It is easy to look at our society today and conclude that self-control is an old-fashioned virtue. If we desire something, we should go get it. If something feels good, do it. This is the message that our culture is preaching to us. But regardless of the prevailing mindset of society, the Scriptures teach us that we must exercise self-control.
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A habit is “a recurrent, often unconscious pattern of behavior that is acquired through frequent repetition” (The American Heritage Dictionary). Anything can become a habit, even those things which are good.
Sadly, many have developed a habit of sin. They have sinned so often that they now do it without even thinking. This is a very dangerous condition. We cannot repent of sin unless we first see the sin that is in our lives. The occasional sin is easier to see. It stands out to us – not just because it is out of character for us to engage in a certain behavior, but because we have to make the conscious decision to ignore what we know to be right in order to do what is wrong.
Habitual sins are able to hide because we do not think about them. Our decision to commit them is often unconscious. This does not excuse the action. Sin is sin, no matter how much thought we put into it. But when sin becomes a normal part of our routine, not only will our habitual sins continue, but the door will be wide open for other sins to enter into our life.
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Excuses are often made for sin on account of the difficult circumstances in one’s life. These excuses may be made by individuals for themselves or by others on their behalf.
These are just a few examples. The list is endless. Sin is regularly excused because of one’s situation. We cannot have this mindset. Sin that is excused later becomes expected and then eventually becomes accepted.
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We live our lives according to what we have determined is important to us. Our actions, relationships, budget, and hobbies are all based upon our priorities. If something is not important to us, we will not make time for it. Things that we believe are important, we will sacrifice time, money, and effort for them.
As our lives quickly fill up with both necessary and unnecessary things, it is important that we have our priorities in order. Jesus tells us the proper focus we are to have:
“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33).
Spiritual things must take precedence over everything else. Seeking His kingdom and righteousness first will not only point us in the right direction but will also help keep us from sin.
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Something that we all have in common is that we each have the same number of hours in a day. While we often think that we do not have as much time as others, the reality is that we have chosen to fill our lives with those things which take up our time – either as specific activities or as consequences to other choices we have made.
It is important that we fill our lives and our time with appropriate and wholesome exercises and events. Satan takes advantage when we leave room for sin by not filling our lives with good things.
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While Paul was in Athens waiting for Silas and Timothy to meet up with him, he spent his time talking with the people of the city about Jesus and the resurrection. Some of the philosophers with whom he spoke took him to the Aeropagus (Mars Hill) in order to hear more about this new teaching. Luke explains why this was done:
“Now the Athenians and the strangers visiting there used to spend their time in nothing other than telling or hearing something new” (Acts 17:21).
We can surely relate to the people of Athens. They wanted to learn more about what Paul was teaching. When we hear of something that interests us, it piques our curiosity, and we want to learn more. What constitutes an interesting subject will vary from person to person. Regardless, we see that humans are naturally curious. There is a reason for this – God made us this way. Paul explains this in his address at the Aeropagus:
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Any hope that we have to be saved is by the grace of God (Ephesians 2:8). God’s grace is offered to all (Titus 2:11); however, it is not received by all. How do we receive God’s grace? James explained:
“But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, ‘God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’ Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you” (James 4:6-10).
James’ explanation is very different from what a denominational preacher would give. Yet his explanation is “inspired by God” (2 Timothy 3:16). So let us take a closer look at what James had to say on the subject of receiving God’s grace.
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What does “propitiation” mean? How is “justification” connected to salvation? What does “sanctification” look like in our day-to-day lives? The Bible uses some powerful words to describe God’s plan to save mankind. However, these words are not always easy to understand, especially when they are not part of our everyday vocabulary. This book explores key Bible terms that unlock the message of the gospel.
Big Words in the Bible examines five important words – Propitiation, Reconciliation, Sanctification, Justification, and Resurrection – using plain language to see how the Scriptures describe these concepts and how the apostle Paul employs them in his letter to the Romans. This book also contains an appendix with eleven additional articles to explore these topics further.
Whether you are new to the Bible and want to grow in your understanding or want a simple way to explain these core gospel doctrines to others, this book will be helpful. With a focus on the Scriptures, Big Words in the Bible helps break down these fundamental topics to shed light on the life-changing message of the gospel and the salvation found in it.
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