Ask Me Help Desk - What power do we have to repent?

Have you experienced power over sin? Were you able to repent? Give us some details.

COGS - this is a strange question... are you conducting a survey or something? And who is the "us" you are referring to? Just trying to figure out where you are coming from and why you are asking this question.

I don't know if we have power over sin... I think that would mean that we never sin, logically speaking. But as I understand what sanctification is, it's that we are no longer held under the power of sin in the sense that we do care or mind if we are living in it. Let me explain.

I am under the power of sin, I am arguing, if as I go through my life I behave immorally and am not the least bothered by what I do. I don't really care all that much about God and I don't really care much about my neighbor if I am under the power of sin.

On the other hand, to be free from the power of sin is to genuinely see that what I have done is wrong and seeing that it is good for me to try and do differently next time. It's not that I don't still do wrong but my response to my wrong should be different if I am no longer held under the power of sin.

Okay, let me give you an example of what I am saying. Let's say that I go to a restaurant for dinner. I eat and enjoy myself and soon after I am ready to leave. The server leaves me the bill and I pay it by leaving my money on the table and walking out. As I pass by another table, I see that someone had left a tip for the server which happened to be my server as well. I didn't really care for the server that much so I decide to pocket that tip and in my mind I rationalize it as being only fair since her service really stunk. I go on my merry way and I never bat an eye... never even give that episode a second thought. If I am not even the least bit bothered by this exchange, I'd argue that I am indeed under bondage to sin.

However, let's assume the very same scenario, only this time I am illustrating what being free from the power of sin looks like. I leave the restaurant and go on my way. In time, I begin to think about that event and I am bothered by it. In fact, I begin to regret what I have done very much. I even suspect that I have offended God and I feel the worse for that. In my heart, I acknowledge that I have wronged God and the server and I ask God for His forgiveness. Then, with a lot of fear and trembling, I decide to go back to the restaurant to find the waitress who served me that day. I admit to her that I stole her tip and that I am sorry for stealing it from her. I give it back to her and ask her for her forgiveness.

Now I may struggle often with a desire to steal but if my heart is like that in the second version of the story, I can say that I am no longer under the power of sin. Sin is still a part of my experience but if God has changed my heart, I relate to Him and my neighbor when I have been wrong in a completely different way. And that is victory!

Quote:

Originally Posted by revdrgade

What is sometimes overlooked is that we are told to repent of the sin so that it CAN BE forgiven. If a person persists, willfully in any sin, they will eventually be unable to turn to God and be forgiven.
It doesn't make any difference what sin it is.
When the "sin against the Holy Spirit" is spoken of, people CAN'T repent because they no longer have anything to do with God.....unless they are converted again, which is unlikely after rejecting the one Who gives them power to repent.

the above post, from another thread, is the reason for my question. By the way, thank you for your informative answer.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jakester

I don't know if we have power over sin...I think that would mean that we never sin, logically speaking. But as I understand what sanctification is, it's that we are no longer held under the power of sin in the sense that we do care or mind if we are living in it. Let me explain.

this is also a reason for my question, because we are to be free of sin, yet we're still captive to sin if we keep sinning. We need help. We would be no different from these people:
Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven.
Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy by thy name, and by thy name cast out demons, and by thy name do many mighty works?
Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
so how do we stop working iniquity? Where's the power, and have you experienced power over sin?

The Holy Spirit is the only power we have to repent. If you walk in the SPIRIT you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. He is the only one to show us light too.

Quote:

Originally Posted by classyT

The Holy Spirit is the only power we have to repent. If you walk in the SPIRIT you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. He is the only one to show us light too.

How do you 'walk in the spirit'?

Quote:

Originally Posted by cogs

how do you 'walk in the spirit'?

By totally being dead to the flesh. That means dying daily to self. I don't claim to always do this but I know how to.

Here is an example: I was addiicted to prescription pain killers. I am a christian and this type of thing isn't suppose to happen to born again christians. I was in total turmoil and it wasd an endless cycle. I finally made a decision: I AM NOT GOING TO TAKE THEM... now once I made that decision, the Holy SPirit helped me. I didn't WANT THEM... I didn't CRAVE them.. I was not obessessing about them. I was dead to them... I overcame it by being dead to it. It was amazing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by classyT

here is an example: I was addiicted to prescription pain killers. I am a christian and this type of thing isn't suppose to happen to born again christians. I was in total turmoil and it wasd an endless cycle. I finally made a decision: I AM NOT GOING TO TAKE THEM...now once i made that decision, the Holy SPirit helped me. I didn't WANT THEM...i didn't CRAVE them..i was not obessessing about them. I was dead to them....i overcame it by being dead to it. it was amazing.

I will say that a born again Christian has every sin and every temptation that anyone else has, In fact Satan works harder tempting them, since he already has the non christian so why worry about them too much.

The difference is the Christian is forgiven and also has conviction to let him know that certain things are wrong.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fr_Chuck

I will say that a born again Christian has every sin and every temptation that anyone else has, In fact Satan works harder tempting them, since he already has the non christian so why worry about them too much.

The difference is the Christian is forgiven and also has conviction to let him know that certain things are wrong.

Yes, it's that conviction I wanted to know about. Because:

Hbr 8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel After those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, And on their heart also will I write them: And I will be to them a God, And they shall be to me a people:

Rom 8:27 and he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to [the will of] God.

Rom 9:1 I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience bearing witness with me in the Holy Spirit,

Hbr 9:14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish unto God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

This should be considered here:
Rom 6:1-4
1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
(KJV)