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(HABITUAL DISOBEDIENCE)
I will be concluding the teaching on the subject: Obedience of Faith. The faith of our Lord Jesus Christ must be executed with obedience. As a Christian you must obey God. Not to obey God is to be disobedient and it can be very expensive. Obedience built the house of David, while disobedience damned the house of Saul. The both of them were king over Israel. Obedience and disobedience are both powerful. Obedience established the house of David up till this day. Disobedience can damn you and even the generations after you. The disobedience I am talking about here is not one-time disobedience, but continuous, attitudinal and habitual disobedience.
When we were sinners we were called disobedient people, but there is the tendency of this attitude following us into Christianity because only our spirit is born again, our natural being and attitude changes with time. This calls for the need to be taught the principles of obedience so that we can have and live it as a life style. Obedience is a choice, it comes from the heart. Obedience to God is obedience in faith. In this part, I will be teaching on habitual disobedience (habitual sin). Many a times, people want Jesus to remain as their Saviour not their Lord. As long as you do not have a master over you, you become disobedient, that is why Jesus Christ must be your Lord and Saviour and Master of all.
1 John 3:4-11 All who indulge in a sinful life are dangerously lawless, for sin is a major disruption of God’s order.
Surely you know that Christ showed up in order to get rid of sin. There is no sin in him, and sin is not part of his program.
No one who lives deeply in Christ makes a practice of sin. None of those who do practice sin have taken a good look at Christ. They’ve got him all backwards.
So, my dear children, don’t let anyone divert you from the truth. It’s the person who acts right who is right, just as we see it lived out in our righteous Messiah.
Those who make a practice of sin are straight from the Devil, the pioneer in the practice of sin. The Son of God entered the scene to abolish the Devil’s ways.
People conceived and brought into life by God don’t make a practice of sin. How could they? God’s seed is deep within them, making them who they are. It’s not in the nature of the God-begotten to practice and parade sin.
Here’s how you tell the difference between God’s children and the Devil’s children: The one who won’t practice righteous ways isn’t from God, nor is the one who won’t love brother or sister. A simple test.
For this is the original message we heard: We should love each other.
(The Message Bible)
Those who make a practice of sin are made from the devil. The devil is a pioneer of the practice of sin.
Initial Thoughts on This Subject
- The reason Jesus came into the world is to take away our sins because sin is a problem, 1 John 3:5. Jesus means Saviour from sin.
- The reason you cannot commit sin is because of the seed of life in you. This seed of life makes you obedient to God.
- It is important you know that you emulate the life of Christ in you.
- If you make a practice of sin you will be damned.
The danger of disobedient life style is so serious that it can separate you eternally from God. If you do any of these things mentioned in Gal 5:2021, no matter your Christian or church status, eventually you will be damned. This is a note of warning.
Gal 5:19-21 Now the works of the flesh are clearly revealed, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lustfulness,
Idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, fightings, jealousies, angers, rivalries, divisions, heresies,
Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revelings, and things like these; of which I tell you before, as I also said before, that they who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
I like to ask you these three questions:
- Does your life and nature reveal change since you were saved? Do you have the testimony of change since you were saved?
- Has your life been interrupted since you were saved?
- Is there evidence of your salvation?
If you have not changed then you haven’t met Jesus. No matter whom you are, when you meet Jesus you become better. If you die now, where will you spend eternity? The first act of disobedience is to reject Jesus. The flesh produces work (hard labour), but the spirit produces fruit from the seed of the word of God sown.
What Does Habitual Sin Mean?
- Usually it is a secret. The things you do and you don’t want anybody to know about it.
- It is a deceitful pleasure. It gives the flesh pleasure, Pro 9:17.
Deceitful pleasure manifests in the following manner:
- Deceit is anything you’re asked to do just once, e.g., just lie, steal, fornicate or drink just this once and thereafter no more. Mind you, once is never enough.
- Deceit says do it once and ask for forgiveness.
- It is usually enjoyable. Heb 11:25, Mark 4:19, Pro 9:17 stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.
- It is a stronghold, Rom 7:23-25.
- It works against your spiritual life. It works against spiritual growth. It is called hardening of the heart, Eph 4:17-19
- Habitual sin will destroy you at the end and finally laugh at you, Is 3:10-11.
The life that we live is a race and a journey. It is not yet over until we get to the end. Disobedience does no man no good, Ps 119:89. Jesus will always be a rock of offence to the disobedient, 1 Pet 2:6-8.
How To Deal Habitual Disobedience
- Acknowledge it. Acknowledge that you are disobedient, Ps 32:5
- Repent, not just remorse. Remorse is a feeling; repentance is a change. Repentance must be deep enough that you don’t do it again, Ps 38:18.
- Believe that God has taken care of it, 1 John 1:9-10.
Conclusion
Strong men are humble and spiritual. They feel sorry before God when they do wrong. Shun disobedience, cleave obedience; don’t go to hell. Some people have passed feelings this is what the bible calls the hardness of heart. Iniquity is the root of sin e.g., fornication, disobedience, pride, e.t.c.
