Your Debt to God's Spirit
We must recognize our personal responsibility in resisting sin and apply Romans 8:13 to mortify the deeds of the body through the Holy Spirit.
Theodore Epp emphasizes the importance of personal responsibility in resisting temptation, highlighting that while temptation itself is not a sin, yielding to it is. He explains that it is through the Holy Spirit that believers can mortify the deeds of the body, but this requires a determined will to choose righteousness over sin. Epp encourages believers to recognize their role in the process, as God works within them to will and to act according to His purpose. He reminds us that having the mind of Christ enables us to align our thoughts with His, leading us to yield our bodies as instruments of righteousness. Ultimately, enduring temptation leads to the promise of the crown of life for those who love God.
Text
Romans 8:6-17
It is not a sin to be tempted, but it is sinful to allow oneself to be drawn away and to yield to the temptation. So at the time when temptation arises is the moment to apply Romans 8:13--to mortify the deeds of the body through the Holy Spirit. And notice that it is only through the Holy Spirit that we can effectively do this.
This calls for a new attitude. We must recognize that we are personally responsible. We cannot escape our responsibility by saying, "Well, it is the Holy Spirit's job to take over, so I am not responsible." The Holy Spirit will not and cannot work if our minds are not determined to hate sin and to refuse to fulfill what our evil natures urge us to do. It is not just a matter of feeling hatred for sin, but it's a determination of the will. The mind is the seat of the will, and we must use our thinking capacity to choose that which is right and to refuse that which is wrong. God assists even in our willing, or choosing, for Philippians 2:13 says, "It is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." But God will not bypass our wills. If we choose to do wrong, He will not force us to do right. Our wills must be in complete submission to Him.
The person who knows Jesus Christ as Saviour has "the mind of Christ" (1 Cor. 2:16). By God's Word, through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, we know what Jesus Christ would think about a given matter; therefore, as we seek to honor Him, we think the same way. This is why we should not yield the members of our bodies as instruments of unrighteousness but should yield them to God as instruments of righteousness (Rom. 6:13).
"Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him" (James 1:12).
Sermon Outline
- I. The Sin of Yielding to Temptation
- A. It is not a sin to be tempted, but it is sinful to allow oneself to be drawn away
- B. We must apply Romans 8:13 to mortify the deeds of the body through the Holy Spirit
- II. The Importance of a New Attitude
- A. We must recognize our personal responsibility in resisting sin
- B. The Holy Spirit will not work if our minds are not determined to hate sin
- III. The Role of the Will in Resisting Sin
- A. Our wills must be in complete submission to God
- B. God assists us in our willing, but will not bypass our wills
- IV. The Mind of Christ
- A. We have the mind of Christ through Jesus Christ
- B. We should think the same way as Jesus Christ through God's Word and the Holy Spirit
Key Quotes
“It is not a sin to be tempted, but it is sinful to allow oneself to be drawn away and to yield to the temptation.” — Theodore Epp
“Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him” — Theodore Epp
Application Points
- We must recognize our personal responsibility in resisting sin and take action to apply Romans 8:13.
- We must have a determined will to hate sin and refuse to fulfill our evil natures.
- We should think the same way as Jesus Christ through God's Word and the Holy Spirit.