Besetting sins

Sin is dangerous.

Besetting Sins

 

  

      The Concise English Dictionary defines the word ‘beset’ as trouble or harass persistently. It could mean to surround or attack from all sides. Persistent conjures a sense of something continuing or recurring. On the other hand, sin is any act or thought that converses divine purpose and precepts.

      Perusing the book Sins of the Saints raises such questions as ‘why do Christians still fall victims of some sins? , bearing in mind the content of 1Jn 3:9 ’. It reads:

Whoever has been born of God does not sin, because he has been born of God. (NKJV)

      The writer of Hebrews clearly highlighted this subject in verse one of the twelfth chapter. Heb.12:1 reads thus:

 

Wherefore seeing we also are encompassed about with so great a cloud of

Witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily

beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. (KJV)

A glance at the preceding verse as well as the succeeding verse of the above cited scripture informs us that the focus is on Christians.

The clause ‘‘and the sin which doth so easily beset us’’ has variegated renditions as can be seen in diverse versions of the bible below: 

Message Bible calls it ‘‘parasitic sins’’. New International Version renders it thus, ‘‘and the sin that so easily entangles’’. New Living Translation presents it this way, ‘‘especially the sin that so easily trips us up’’. English Standard Version uses the clause ‘‘clings so closely’’. Holman Christian Standard Bible introduced the word ‘‘ensnares’’. To trip a person up for instance, presents the idea of detecting or exposing a persons mistake or inconsistency. God obviously cannot enjoy inconsistency in his relationship with his children.

        Another scripture verse with a link with Heb.12:1 is Hos.7:2 which reads:

 

‘‘They do not consider in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness

; Now their own deeds have surrounded them; They are before My face’’.

 

‘‘Every time I gave Israel a fresh start, wiped the slate clean and got them

going again, Ephraim soon filled the slate  with new sins, the treachery of

Samaria written out in bold print. Two-faced and double-tongue, they steal you

blind, pick you clean. It never crosses their mind that I keep account of their

every crime. They’re mud-spattered head to toe with the residue of sin. I see

who they are and what they’ve done’’

 

The Psalmist in the nineteenth chapter of Psalms seems to shed more light on books Hebrews 12:1 and Hosea7:2 in verse thirteen which says:

‘‘Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults. Keep back

Your servant also from presumptuous sins; Let them not have dominion

over me. Then I shall be blameless, and I shall be innocent of great transgression’’. (Ps. 19:12-13, NKJV)

 

 

Jabez also must have understood this clearly when in 1Chro.4:10 he prayed God to keep him from evil.  

   In line with what we read in 1Jn3:9 the writer further stated some crucial facts in 1Jn2:1 which reads:

‘‘My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the father, Jesus Christ the righteous’’.                      

                   

Hence, we see that Christians are not to have sins as pets, but are to view sin as cogs in the kingdom wheel which must be watched against. Nevertheless, there is pardon for a believer who does not willingly, but mistakenly engages in sinful  a act. However, such errors must be watched against. This is explicit in what was recorded in Rom.6:1-2:

‘‘What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?

Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it ?’’.

(NKJV)

         Besetting sins are habitual sins. These sins may also manifest as spiritual areas of weaknesses, that when a believer gets confronted with most often than not, succumbs to the temptation or finds extremely hard to overcome. Besetting sins are therefore recurring sinful habits or lifestyles that pop up occasionally. These sins prove hard because the believers involved have not mastered them or rather have not learnt to exercise Christ’s victory over them.

               Although Cain’s story may not pass for an example of a recurring sin, there are lessons we can deduce from it as recorded in Gen.4:7. The verse reads:

‘‘It can be bright with joy if you will do what you should! But if you refuse to obey, watch out. Sin is waiting to attack you, longing to destroy you. But you can conquer it.’’

 (TLB)

   At least, we can learn these things about sin:

1.      sin has destructive tendencies;

2.      sin should be watched against;

3.      sin lurks around innocently;      

4.      sin aims at a specific person;

5.      sin can be conquered and;

6.      obeying God’s word averts chances of sinning;

7.      the ability to conquer sin is inside of you.

 

   The Christian life is governed by holiness. It therefore follows that it should be a sin-free life experience.         

Could it be any clearer? Our old way of life was nailed to the Cross with Christ, a    decisive end to that sin-miserable life �" no longer at sins every beck and call! What we believe is this: If we get included in Christ’s sin-conquering death, we also get included    in his life-saving resurrection. (Rom.6:7-8, MB)

   There are numerous causes or sources of ‘besetting sins’. These may include:

·  Personal affections (2Cor.6:12,1Jn2:15-17)

·  Associations(2Cor6:14-17)

·  Dearth of good biblical knowledge(Matt.22:29, Prov.19:2)

·   Weakness in prayers(Jude1:20)

·  Lack of introspection or self evaluation(2Cor.13:15, Ps.19:11-13)

·  Routine thoughts(Prov.23:7, 6:14)

·  Unchanged behaviour or mindset(Phil.2:5, Rom,12:2)

 

Some dangers of ‘besetting sins’ may include the following:

·         Physical or eternal destruction(Gen.4:7)

·         Return to spiritual deadness(Eph.4:1)

·         Loss of God’s love(Heb.10:37:38)

·         Loss of spiritual relevance(Matt.5:13)

·         Spiritual infancy or stuntedness(Heb.5:12-14)

·         Accusing fingers(Zech.3:1-3)

·         Guilty conscience(Acts24:16,Matt.27:3-5)

·         Loss of eternal rewards(1Pet.1:4-11)

·         Blurring light(Matt.5:16)

·         Loss of vision(Gen.37:5, 39:6-12)

Since we have identified certain sources of besetting sins as well as their dangers, we shall take a step further to point out some possible solutions to them. Our main text, Heb.12:1 gave us two remedies and they include the underlisted:

1. ‘‘Lay aside’’ or ‘‘throw off’’: These phrases presuppose personal responsibility. This action should be personal, deliberate and consciously taken.

2. ‘‘Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us’’: This part of the verse concurs with Hab.2:2-3. Verse two of Habakkuk chapter two reads:

‘‘Then the Lord answered me and said: ‘‘write the vision and make it plain on tablets, That he may run who reads it’’.(NKJV)

It therefore tells us that there must be a deliberate effort to run in line with God’s will.

            Conclusively, frequent occurring sins should be consciously nipped in the bud by all kingdom conscious believers in Christ. Learn to say ‘‘NO’’ as the book of Titus 2:12 instructs all Christians, and like Apostle Paul admonished, fight the good fight of faith (1Tim.6:12).