The Christian Who Sins Willfully
Over the years of my ministry, I have found that there are times when Christians willfully choose to sin. They may not call it sin, but that is what it is.
An illustration would be when a Christian chooses to divorce.
Before the divorce, before the choice to divorce, they probably hesitated and fought the impulse for some time.
• It might be because they don’t want to hurt someone’s feelings.
• It may be because they know that it’ll cause themselves great pain.
• It may be that they understand the Bible teaches against divorce.
But it doesn’t matter. Once they come to the position of divorce, their emotions override Bible teaching. The Bible, in fact, becomes irrelevant to the issue. They have made a choice.
• No pastor.
• No counselor.
• No good friend.
Nothing in the Bible is going to change their mind.
There are other areas where Christians will make the same willful choice to sin. Their feelings, their emotions, their heart overrides the Word of God that particular area.
Dress standards
Gods Word clearly has something to say. So many Christians refuse to hear it.
Worldly practices
• Alcohol
• Tobacco and these days
• Tattoos
Types of employment
Where we live
Where we attend church
Whether our pastor has any say in our lives
Most would agree that the pastor leads the church. But too many believe he is to have no influence in their life choices. They see it almost as a “him against me” sort of thing. They do not recognize that with his call comes not only the ability to study and preach the Bible but also to discern things about life - their life.
They may not believe the Bible speaks to their situation. They may believe that their choice is theirs to make, and the Bible has nothing to say about it. They will likely become upset with anyone who tries to use the Bible to teach against their decision. They will accuse the person who shows them what the Bible says as using it as a whipping stick against them. Sense they do not have any passages of Bible to support their choice, they assume that any passages that are opposed to their choice must be taken out of context.
As Christians we have to avoid, we have to take care not to allow our heart, our emotions to become so strongly attached to a thing that we refuse to see what the Bible says about that thing.
God said that He’s given us all things that pertain to life and godliness.[1] The Bible therefore will have some answer, some instruction for every choice we make we are going to make. It’s just a matter if we are open to hear, and see, and learn what the Bible says. We must come to the place that we believe God. He leads us through the Bible, through the conviction of the Holy Spirit, and through the authority of the pastor.
Otherwise, the Bible is just a good book
[1] 2 Peter 1:3 (KJV)
According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
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