04 - CHAPTER 2: CAN "LITTLE" SINS BE CONQUERED?

The Victorious Life is a Life of Victory over Sin. Is such a thing possible? It is not a question of absolute sinlessness like that of Christ, or that of Adam before the fall. There will always remain the clear declaration of St. John. "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves." IS VICTORY PROMISED US? The question we are facing is this Can we obtain Victory over known, voluntary sin? Is any such hope of victory taught in the Bible? Is it ever experienced-lived out-by men today? If so, can ANY believer in Jesus Christ have Victory over all known sin -- say, for one whole day-or is such Victory only for our spiritual leaders? Surely these questions are often in men’s minds. We WANT such Victory and even the Church of England teaches us to pray daily, "Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this day, WITHOUT SIN." "Grant that this day we fall into NO SIN." Our Lord Himself taught us to pray, "Deliver us from evil" -- or the evil one-i.e., sin, or the author of sin. In the Church Catechism we teach our children that in this prayer we are asking God to "keep us from all sin and wickedness." Does Christ or any branch of His Church bid us ask for an impossibility? If these prayers are not mockery, then a Victorious Life is possible. But come down to everyday life. Can we think of any ONE SIN over which Victory has never been won? We have seen drunkards turning to Christ, and IN A MOMENT getting absolute Victory over strong drink. Such men often declare not only that they have never fallen again, but that THE VERY DESIRE for alcohol has been entirely taken away. This is miraculous. So with other great besetting sins-God has given instantaneous and complete Victory.

If then we can get Victory over some deep-rooted, besetting sin, cannot our Saviour make us Victorious over the sins we sometimes regard as "little"? Christian people, as a rule, i.e., in the great majority of cases, are NOT drunken, or vicious, or immoral. But this can also be said of very many worldly and irreligious people. Isn’t it true that there is little to choose between the average Christian and the ordinary moral "worldly" man? So the latter says, "What will it profit me to become a Christian?" And what can we say in reply? What would the worldly man gain? And what would others benefit by the change in him?

UNDER THE TYRANNY OF SIN Do we see any signs of the Victorious Life in the majority of professing Christians? In any flourishing Church, how many of its members exhibit a glowing love of souls and a burning zeal for Christ? We merely ask the question. In how many do we see Victory over so-called RESPECTABLE sins? -- bad temper, irritability, pride, jealousy, backbiting, unlove, ANXIETY?

Now we ask in all humility, Is there any remedy? Is there any hope of getting the Victorious Life? That is, a life of habitual Victory over sins ("small" as well as great) -- a life of constant and conscious fellowship with God? If such a hope can be found, it will be in God’s Holy Word. Is it there? "Victory over known sin! Can I get it?"

What a momentous question! If we can get it for an hour-or a day- then why not HABITUALLY? Dare we ask every reader to put aside all ideas of his own on such a question? Will you approach it with an unprejudiced and unbiased mind? For the time being just shelve any preconceived ideas you may have on this subject. Forget all your own failures-and the faults of other Christians. Yes-and forget all THEORIES of holiness. Simply allow God’s written Word to speak for itself. Surely this is not an unfair demand? A PROMISE AND A COMMAND

What does the New Testament talk about chiefly? By far the greatest part of it is devoted to telling Christians how to live after they have found Christ as their Saviour, rather than how to GET SALVATION from the penalty of sin. Before our Lord was born, the Angel of the Lord said of Him, "Thou shall call His name Jesus for He shall save His people FROM THEIR SINS" (Matthew 1:21).

Quite early in His ministry, Christ Himself said to His disciples, "Be ye therefore perfect even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect" (Matthew 5:48). This must mean SOMETHING. The Saviour would never command an impossibility. Here He definitely bids us possess some sort of "perfection"- in fact a perfection in SOME WAY like that of God the Father.

It is very wonderful and at first sight it seems impossible- incomprehensible. But THERE IS THE COMMAND.

Peter, speaking by the Holy Spirit, gives a very similar exhortation: "But LIKE as He which called you is holy, be ye yourselves also holy in all manner of living; because it is written ’Ye shall be holy, for I am holy’" (1 Peter 1:15). We are then definitely commanded to possess some sort of "holiness"-in fact a holiness like that of Jesus Christ. The writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews shows how important this is. "Follow peace," says he, "with all men, and holiness, WITHOUT WHICH NO MAN CAN SEE THE LORD" (Hebrews 12:14).

John tells us plainly that he is writing his first Epistle so that its readers "may not sin" (1 John 2:1). May we very humbly ask whether it is presumption on our part to inquire into the meaning of these words? WHERE PRESUMPTION LIES

It surely WOULD BE PRESUMPTION to doubt the possibility of our carrying out any command of Jesus Christ or the Holy Spirit? Ought not every sincere follower of the Lord Jesus to try to discover what these verses of Scripture mean? Are you looking for the Return of Jesus Christ? Is that your hope? Well, more than 1,900 years ago, John said, "Everyone that hath this hope set on Him, purifies himself, EVEN AS HE IS PURE" (1 John 3:3).

St. John expects to find in Christians a purity somehow like Christ’s!

"Whosoever is begotten of God doeth no sin... he cannot sin..." (1 John 3:9).

We have not referred to Paul’s declarations on the same subject. "Reckon ye yourselves to be dead unto sin..." "sin shall NOT have dominion over you" (Romans 6:11 and Romans 6:14).

He tells us how it is done. "The shield of faith wherewith ye shall be able to quench ALL the fiery darts of the Evil one" (Ephesians 6:16). Do not our hearts burn within us at the very THOUGHT of such a life as is held out here?

Now whatever we may think about these words from Scripture-whatever our prejudices, whatever our past failures-however impossible it all seems-we cannot deny the following facts. In the Bible-God’s Word:

1. There is a perfection commanded, in some way like that of God the Father.

2. There is a holiness enjoined like that of God Himself.

3. There is a purity offered, like that of Jesus Christ.

4. There is a possibility shown of resisting every attack of the evil one. The life which such "perfection," such holiness, such purity, and such power would produce would surely be a Victorious Life. Are we willing to study the question further? We are absolutely certain that God would not mock us by commanding an impossible standard, or by offering us something He is not able to give. The question is NOT "Can I live a Victorious Life?" (We all know what the answer to that question is.) No! The thing which concerns me, is just this: "Can Jesus Christ MAKE me holy-KEEP me holy-GIVE me Victory?" If He can -- shall we not get it? And then, shall we not cry out with St. Paul-in all exultation and yet withal, in all humility and adoration- Thanks be unto God which gives us the VICTORY through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:57).