These notes are to accompany Grace Rules, by Steve McVey, published by Harvest House Publishers, 1998

Notes for "Overcoming Our Sins"

Introduction:

As I reflect back on growing up in a Christian home, it seems to me that as a family, especially my parents, we were quite concerned about identifying what was "right" and what was "wrong." My mother was famous for her often repeated admonition, "If you will do the right thing, in the right way and at the right time, you won’t have any problems."

Identifying sin and overcoming it seemed to be a very important part of following Jesus, so it was quite a shock to me when I discovered that we don’t experience victory by struggling against our sins, but by setting our minds on Jesus. Victory does not come to those who try, but to those who trust! God’s provision for our sins is not a plan, but the Person of Jesus Christ!

(Colossians 3:1-3) Since you were raised from the dead with Christ, aim at what is in heaven, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. Think only about the things in heaven, not the things on earth. Your old sinful self has died, and your new life is kept with Christ in God.

How does setting our mind on Christ enable us to find freedom over sin’s power?

McVey’s illustration of marbles, basketball and girls shows that we don’t experience victory by struggling with sin, but by setting our minds on Jesus…we will never overcome sin by sheer effort and determination. That kind of negative motivation will get our eyes off of Jesus and on our sins, assuring our failure! A legalist will always focus on behavior, but when grace rules, we will focus on Jesus.

How does this passage relate to what Paul says in Romans 8 abpit setting our minds on things of the flesh?

(Romans 8:5-6) Those who live following their sinful selves think only about things that their sinful selves want. But those who live following the Spirit are thinking about the things the Spirit wants them to do.6 If people’s thinking is controlled by the sinful self, there is death. But if their thinking is controlled by the Spirit, there is life and peace.

Use AA illustration…want to stay a drunk? Keep on trying to not be one!! Sobriety only comes when we recognize our inability to stop drinking and place our confidence in the Higher Power who can give us the victory. Whatever we focus on will determine our behavior. Concentrating on sin will guarantee that we will keep on sinning! God won’t bless our efforts to deliver ourselves from sin after we are saved any more than He would help us overcome our sins before we were saved!

In this week’s chapter, what were the two lies that Jim believed which kept him enslaved to pornography?

1) he loved the sin; 2) he hated himself. If he had loved the sin, he would never have come for counsel. He confused his sin with his identity and therefore saw himself as his own worst enemy. The indwelling sin is not who we are!

What are some common lies the enemy uses to keep Christians from experiencing freedom over sin:

A. That temptation is sin.

B. If I repeatedly commit the same sin, I was not sincere when I repented earlier.

C. If I sin, it’s proof that I love sin.

Can you identify a specific lie, which you have believed about your own sins?

What is indwelling sin? What verses prove that the power of sin is not a part of the Christian’s identity?

(Romans 7:14-20) We know that the law is spiritual, but I am not spiritual since sin rules me as if I were its slave. I do not understand the things I do. I do not do what I want to do, and I do the things I hate. And if I do not want to do the hated things I do, that means I agree that the law is good. But I am not really the one who is doing these hated things; it is sin living in me that does them. Yes, I know that nothing good lives in me—I mean nothing good lives in the part of me that is earthly and sinful. I want to do the things that are good, but I do not do them. I do not do the good things I want to do, but I do the bad things I do not want to do. So if I do things I do not want to do, then I am not the one doing them. It is sin living in me that does those things.

What a wonderful discovery to find that the Christian is not evil…there is however, something evil that is within even saved people.

What are some common methods that Christians utilize in an effort to overcome personal sins?

A. Pray and promise

B. Memorize scripture

C. Read Christian self-help books

D. Counsel with others…seek their advice…accountability partners

Why do these methods fail?

They are asking the wrong questions…it’s impossible to get the right answers by asking the wrong questions! As long as the questions are what or how questions, there will be the mistaken belief that there is a method or plan that will result in victory. God’s provision for our sins is not a plan or method, it is the Person of Jesus Christ who took away the penalty for our sins at Calvary and comes to live inside us to free us from the power of indwelling sin in our lives. The right question is who, not how or what !!!

(Romans 7:24-25) What a miserable man I am! Who will save me from this body that brings me death? I thank God for saving me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So in my mind I am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful self I am a slave to the law of sin.

What is the law of sin and death?

The "law of sin and death" is the tainted earth suit we live in that constantly draws us to be independent from God…to use our own resources for living life here on earth.

What is the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus?

The "law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus" is a superior law and is the option every Christian has to live in total dependence upon the indwelling Christ to express His life through them. We experience that whenever we choose dependence over independence. (The hang-glider illustration…law of gravity vs. the law of aerodynamics)

How would you relate to a Christian friend who is living in open sin?

First I would get his/her permission to discuss the subject, without that willingness to receive, any further information will be useless and only cause conflict and resistance.

Next, I would explain that how and what solutions only make matters worse and bring defeat…which has probably been his/her experience.

Then I would share Romans 8:2 (Through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit that brings life made me free from the law that brings sin and death) and explain that God’s solution to our sin problem is Jesus Christ who took away the penalty for our sins at Calvary and comes to live inside to free us from the power of indwelling sin in our lives. The right question is who, not how or what !!!

Next week, we will discuss Knowing God’s Will…

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