Gentlemen,
While we seem to be simmering on the "Problem of Evil" topic, I'll throw one out there.
What have you found to be the most efficacious method of dealing with sin in your life?
The Puritans would say that no one can deal with their own sin by focusing on it. Concentrating on your sin (with white knuckles) only gives it more power and authority in your life and leaves you frustrated and defeated. The solution, they say, is to find something that is even more appealing to you than the sin and begin to replace/ supplant the "old affection" with the "new affection".
Of course, there is only and ever one affection which is worthy of that - Jesus Christ. It seems to me that this is part of what the Apostle Paul is going after in Philippians 3:7-14, the focusing on the goal, pressing for the prize, which is Christ, our very great reward.
Funny, it's almost ZEN in nature. There is strenuous effort and labor involved but it is not in white knuckling determination to conquer your sin, it is in reaching for something so much better. While the acknowledgment, confession and repentance of the sin is crucial (1 John 1), the effort must all be focused on the One who is faithful and just.
And I must say that I have found it to be very helpful.
- PuritanTim
You Can’t Out-Give God
15 hours ago
5 comments:
Um, I like that puritan idea. But I think any new desire or affection apart from Christ would only lead to some other form of sin. Of course I could be wrong, and if so, video games - here I come!!!
I think the Puritans had it right, considering the truth of what Justin had to say. Any distraction from sin that isn't Christ will almost always lead to more sin. (Yes, even video games have that power!) I do, however, disagree somewhat with the first part of the Puritanical premise. I find often that rather than simply divert my mind from sin to Christ, it helps me to really focus on the problem, and then have my communion with Christ, usually in the form of reading my Bible. For me, if I'm not focused on a particualr problem, usually a recurring sin, it's less likely that I'll find the strength to eradicate it. BUT, when I bring something specific to the foot of Christ, it tends to get obliterated pretty quick.
Congrats on the blog - it's great.
I have been learning lately about idols in my life. Almost all the sin I struggle with, especially the most persistent and malicious, are really reactions of idols - having my life set on something other than Jesus Christ. The problem is, I know what the sin is but what the idol is can be VERY hard to figure out. Sometimes they are very mysteriously connected. It has taken a lot of soul-searching to start to discover some of the lies that have supplanted the truth. Anyway, all that being said, I know that in my own power I am helpless to overcome these struggles, but if I run to the Lord, He will do a work in me.
John Piper says we sin because we don't have faith in future grace - faith that God will supply all our needs.
Hey, thanks for the comments!
I was a little simplistic is how I worded things. The Puritan were all for serious introspection in the light of scripture. Spending time contemplating our sin and seeking discernment of the underlying idols behind sinful behavior is all part and parcel of the acknowledgment, confession, repentance cycle. As thy kingdom come says, this isn't just a diversion tactic to seek anything else (and I agree that it must lead to Christ). I think what the Puritans discovered (rediscovered?) is that you can't eradicate sin by just focusing on it and working harder.
There must be a transformation that happens through the power of the Holy Spirit working in your life where your desires are changed to something that is appropriate. Here we must radically depart from the Buddhist who is working to remove evil and sin from their lives by removing desire altogether. The more Biblical understanding is that desire, in itself, is not the problem but rather what the desire is for. We were made to desire God.
The Puritan admonition is to recognize the sinful desire and replace it with an appropriate one - and we continue to work out our salvation with fear and trembling.
I like it. ;-)
I do think that the Puritans would shudder at the "me and God" indiviualistic stamp our 21st century minds put on this. I definitely need brothers and siters standing with me in my struggles.
The Puritans had many passions other than "holy" things. Video games was not one of them, but it could have been. They figured doing their best at whatever they put their hand to was a great way of glorifying God. So, reading, making furniture, playing guitar, programming for fun, all can point to our Lord or become an idol. It is not the actions, it is a heart thing.
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