Overcoming Sin is NOT the Great Commission | ask Theocast 

Focus on Jesus and not on our sins. If I'm looking to Christ, I'm not looking to sin. I'm thinking that's what's being said.

Really helpful perspective. I suspect I am not the only one who suffers (word chosen carefully) with perfectionism and a tender conscience this is a real struggle. Getting out of my own head is darn near impossible. The distinction between piety and pietism is key. And you’re spot on about the great commission. Many churches would say no way, but actions speak louder than words. “To live is Christ, to die is gain.” Not sure I can say I have ever really grasped or understood this statement. But I can say that I am closer to doing so because of the ministry of Theocast! Honored to be a supporter of this great ministry! Thanks for a great perspective Jon!

Looking unto Jesus, not unto our sins and what we can do about them, very clear to me, thank you my Brother!

I've been so busy trying to minimize sin that I haven't really enjoyed life and I tend to view God as somebody who randomly throws people into an obstacle course. I hope that changes someday.

Thanks for your share.i came to your piece looking for answers for falling in the same sin. All along I'm inactive as a deciple of Christ but focused on self.you are so right

Thank you for all you do my brethren… GOD’s POWER, SOVEREIGNTY, AUTHORITY, AND MERCIFULNESS is magnified through this PODCAST.

This is literally helping so many people!!! Thank you all so much 🙏🏼🙏🏼

Interesting topic. It's somewhat of a fine line here, since on the one hand you do agree we should be striving to avoid sin in our lives, yet at the same time, as you hit home, that's of course not the "purpose" of Christianity. However, I think many, including myself are desiring to pursue holiness, in mortifying sin, not to earn merit but because 1) it is one of thing we are called to do (Ephesians 4:22-24) and 2) the practical benefit is we draw closer to God through the process. The interesting thing I've found is when you do flip things a bit (as you alluded to) and work on pursing the positive things - walking in the Spirit (Gal 5:16-18) (eg. sharing the gospel, engaging in God's Word, loving others, etc) you find the negative side of things (sin) starts to erode some. The caution with your message, though, is if one isn't careful, one might become flippant about sin in their lives - we can't just be like "Hey I know I'm saved, and I'm sharing the gospel, and loving others, etc. so my persistent sin doesn't matter." I understand you would never say that, it's just that we have to balance not being consumed with avoiding sin, and also taking pursuing righteousness seriously - again not for piety's sake, but for honoring God. To be honest, the bigger danger I see, especially with the younger generation in reformed churches, is almost an antinomian mindset, where their lifestyle choices match the world, but they're ok because "they're living by grace." . I'm not saying we have to revert to hammer and fist fundamentalist preaching, but the seriousness of sin in our culture needs to be spelled out specifically from the pulpit. Some things are so "normal" in the culture that are current generation doesn't even realize the cesspool they are often living in, and often partaking in.

Thank you for validating some concerns that I have been having. This is very helpful.

Praise the Lord brother!!! Love your channel!

Thank you for your uplifting words. The best thing I can say about your presentation is Amen.

Thanks for this. So true

One should strive to be more like Christ 🙏💯

He HAS completed us. "Set your minds on things above, not on things on the earth, for your life is hid with Christ in God."

Formal Sin ? So while your busy living the Christian live we still Sin ! It’s a life of forgiveness and repentance for life !

Thank you thank you thank you!!!!

Thanks brother

We need to Sit Walk Stand. Ephesians. The Apostle Paul gave the teaching first then the application. One of the first books I read after a home Bible study with believers from our assembly was by Watchman Nee.

The Reformed understanding of assurance is "...an infallible assurance of faith founded on the blood and righteousness of Christ revealed in the Gospel.." We need to be reminded of this often. Yet, our confession goes on, ".. and also upon the _inward evidence_ of those graces of the Spirit unto which promises are made, and on the testimony of the Spirit of adoption, witnessing with our spirits that we are the children of God; and, as a fruit thereof, keeping the heart both humble and holy."

Yes! Please say this often! When people think about sin all the time it makes them sin more! Then they become Sanctimonious. This manifests in all kinds of weird ways! These folks in turn place heavy burdens on others by pointing out thier Specks! Please address this if what I am saying is clear. Thank you for today's podcast!!!

We will be cleaned and washed white as snow ❄️ before we get to Heaven in our new bodies! 💯🙏

The Chief end of man is to Glorify God and Enjoy Him Forever! Look to Christ, it is finished in all finality. Christ righteousness not ours.

Amen

I need to get your book

I think they might kill you for this 😂.....this was really encouraging. I've heard this before and it was foundational thinking back to a great book that I've read from Jerry Bridges called the Discipline of Grace. But I've never heard it phrased like this. This has always bothered me about many reformed churches and it's why I left a 9 marks church. I felt the message was always "try harder" and attempting to make you feel guilty for sin. I even remember someone telling me they don't think they were saved because they weren't experiencing "victory" over sin. It also reminds me of that debate Kevin Deyoung and Tullian had a couple of years ago. Tullian kept emphasizing the grace of God as the motivation for effort and Kevin seemed to be saying sometimes fear is appropriate too (which maybe he does have a point).

I wish someone would have taught me this sooner!

A recurrent sin of lust has come back with a vengeance. This video is useful, comforting

Hmmm. "For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live." You should read the rest of Hebrews, Pastor. Pay attention to these parts. Hebrews 6:5-8 Hebrews 12:15-17 All of Hebrews 3

It is interesting, however, how much of the Epistles focus on fighting sin. But you are absolutely right. Glorifying God is the point of the Christian life. Fighting sin is one way to do that in your life, but not the only way. Nor is it necessarily the most important.

What other channels can you reccommend that are REAL faith alone, please! The only one I know of is NeedGod (which has finally helped me understand the Gospel and the *glory of Jesus* after listening to a lot of Lordship preachers since 2014).

Pastor, In 11:44 you concluded that if we feel any conviction for sin, is because we then are just being pious. I agree that the main purpose of the Christian life is not just to "stop sinning", but how can you say that turning away from sin is just a futile thing to do?

Refreshing! I'm sincerely curious though, isn't the great commission making disciples, "...and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you" Matt 28:19 Or..."to bring about the obedience of faith..." Romans 1:7, 16:26 You are going to take me to John 13:34-35, arent you? But then what about the new commandment that John gives us in 1 John 2:15, "do not love the world or anything in the world..."? To your credit, though, this really describes the lack of assurance my friend is suffering with, and I suffered with as well. Falling short of man-made, arbitrary, disciplines (or even godly commands like working to support your family) produces a false sense of confidence in one's own performance, or a false sense of condemnation which Jesus already removed (for those who are in Christ).

Is it possible for a believer in Christ to be trapped in a certain sin for a lifetime?

God can not stand in the present of Sin ?

I cannot agree more on this take. God is the point of salvation and bringing people closer to God is the point of the great comission. It is all about a relationship with God and not sin management or theology or politics or having the right church services. All those things are what assist are relationship with God. Also we trust in the gospel: who Jesus is and what Jesus did and is doing. By the power of the Spirit, we are sons of the Father in the Son. Our union with Christ brings us into right relationship with God. We are made in the image of God and justified and adopted by God and that shapes our identity and how we are sanctified. We learn more and more right theology because we are sons of God and want to know our brother and Father (ad the Spirit). But we always trust in the gospel preached by Jesus because that gets to teh point of all things. How I wish more Reformed leaders would teach this. I think the only thing I probably disagree is that I think once you have the right big picture then sin management, spiritual disciplines, etc. can be very helpful. I do not believe in only navel gazing but I do think it is helpful to be more and more sanctified so we can have a better relationship with him. The spiritual disciplines and what some might call sin management can be a part of that. The great commission is about making disciples and teaching them all Jesus has commanded. Thus it is an ongoing thing which includes sanctification as a process. The same can be said about salvation as a whole. But the point is never that sin management or right theology is the point of the great commission or the gospel. Jesus is.

I agree that overcoming sin is not the Great Commission, but there are certain things that we are commanded to do like flee sexual immorality, which is what 1 Corinthians 6:18 commands us.

Does JC Ryle's book Holiness fall under piety?

What???

Did you say Heaven is not without Sin ?

Why do you agree with fighting against sin. Do you not believe that resting in Christ is what we fight FOR. The cross separated us from sin and the ascension put the holy Christ in my new nature.

Easy believism has created a lot of folk who never received the gift of Salvation in the first place I think that really muddys the waters in this. And I think there is quite a lot of talking past one another between those who claim to hold to Lordship salvation and yourselves and vice-versa. Doug Wilson and his ilk however seem to be an altogether different heretical gravy altogether.

Is it either or? You say the goal of the Christian life is not sinlessness --and it is true we won't be sinless on this side of eternity-- but doesn't the Lord call us to be holy as He is holy? Are we not called to mortify the deeds of the flesh? Are we not told to flee the appearance of sin? So yes, we should love and care for our neighbours, but that is as much and aspect of the Christian life as is being conformed to the image of our Saviour who knew no sin. His coming was to save His people from sin, so to say the Christian life isn't about that seems very odd. Again, I repeat that it isn't all fighting sin... We have been delivered from the curse of the law such that our pursuit of sanctification isn't a means to be saved but because we have been justified through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. So what might be helpful is addressing how to deal with our remaining corruption without seeing that as the grounds of our acceptance in Christ. Thank you.

You are actually dead to sin, because you were baptized into His death, Romans 6:3. "I have been crucified with Christ..."

Not following you here. I’ve never felt the need for piety when going to MacArther’s church. The great commission is about bringing people to Christ. Maybe you should debate someone on this because although you have some legitimate points, I don’t think you are representing Lordship salvation and reformed theology correctly

Very dangerous sermon Pastor. The majority of professing Christians are going to Hell because of sin. If there isn't radical change in your sin nature which is a divine act of God. God regenerates you where you no longer are a slave to sin but a slave to Holiness. Sin has been overcome by the power of Christ living in you. If you are still struggling with sin there is a good chance God hasn't converted you yet and none of your sins are forgiven. Jesus didn't die just to cover your sins, but to give you power to stop sinning through the indwelling of the spirit.

Amen