Sinful Living

A topic I've felt very affected by over the last year is willful sin.  Isn't part of being a Christian about wanting to stop living in sin, as much as possible?  If we justify our sin to ourselves, we are letting our flesh win over Christ.  We are being more loyal to the world and our own flesh than to Christ.

Yeah, go ahead and remind me of the judgment rule.  But I am not judging anyone, especially since I have a habit of justifying my own sin and just asking forgiveness for it later.  We all do it, and I feel very led and convicted to do my best to knock that off and to pay more attention to what I am doing and not allow sin to deceive me.  Whether it be the music I listen to, the way I treat others or what I watch on TV.  I am far from perfect in any of these areas, but I have made a lot of changes.  And I hope I continue to make changes as Christ moves me to do so.

James 4:17 says: So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin. 

James 3:13 says: If you are wise and understand God's ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom.

James 1:22-25 says: But don't just listen to God's word. You must do what it says. Otherwise you are only fooling yourselves.  For if you listen to the word and don't obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror.  You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don't forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.

James 2:14 says: What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don't show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone?

I used to believe that I could watch tv or movies, as long as I didn't act out what I was seeing or letting it "affect" me.  I used to believe that I could read certain books but if I didn't let it cause me to sin in a physical manner, I was okay.  I felt the music I listened to wasn't going to affect my heart.  I even felt that the things I say were okay, as long as I asked God to forgive me after having said them.  However, I have recently been very convicted otherwise.  I have to control my eyes, just as I should be controlling my tongue.


Matthew 6:22-23 says: "Your eye is a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is good, your whole body is filled with light. But when your eye is bad, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is!"

The eyes cause us to sin too.  If we are looking at vile or vulgar things, we are just as sinful as a person who is doing vile or vulgar things.  The worst part of it, we are unaware of how bad it is and that makes it that much worse.  Though, if we are aware and do nothing about it, doesn't that make it even worse than being unaware?

I've realized that when I am watching vile and vulgar things, I have vile and vulgar thoughts.  Whether or not I actually act on them is not the point.  In Matthew 5, it is explained that anger is just as sinful as murder (verse 22) and lust is just as sinful as adultery (verse 28).  So, if I am seeing vile and vulgar things, which cause me to think vile and vulgar thoughts, I am being sinful.  Whether or not I act on them is pointless since my thoughts are already just as bad as the actions.


In Psalm 101, David speaks of how he wants to live.  Verses 2-4 say: I will be careful to live a blameless life - when will you come to help me? I will lead a life of integrity in my own home. I will refuse to look at anything vile and vulgar. I hate all who deal crookedly; I will have nothing to do with them. I will reject perverse ideas and stay away from every evil.

This is how I want to live.  I know that I have a lot in my life that I need to change, and I am changing!  I have stopped watching some tv shows I used to watch because of the content.  I have chosen not to read certain books or watch certain movies due to content.  And I continue to feel led to let go of new things all the time. 

I am very thankful for a loving, forgiving Father that will forgive me when I sin.  Though, I am also very thankful for Him giving me the desire to live in as little sin as I can.  I strive to be more like Christ.  I want try hard to live a sinless life, even though I know I will always fail.  I do not want to purposely live a sinful life just because I know He will forgive me, I want to live a life that shows my devotion to my God and His commands! 

Yes, I am well aware I will fail.  I will continue to sin and will never live a completely sinless life.  It is impossible to do so.  I just choose to try harder, sin less and do my best to be more Christ-like each day!