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S. Michael Houdmann
Supporter
Romans 12:9 says, "Hate what is evil; cling to what is good." These actions are two sides of the same coin, and they are mutually dependent. Our grip on the good will be tenuous indeed if we don't ...
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Billy P Eldred
Supporter
As a practical answer to your question, I would say the best way is by reading the Bible. Over and over and over again. The more of God's word that you get inside you, the more you realize how worthy to be praised He is, the more you want to please Him and the More you know how just He is. Knowing this you see the contrast in God and Sin. You see how much he hates sin and wanting to please Him, you want to be like Him also hating sin. From a different angle I would say that knowing God's word helps you to recognise the real thing. What is good and what is right. I have read that the way they train experts to recognise forged money is to have them study over and over and over what the real thing is like. They become so familiar with the real thing that the fake becomes obvious. God's word is the same. Recognizing it makes what is not right (sin) disgustingly obvious and so inferior in comparison that you naturally hate it.
Seth Freeman
Supporter
Sanctification is the daily process by which we become more like Christ. The more you become like Christ, the less you will sin. I think the biggest thing to remember is that sin management doesn't work. Instead of trying to sin less, what you should do is focus on being more like Christ. Our focus shouldn't be on our sin and on our behavior, but instead our focus should be on Christ. As a Christian, you are forgiven now, redeemed now, holy now, and you are now a saint. It's the difference between looking at yourself as a sinner who was saved versus a saint who sins. It may sound like a minimal distinction, but the implications are large. If you place your focus instead of on sinning less, but on the character of Christ, and striving to be what He already says is true about you now in Scripture, then as a result you will sin less. We will all still sin this side of heaven, we all still battle our flesh. But the more we focus on Christ, and the more we become like Christ, as a result, we will naturally sin less.
Ben Zickefoose
Supporter
Overcoming and hating one's personal sin: When one wants to overcome and hate personal sin, consider that it is a mental, a heart issue. For a mental/heart exercise to overcome and hate one's personal sin, note Michael Houdmann's thought below taken from his response above in the next to the last paragraph. "The more often we consider eternity, the more we will hate our sin. "Man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment" (Hebrews 9:27). No one will still love sin after he dies. The sooner we think of sin not as a pleasure but as the basis of the coming judgment, the sooner we will hate our own sin." We should live each day in view of eternity. The choices/decisions we make every day, whether good or bad, will influence our eternal destiny, whether it be heaven or hell. When confronted with a situation that challenges your holy lifestyle, ask yourself, "What Would Jesus Do?" (WWJD) And, while considering what He would do, think about where He is now and where you want to be in eternity. Also, remember that God knows our actions, and our actions have consequences. 1 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. NIV Our behavior/choices/decisions have consequences, not only in this life, but in the life to come, as well. Be strong. Discipline yourself. Be self-controlled. Live a pure, righteous, holy life. Note the encouragement to be self-controlled in Titus 2. This admonition is for men and women, young and old. 1You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine. 2 Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance. 3 Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. 4 Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God. 6 Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. 7 In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness 8 and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us. 11 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. NIV
Grant Abbott
Supporter
Why do you want to hate your sin? Why not, instead, learn to love the Lord, your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. Learn to love all the people in your life more than you love yourself (Matt 22:37-39). Hatred is an attitude and feeling that is easily stirred up by our sinful desires. When people hurt us they naturally become an enemy that we hate. But Jesus said, love your enemies and do good to those who hate you (Luke 6:27). But aren’t we supposed to hate our sin because God hates sin? Yes, God hates sin, but his hatred is an extension of his love. God knows that sin will spoil, contaminate, pollute, wreck, ruin, destroy, etc., this incredible creation called human beings that God is so pleased with. God loves us so much that he doesn’t want anything to spoil what he has created. He even sent his son to pay the penalty for our sin so we could be set free from sin’s control and its effects. When we focus on trying to improve our performance, by hating (getting rid of) sin in our lives, we play into the devil’s strategy. Satan wants us to become self-righteous and legalistic, trying to earn our way into God’s blessings. When we fail to get rid of sin, the devil condemns us and tells us that God will not love and accept us because of our failure. In Romans chapter 12, Paul is exhorting us to offer our entire beings as a living sacrifice, which is holy and pleasing to God and our true and proper worship (Romans 12:1). In verse 9 Paul says “to hate what is evil and cling to what is good”. He is not saying we should hate our sinfulness, rather he is saying we should be repulsed by any evil influence that could allow sin to enter our lives. His real focus is on clinging to what is good and he provides many practical examples of doing good. He concludes the chapter by saying, “ do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21). The apostle Peter had a similar idea in mind when he said “above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins” (1Peter 4:8). Paul says the key to a holy life is to be transformed by the renewing of our minds, then we will be able to test and approve what God’s will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will (Romans 12:2). We need to change the way we think. Stop focusing on sin management and start focusing on what pleases God. The bible is full of practical guidance on doing the good that pleases God. When we focus our thoughts, words and actions on what pleases God, the following amazing things happen: 1. Because our time is spent doing good, we have very little time to indulge our sinful desires or pay attention to the temptations of the world. 2. When we focus on doing God’s will, he is pleased to fill us with his Holy Spirit. The presence of his Spirit causes our sinful desires to gradually die away. In their place, his presence brings love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23), which is the fruit of righteous, holy living. 3. The Holy Spirit also protects us from all evil forces, by equipping us with the armour of God (Ephesians 6:10-17) 4. We will spend more time on our relationship with God, more time spent in worship, thanksgiving, prayer and bible study. All the spiritual disciplines train us to become holy and develop an intimate relationship with God. In conclusion, as we do what pleases God we grow up to maturity and naturally avoid any temptation or sin that might spoil what God has developed in our lives. When sin does grab hold of us, we quickly confess it and ask God for his cleansing and renewal, so it has no lasting effect on our new life in Christ.
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