When the Believer through ignorance or otherwise, turns away from Christ, ie., ‘the Grace of God,’ to a Law of his own devising in order to overcome sin, instead of victory he will actually find the direct opposite, more sin. Let me explain:
Let’s say that a Believer has a problem with an uncontrollable temper. It could be cigarettes, alcohol, jealousy, lust, envy, greed, pride, etc. In other words it could be anything, but we will use the temper problem.
He is now a Christian with the Divine nature within his heart and life; consequently, he instantly knows this is wrong, it is hurting his Testimony, and causing all types of problems. In other words, him losing control is sin.
Loving Jesus as he does, and woefully ashamed of his actions, he sets about to obtain victory over this problem, oftentimes he will attempt to do so in many and varied ways. He’ll think that he must pray more, or perhaps fast one or two days a week. Perhaps he must witness to more people about Christ. Surely, he must study his Bible more, and these things will solve his problem.
If he is a Pentecostal or Charismatic, he will get in a prayer line somewhere in order for a Preacher to lay hands on him, and if the Power of God comes upon him, and he is “slain in the Spirit,” etc., he will think surely that this is the answer to his problem.
In fact, all of these things we have mentioned such as prayer, etc., are excellent in their own right; however, these things were never intended by the Lord to give us victory over sin. It is somewhat like using a handsaw as a hammer. While the handsaw does an excellent job at what it is built to do, it does not serve too well as a hammer.
So, in effect, the Believer has now made a “Law” out of these good and wonderful things, thinking surely that he will be helped.
In fact, he will be helped, because prayer and fasting, as well as the study of the Word, and other such like things are always a great help; nevertheless, it will not be the help he’s looking for, which is victory over sin. He will find to his dismay, that not only does he still have this problem of an uncontrollable temper, but in fact, it’s even worse.
WHY IS IT WORSE
It is worse simply because he has resorted to “Law” whether he realizes it or not, thereby abandoning the Grace of God. Consequently, he doesn’t have the Holy Spirit to help him, which the Holy Spirit will not do under those circumstances. As a result, he is doomed to failure irrespective of all of these things he is doing in order to bring about victory.
You see, there is something in man, even Believers, that wants to “do something.” And the doing is always wrong because it is outside of Christ. No matter how much willpower he uses, no matter how much effort he makes, the end result is going to be failure and despite all these other things he is doing.
Many Believers become frustrated at this stage, simply not knowing what to do. They’ve tried everything they know, and the problem is not getting better but rather worse.
None of us think of prayer, or fasting, or the study of the Bible as Laws. In fact, they aren’t Laws; however, the Truth is, we make a Law out of these things, that is if we depend upon them for victory which has already been won in Christ. I pray the Reader can understand that of which I say.
By no means are we denigrating prayer or a study of the Word of God, but only stating that it must be done for the proper reasons. Then it brings good, beautiful, and wonderful results.
AN INSULT TO CHRIST
By us adding these good things, as wonderful and helpful as they are in other capacities, in our efforts to overcome sin, we are in effect, whether we realize it or not, saying that Christ did not finish the task at Calvary and needs our additions. This is what I mean by our efforts being an insult to Christ.
The Truth is, Jesus paid it all. He defeated every demon and power of darkness at the Cross. He satisfied the claims of the broken Law, thereby satisfying God. He also broke the grip of sin whenever those claims were satisfied; consequently, Satan has no more hold upon the Believer. The following in brief is the answer for victory over sin.
A VICTORIOUS OVERCOMER
The Believer should not try to be victorious or to be an overcomer. If he tries such, he will fail for the simple reason that he is frustrating the Grace of God. The Truth is, the Believer is already a victorious overcomer in Christ. It is given to us freely upon Salvation. We don’t have to do anything to receive it but simply maintain it. It is ours, a free Gift from Christ. It comes with Salvation.
The Believer should study Romans Chapters 6,7 and 8. In the Sixth Chapter of Romans, he will find that we are literally baptized into the death of Christ when He died at Calvary. We will also find in that Chapter that we were buried with Him, and then raised with Him in Newness of Life. Consequently, we are now a “new creature in Christ Jesus,” and Satan has no more hold over us. In other words, exactly as Romans 6:14 says, “Sin shall not have dominion over us for we are not under the Law, but under Grace.”
This means, that the Cross of Christ was not only the necessary vehicle for our Salvation, but as well, it pertains to our everyday victory in Christ.
So, the Believer must understand what happened at Calvary, which we have just given in brief, and must have Faith in this which Jesus did, literally “reckoning himself to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom. 6:11)
Once again, it’s all a matter of Faith. The Believer is to believe that Jesus paid the sin debt, and that He also broke the grip of sin.
When the Believer understands this and then believes it and keeps believing it, actually confessing it (Rom. 6:11), victory is his.
THE HOLY SPIRIT
When our Faith and Confidence is in what Christ did at Calvary and the Resurrection, the Holy Spirit will then help us overcome this “temper problem,” or any other problem we may have (Rom. 8:1-3). What we found to be impossible for us, is no problem whatsoever to the Holy Spirit, for He is God.
The idea is that our Faith and Confidence is now in the Price paid by Jesus at Calvary, which the Holy Spirit always honors. So, the answer is not greater willpower, or dependence on anything else for that matter, but rather on the Finished Work of the great Sacrifice of Christ, which guarantees not only our Salvation, but perpetual victory. This is the only answer for the sin problem.
Then, we will actually pray more, study the Word more, and all these other things, which will now have even a greater purpose and meaning. Because all of this now is in the right context. (JSM Commentary)
