The Process of Overcoming Sin

1. The Process of Overcoming Sin Arkansas Bible School September, 2012

2. Romans 7:24-25 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

3. What is a Process? • A systematic series of actions directed to some end • A continuous action, operation, or series of changes taking place in a definite manner A Process will always have a beginning and a series of action steps that lead to an expected end.

4. THE PROCESS OF OVERCOMING SIN OVERCOMING SIN – PROCESS Thought Opportunity to act on thought Refusal to act on thought (Thus saith the Lord) No Sin Death Eternal Life SIN CLEANSING – PROCESS Thought Opportunity to act on thought Act on thought Sin Recognition of sin Confession of Sin (Prayer) Forgiveness Repentance Death Eternal Life THE SIN PROCESS Thought Opportunity to act on thought Act on thought Sin Eternal Death

5. THE PROCESS OF OVERCOMING SIN OVERCOMING SIN – PROCESS Thought Opportunity to act on thought Refusal to act on thought (This Saith the Lord) No Sin Death Eternal Life SIN CLEANSING – PROCESS Thought Opportunity to act on thought Act on thought Sin Recognition of sin Confession of Sin (Prayer) Forgiveness Repentance Death Eternal Life THE SIN PROCESS Thought Opportunity to act on thought Act on thought Sin Eternal Death

6. FAILURE TO OVERCOME SIN SIN CLEANSING – PROCESS Thought Opportunity to act on thought Act on thought Sin Recognition of sin Confession of Sin Forgiveness Repentance Eternal Death THE SIN PROCESS Thought Opportunity to act on thought Act on thought Sin Eternal Death If there is no recognition or sin or confession of sin, then we have no opportunity to repent and Yahweh will not offer forgiveness. This could lead to Eternal Death unless we change our sinful, wicked and evil ways.

7. The Process of Overcoming Sin Sin Recognition Confession of Sin Repentance from Sin

8. WHAT IS SIN?

9. WHAT IS SIN?

10. OVERCOMING SIN Matthew 6:33-34 - But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. Philippians 3:13-14 – “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

11. The Two Constitutions of Sin The word sin is used in two principal acceptations in the scripture. It signifies in the first place, “the transgression of the law”; and in the next, it represents that physical principle of the animal nature, which is the cause of all its diseases, death, and resolution unto dust. It is that in the flesh “which has the power of death”; and it is called sin, because the development or fixation, of this evil in the flesh, was the result of transgression. Inasmuch as this evil principle pervades every part of the flesh, the animal nature is styled “sinful flesh,” that is “flesh full of sin”; so that sin, in the sacred style, came to stand for the substance called man. In human flesh “dwells no good thing”, and all the evil a man does is the result of this principle dwelling in him (Romans 7:17-18). Operating upon the brain, it excites the “propensities”, and these set the “intellect” and ”sentiments” to work. The propensities are blind, and so are the intellect and sentiments in a purely natural state; when therefore, the latter operate under the sole impulse of the propensities, “the understanding is darkened through ignorance, because of the blindness of the heart” (Ephesians 4:18). Bro. John Thomas – Elpis Israel – Rudiments of the World

12. The Constitutional Aspects of Sin Bro. Thomas continues in the same book and the same chapter: “Sin, I say, is a synonym for human nature. Hence, the flesh is invariably regarded as unclean. It is therefore written, “How can he be clean who is born of a woman?” (Job 25:4). Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one. (Job 14:4)” …. “Sin in the flesh is hereditary; and entailed upon mankind as the consequence of Adam’s violation of the Eden law. Adam and Eve committed the “original sin”; and their posterity are suffering the consequences of it.” “Mankind being born of the flesh, and of the will of man, are born into the world under the constitution of sin. By their fleshly birth, they are entitled to all that sin can impart to them. “ “Children are born sinners or unclean, because they are born of sinful flesh; and “that which is born of the flesh is flesh”, or sin. This is a misfortune, not a crime. They do not will to be born sinners, but they have no choice.”

13. The Constitutional Aspects of Sin - continued Bro. Thomas continues in the same book and the same chapter: “But men are not only made, or constituted sinners by the disobedience of Adam, but they become sinners ever as he, by actual transgression. Thus men are sinners in a twofold sense; first, by natural birth; and next, by transgression. “ WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR US TO UNDERSTAND THESE BASIC AND FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS OF THE ASPECTS OF SIN?

14. What Is The Law of Sin and Death? The simple answer can be found in Romans 6:23 – The wages of sin is death. Brother J. J. Andrew – The Blood of the Covenant All of the human race are under “the law of sin and death” … “The end” of those who remain under this law is to “perish”… The “law of sin and death” contains no provision for justification from sin and consequently no element which counteracts the reign of death.

15. The Law of Sin And Death If we are associated with sin, then we are subject to death. Unrepentant sin may lead to eternal death. This law was given to Adam in the Garden. Genesis 2:17 states that Adam would surely die if he disobeyed Yahweh’s commandment to not eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. When Adam and Eve disobeyed and partook of the fruit of this tree, they became sinners and subject to the sentence of death. This sentence of death passed upon all of their descendants not because their descendants were guilty of the original sin, but because they inherited the same sin nature as their first parents. Therefore, the condemnation/sentence of death was imputed to Adam’s and Eve’s descendants.

16. Imputed Adamic Condemnation This sentence of death passed upon all of their descendants not because their descendants were guilty of the sin, but they inherited the same sin nature as their first parents. Therefore, the condemnation/sentence of death was imputed to Adam’s and Eve’s descendants.

17. What is Imputation? Definition – To invest with honor or office, to ascribe honor or virtue to; to attribute, cloth or confer; to bestow on something or somebody as due or appropriate. A good example is the usage of paper money by the governments of the world. The paper that the money is printed on has no intrinsic value of its own. However, the government imputes (attributes) value to the paper even though it has no value of its own. The Imputation of Adam’s Sin – Bro. Edward Farrar

18. Spiritual Matters of Imputation • Imputed Adamic Condemnation – Read Romans 5:12-19. • Imputed Righteousness – “The righteous of one man can be imputed to another man even though personal righteousness and holiness are lacking in the individual to whom righteousness is imputed or reckoned. It is not a transfer of moral character. It is a matter of constitution, status and reckoning”. Bro. Ted Farrar – The Imputation of Adam’s Sin.

19. Types of Sin • Individual Sins • Sins of Omission –failure to do something that God requires of us • Sins of Commission – an act of disobedience in defiance of the Word of God • National, Communal, Ecclesial Sins • Teaching False Doctrine • Toleration, Supporting, Promoting, Allowing False Doctrine to be taught • Toleration, Supporting, Promoting, Allowing Immoral Acts to be committed by members of the Christ Body

20. Committed Sins

21. THE PROCESS OF OVERCOMING SIN THE SIN PROCESS Thought Opportunity to act on thought Act on thought Sin Eternal Death

22. MURMERS LIES PRIDE INSULTS FALSE DOCTRINE COMPLAINTS STUPID GOSSIP HYPROCISY Matthew 15:15-20 - Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable. And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding? Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.

23. Matthew 12:34-37 - O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

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25. Guidance on Using Social Media • Public writings have always been open to the review of the public. That is the whole purpose of writing or speaking or teaching in public. So, if you don’t want people to read what you write on a public forum where the primary purpose is to publish information about yourself – then DON’T WRITE IT! • If you are doing something that you may not want to write about in a public forum – then DON’T DO IT! Others may not be able to see what you don’t want to write about, but God still can. • If you still feel a need to write about something on a public forum and if and when your writings are publicly scrutinized and criticized then DON’T GET OFFENDED.

26. Types of Sin • National, Communal, Ecclesial Sins • Teaching False Doctrine • Toleration, Supporting, Promoting, Allowing False Doctrine to be taught by members of the Christ Body • Toleration, Supporting, Promoting, Allowing Immoral Acts to be committed by members of the Christ Body

27. Contamination by Association Guilt by Association

28. WHY?

29. Scriptural Examples of Imputation • Numbers 16:26 • Joshua 7:1-11, Joshua 22:20 • I Kings 21:20 • II Kings 5:27 • II John 10-11 • I Corinthians 5:6-7 • Revelation 18:4 • Revelation 2:12:17 • Romans 1:28-32 • Deuteronomy 24:16 • Proverbs 13:20 • I Thessalonians 5:22 • Proverbs 14:7 • Proverbs 29:3 • Proverbs 28:7 • II Thessalonians 3:14 • Romans 4:11 • Proverbs 24:21 • Leviticus 17:4 • Psalms 32:2 • II Corinthians 5:19 • James 2:23 • Romans 5:13 • Romans 4:22-23 • Romans 5:19 • I Corinthians 1:30

30. Unloving? • Is it unloving to try to help someone see the errors of their ways? • Is it unloving to be a shepherd over the flock of God and protect the flock from the wolves in sheep’s clothing who we find in some Christadelphian organizations and Ecclesias that harbor individuals who teach false doctrine or continues to distribute and promote things that are in opposition to the Word of God? • Is it unloving to continue to teach to our Unamended Community that there is and always have been major doctrinal differences between the Unamended and Amended communities? • Is it unloving to continue to teach that we must associate ourselves with those in whom we are like minded with and disassociate ourselves with those in whom we are not like minded with?

31. Are We Sinning? • Are we sinning when we try to provide counsel to a brother or sister who has strayed from the straight and narrow path? • Are we sinning when we try to identify and name those who are teaching and promoting and distributing false doctrine or when we identify those who are allowing this to happen? • Are we sinning when we try to teach our brethren about the correct doctrinal principles of atonement, covenant making, the nature of man, the nature of Christ, or any other first principle of faith that is found in our Statement of Faith? • Are we sinning when we try to teach individuals about the principles of fellowship?

32. Types of Sin • National, Communal, Ecclesial Sins • Teaching False Doctrine • Toleration, Supporting, Promoting, Allowing False Doctrine to be taught by members of the Christ Body • Toleration, Supporting, Promoting, Allowing Immoral Acts to be committed by members of the Christ Body

33. WHY?

34. The Mind of Christ THE MIND OF CHRIST THE MIND OF THE FLESH

35. Romans 7:24-25 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

36. THE MIND OF THE FLESH What about ME? I Need! I Want! I Deserve! They made ME so mad! I am really offended by Brother X or Sister Y! Did you hear what they said to ME?

37. IN SUMMARY • Love the Lord our God with all of our heart, mind and soul. • In the Agape sense of Love, we should love our neighbor as our self. • Study to show thyself approved of God • Control our tongue • Keep the doctrine pure • Stay alert to signs of the times that signal the soon return of our Master. • Be spiritually strong and courageous at all times • Fight the good fight of faith. • Pray without ceasing. • Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. – Philippians 4:8

38. TO HIM THAT OVERCOMETH 1 John 5:4 - For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Revelation 2:7 - He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Ecclesias; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. Revelation 2:11 - He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Ecclesias; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. Revelation 2:17 - He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Ecclesias; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it. Revelation 2:26 - And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: Revelation 3:5 - He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. Revelation 3:12 - Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. Revelation 3:21 - To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. Revelation 21:7 - He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.