Are You Radical in Killing Sexual Sin？
Mack Tomlinson urges believers to adopt a radical, militant approach in mortifying sexual sin, emphasizing the necessity of serious, decisive action to conquer temptation.
This sermon emphasizes the importance of believers actively and radically fighting against sexual sin and temptation by not leaving any avenue open for struggle. It highlights the need for a militant approach to killing sin, comparing it to plucking out an eye or cutting off a hand to avoid falling into temptation. The speaker stresses the seriousness of avoiding all appearance of evil and having a strong attitude towards sin as vile, offensive, and demonic, urging believers to take drastic measures to maintain moral purity.
Full Transcript
What advice do you have for believers in fighting sexual sin and temptation? I think anyone that struggles with that area continually, or it's the big battle and they're being defeated, or it's always the issue on the table, ultimately there's one thing going on. The gate is cracked open. What I mean is, some way, some avenue is open for them to struggle.
And they're not violently, radically, militantly killing that thing and conquering it. They're somehow being passive. They're in weakness.
They're looking at things in moments they shouldn't. They're leaving the gate open. You know, if you don't leave the gate open, the cows aren't going to get out.
You're not going to have a problem with having to round them up. And so, I think the truth, the doctrine of the mortification of sin, the New Testament teaches, the spirit of the New Testament on that is a radical, militant killing of it where it's a plucking out of an eye. It's the cutting off of a hand.
It's fleeing youthful lust. It's avoiding all appearance of evil. Having such an attitude of that sin is so vile and so offensive and so demonic, but because it's so alluring and fleshly satisfying in the moment, and it's so tempting.
Those two things are so radically the delicious pleasure for the moment of evil, vile, demonic darkness. Right? And the only reason we would ever partake of that, I mean, if this cup of coffee, if I told you there's 5% arsenic in it, but it's mostly coffee, okay? Nobody in their right mind is going to take a sip, see? Because I know the deadly things that's in it. And I don't have a drastic position of no contact ever.
And I don't think Christians, I don't think people have the radicalness about not tolerating it in any way. You know, if David on his balcony when he saw Bathsheba had instantly said, it's wrong for me to look on her and run into his falling on his knees and cried out to God, what would have happened? Would the story be differently? But he didn't. The look lingered.
The lust started. The mind and the will was weakened. The choice was made.
The sin happens in the bedroom. And you know, the rest of the story. So, at times in my life I've seen, I've become aware.
I've had these moments where it was like God was speaking to me and I had to acknowledge I am not serious enough about that sin, whatever it is. Anger or lust. What man doesn't have a lust problem? That there's always the potential to lust toward an attractive woman.
And so, the lust opportunity is always going to be there. What is my handling of that? How serious minded am I to say I do not want to lust toward any woman? And I have a prayer I pray. When I'll see, I'll say pure heart, Lord, right now.
Pure heart. It's made me become serious in the moment of putting that sin to death. I don't think there's a seriousness about mortifying sin.
If somebody got serious enough about this, you think about somebody gets cancer. They'll go to the ends of the earth. They'll spend their whole savings to just deal with the cancer.
Well, how serious are we in our lives about moral sin and moral purity? If a guy gets real serious, he'll do whatever it takes to conquer it.
Sermon Outline
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I
- The ongoing battle with sexual sin is due to leaving the gate open.
- Passive attitudes allow temptation to gain foothold.
- Radical, militant action is necessary to conquer sin.
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II
- The New Testament calls for mortification of sin with urgency.
- Sin is vile, demonic, and alluring, requiring decisive rejection.
- Examples of cutting off sin like plucking out an eye or cutting off a hand.
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III
- David’s failure to immediately reject lust led to sin’s progression.
- The importance of immediate, serious response to temptation.
- Prayer for a pure heart as a weapon against lust.
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IV
- Comparing seriousness about sin to fighting cancer.
- Believers must be willing to do whatever it takes to conquer sin.
- Call to radical seriousness and no tolerance for moral impurity.
Key Quotes
“The spirit of the New Testament on that is a radical, militant killing of it where it's a plucking out of an eye. It's the cutting off of a hand.” — Mack Tomlinson
“If somebody got serious enough about this, you think about somebody gets cancer. They'll go to the ends of the earth. They'll spend their whole savings to just deal with the cancer.” — Mack Tomlinson
“What is my handling of that? How serious minded am I to say I do not want to lust toward any woman?” — Mack Tomlinson
Application Points
- Be vigilant to close every avenue that allows temptation to enter your life.
- Adopt a radical, no-tolerance attitude toward sexual sin, treating it as deadly and vile.
- Pray regularly for a pure heart and the strength to mortify sin decisively.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean to 'kill' sexual sin radically?
It means to take decisive, militant action against temptation, not allowing any avenue for sin to enter or linger.
Why is sexual sin described as so alluring yet vile?
Because it offers momentary fleshly pleasure but is fundamentally evil and destructive, requiring believers to reject it completely.
How can believers practically fight lust?
By fleeing youthful lust, avoiding appearances of evil, praying for a pure heart, and being serious about mortifying sin.
What biblical examples illustrate the danger of tolerating lust?
David’s story shows how lingering looks and unchecked lust can lead to sin and devastating consequences.
How serious should Christians be about moral purity?
As serious as someone fighting a deadly disease, willing to do whatever it takes to overcome sin.