HOW TO PREVENT SIN
Do you realize that if it is wrong to do a certain thing, it is wrong to harbor thoughts of that thing in your mind?
"All have sinned," says the Scripture.
Satan
ought to know — and he is the invisible influence who sways the course
of this world. Hollywood is considered by many as the world's mecca of
sin. The newsstands in Hollywood used to carry a very worldly booklet,
written in a very light, "breezy," and satirical vein, titled "How to
Sin in Hollywood." It gave a definition of sin. The definition is
expressive, and not far from the truth. Here it is: "Sin is thinking
thoughts you ought not to be thinking about things you ought not to be
doing while you are thinking that kind of thoughts."
God's
definition is: "Sin is the transgression of the law" (I John 3:4) — the
law of "love," as defined by the Ten Commandments. Jesus said: "That
which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For from within,
out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts. adulteries,
fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness [all violations of the law
— the Ten Commandments] . . ." (Mark 7:20-22).
"All have
sinned," says the Scripture. And what man, especially what Christian,
is there who has not time and again experienced the struggle against
sin described by the Apostle Paul? "What I would, that do I not; but
what ] hate, that do I. . . . For the good that I would I do not: but
the evil which I would not, that I do" (Rom. 7:15, 19). Who is there
who has not lost that struggle, perhaps many times?
Of course no
man, of himself, can live above sin. "With men it is impossible," said
Jesus, "but with God all things are possible." And Paul continues (Rom.
8:4, 14) to show that the only deliverance from this "body of death" is
through Jesus Christ, and the indwelling power of God's Holy Spirit —•
"that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk
not after the flesh, but after the Spirit . . . they are the sons of
God."
Yes, but we have OUR part in it, too. And it all centers in the mind.
Repentance
of sin means, literally, to change one's mind in respect to sin. If we
repent, and are baptized accepting Jesus Christ as Saviour, the promise
is we shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit "and be renewed in the
spirit of your mind" (Eph. 4:23). The presence of the Holy Spirit is
the renewing of the mind.
How does sin actually happen? ". . .
Every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust [desire}
and enticed. Then when lust [the desire IN the mind] hath conceived, it
bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death"
(James 1.14-15).
The temptation is in the mind. When you think
about the thing that tempts you — let your mind dwell on it — turn it
over in your mind — whether it be a desire to go some place, to DO
something, or to have something you know is wrong — that thinking about
it finally conceives — leads to action — and breeds sin. You finally DO
the thing you kept thinking about, wanting to do. If you keep thinking
about it, after a while you'll be unable to resist it. That's why
you've lost so many of these struggles against sin — you kept thinking
about it, desiring it, wanting it.
The
way to prevent sin is to let God's Spirit fill the mind. "Set your
affection on things above, not on things on the earth" (Col. 3:2).
The
way to put a thing OUT of the mind is to put an opposite thought IN the
mind. So often I have noticed parents of babies strive so hard to
"shush" up the baby when it is crying. There's either something causing
pain, which should be removed, or something in the baby's mind that is
causing its crying or fretting. Just saying "shush!" or commanding the
baby to stop fussing doesn't usually get very good results. We have
reared four children, and long ago I learned the trick of quieting the
baby by getting its mind on something else. Instead of commanding it to
stop crying, attract its attention with some new object — get it
interested in playing with that object (I have often used my fountain
pen with excellent results) — and before you know it the child will
forget all about its crying.
Try using this same method on
yourself. But instead of material or worldly things, a mature person
should use self-discipline and set his mind on spiritual things. Open
your Bible. Put the study of some spiritual subject in your mind. Next
time you are tempted, try it. Pray over it. Ask God to help you. See
how rapidly you begin to win the victory over temptation and sin, and
how marvelous will be your spiritual and character
growth.
by Herbert W. Armstrong Plain Truth Magazine January 1968 