How to Stop Sinning

How do we stop sinning? "... in your faith supply moral excellence, and in moral excellence, knowledge, and in knowledge, self-control, and in self-control, perseverance, and in perseverance, godliness, and in godliness, brotherly kindness, and in brotherly kindness, love ..." wrote Peter in 2 Peter chapter 1. We find we believe in Jesus believing He is the Christ sent into this sad world by God. We believe His testimony that there is going to be lake of fire where sinners will go unless we stop sinning (in this life). The faith that Jesus Himself died for our sins leads to holding fast to the hope in His teachings and leads to awareness of true virtue which makes sin appear evil. The command of Jesus is that we put away such evil. The teachings of Jesus make us wise to what is true. We need to follow through with self control which is an inner struggle we each know with our emotions and thoughts and actions and applying wise avoidance of things that might cause us to sin. Jesus guards us but even so it can be that sin crouches at the door desiring to have us and we must conquer it. The promises in Jesus' teachings spur us on and strengthen our minds against desire and habit but we need to learn to control our inner feelings and thoughts and habits. We each have our special situations and weaknesses though these we find are common to all. There is no special trick or unfailing code. We fight and struggle and keep doing so all our lives holding to Jesus' teachings and those of servants He sends. Church life can help but sometimes can hinder. We add the need to pray and respond better to what God does in our lives. We add the kindness of behaving nicely to others as part of the way to the ultimate goal of being loving saints who do to others as we would have them do to us and love the God who sent Jesus to make this way possible by the shedding of His holy blood. As I believe in and seek to follow Jesus I find the Spirit making me stop and meditate on the sacrifice Jesus became on the cross and led me to renounce what He showed me is sin and know that the blood of Jesus means I can leave that sin and stop doing it. God provided the Lamb sacrifice of His Son. God being father and God wants us to wash our own clothes in that blood. He might do the first bit for you when you believe but He wants you to do the washing too.

The Penultimate Empire

Our Lord Jesus, by revelation from His God and our God, has left us in Revelation 13 a powerful sequel to the prophecy given to Daniel in Daniel 7. The angel showed Daniel that the lion in Daniel's prophetic vision was Babylon and the bear was to be Persia and the leopard was to be Greece so when God showed the future Beast empire as a mixture of leopard and the lion and the bear it is quite clear what this means. When the beast empire is shown coming out of the sea this too recalls the same detail in Daniel's prophecy of the lion, Babylon (Neo Babylonian empire led by Nebuchadnezzar), coming out the sea stirred up previously by the four winds of Heaven. The nations around the world were in turmoil as Nebuchadnezzar took power after decades of rebellions and scourges and city sackings all over the world (Scythians, Medes, Egyptians and the like all scourging the earth). In the Revelation vision it is a sea not said to be whipped up like this but with Satan as a dragon newly cast out from Heaven standing there on the shore of the sea. This Revelation beast combines those empires as one combined empire. The terrifying reality worse perhaps than the world-ending turmoil of the decades before Nebuchadnezzar's rise is that the dragon will be furious having been forced down to the earth out of heaven and will vent that fury like never before by how totally he gives his power to this new beast. When? Of course we do not know the timescale but to be sober about it, these empires of lion (Neo) Babylon and bear Media-Persia and leopard Macedon-Greece did not last much more than 50 to 100 years at their height with each having a few successive 'kings of kings' (Persia having four) with reigns of up to a few decades on average. Nor did the appear overnight but took a decade or two for the groundwork to be set down before they gained territory and took their first gains of conquest. So on one hand a brand new combination of such empires would take a decade or two to develop and could last fifty to a hundred years before being defeated at Christ's coming in power. We might have decades before a hint of such an empire's rise appears and that time could be greatly clouded and darkened for unbelievers by the horrendous apocalyptic events preceding it and Satan being cast to the earth from Heaven. Such events occurring along the lines of Revelation's first twelve chapters would enlighten believers who see their redemption drawing near. Revelation 11 is key to knowing whether its apocalyptic events are happening because there is clear reference to the literal city of Jerusalem ("where our Lord was crucified") and there is mention of a literal, physical temple there: It is at this time that the Beast Empire appears; when two martyrs it slays will rise from the dead in full view and ascend before an earthquake splits the city into three. It all seems literal in this passage. If this hasn't happened then the following chapters have yet to happen too. So since a literal, physical Jerusalem Temple is not built with Gentiles trampling its outer court like chapter 11 relates it is pretty clear we are not seeing yet the events of the following chapters and the Beast is still to arise as a world empire of the order of those ancient world empires. I reckon decades of Empire rule have not yet started and will not start until that Jerusalem Temple is built and we will see it rise when the two martyrs rise. The Beast is primarily a leopard. It has a lion's mouth and bear's feet but primarily it is like a leopard. The angel told Daniel (Daniel 7) the leopard is the empire of Greece. Look at how the original leopard grew. The Ancient Greek Empire took shape by alliances between cities (perhaps the leopard's spots?) that happened quickly led by one ruler Philip of Macedon and it may well be that the new Greece Empire will form as alliances are quickly made between cities while maybe Iran (the bear) and Iraq (the lion) are only joined with later. It might be like the first such empires where it took two or three reigns in succession to fully form as other empires are either conquered or united through alliances and marriages by these successive rulers. It might be the leopard's first powerful rising ruler forms alliances as before then fights major battles and later successors bring in the lion as head and the bear as feet. All over decades like before. An indicator it is happening is Rev 11 where there is rule over Israel and Jerusalem has a Temple. Revelation is what Christ says so this applies: (2 John verse 9) "Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son." We have to keep reigning in our thoughts and keeping them if they are in line with the teachings of Christ (and the revelation of Him within us and hope of future revelations of Him) and dropping them when they are contrary. (1 Peter 1:13-15: " Wherefore having girded up the loins of your mind, being sober, hope perfectly upon the grace that is being brought to you in the revelation of Jesus Christ, as obedient children, not fashioning yourselves to the former desires in your ignorance, but according as He who did call you holy, ye also, become holy in all behaviour,") So this Beast will arise when Jerusalem has a Temple and the Beast will reach a pinacle of power where for a short time it has power of all the world. How long it takes to reach this maturity might, I think, be similar to the time the original beasts of Neo Babylon onwards took which was rapid at first but prolonged over decades to reach full power. But what will happen between now and then to indicate the approach of it? I think it is still to come the revelation in Revelation 9. A third of all mankind being killed by forces of evil originating at the Euphrates with the loosing of powerful spirits bound there. Maybe we have it beginning with the Iraq violence we see but it will grow, it seems to be saying, until it affects the whole world enough to kill a third of it - billions. Evil apocalyptic torments will lead up to this but maybe then there will be a high chance of not surviving to see the awful rise of the Beast. Maybe this violence will be the Armageddon foretold by Enoch and Ezekiel. When the third of trees and of all grass on earth gets burned up we will know it is starting soon because of what is written in chapter 8. Maybe Islam is merely incidental and maybe democracy is more characterstic since the beast is like a leopard (like the Ancient Greece Empire) but only has mouth like lion and feet like bear (Iraq and Iran). The leopard seems the main component and with dragon's power (Satan). I think what we see in present IS is a hint at the dragon power it will have but we are not at a stage of seeing it yet but some components might be forming decades before the full manifestation. What we see is chaos and enmity against Israel so this might be chapter 9 prerequisites forming which might put us before chapter 8 or at its start with the four angels at the Euphrates about to be released after a period of natural massive catastrophes some in answer to the prayers of the people of God (chapter 8 beginning). Out of it chapter 9 will grow and might result in Armageddon enemies of Israel attacking but Ezekiel 38 fulfilled with their demise preparing a way for Temple to be built as Jerusalem is strengthened by victory from God, preparing way for chapter 11. So I would conclude Islamic enemies of Israel supported by Russia as in Ezekiel 38 could rise up led by the four spirits released at the Euphrates (after a period of huge disasters burning up trees and grass - sun turning dark in smoke of it - like Joel 2) but war heightened in Megiddo (Enoch and Ezekiel) and all these turned on eachother to their destruction and leaving Israel to rise and Jerusalem to be dominant with a Temple but still so corrupt that saints try to flee it in adversity hence called Egypt spiritually in Rev 11. By this time the Beast will have risen with Satan empowering it so it kills the two witnesses in Jerusalem.

I tend to think the sixth seal is probably to haapen next and soon: Sun turning to sackcloth because of some massive apocalyptic event (Rev 6). Then perhaps soon after that (after a pause with protective spiritual sealing of the saints) the next seal (seventh, Rev 8) being a burning up of the third of the trees and all of the grass. So the Beast might be forming at early stages but it might be some time before it has its time of power (Rev 11 and 13).

Pankration

In the book 'Revelation' given from God through Jesus Christ to John, there is a word for God which is pantokrat translated Almighty and in ancient Greece there had been an olympic sport called pankration with similar meaning "all of strength". The sport required two contestants to wrestle with all their strength using every way they could by both kicking and heaving at eachother to gain supremacy. This seems to be alluded to in the word for Almighty which shows God is full of such power as to be able to use it against any opponent and win fairly. So it seems God has chosen to make us as worthy competitors to contest with all kinds of strength so as to come out on top fairly. This is seen in how Jacob wrestled all night with what he thought was a man but later found to be God so he was called 'Israel', and the rest is history. We are made in the image of God as those who can wrestle with God fairly as worthy sporting opponents but not enemies. All for God's great joy. Oh the scariness of the thought that here hidden on this planet resides the being who made the entire Universe and we are made so we are like this person enough that we can appreciate and dwell with Him. Such a thought requires us to have the likeness in our minds and souls and spirits in the image of Him just to survive and understand the awareness of it; all so that we can live side by side with Him in a future city like His Son lives side by side with Him now.

Studying Scriptures

If our goal is merely to study and know the Bible scriptural books and letters but not to act regularly and daily on what we read we are deluding ourselves and better off not reading scripture. I had a leader at university who challenged us 'what have you done recently because of something you read in scripture? how have you changed your behaviour because of something you read in scripture?'. This made me try to spend longer making sure I obey than I spend studying scripture. To obey you need more than knowledge, you need understanding. To understand it you need to meditate on it day and night and hope God in time grants you insight. But be warned: reliance on keeping the Law of Moses makes some Bible readers stumble and fall away from reliance on the grace of God that Jesus gives. Some Gentile readers even stumble into having their male children circumcised so they can keep the Old Testament feasts. Just reading it can be hazardous without guidance of grace and proper explanation. Just think - it is a set of thousands of years worth of historic sacred documentation and needs learning to read safely and even many learned have stumbled in reading it, as Saul did even under Gamaliel's guidance before Saul saw Jesus and became Paul.

There is Sin but There is Jesus

The Gospel of John chapter 8 verses 10-32: "... When Jesus had stood up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are your accusers? Did no one condemn you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more.” Again, Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life.” The Pharisees therefore said to Him, “You bear witness of Yourself. Your testimony is not true.” Jesus answered them, “Though I bear witness of Myself, My testimony is true. For I know where I came from and where I am going. But you do not know where I came from or where I am going. You judge according to the flesh. I judge no one. Yet if I do judge, My judgment is true. For I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent Me. Even in your law it is written that the testimony of two men is true. I am One who bears witness of Myself, and the Father that sent Me bears witness of Me.” Then they said to Him, “Where is Your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither Me nor My Father. If you knew Me, you would know My Father also.” Jesus spoke these words in the treasury, as He taught in the temple. No one arrested Him, for His hour had not yet come. Again, Jesus said to them, “I am going away, and you will seek Me, and you will die in your sins. Where I am going, you cannot come.” So the Jews said, “Will He kill Himself? For He said, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’ ” He said to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins. For unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.” They said to Him, “Who are You?” Jesus said to them, “Just who I have been telling you from the beginning. I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true. So I tell the world what I heard from Him. They did not understand that He spoke to them of the Father. So Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and I do nothing of Myself. But I speak these things as My Father taught Me. He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.” As He spoke these words, many believed in Him. Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you remain in My word, then you are truly My disciples. You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.”..."

Erratum

Must correct my earlier comments about Revelation with respect to what is signified by the beast. A sister corrected me. The first beast in Rev 13 is clearly signifying a mixture of three beasts in Daniel 7 since it combines the lion and leopard and bear in Daniel 7. It arises out of the sea as in Daniel 7. The angel already interpreted it for Daniel as to which empires were signified and so it is safe to understand the Rev 13 beast in this light: There is no mention of EU or UK or USA here but rather Babylon and Persia and Greece. The Babylon the Great can be regarded as the same Babylon which is the lion in chapter 13. The second beast comes out of the land so maybe this is where the mystery lies.

How Holy Is Your Faith?

How much of a blessing is the real spiritual gift of speaking in tongues by the Holy Spirit? What does scripture say? "Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries. But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification." So wrote the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 14:1-5. There is more to it that is not in that passage though, such as this in an earlier passage in the same epistle: 1 Corinthians 2:4-6 "and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God. Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away;" We might well want to have the holiest faith in which to build ourselves up and this kind of faith had best come not from human words of wisdom and cleverness but from demonstration of the Spirit's power, one manifestation of which is the genuine gift of tongues. Then when maturity comes closer as that faith builds us up we need real wisdom from God and one way this comes is through true interpretation of said gift of tongues by the gift of interpretation of tongues. Leaves a question: How holy is your faith? You need to build youraelf up in faith that is truly holy. Even if churches do not encourage such faith, real holy faith is wiser than human wisdom or anything that depends on human wisdom, even wiser than some of the wisdom encouraged in churches who might actively discourage the holiest faith.

Way to Go

There will be a new city of peace with Jesus and God reigning directly and places in it will be going to those whose deeds written from their lives are in the book of life. If we are only ever sinning slaves to sin in this life, typified by the slave of Abraham, we are not children of the promise and our names are not written in the book of life. If we follow the words of Jesus and holding to them we over time put sin away from us as He sets us free then we will fill our lives with deeds that are worthy of being recorded in the book of life and our names will be found in it at the Judgment so the new city of peace will have a place for us. John 8, Galatians, Revelation 21-22.

Due Care and Attention

Although we are to cast our cares upon God He does not want us living and working without due care and attention for our needs and happiness and for the needs and happiness of those we live with and those we work with. To call Him our God and then ignore careful attentiveness is to deny His own care for not just us but others too. This is why Jesus, Son of God, refused to condemn the woman recorded in The Gospel of John chapter 8 caught in adultery - because God cares for sinners too. One caring provision God has made for man is the Sabbath. 'The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.' Even though enshrined in the Law of Moses, the commands in the ten commandments are to us like executive orders we obey even though not under Law but under Christ. The Sabbath was directed towards the Jews but extended in the prophets towards Gentiles living amongst Jews but here in the words of Christ who is over the Church His Body we have application of it in God's care 'for man'. So in love for God we can obey His commands, His executive orders, and live in the care He has lovingly provided and revealed in the coming and ministry of Jesus His Son.