Just do it...or stop it.
The following videoclip can be found on a post by Tim Challies called "Just Stop It!"
Indeed, there are things in my life I need to just...stop. Or just...do.
Challies relates the following Mark Driscoll story:
The man called him in the middle of the night crying and begging for help because he had committed a certain sexual sin yet again. Though Driscoll’s answer was a tad vulgar I think he essentially gave the guy the right one: Just stop it!My mom was telling me of how years ago when she was on a prayer chain at a church we used to go to, she got a prayer request from a woman who said that she always went to _______________ and ended up _____________. Well, if she asked any Christ follower for advice, most likely they'd immediately think the solution would be to simply stop going to the places that led her into deep sin that so entrenched her.
But that's...her. What about...me? Should I immediately think the obvious answer would be for her to stop while I still fall through sin's trapdoor? Hmmmmm...
Challies goes on to write:
Some time ago I spoke to a friend about an ongoing sin in his life and tried to show him that the essence of his problem was this: he hates his sin just a little bit less than he loves it. Sure he wants to stop sinning, but even more he wants to keep sinning.Good point, good point. SO. How do we hate our sin of doing certain things or/and not doing the good we know we should do? Perhaps by thinking about it and what we should (not) do in our 'off' times, when we are not immediately faced with the temptation? Perhaps if in these moments we fill our minds with Scripture, that might spontaneously come to mind when in the midst of the battle of temptation where our better senses seem to have lost? Or each time we are tempted to (not) think or (not) do something (good) bad, even if we love our sin, we should instead cry out to God and ask Him to provide the way out as is promised (1 Cor. 10:13)?
Challies ends his article with this:
But there comes a time when forsaking sin, truly putting it to death, requires a decision of the mind and an act of the will. Sooner or later I need to just stop it. And God can give me the strength to do so.May God indeed give us the grace and strength to...stop...or....do.
4 comments:
I wonder how many people have "sin" as one of their standard blog threads. It's a very thoughtful article.
Then again, my sister referred me to someone's blog last night. Based on how all their entries involved drinking at bars and watching bands, I guess they have "sin" covered pretty well.
Good picture with the cat by the way!
BDB
BDB (comment #1),
Thanks...as for "sin", I think it would be neat for the depravity of mankind to be emphasized or addressed more in more Christian communities, church theologies, and interactions. Sin's a toughie, and I think it gets glossed over or neglected all too often in both our personal lives and also in some/many Christian communities. We don't always call sin as it is and instead we may feel others would sympathize or we may use euphemismistic expressions to hide its ugly face.
Well, yes, more churches should talk about sin being the condition of man. Some pastors shy away from it to be "seeker sensitive." My pastor doesn't...and our church has grown from 300 to 8000. Preaching the Gospel is always the right thing to do.
BDB
Wow, your church is huge! Neat that your pastor doesn't shy away from the gospel.
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