Episode 123 - Derailing Your Transformation

On our journey to true, Biblical transformation, it's important we take time to make sure we aren't doing anything to derail our transformation - or if we already have, it's important we get ourselves back on track. In this episode, we look at some of the red flags that are warnings that we may be hindering our sanctification and our growth in being transformed. 

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Transcript

Episode 123 – Derailing Your Transformation

           Welcome back! We’ve been talking about the greatness of God and the goodness of God. Like we said, it’s our purpose to glorify Him, and we mentioned that one of the ways we glorify God is when we turn from sin and repent. That’s true of our initial salvation, but it’s also true for the rest of our lives. As Luther put it, we are simul iustus et peccator (simultaneously just and sinful). We continue to repent and turn from sin until we die and go to Jesus or until He comes back (whichever comes first). Mortifying that sin is not easy, but God is good! He’s given us a Helper (the Holy Spirit) and the promise to “never leave us or forsakes us” – a promise that’s echoed throughout the Old and the New Testaments.

          It’s easy to get off track and still keep telling ourselves we’re headed in the right direction. We all do it. But there are some warning signs that can help us see when there’s danger ahead so we can change course and keep making headway transforming our lives. In light of that, today we’re going to take a little different angle on transformation and give some of those warning signs or red flags that we might be about to derail our transformation. And it’s possible that some of us might be derailed already; not making any headway at all toward our sanctification. For those of us in that situation, think of this as a call to action. This is possibly going to be a tough episode, and we want you to know that we’ve both been there. 

          There isn’t a Christian who hasn’t. Although we won’t be totally without sin this side of heaven, every believer CAN begin crucifying their sinful nature. In fact, we’re supposed to. Paul taught the church in Ephesus to “put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt … and be renewed in the spirit of your minds … to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” Chris, it’s hard to fight our lingering sin nature, but it’s non-negotiable.

          It is non-negotiable. In Colossians 3 it says we’re to “put to death … sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, covetousness, anger, wrath, malice, slander, obscene talk, lying, idolatry” anything about us that’s not like our Savior. If we’ve been raised with Christ, we’ve died to our old self, and we’ve got to cooperate with the Spirit to fight our sin to the point of killing it. In the words of John Owen, a well-known Puritan pastor, “Be killing sin, or it will be killing you.” In light of that, let’s get rolling on what some of those red flags are., Our first red flag that we might be headed toward derailment is if we find ourselves looking for agreement from others that what we’re doing (or thinking about doing), that we know deep down is wrong, is okay.

          Our friends hate to tell us bad news! And, often, if you ask enough people (like on the internet) you can find people sympathetic to your situation. There are tons of posts in social media groups wanting to know if it’s okay for a Christian to keep doing eastern meditative style yoga,  is it okay to live with your boyfriend, or whatever! And many get a lot of answers that they want to hear… sometimes because the people answering are steeped in the same sin that we’re asking about. Other times, we get answers we want to hear, because the people we’re asking don’t really know what the Bible teaches. If we know deep down that what we’re asking is sin, we need to force ourselves to go to someone who knows the Bible and get a straight answer. 

          Not something likely to happen on in a social media group. According to a 2017 Lifeway Research poll in America, only 11% have read the Bible the entire way through. Of those 11%, only 9% have read all of it more than once. (2017 was the latest I could find a number for that stat.) Chris, we say it all the time – Scripture interprets Scripture. If you’ve only read the from front to back once, or even a couple times, you don’t really know what the Bible has to say on most subjects because you hardly know the whole counsel of Scripture at all. 

          And that’s the reason to go to a trustworthy, godly person who knows and understands the Bible fairly well for advice. Someone that’s walking with the Lord (not that anyone is doing it perfectly), and someone who will keep a confidence, especially if it’s something deeply personal. So, get good advice, and get the Scripture where their answer is from and study it.

          Get sound advice, and then listen to that advice. Proverbs 12:15 says, “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.” And another is, “Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future.” (Proverbs 19:20) The next red flag that we might be derailing is if we find ourselves justifying sin, saying things like, “everybody’s doing it.”

          Chris, this is kidding ourselves into thinking there’s safety in numbers. Even if what we’re doing seems like the most logical thing in the world, and a lot of people agree that it is, we need to stop. In fact, if everyone is doing it, it’s probably a red flag TO stop – before we even start! Proverbs 21:30 says, “No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel can avail against the LORD.” And Proverbs 3:5 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths.”

          The truth is … God never changes. He never changes His moral law based on what humans think – or want! Not even when a whole bunch of them wish He would. There are several Scriptures that tell us God never changes, but in this instance Psalm 119:89 is one of the most relevant. It says, “Forever, O Lord, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens.” And as much as we might not like it that God doesn’t change based on what we want, there is a comforting side to God not changing. In fact, it’s one of the most comforting aspects of God.

          God’s immutability is great news for those who trust Him! It’s bad news for those who don’t, but for those of us who are saved we know that He will not and cannot fail to keep His promises to forgive us; in fact, to keep ALL of His promises to us!

          Amen to that! The next red flag that we’re derailing is when we’re hiding our sin from others. The reason we hide it is because of the shame it brings when others know. It’s hard enough feeling the weight of the guilt our sin brings. Who wants feeling shame on top of that? But that’s the kind of thinking that often keeps us stuck in the same place. 

          We need help! That’s one of the reasons God placed us in community with other believers. There is no “Lone Ranger” Christianity! That’s the importance of being in a local church (something we’re going to talk about in a few weeks). We need to be in fellowship with other believers. Galatians 6:1-3 says, “Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself.  Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.” (NLT)

          Go to someone! Like we said earlier, go to someone who knows the Bible and is trustworthy. Go in private. I’m not a fan of Christians airing their individual sins to groups of people, with the possible exception of it being a very small group of people of mature adult Christians that you trust a lot because you know each one of them well. When you’ve got a sin problem you’re ashamed of telling someone about, you’re looking for biblical advice and someone to come along side of you in prayer and for accountability if the situation calls for it. 

          Even though it’s really hard because we feel ashamed, staying in our sin instead of seeking help just drags out the inevitable. There are just some things we can’t handle on our own. So, stop hiding, ask God for forgiveness, and go get help. In the long run you’ll be glad you did. Something else that keeps us from transformation is because we’re not being honest with ourselves that we have a sin problem, and that’s our next red flag: we are avoiding the fact that we’ve got a sin problem. 

          You know, Rose, there are two red flags about this red flag that come to mind! Excessive exercise or extreme busyness can be red flags that we’re avoiding a sin issue. Sin brings anxiety. Exercise ups our endorphins and makes us feel good. Being busy keeps us from thinking about our sin issues because our minds are elsewhere. 

          And if we’re so busy we can push our sin issue to the back of our brains, guess what else we’re too busy for most of the time? Being in the Word and in prayer – the two things that bring conviction and repentance. If we want transformation to take place, we have to stop and be honest with ourselves. We’re not fooling God. I John 1:8-9 says, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 

          God is faithful, and He’s also gentle and loving, like we saw last week in Psalm 23. It’s scary to acknowledge our sin because then we have to deal with the consequences. So here’s another reminder about the God we take our sin to, from  Isaiah 40:10-11. It echoes Psalm 23: “Behold, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom and gently lead those that are with young.” We need to remember we serve a mighty God who holds us close and leads us gently. So don’t be afraid; just go to Him. 

          Next red flag is if you find yourself saying “I’ll deal with it tomorrow.” There are lots of verses that have to do with procrastination. Ephesians 5:15-17 says, “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.”

          We’re to be diligent because we don’t know when Jesus is coming back. I do this with eating more than I need. Gluttony is a sin. I went to a class a long time ago and this verse stuck with me: “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”  And it’s true. No discipline is easy. But there is reward when we’re diligent, whether that’s our eating habits, exercise, a disciplined routine in the morning or evening for Bible study. Our next flag is if you are contemplating going headlong into sin because you think, “In the end, this will all work out.” 

          Well, there’s no guarantee the situation you’re going into will work out. An example of this I heard recently was from someone who wanted to marry a non-believer who sounded like a really great guy. The girl had several Christian relatives who’d married non-believers and most of the spouses eventually ended up believing also. But the truth is, there is no guarantee it’s going to happen, and, more importantly, the ends don’t justify the means. Going into the marriage would still be sin, even if the person did become a believer eventually. 

          There’s another aspect of this we need to mention and that’s if we are persisting in a sin that we just refuse to give up. There are some pretty heavy warnings in the Bible. 2 Peter 2:19-22 says, “whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved. 20 For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.21 For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them. 22 What the true proverb says has happened to them: “The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.” That’s echoed in Hebrews 10:26, Matthew 12:45. Obviously, we’re still going to be fighting sin as we go through our whole lives, but if it’s something persistent, we should talk to someone about our faith.

          Next, if we find ourselves saying, “someone else will take care of it” when we know that we could (and probably should) do it ourselves, we might have a problem because not doing something we’re supposed to do is sin, just as much as doing something we know we shouldn’t do! These other sins are called “sins of omission.”

          Oh, the sins of omission! James 4:17 says, “whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.” We should ask ourselves sometimes if there something we could do that we’re using an excuse not to. Neglecting study of God’s word? Going days without prayer? Not into helping our spouse around the house. Not serving at church. Playing video games when we should be looking for a job? 

          We don’t really need to say more about that. We just wanted to remind everyone that sins of omission are out there! We all have them in our lives, but we shouldn’t think of them as nothing because they are considered sin! The next red flag is if we are laying blame for our sin on someone else or something else. 

          It’s very easy to come up with excuses for why we can’t stop doing X, Y, or Z. OR, why we can’t make ourselves do things we know we should do. Like you said, we blame someone else, something else, or something that happened in our past, or something someone did to us, or we just blame the circumstances of our life situation at the moment. This is a tough pill to swallow, but the truth is, those situations and circumstances don’t take us off the hook for our sin. It’s our sin. 

          We want to be sensitive about this because there are people who’ve had tremendous abuse in their lives, painful turmoil in their lives, physical ailments, and we don’t want to discount any of those in any way. But we also want to be biblically truthful to the situation. And like you said, Chris, circumstances never take us off the hook for our sin. We’re morally responsible for it, regardless of our life situation. 

          Matthew 15:17-20 where Jesus says, “whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled?[d] 18 But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. 20 These are what defile a person,”

           Chris, if John comes home from work in a bad mood, and you get mad and end up yelling, who’s fault is it that you yelled?

          Mine. We have to “own” whatever sin is inside of us, and whatever is inside of us is what comes out. When you apply pressure to a wet sponge, if it’s soaked with water, water will come out, if it’s soaked with milk, milk will come out, if it’s soaked with blood, blood will come out. The pressure had nothing to do with what came out of the sponge. What came out of the sponge was what was already in it.  If I yelled at John, that would be my sin, not his. He may have sinned too, but that doesn’t exonerate me. I’m responsible for the sins I commit. 

          This next red flag has more to it than we could possibly get to today, but it’s a specific excuse for sin that’s been cropping up more. That’s if you’re if you are saying things like, “I need delivered from bad sexual thoughts I’m having” or “I need delivered from an (unspoken) vice” or “I need delivered from .. fear, anxiety, envy, jealousy, etc.” what you probably need delivered from is bad teaching. 

          This kind of language usually comes from someone involved in what’s known as “deliverance ministry” – groups that perform rituals and use other processes (sometimes exorcism) to “cleanse” people of demons and evil spirits, that they claim are the reasons people struggle with physical, psychological, spiritual and emotional problems. Basically, they blame demons and spirits for your sin. That’s all we’ll say about this type of ministry until we do our False Teaching Series later this year.  But the point we’re making today is the same as blaming anything else for why you are sinning … the buck stops with you. You have to own your sin.

          We do believe in Satan and the demons that follow him because the Bible tells us about them. And we do believe that they are real enemies that can tempt Christians, they make bad things seem good, they twist the truth, especially when it comes to biblical truth because they love twisting the Word of God to make Christians get off track. But we have three enemies when it comes to sin: the world, our flesh, and the devil. And as the world tempts us with its desires, and our flesh wants what it offers, those two enemies rarely need help from our third enemy, Satan, to get us to act ungodly.

          We did this episode about red flags that we might be derailing our sanctification so that we can recognize them before they get too out of hand, and instead of giving in to our desires, we fight our sin. 2 Corinthians 7:1 says, “let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of the body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.” Another like it is 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 “For this is the will of God,  your sanctification:2 jthat you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each one of you know how to control his own kbody3 in    holinessand lhonor, 5 not in mthe passion of lust nlike the Gentiles owho do not know God.”

          The first step to killing sin and being transformed is to bring it out of closet and call it what it is, Instead of saying, “I’m sleeping with my boyfriend.” Say, “I’m sexually immoral.” Instead of saying, “The house is a mess, but my mom will clean up when she gets home.” Say, “I’m sinning against God by being lazy and by not honoring my mother!” Instead of crying that you need deliverance from pornography, cancel your cable, put a blocker on your internet, and get an accountability partner from your church. James 4:7 is our memory verse for this week: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

          Every believer has the Holy Spirit living inside of them. Not only does the Spirit start changing our desires by “renewing our minds” as we read and study the Word of God, He also gives us the power to say “No” to sin. That’s something that’s not taught in a lot of churches. 

          If this episode sounds harsh, think about Jesus’ time on earth. Hebrews 4:15 says, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” On the cross, He suffered much worse than we will ever suffer. We want to challenge you this week to read two portions of Scripture: Isaiah 53 the suffering servant passage about Jesus, followed by 1 Peter 4. Read them in that order, print them out and read them as often as you can. 

          Galatians 5:13 Says, “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” Transformation is hard, so we want to leave you with some encouragement. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says, “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.” 

          There’s nowhere in the Bible that gives us a pass for not growing in our sanctification. Because a Christian has the Holy Spirit living in them, we have the power to say “No” to temptation. The Holy Spirit doesn’t leave any of us where He found us. He’s transforming all Christians to be like their Savior.

          Amen to that! Have a blessed day!