BESETTING SIN

Through faith in Jesus Christ as Savior, we are assured eternal life ... yet the propensity to sin remains a frustrating reality.

MacArthur - After salvation, sin, like a deposed and exiled ruler, no longer reigns in a person’s life, but it manages to survive. It no longer resides in the innermost self but finds its residual dwelling in the flesh ... the unredeemed humanness that remains until a believer meets the Lord at the Rapture or at death. 

The struggle is real ... For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. (Galatians 5:17)

After Paul's conversion, his eyes were opened to the gravity of sin. What once was acceptable behavior became abhorrent to him ... For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh), dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. (Romans 7:18-19)

He wasn't admitting defeat, but bringing to light the believer's inability to conquer sin in his own strength ... What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! (Romans 7:24-25)

You are not equipped to fight this inner battle alone. Jesus warned ... 'Apart from Me, you can do nothing'. (John 15:5) 

Man's tendency is to work things out on his own. We refuse to acknowledge that we're unskilled artists attempting to paint the beautiful landscape we see in the distance. The fact that we can't do it justice is not the fault of the scene, the canvas, the brushes, or the paint ... but of the painter. 

And so it is with your 'sanctification' ... it's the Lord's work. You are transformed into the likeness of Christ by His indwelling Spirit. When you prayerfully allow Him access to every area of your life, sin's power to disrupt your walk of faith is diminished. 

Put the brush in God's hand, pilgrim.