Whatever is in the Heart!

This is true, but we do not have to give into that which plagues us every day.

Romans 7:15-20
"15 For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. 16 But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good. 17 So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. 19 For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. 20 But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me."

There are those who would use this passage as an excuse to continue enjoying sin. The sad reality is that those who use this excuse are probably not born again.

Just take a good look at the attitude of Paul here in the passages. He hates it when he sins, therefore he fights against the sin that dwells in his body.

1 John 3:8-10 "…8 The one who practices sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the very start. This is why the Son of God was revealed, to destroy the works of the devil. 9 Anyone born of God refuses to practice sin, because God’s seed abides in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. 10 By this the children of God are distinguished from the children of the devil: Anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is anyone who does not love his brother."

If we sin we have an advocate and can be cleansed of that sin, all it takes is a desire to be cleansed and faith that God will do it for you.

1 John 1:9
:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Our Advocate, that is the Holy Spirit, works in us to sanctify us. The cleansing is an ongoing process as we confess more we sin less. Those who do not believe they sin after salvation will not be confessing their sin, therefore they will not grow in holiness. These people stagnate and even regress over time, their heart becomes hardened to their own conscience.

Those who do not believe they ever sin after salvation are far worse off than those who know they do and confess to be cleansed.

1 John 1:7-8 "…7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us."

When we keep close accounts, confessing to be cleansed we will have fellowship with Christ. If we do not do this then we will not lose salvation but we will lose fellowship. The Holy Spirit will stop speaking to stubborn hearts.

Psalm 66:18, "If I regard wickedness in my heart, the Lord will not hear."

If we want God to be in constant communication with us, then we must confess sin as soon as we notice it happening within us. Sin does not have to be an action. Sin begins in the heart before it is an action. Temptation is not sin, but giving into temptation long enough to ponder it in our hearts will give birth to it outwardly eventually. Eliminate the sin in the heart before it becomes an action, then we will avoid many pitfalls and much relationship destruction.

Our thought life drives our actions. Whatever is in our thoughts will eventually become actions if we do not confess it while it is still a thought.

Proverbs 4:23
"23 Watch over your heart with all diligence,
For from it flow the springs of life."

If you are raging at someone then there is anger in the heart. If you are blessing those around you with empathy, then there is love in the heart. These things cannot be faked, eventually any pretense will emerge for all to see.