and Life, p. 204)
God Works While We Patiently Wait
Isa_64:4
For from days of old they have not heard or perceived by ear, nor has the eye seen a God besides You, who works for the one who waits for Him.
Jer_32:40-41 hew-41 hew-41
I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; and I will put the fear of Me in their hearts so that they will not turn away from Me. 41 I will rejoice over them to do them good . . . with all My heart and with all My soul.
Isa_30:18
Therefore the LORD waits to be gracious to you, and therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the LORD is a God of justice; how blessed are all those who wait for Him.
Psa_40:1-3 ew:1-3 w:1-3
I waited patiently for the LORD; and He inclined to me and heard my cry. 2 He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay, and He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm. 3 He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; many will see and fear and will trust in the LORD.
2Co_4:16-18
Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. 17 For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, 18 while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Col_1:11
[May you be] strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously
William Cowper's Hymn, "God Moves in a Mysterious Way"
God moves in a mysterious way
his wonders to perform;
He plants his footsteps in the sea,
and rides upon the storm.
Deep in unfathomable mines
of never failing skill,
He treasures up his bright designs
and works his sovereign will.
You fearful saints, fresh courage take;
the clouds you so much dread
Are big with mercy and shall break
in blessings on your head.
His purposes will ripen fast,
unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
but sweet will be the flower.
Blind unbelief is sure to err
and scan his work in vain:
God is his own interpreter,
and he will make it plain.
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Autor: John Piper