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All os us have to deal with sin and its tragic consequences in our lives. Understanding why we sin is a first step in overcoming and avoiding sin.
by Roger Foster
in is a universal human problem. It's something we all do. But have you ever stopped to ask why? Why can't we make a studied decision not to sin and then never again disobey God?
The apostle Paul eloquently expressed our frustration with sin: "For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do" (Romans 7:15).
Not everyone wants to sin. But everyone does. Again, why? Why do we so often fall short of God's standards and our own expectations?
Here's the reason
The Greek word most commonly translated "sin" simply means "to miss the mark"-to fail to adhere to the righteous standards God has set for us. Paul expressed the same concept, lamenting that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23, emphasis added throughout). Through His Word, God reveals the proper standards for our behavior. When we miss the mark, or fall short of those standards, we sin.
Because he was a physical being just like us, Paul knew that sin "dwells in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find" (Romans 7:16-18). We have limited natural ability to properly live up to right standards and values. We repeatedly fall short of the honorable conduct God expects of us.
Paul explained why. We sin, or miss the mark, because of something that dwells in us, in our flesh. Jesus identifies the most significant characteristic of the "flesh," or our nature, that causes sin. "Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak" (Matthew 26:41). It is the weakness of the flesh that gives birth to sin. Let's understand just how this works.
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