One's Battle With Sin

In I Peter 5:8 it reads, "Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour."

Through the words "Sober and Vigilant", Peter suggests that we "exercise some sound judgment and watchfulness, as well as practice some self-control and temperance in dealing with sin.

James also writes in chapter 4:verse 7, "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." Then in the next verse he writes, "Draw nigh to God and He will draw nigh to you."

According to Jesus Christ there is a wicked power at work in the world which is opposed to God and Truth, and that evil Personality is known as the Devil or Satan. And while there are a lot of things that we don't know about the Devil, yet Jesus describes the heart of the Devil in John 8:verse 44 by saying, "he was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own, for he is a liar, and the father of it."

The Bible uses some 27 aliases to describe Satan or Devil. A few of these are Deceiver, Murderer, Liar, god of this world, as well as many, many more. And from I Timothy 3:6 it is suggested that Satan's basic sin in being removed from heaven was pride.

Also we read about one’s "Battle with Satan and sin" in Eph. 6:12 which reads, "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."

To many people, sin is nothing more than a violation of some social standard.

...To others, sin is a disease, which means that the person is not responsible to God for what he or she does.

...And even some tell us that "there is no sin".

While it's amazing that most people can see the symptoms of sin in the world, yet, some refuse to acknowledge the practice of sin, but will invent all kinds of deceptive phrases in order to eliminate the truth of God's Word about sin. In fact we often hear people say, "Why, he's just sowing wild oats". Or "She's having a fling". Or "He's just becoming a man".

Paul tells us in Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death." None of us like to think of death, yet death becomes necessary because of sin. Paul writes in II Timothy 3:13 "But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived." Stop and think about Hitler (or people similar to him) growing worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived, and there was no way to stop them. That's why Jesus tells us that Hell was prepared for the Devil and his angels. And in Luke 16:26 Jesus says that there is a Great Gulf between heaven and hell.

In I John 3:4 it reads that "sin is the transgression of the law."

In the Bible the word sin literally means to "Miss the mark".

And since God's Word is the "mark" at which we should aim our lives, then one sins by failing to obey God's Word.

While some sins may affect us personally, yet other sins may affect our loved ones, and fellow-man. And while some sins may be directly aimed at God, yet all sins are against God.

Consider the Psalmist David. He committed adultery with Bathsheba. Then when he learned that Bathsheba was with child, he had her husband killed.

When God sent Nathan, the Prophet in Old Testament days, to reprove David of his sins, David said "I have sinned against God."

Yes, all sin is against God. In Gen. 39, when Potiphar's wife tried to seduce the young man Joseph, he said, "How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?"

In the catalog of sins found in Romans 1, Galatians 5 and

I Corinthians 6, sin is described as works of the flesh, and lusts of the heart (or mind).

Although the Bible is not primarily a dictionary, yet it does give some definitions of sin, and what God thinks about sin.

1. Sin is a transgression of God's law (I John 3:4)

2. All unrighteousness is sin. (I John 5:17)

3. Sin will keep one out of heaven. (John 8:21 thru verse 24)

4. The wages of sin is death. (Romans 6:23)

5. There is pleasure in sin. (Hebrews 11:25)

6. Sin is deceitful. (Hebrews 3:13)

Although we can be deceived by sin, yet the Bible does tell us that we are responsible for our sins. In II Cor. 5:10 it reads, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ: that everyone may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." Then in verse 11, Paul sums up by saying: "Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men." Well Paul, "To Whom and What are you persuading people?" No doubt the answer is: "To the Lord Jesus Christ and obedience to the Gospel".

Friend, for one to win the battle with Satan and sin, he or she must be in Christ -- the One who conquered death, hades, and the grave.

In Eph. 6:14 all Christians are admonished to put on the whole armor of God. And then Paul uses a Roman Soldier's uniform to describe a spiritual lesson. It reads, "Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness. And your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints."

Everyone who obeys the gospel of Christ, and is a Christian (a child of God), they need to realize who the real enemy is, and the purpose of their battle. Because Satan is going to do his best to dislodge one’s stand, and communion with the Lord.