P’s & Q’s A Call to Holy Living

1 John 1:5-10 Romans 7:13-25 James 1:13-15 The Enemy Inside 1 John 1:5-10 Romans 7:13-25 James 1:13-15

1 John 1:5-10 5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Jesus the Just To walk in the light is to live a righteous and holy life before God and others. Holiness is relational; It’s about being in fellowship, having holiness in common with a holy God and His holy ones. We must not be arrogant about sin or lie about sin. If we sin, God forgives! It’s not a license to sin, but a promise that we won’t go to hell for occasional sins.

Romans 7:13-25 13 Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure. 14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. 15 For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. 17 So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.

Romans 7:13-25 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. 22 For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, 23 but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

It’s Dead! How should believers react to sin and temptation? Like possums. Sin doesn’t affect us because we’re dead to it. It doesn’t register on our radar. When we struggle with sin, it is being in the flesh, not walking in the Spirit! We choose to sin as people who could say no. There is no rationalizing sin as believers!

James 1:13-15 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

Run, Forest, Run! …The other way, Forest! James teaches us that temptation is like a vice grip. Once it gets a hold of our attention, it never lets go until we’ve sinned. We must not entertain temptation’s offers. Treat temptation like telemarketers!

My Life Do you confess your sins before God? Are you humble enough to admit you’ve wronged Him, your fellow neighbor, and even yourself? Are you dead to sin? Does it have an open invitation to give its sales pitch? What steps will you set in place to resist and run from temptations in your life? How will you fortify the weak areas of your life?