I don't believe in sinless perfection, unequal weights and balances.
Did you ever have a lustful thought?
Where did that come from?
And what are you to do?
J.
Again, it does not matter what I or Joe the Christian down the street does. We will all have to face our Maker and Savior. Jesus says if we do not receive His words, those words will judge us on the last day (See: John 12:48). While I don’t know the exact number of Christians are saved, if the majority of Christians today are not saved, that does not undo the words of Jesus Christ in Matthew 5:28-30.
I would encourage you to read His words below again, and BELIEVE them.
“But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast
it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not
that thy whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast
it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not
that thy whole body should be cast into hell.” (Matthew 5:28-30).
There are…
Ways for a Believer to Overcome Sin:
#1. A believer can remove themselves from sinful environments.
A believer should remove themselves from sinful environments (if possible) and or get rid of things that cause them to sin. In Genesis: Joseph had literally ran away from the temptation of sexual sin (Genesis 39:11-12). One of the commands in the New Testament is: "Flee fornication." (1 Corinthians 6:18) (Note: Paul says that what he had written should be regarded as the commandments of the Lord - 1 Corinthians 14:37) (KJV). Sometimes this running away is merely a means of escape. God provides a way of escape for us to run to so that we can bear the temptation and get through it. For 1 Corinthians 10:13 says, "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."
#2. Believers can pray to God so as not to be tempted.
Believers can pray to God so as not to be tempted. It is part of the Lord’s prayer for a believer to pray so as not to be tempted into sin (Matthew 6:12). God will guide and protect a believer if they are serious in praying for this. "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation" (Matthew 26:41). In fact, fasting will help a believer with this, as well. I believe that being enslaved to sin is a demonic influence. While being enslaved to sin does not mean a Christian is possessed by a demon, we learn that certain demon possessions could not be driven out only by prayer and fasting (Matthew 17:21). So if demon possession at the most intense level can only be healed (by the casting out of the demon) by both prayer and fasting, then it is a sure bet that fasting and praying to overcome sin will also help a believer overcome sin (Which is a demonic influence).
#3. Believers can obey God’s righteous ways.
Believers can obey God’s righteous ways. The more a believer loves God and loves others and obeys His Word and they stay in His Word and pray, the more they will not even have a chance to sin or do the wrong thing. For the more a believer walk in God's Word by the Spirit you will not fulfill the lusts of flesh. "Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh." (Galatians 5:16). "But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof." (Romans 13:14). "But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life." (Romans 6:22).
#4. When a believer is tempted, they can quote Scripture.
When a believer is tempted, they can quote Scripture to defeat the devil's temptation. When Jesus was tempted by the devil, He quoted Scripture to defeat the devil (Matthew 4:4) (Matthew 4:7) (Matthew 4:10). So when some specific sin is bothering a believer, a believer can do research and find all the verses they can that are victory verses that they can speak when tempted to overcome that particular sin. A good general verse (Especially if a believer is tempted to look at women in lust if they find themselves in public around a lot of people) is, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” (Psalms 23:1). A believer can say these verses to themselves silently under their breath (with nobody hearing).
#5. Believers can ask for prayer from other God fearing Christians.
A believer can ask for prayer from other God fearing Christians or Godly Christians to help them to overcome certain sins. The Scriptures say, "bear ye one another's burdens and thus fulfill the Law of Christ." So a believer should seek true fellowship (even if it is just 2 or 3 faithful believers to meet up every week so as to worship God) and they should ask these faithful Christians for help to overcome their sin. In 1 John 5, we see Christians praying for a believer who is struggling to overcome a sin (that they are confessing). "If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death." (1 John 5:16). A faithful Christian shall ask God to give their fellow Christian life (victory) in overcoming their sin that they are confessing (i.e. sin that is confessed is not a sin that leads unto death).
#6. A believer can hide God’s Word in their heart.
A believer can hide God’s Word in their heart to overcome grievous sin. Meaning, a believer should memorize Scripture. David said he hid God’s Word within his heart so that he may not sin against the Lord. "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee." (Psalms 119:11).
#7. A believer can confess of their sins.
A believer can confess of their sins. 1 John 1:9 says if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
So there are no excuses, my friend.
