The more you try by your own effort at obeying the law in order to curb sin, the more sin will multiply. We see why in Romans 6:14— “For sin shall not have dominion over you for you are not under law but under Grace.”
The more you try to obey the law (stop sinning) by human effort, the stronger the grip of sin, but this is taught in reverse in many places of worship.

In a way, I see this verse - Romans 6:14 - play out in my kids’ lives during every school holiday. No PS4 on school nights (law) and they act like I’m cutting off their limbs. It's all they want to do. If I wasn’t there to restrict them from playing, that's all they would do all day. The holidays arrive and they can play for as long as they like without the threat of punishment or consequences (grace.) There's a playing frenzy for the first few days of this grace period. The frenzy fizzles out and then, somehow, they don't go near their game consoles for days on end.

Many who are struggling with sins and addictions go to church looking for salvation but get burdened with more laws to keep and things to do by human effort, based on the knowledge of good and evil. They are told in church that doing these things will make them godly (be like God.) Same strategy Satan used with Eve when he deceived her into eating of the tree of the same name - the knowledge of good and evil. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil is a picture of the law that many are trying to keep in order to become godly (be like God). See this in Paul's typology - the law as the forbidden fruit - in Romans 7:8-12 (MSG) -

"The law code started out as an excellent piece of work. What happened, though, was that sin found a way to pervert the command into a temptation, making a piece of “forbidden fruit” out of it. The law code, instead of being used to guide me, was used to seduce me.Without all the paraphernalia of the law code, sin looked pretty dull and lifeless, and I went along without paying much attention to it. But once sin got its hands on the law code and decked itself out in all that finery, I was fooled, and fell for it. The very command that was supposed to guide me into life was cleverly used to trip me up, throwing me headlong.

Satan is still seducing people through his ministers behind many pulpits today by deceiving many into thinking that they can be godly by human effort at keeping the law and doing certain things that involve human effort. It seemed good to Eve, as it seems good to many in the church today. But the end is death. The letter kills. We can do nothing without Christ, least of all be godly, but these "men of God" deny God's power in making the sinner who believes righteous through Christ. The result of feeding on the law is still the same as it was in the time of Adam and Eve - Death. Sin has dominion.

Just like my kids who lost interest in their PS4 game when they had grace to play without threat of punishment, "Without all the paraphernalia of the law code, sin looked pretty dull and lifeless, and I went along without paying much attention to it."
Remove condemnation and sin will lose its grip over the sinner. In Christ, there is no condemnation for the believer. Romans 8:1 says:

“Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

Think about this verse. Why would God tell you that there is no condemnation for you who are in Christ if you have not sinned? This gift of no condemnation is for people that have sins and believe that Christ paid the price for their sins. Also notice that Romans 8:1 begins with “Therefore.” It is the outcome of something in chapter 7:

21 “I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. 22 I love God’s law with all my heart. 23 But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. 24 Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?
25 Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.” End of Romans 7. Chapter 8 opens with:
“Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

It is Christ's “Neither do I condemn you” that makes us “go and sin no more.” Christ saves from sins. My video game analogy does not even compare to how we are saved from our sins by Christ of whom it is written in Matthew 1:21-
“She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”

Many people are worried about the issue of sins and living a life of moral excellence. This is the beauty of being in Christ. The Holy Spirit transforms us from within so much that what is on the outside cannot but align with what is inside.
Understand what makes a person a sinner; we see this in Romans 5:19—
“By one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous.”

Committing acts of sin is not what makes a person a sinner. People are made sinners by Adam's disobedience. Likewise, we are made righteous by Christ's obedience and not our puny efforts at obeying the law. The one with the sinful nature does not believe that he has been made righteous by Christ's obedience. He is not a newcreation in Christ. He has the sin (old) nature. He is trying to stop sinning/obey the law by his own power in order to be godly (be like God.)

This sinful nature inherited from Adam, when activated by the law that many are trying so hard to obey in a bid to be godly, is what causes sin to flourish. See Romans 7:5–
“When we were controlled by our old nature, sinful desires were at work within us, and the law aroused these evil desires that produced a harvest of sinful deeds, resulting in death.”

The law that many try to keep in a bid to be godly causes them to sin more. Christ died to rid us of this sinful nature that was inherited from Adam. See Colossians 2:13-

"When you came to Christ, you were "circumcised," but not by a physical procedure. Christ performed a spiritual circumcision--the cutting away of your sinful nature."

This is what happens when the sinner rests in God's gift of righteousness to us in Christ and is no longer trying to obey the law in order to be godly:

“So, my dear brothers and sisters, this is the point: You died to the power of the law when you died with Christ. And now you are united with the One who was raised from the dead. As a result, we can produce a harvest of good deeds for God.”

Imagine a maggot-infested pot (the sinner without God's gift of righteousness through Christ) with a dead rat in it (sinful nature inherited from Adam), with maggots breeding inside and crawling all over the outside of the pot (sin manifested), attracting flies and all sorts (lack, sickness, disease, etc.)

What our Saviour Jesus did for all who believe is get rid of the dead rat- cut away the sinful nature according to Colossians 2 above and gave us His gift of righteousness. He continuously washes and fills us to overflowing with the water of the Word (of faith, not the law), all through no effort of ours but through His Spirit that dwells in us.

In place of the dead rat aka sin nature that can only produce maggots of acts of sin that attract flies of lack, sickness and death, we have His gift of Righteousness and constant supply of the Spirit that produces right-living according to God's will and attracts not flies but health, prosperity and abundant life.

Once the heart is believing right, your actions and behaviour will line up with the Spirit within. The maggots outside the pot (sin manifested) will vanish in His time, with none crawling out to replace them because the inside is pure and alive, not stagnant!
All these things shall be ADDED unto you. Not only will you Live Right by "accident" and not continue in sin with Christ as your righteousness, you will do exploits and be a blessing to others too. Your salvation will be evident for all to see, "For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure." - Philippians 2:13.

ALL OF THESE HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH OUR PUNY EFFORTS AT TRYING TO LIVE RIGHT. CHRIST DOES IT ALL SO WE ARE UNABLE TO BOAST ABOUT OUR ABILITY TO STOP SINNING OR DEMAND THAT OTHERS DO SO BY THEIR OWN MIGHT AND POWER.

Many sinners want to stop sinning but what to do when you get tempted beyond what you can bear? No matter how much you tempt me to eat watermelon, I will not, unless you threaten me with harm But some people love watermelon. We all have different areas of weakness. Christ saves from all.

We look at some people and think they just want to wallow in fornication and adultery. Their weakness is not our weakness so we don't understand or know how hard they are struggling inside, trying hard to be obedient but failing. The reason they are failing is in Romans 6:14- "For sin shall not have dominion over you for you are not under law but under Grace."

We look at some people and think they should at least be able to abstain from doing certain "simple" things like watching pornography, just because we can do these things. Their weakness is not our weakness. We see a man in a wheelchair and understand why he cannot run a marathon but we wonder why a person that has legs is not running and chide him for his inability to run because of our inability to see that he is crippled inside.

The truth is the reason we are not committing particular sins is because we have not been tempted beyond what we can bear in those areas. Peter is a fine example of trying to not sin by human effort after experiencing Jesus. He KNEW 100% that he would never deny Jesus when he boasted in his own strength. But he failed, just as many of us boast that some sins are beneath us, until a test that we cannot handle comes up. If a big enough trial came our way and it was up to us to save ourselves, even the best of us will fail woefully.

No matter how much a weightlifter trains, if you give him more than he can carry, he will fail if he depends on himself. And we are not all of the same size. What is light to one may be heavy for another. The potential to commit heinous crimes is in everybody. The flesh in a pastor is the same flesh in a paedophile. The arm of flesh (human effort) will fail. God sees this potential and how favourable circumstances can make some people, even believers, think that they are above committing particular sins. But see 1 Corinthians 10:13-

"We all experience times of testing, which is normal for every human being. But God will be faithful to you. He will screen and filter the severity, nature, and timing of every test or trial you face so that you can bear it. And each test is an opportunity to trust Him more, for along with every trial God has provided for you a way of escape that will bring you out of it victoriously."

Someone needs to bring you out of your trials and temptations. That Someone is Jesus Christ. Trying to stop sinning by your own power when we can do nothing without Christ won't help you. Without Christ, all will fail if they encounter a weight that they cannot carry.

Those who can save themselves by their own power, even from the tiniest sin, are saying they don't need Jesus to wash them clean. These ones can save themselves from their sins. But this is what Christ came to do:

"She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” Matt. 1:21.

http://rightbelieving101..com/2018/06/as-believer-how-can-i-stop-sinning.html?m=1

The purpose of the law was never to justify, make righteous nor make holy. The Law was made to make sin known (Gal 3v19). It was made for you and I to know how grievous are the sins we commit. It purpose was for you to realize how helpless you're to make yourself holy by observing them and to make you realize the need for a Saviour (Gal 3v24-27). But the problem has always been that, some christians do not understand this and they try leaving sin but keep falling. Until you realized how helpless you're in forsaking all sins (because keeping one and forsaking others is being guilty of all (Gal 3v10), you'll never see the need for a Saviour. Morever, the law (working your own righteousness by your own efforts) is a shadow of the good things to come, the REAL thing is CHRIST (Heb 10v1). Christ Sacrifice is the Ultimate! The question now is, do you want to follow after 'shadows' or accept the REAL thing to purge all of your sins?? The ball is definetly in your court!.... jiggaz, thanks for this.

Bro Jiggaz, imagine making a law for dogs to stop barking, when you already know that is their nature to bark. Will it work? Don,t you think the law giver is out of his mind for making such a law? Because, the dog has not the ability to obey it.

This is the picture of a sinner. God didn't give us the law to obey because He knows we won't. The law was given that we may realise that we are trangressors in need of a saviour.

AlexRi:
The purpose of the law was never to justify, make righteous nor make holy. The Law was made to make sin known (Gal 3v19). It was made for you and I to know how grievous are the sins we commit. It purpose was for you to realize how helpless you're to make yourself holy by observing them and to make you realize the need for a Saviour (Gal 3v24-27). But the problem has always been that, some christians do not understand this and they try leaving sin but keep falling. Until you realized how helpless you're in forsaking all sins (because keeping one and forsaking others is being guilty of all (Gal 3v10), you'll never see the need for a Saviour. Morever, the law (working your own righteousness by your own efforts) is a shadow of the good things to come, the REAL thing is CHRIST (Heb 10v1). Christ Sacrifice is the Ultimate! The question now is, do you want to follow after 'shadows' or accept the REAL thing to purge all of your sins?? The ball is definetly in your court!.... jiggaz, thanks for this.

You welcome my sister. You said it all... Am happy you know the truth.

bloodofthelamb:
Bro Jiggaz, imagine making a law for dogs to stop barking, when you already know that is their nature to bark. Will it work? Don,t you think the law giver is out of his mind for making such a law? Because, the dog has not the ability to obey it.

This is the picture of a sinner. God didn't give us the law to obey because He knows we won't. The law was given that we may realise that we are trangressors in need of a saviour.

You are very correct my brother. You said it all... The law was given to show us our need for a saviour. It's all about Lord Jesus.

jiggaz:
You are very correct my brother. You said it all... The law was given to show us our need for a saviour. It's all about Lord Jesus.

Bro let's continue to intercede for those who have not yet seen and understood this "eternal truth" that their mind may be open to see it and believe it.

bloodofthelamb:


Bro let's continue to intercede for those who have not yet seen and understood this "eternal truth" that their mind may be open to see it and believe it.

Yes my bro. I always pray for them. The grace revolution is now massive all over the world. So many people now know the eternal truth of what Christ did at the Cross.

Evening

jiggaz:
Yes my bro. I always pray for them. The grace revolution is now massive all over the world. So many people now know the eternal truth of what Christ did at the Cross.

As in eh bro.. The knowledge of the holy One is covering the earth. Hallelujaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!!

Jiggaz God bless you for this wonderful exposition.

The law was a means to an end not an end in its self.

The law is holy and righteous but humans are depraved sinners.
the law was to expose sin and sinners for what they are.
the means of God exposing sin for what it is, is the law.

The law was never meant to justify sinners but to drive them to the feet of Jesus.

It is only by faith in Christian can a sinner be forgiven, sanctified and justified.

The justified man, who now has a new identity and a new nature is preserved by the life of Christ in him.

solite3:
Jiggaz God bless you for this wonderful exposition.

The law was a means to an end not an end in its self.

The law is holy and righteous but humans are depraved sinners.
the law was to expose sin and sinners for what they are.
the means of God exposing sin for what it is, is the law.

The law was never meant to justify sinners but to drive them to the feet of Jesus.

It is only by faith in Christian can a sinner be forgiven, sanctified and justified.

The justified man, who now has a new identity and a new nature is preserved by the life of Christ in him.

Excellent post!!!

Those who say grace is a license to sin; forgot that, "if anyone is in Christ(grace), he is a new creature with a Godly nature and desires."

bloodofthelamb:



As in eh bro.. The knowledge of the holy One is covering the earth. Hallelujaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!!

Amennnnnn!!!!

solite3:
Jiggaz God bless you for this wonderful exposition.

The law was a means to an end not an end in its self.

The law is holy and righteous but humans are depraved sinners.
the law was to expose sin and sinners for what they are.
the means of God exposing sin for what it is, is the law.

The law was never meant to justify sinners but to drive them to the feet of Jesus.

It is only by faith in Christian can a sinner be forgiven, sanctified and justified.

The justified man, who now has a new identity and a new nature is preserved by the life of Christ in him.

Thank you my brother... You have said it all.. It's all about Christ Jesus...

AlexRi:
The purpose of the law was never to justify, make righteous nor make holy. The Law was made to make sin known (Gal 3v19). It was made for you and I to know how grievous are the sins we commit. It purpose was for you to realize how helpless you're to make yourself holy by observing them and to make you realize the need for a Saviour (Gal 3v24-27). But the problem has always been that, some christians do not understand this and they try leaving sin but keep falling. Until you realized how helpless you're in forsaking all sins (because keeping one and forsaking others is being guilty of all (Gal 3v10), you'll never see the need for a Saviour. Morever, the law (working your own righteousness by your own efforts) is a shadow of the good things to come, the REAL thing is CHRIST (Heb 10v1). Christ Sacrifice is the Ultimate! The question now is, do you want to follow after 'shadows' or accept the REAL thing to purge all of your sins?? The ball is definetly in your court!.... jiggaz, thanks for this.

Ezekiel 36:26-27 aptly shows us the work of Christ in us. The seed of sin was uprooted and the seed of righteousness was planted in us.
"I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you;I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them."

OP great writ.inspired.

jiggaz:
Yes my bro. I always pray for them. The grace revolution is now massive all over the world. So many people now know the eternal truth of what Christ did at the Cross.

So true. Hallelujah!

pressplay411:


Ezekiel 36:26-27 aptly shows us the work of Christ in us. The seed of sin was uprooted and the seed of righteousness was planted in us.
"I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you;I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them."

OP great writ.inspired.

Thank you.

pressplay411:


So true. Hallelujah!

Amen!!

Thank God for the gospel of Grace... If not for this truth I would have remained a miserable Christian...

I'm humbled @Pressplay. Also, compare Isaiah50v8-9 with Romans3v33-34, you'll understand that it has been God who justify not man's futile works. Man's efforts can't justify but it is the will of God that the Law proceed to show sin and then Christ be revealed in the later days even though His sacrifice has been from the foundation of the world (1Peter 1v20 And 1Cor 16v25-26). Shalom!

Glory Hallelujah to the Lord.

calmG:
Thank God for the gospel of Grace...
If not for this truth I would have remained a miserable Christian...

Glory Hallelujah to the Lord.

calmG:
Thank God for the gospel of Grace...
If not for this truth I would have remained a miserable Christian...

Thank God for Christ Jesus cos He is altogether lovely ..

Lord Jesus... The altogether lovely one.

Good afternoon.

Evening

Lord Jesus...

Lord Jesus........

The law was given to point men to Christ, knowing that it's futile trying to live holy by our own effort.

This post reminds me of what happened today in church.
I was talking to a teen and along the line, I asked her,"Have you given your life to Christ?"
She hesitated before replying. She said,"I still sin."

So her initial hesitation was, she has given her life to Christ but still sins. To her, you need to be sinless before you can say you are now saved.


This is what performance-based preaching aka law preaching has caused: Telling people to be holy by their own effort.
But thank God I explained whose righteousness and holiness we depend on to make us holy. And knowing that it's impossible for the flesh to live holy.

BTW, I love this statement: "Remove condemnation and sin will lose its grip over a sinner.
Happy Sunday, dear Jiggaz.

Janeyinspires:
The law was given to point men to Christ, knowing that it's futile trying to live holy by our own effort.

This post reminds me of what happened today in church.
I was talking to a teen and along the line, I asked her,"Have you given your life to Christ?"
She hesitated before replying. She said,"I still sin."

So her initial hesitation was, she has given her life to Christ but still sins. To her, you need to be sinless before you can say you are now saved.


This is what performance-based preaching aka law preaching has caused: Telling people to be holy by their own effort.
But thank God I explained whose righteousness and holiness we depend on to make us holy. And knowing that it's impossible for the flesh to live holy.

BTW, I love this statement: "Remove condemnation and sin will lose its grip over a sinner.
Happy Sunday, dear Jiggaz.

Thanks dear... And God bless you for this your contribution. I like it.

bloodofthelamb:
Bro Jiggaz, imagine making a law for dogs to stop barking, when you already know that is their nature to bark. Will it work? Don,t you think the law giver is out of his mind for making such a law? Because, the dog has not the ability to obey it.

This is the picture of a sinner. God didn't give us the law to obey because He knows we won't. The law was given that we may realise that we are trangressors in need of a saviour.

barking is in the DNA of dogs. are you saying that sin is in the DNA of man?

Gggg102:



barking is in the DNA of dogs. are you saying that sin is in the DNA of man?

Yes.

Sin is his very nature and make up without God.

bloodofthelamb:


Yes.

Sin is his very nature and make up without God.

did god create him with such a nature?
if yes,


why?

if no,


then how did man get such a nature?

and

why did god not create man with the inability to get such a nature?

Gggg102:



did god create him with such a nature?
if yes,


why?

if no,


then how did man get such a nature?

and

why did god not create man with the inability to get such a nature?

No.

Man got the nature through disobedience.

Man would have been mindless, without a will of his own.

The beauty of mankind is that we have a will and we must conciously unite our will to God's will. This Adam the first seed of mankind did not do and he brought death to his seeds after him.