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Indwelling sin and practicing sin

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I'm having trouble knowing the difference between indwelling sin (1 John 1:8) and practicing sin. Could someone explain this to me? Thank you.

PS My OCD symptoms appear as someone yelling at me to put away my indwelling sins that I try hard to conquer but can't yet. This can't be God speaking to me because the Holy Spirit is gentler and peaceable. This OCD makes me feel like I'm serving a taskmaster who doesn't approve of me at all because even the indwelling sin is something I should be conquering now.
 
I'm having trouble knowing the difference between indwelling sin (1 John 1:8) and practicing sin. Could someone explain this to me? Thank you.

PS My OCD symptoms appear as someone yelling at me to put away my indwelling sins that I try hard to conquer but can't yet. This can't be God speaking to me because the Holy Spirit is gentler and peaceable. This OCD makes me feel like I'm serving a taskmaster who doesn't approve of me at all because even the indwelling sin is something I should be conquering now.

You are dearly loved by God.

You have a physical body that contains sin. This is indwelling sin. It desires to manifest as a deed, an action of sin, which is called a “work” of the flesh.


Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19-21


Practicing the works of the flesh (sin) mean you are allowing the desire of your flesh rule over you, so that you give in to its desire.


When you are born again, and filled with God’s Spirit, you now have power (grace) to reign and rule over indwelling sin, so that you practice what the Holy Spirit wants you to do, rather than what the indwelling sin wants to do.


I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. Galatians 5:16-17


  • Walk (live your life) in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.


Remember God is with you, to help you to do this, to walk with you and never leave you, because He loves you and wants you to be with Him, all the time. He truly is your Father.


He is good. Maybe our natural father or mother weren’t so good.


Trust me, God is good and got me through too much in my life.


I would be dead or in prison if God didn’t rescue me. I had to listen, and repent, but He never left me.




JLB
 
I’m weary of fighting the battle with pornography. It wears me out. I do good for a while and then give up almost. I believe it is a sin in my body that often I fight but am easily overwhelmed by anxiety and shaking and it seems to help in those areas. The prognosis seems long term and then I wonder if accepting that I may struggle and fall the rest of my life is considered practicing it.
 
I’m weary of fighting the battle with pornography. It wears me out. I do good for a while and then give up almost. I believe it is a sin in my body that often I fight but am easily overwhelmed by anxiety and shaking and it seems to help in those areas. The prognosis seems long term and then I wonder if accepting that I may struggle and fall the rest of my life is considered practicing it.
Here's one idea. Minimise. Cut down.. Or ..... Find an interesting distraction.
I play Scrabble online. You could say it is just another addiction but I think it is healthier than porn.
Most of us are addicted to something. Workaholics are lucky they are addicted to work. It pays the bills.
Porn is just another addiction, but ......... It is sinister.....it warps our sense of reality. It is potentially very dangerous.
 
I’m weary of fighting the battle with pornography. It wears me out. I do good for a while and then give up almost. I believe it is a sin in my body that often I fight but am easily overwhelmed by anxiety and shaking and it seems to help in those areas. The prognosis seems long term and then I wonder if accepting that I may struggle and fall the rest of my life is considered practicing it.

Please find a church in your area that has good worship, teaching and ministers to the people through the laying on of hands.

Attending a good Spirit filled Church that believes and teaches the Bible is so important for you to grow and mature in Christ.

Remember, what you look at and think about gives you the desire for that thing. Reading and meditating on the scriptures will clear your mind and show God you are wanting to engage in the process of sanctification.



JLB
 
Reading and meditating on the scriptures will clear your mind and show God you are wanting to engage in the process of sanctification.
Not necessarily. Though I admit some reflection of certain verses can help.
Talking to someone who has quit porn is the best option, in my opinion. Addictions are not easy to quit immediately. Especially porn.
 
I’m weary of fighting the battle with pornography. It wears me out. I do good for a while and then give up almost. I believe it is a sin in my body that often I fight but am easily overwhelmed by anxiety and shaking and it seems to help in those areas. The prognosis seems long term and then I wonder if accepting that I may struggle and fall the rest of my life is considered practicing it.

Today is the 7th. Read proverbs 7.


Imaging the seductress as being the world, with all its seductive allurements, including porn.


Take note of the term “apple of your eye”. Let’s discuss.



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JLB
 
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He found him in a desert land
And in the wasteland, a howling wilderness;
He encircled him, He instructed him,
He kept him as the apple of His eye.
Deuteronomy 32:10


God cherishes you and wants you to cherish Him and to know Him intimately. It begins by keeping His word as a most cherished thing; something we constantly think about and look at; the apple of our eye.

He finds us in a wasteland of immorality and desires for us to be His own. He is not surprised by our immoral thoughts and deeds but loves us perfectly and completely.

He is jealous for us. He desires to keep us as the apple of His eye, His most cherished possession.


We can tell Him anything, because He already knows. He will give you power to break away from any kind of immorality when we turn to Him, and just tell Him we need Him and desires to be close to Him.


He just wants us to stop hiding from Him and come into the light of His presence and stay there.



Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.







JLB
 
I'm having trouble knowing the difference between indwelling sin (1 John 1:8) and practicing sin. Could someone explain this to me? Thank you.

PS My OCD symptoms appear as someone yelling at me to put away my indwelling sins that I try hard to conquer but can't yet. This can't be God speaking to me because the Holy Spirit is gentler and peaceable. This OCD makes me feel like I'm serving a taskmaster who doesn't approve of me at all because even the indwelling sin is something I should be conquering no
Hey John was also talking to a group that believed they didn't have sin. As Paul said its But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. See were born again and in the Fathers eyes we are holy and righteous because we believe in Jesus. This flesh has not been changed yet so we will always have some kind of battle with sin. I don't believe there those that never sin that being said we do not have to sin for it because of Christ it no longer has a hold on us.

So if we sin we confess it.. we repent, turn over a new leaf so to speak. We do a 180 not 360 :)

Amen I love this "He just wants us to stop hiding from Him and come into the light of His presence and stay there." JLB
 
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