Sin have dominion over me?

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pm

Puritan Board Freshman
Psalm 119:133
Keep steady my steps according to your promise,
and let no iniquity get dominion over me.

I Cor 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you that
is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will
not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but
with the temptation he will also provide the way
of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

Does I Cor 10:13 negate Psalm 119:133?

Along the same line, is it not true, as we sink deeper in sin
God gives us over to a depraved mind? Isn't that the same as sin
getting dominion over me? Or is that not true of the Christian?

What about the Christian who struggles with
"the sin that so easily beset us" (Heb 12:1) their whole life?
Does not that sin have dominion over me?
 
My :2cents: ; Believers are never "given over" in the same sense as unbelievers; God will not let them fall fatally; though they may fall grievously.
 
Both the effects of sin and the effects of grace are profound, some aspects we cannot fathom in our finite minds. We are called to respond in faith.

Basically, when God redeems a sinner- He elects, regenerates, justifies and adopts that person. Man has nothing to do with making these happen, God does them and they are a miracle only God can do.

When God does these miraculous things that only He can do, the dominate power of sin over us is broken. This is why a sinner is now "free" to truly rest in faith in Christ alone for salvation because the sinner's constituent nature has been changed by God.

The unredeemed person has a bias, a tendancy, a bondage toward sin, which controls his nature. The reformers call this "moral inability." When God changes a sinner, he changes the constituent nature of a human being and gives the sinner "moral ability" to truly rest in faith in Christ's righteousness alone.

That does not mean a redeemed person instantly becomes perfect (remember justification is by the perfect righteousness of Christ, not the person's behavior). He does not. Perfection comes in the state of glory only.

Yet, after God redeems us, a remnant of the "old nature" abides in us. God provides grace to overcome the remnant of the "old nature" which involves a constant battle in our lives. This is called sanctification and as I understand it, is a cooperative work between us and God- man plays a part in this.

This is why it is important in this life for Christians to avail themselves of the "means of grace" God has provided for sanctification-

reading and meditating on His Word,
praying,
singing His praises,
taking the sacraments.

These strengthen our faith and bring more obedience and more blessing on our life. We need to make these a priority in life, because God commands it. That would be reason enough, but also provides much benefit and blessing on us for obedience.

Over time, the "new nature" becomes more evident. It may be hard to see at a given time but, over time, the changed nature that God alone gave us will show compared to a non-redeemed person.

The Westminster Confession of Faith summarizes this beautifully:

Chapter XIII
Of Sanctification

I. They, who are once effectually called, and regenerated, having a new heart, and a new spirit created in them, are further sanctified, really and personally, through the virtue of Christ's death and resurrection,[1] by His Word and Spirit dwelling in them:[2] the dominion of the whole body of sin is destroyed,[3] and the several lusts thereof are more and more weakened and mortified;[4] and they more and more quickened and strengthened in all saving graces,[5] to the practice of true holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.[6]

II. This sanctification is throughout, in the whole man;[7] yet imperfect in this life, there abiding still some remnants of corruption in every part;[8] whence arises a continual and irreconcilable war, the flesh lusting against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh.[9]

III. In which war, although the remaining corruption, for a time, may much prevail;[10] yet, through the continual supply of strength from the sanctifying Spirit of Christ, the regenerate part does overcome;[11] and so, the saints grow in grace,[12] perfecting holiness in the fear of God.[13]

Scripture proofs

[1] 1CO 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. ACT 20:32 And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. PHI 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; ROM 6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

[2] JOH 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. EPH 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word. 2TH 2:13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth.

[3] ROM 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

[4] GAL 5:24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. ROM 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

[5] COL 1:11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness. EPH 3:16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

[6] 2CO 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. HEB 12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.

[7] 1TH 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

[8] 1JO 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. ROM 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. PHI 3:12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.

[9] GAL 5:17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 1PE 2:11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.

[10] ROM 7:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

[11] ROM 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. 1JO 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. EPH 4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

[12] 2PE 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen. 2CO 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

[13] 2CO 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
 
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Has not been my experience

Scott, thank you for your nice well thought-out response.

But if I may, I would like to pursue this a bit further, you say;

These (means of grace) strengthen our faith and bring more obedience and more blessing on our life. We need to make these a priority in life, because God commands it. That would be reason enough, but also provides much benefit and blessing on us for obedience.

Over time, the "new nature" becomes more evident. It may be hard to see at a given time but, over time, the changed nature that God alone gave us will show compared to a non-redeemed person.

I have seen the above to be true in myself and others, but at the same time I have seen the opposite to be true. I know a 30 year Christian who has serious problems with desires of the flesh. The sin which so easily besets me (eating) has been a problem my whole life and continues to be so. I guess what I am saying, is that these things for me do not easily fit in the theory you espouse.

-----Added 12/1/2008 at 08:51:32 EST-----

Joshua,

No. Scripture never contradicts Scripture. This is a fundamental hermeneutical presupposition.

It is nice to say this, but here we have Psalms 119:133 asking God to not let sin have dominion over us, and I Cor 10:13 saying there is always a way of escape. I see a contradiction here, regardless of the " fundamental hermeneutical presupposition."
 
pmkadow

I have seen the above to be true in myself and others, but at the same time I have seen the opposite to be true. I know a 30 year Christian who has serious problems with desires of the flesh. The sin which so easily besets me (eating) has been a problem my whole life and continues to be so. I guess what I am saying, is that these things for me do not easily fit in the theory you espouse.

This is the teaching of your Westminster Standards in summarizing the doctrine of Scripture.

It's hard to know observing one case. We have limited knowledge.

You describe a 30 year old who is dealing with serious sin and then that you have been struggling with the same sin most all of your life.

One way to look at this is that Christians (those who God has elected, regenerated, justified and adopted) can yet have serious and radical falls into sin but never
total and final falls.

Why is that?

One reason is that Jesus himself is at the right hand of the Father interceeding daily for the elect. They never can be lost, it's not even possible.

God really does break the dominant power (not all influences) of sin over the believer. You may not believe that, but it is true. That's why we need to continue build our faith up to believe that (e.g. using the "means of grace" God has appointed).

One other possibility is that as one grows (sanctification) one becomes more aware of his sin- more aware of God's grace too, right along with it. That could also be this person's situation.

If a believer persists in sin, he will not be lost, but will be turned over to the chastening of the Lord. Sin still brings pain and misery, blots out the sense of assurance and offends God, even when a believer commits it. Whom God loves, he chastens (cf Hebrews 12:6).

Don't forget this is also a cause for church discipline if it is public and scandalous. God can and will grant repentance but there is involvement of man's will involved here (unlike getting saved in the first place).

Someone who persists in sin and gets more and more controlled by it over time is either:

1) a disorderly believer whom God will severly chasten
2) not a Christian in the first place

We have imperfect knowledge as created beings knowing what God knows, so we cannot know for absolute certain which it is.
 
It is nice to say this, but here we have Psalms 119:133 asking God to not let sin have dominion over us, and I Cor 10:13 saying there is always a way of escape. I see a contradiction here, regardless of the " fundamental hermeneutical presupposition."

I think the prayer in Psalm 119 is very much like the prayer Jesus taught us:

"And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors." Mat. 6:12.

And the passage in I Corinthians recognizes this truth:

"And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day." John 6:39.

They are not contradictory. We are told to pray without ceasing, and among other things, prayers for deliverance from sin and for forgiveness are always in order, even though we are assured we will not be lost. It is to God's glory.
 
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