The Dominance of Sin

Romans 7:21-25 (NLT)


21 I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. 22 I love God’s law with all my heart. 23 But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. 24 Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? 25 Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.

Prior to these verse the apostle says, “And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.” The Apostle wants to please God, but he knows sin is against him, dominating him and trying to hold him a slave. Thankfully he knows Jesus Christ is the answer to his struggle with sin. Jesus Christ provides the forgiveness, the mercy and the grace to move past the grip of sin and look to the love of God.



In J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Bilbo Baggins passes on to Frodo a coveted ring. Gollum, one of the original owners of the ring, was twisted and monstrous, but he had not always been so. The longer he possessed the ring, however, the more the ring distorted his body, mind, and soul. He so loved the ring that he referred to it as "my precious." Bilbo Baggins steals the ring from Gollum. Bilbo does not fully appreciate the hold this ring has upon him until he attempts to turn it over to his cousin Frodo. Like Gollum, Bilbo has taken to referring to the ring as "my precious," and though he understands the danger and corrupting power of the ring, he is reluctant to let it go.

What happens is we are reluctant to let go of sin. Just like the ring, sin corrupts, ensnares, and even endangers the one that harbors it. Sin destroys and make our lives grotesque. Sin is hard to relinquish and that is why we need the saving grace of Jesus Christ. Allow Jesus Christ to work in your life to remove the dominance of sin.

What is Love

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NLT)


4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

The Apostle Paul said in verse 3, “If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.” In other words love is the most important thing when it comes to people. So the apostle continued in verses 4-7 to define love. The essence of love is summed up in the verses above.



Sadly there are many people in the world that don’t know love or love as it was meant to be. I remember a story a friend told about a neighbor who was knocking on their door at 1am in the morning. The neighbor’s husband had beaten her black and blue and she was pleading for help. My friend called the police while his wife tried to comfort her. She kept repeating, “He says he loves me, but what kind of love is this?”

I remember the testimony of a woman who had been a prostitute. Her pimp had rescued her from the street. He provided a place to live, food to eat, clothes to wear and even a share of the money. He forced her into situations she was not comfortable with. Yet all the while he told her he loved her and if she loved him she would do these things for him. She did those things believing she was doing it out of love for him.

Even in the news lately we have heard and seen the results of the Sandusky trial. Perpetrators such as Sandusky will often reassure their victims they love them. They do things for them, which they say is out of love. Then they abuse and molest also saying that is part of love.

The examples above are not examples of love, but instead examples of sin. For The Bible tells us when we follow the desires of our sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these.

Let’s put aside sin in all of our lives no matter how small it may be so that love may abound. Let us never think our sacrifices are enough, but let us understand the full extent of love and show love to others as it is intended to be shown.

Not protecting us, but perfecting us

Hebrews 13:21 (NLT)


21 Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

From the Commentary of Matthew Henry it says of verse 21 - Observe (1.) The perfection of the saints in every good work is the great thing desired by them and for them, that they may here have a perfection of integrity, a clear mind, a clean heart, lively affections, regular and resolved wills, and suitable strength for every good work to which they are called now, and at length a perfection of degrees to fit them for the employment and felicity of heaven. (2.) The way in which God makes his people perfect; it is by working in them always what is pleasing in his sight and that through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever. Observe [1.] There is no good thing wrought in us but it is the work of God; he works in us, before we are fit for any good work. [2.] No good thing is wrought in us by God, but through Jesus Christ, for his sake and by his Spirit. [3.] Eternal glory is due to him, who is the cause of all the good principles wrought in us and all the good works done by us. To this everyone should say, Amen.



God works in our lives to perfect us. Job of The Old Testament was a good and faithful man. Every morning he prayed for his family and offered sacrifices to God. Job remembered God and gave Him thanks. Satan wanted to destroy Job’s faith in God so he asked God to allow pain and suffering to enter into Job’s life. While Satan’s intent was to destroy Job, God’s intent was to work perfection into his life.

God won’t protect when His intention is to perfect your life. It is for God’s glory we face adversity and trials in our lives so that in the end we become more perfect. I can think of many examples of people who faced pain and suffering in their lives and became better because of it.

George Foreman who faced divorce after his wife could not cope with the new George said the pain was so fierce he told God, “If you'll take away this pain, I promise I'll tell people they can make it through anything.” George found the strength to move forward and he never forgot his promise to God.

When Evander Holyfield was in high school, he only weighed 110 pounds. He had an immeasurable tenacity but his football coaches felt he wasn’t tough enough to be on the field. Evander after that turned to boxing. Early on he wanted to quit boxing because he couldn’t beat a fighter named Caesar Colin in the junior Olympics, who he lost to twice. We know Evander succeeded and now he encourages others in their Christian walk.

Tyler Perry’s story is an excellent example of overcoming adversity. Perry went from being molested in a broken home to the president and founder of Tyler Perry Studios. Tyler has used his success to help others.

We may face problems but God is using those problems to perfect us and make us into something He can use for His Glory.

Road of hope

Exodus 14:10-12 (NLT)


10 As Pharaoh approached, the people of Israel looked up and panicked when they saw the Egyptians overtaking them. They cried out to the LORD, 11 and they said to Moses, “Why did you bring us out here to die in the wilderness? Weren’t there enough graves for us in Egypt? What have you done to us? Why did you make us leave Egypt? 12 Didn’t we tell you this would happen while we were still in Egypt? We said, ‘Leave us alone! Let us be slaves to the Egyptians. It’s better to be a slave in Egypt than a corpse in the wilderness!’”

The Israelites have started their departure from Egypt for The Promised Land. They have been witnesses to the miracles God had performed to allow their freedom from Pharaoh. They were finally free of the slavery they had faced for decades. Yet as God was leading them away from the armies of Pharaoh they feared for their lives because they were at a place where they believed there was no escape.



When Joseph was the second command of Egypt - the Israelites prospered. However, when Joseph died it was not long before the Egyptians despised the Israelites and made slaves out of them. The Israelites performed some of the most arduous tasks. The Israelites cried out often to God in their distress, begging to be released from their bondage. God listened and brought them to a point where they were about to rid themselves of their Egyptian oppressors. All they could see was the Red Sea before them and the Egyptians behind them and they cried out to the LORD, and they said to Moses, “Why did you bring us out here to die in the wilderness? Weren’t there enough graves for us in Egypt? What have you done to us? Why did you make us leave Egypt?

Have you ever known anyone who was given an opportunity for a better chance in life and then they started giving excuses about why they wanted to go back to where they came from. I often watch a show on AETV called Intervention. On the show addicts are given a chance to become free from their addiction. The family comes together with the assistance of counselors to tell the addict they will get them the help they need to set them free. Yet instead of wanting to be free some of the addicts will reply with statements such as – Why are you doing this? Can’t you just let me live my life like I want? Why are you turning you back on me?

Just like the enslaved Israelites they want out of the bondage, but they don’t want to take the route given them. They would rather give up the help and keep going down a path of destruction. If you know someone like this reach out to them every chance you can. Reach out and share God’s love with them and show them there is hope. Maybe they will see like the Israelites that God is there to help and not to destroy them. There is a road of hope to follow.

Am I following sin or am I following righteousness.

Proverbs 13:21 (NLT)


21 Trouble chases sinners, while blessings reward the righteous.

King Solomon states two truths. 1) The person who engages in sin will be chased by trouble. It is like an enemy that pursues its prey waiting for the opportune time to strike. 2) Those that follow the path of righteousness will be rewarded with blessings, which consist of happiness, gladness, kindness, rightfulness, excellence and riches of life. Living a righteous life doesn’t mean one will not face trouble, but that in the face of trouble they will be able to count their blessings and face the adversity.



The Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:34 said “Think carefully about what is right, and stop sinning.” We should evaluate every step we take in life to ensure we are not following sin, but instead following the desires of God. When we follow sin trouble will eventually find us. I have talked with people who have said, “I just wish I had stopped what I was doing because I lost everything over my sinful desires.” So stop, think and ask – Am I following sin or am I following righteousness.

Let go of Pride

Jeremiah 13:15-17 (NLT)


15 Listen and pay attention! Do not be arrogant, for the LORD has spoken. 16 Give glory to the LORD your God before it is too late. Acknowledge him before he brings darkness upon you, causing you to stumble and fall on the darkening mountains. For then, when you look for light, you will find only terrible darkness and gloom. 17 And if you still refuse to listen, I will weep alone because of your pride. My eyes will overflow with tears, because the LORD’s flock will be led away into exile.

The prophet Jeremiah is attempting to awaken this secure and stubborn people to repentance, by the consideration of the judgments of God that were coming upon them. He calls upon them to repent and to humble their self before God by putting away their pride.



Jack Hayford, Midday Connection wrote that early in Matt Redman’s career, the popular Christian musician in Britain, was singing with his church's praise band when his pastor confronted them. They were proud of their musical performance, he said, but they were neglecting true worship. Insulted by the charge, the members of the band left the church—all, that is, except Redman. Shortly afterward, he wrote his hit song "The Heart of Worship," which included these words: "I'm coming back to the heart of worship, and it's all about you, Jesus."

When someone speaks honestly to you there are two ways to respond. You can listen with either humility or pride. When you listen with humility you are open to hearing what others have to say. It allows you to reflect on your words through the eyes of another person. When you listen with pride your heart hardens and the only thing important is what you believe.

The Israelites were prideful and God was going to lead them away to exile for hardening their hearts. We think we are being strong when we are being prideful, but actually we are weak because we are not allowing God to work in our lives. Submit to God through humility and allow Him to lead you in your life!

Don't whitewash sin

Galatians 5:19-21 (NLT)

19 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, 21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

In these verses we find the Apostle Paul describing the desires of our sinful nature. Apart from God and allowing our sin to go unchecked we can fall into any one of these sins. Most people can find at least one or more sins they can identify with and know they are guilty of. For this reason Jesus could look at a crowd of people ready to stone an adulterous woman and say, “He who is without sin cast the first stone.” Of course no one did because each realized they had sin in their lives.

I’m going to say it straight out – you can’t whitewash sin and please God. I am going to include myself when I say I have heard people minimize the sin in their lives thinking it would make it better. I hate to think of how often I have minimized my own sin. I am not in a position to judge a person for their actions; God has done that already by pointing out what is sin. What I am in a position to do is to help hold others accountable in love while they hold me accountable so we all stay on the right course and avoid the temptations of sin.

Let’s see if you have heard these statements before. We went partying, but no one really got that drunk or out of control (wild parties, drunkenness). I had a right to get angry and show my temper – after all they got something I really deserved (outbursts of anger, hostility, quarreling, envy, jealousy). What’s wrong in going out with the guys to have a little fun at the clubs (lustful pleasure, impurity).  People should have the right to physical love; after all sex is natural in our society (sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures). I only do those things for good luck (idolatry, sorcery).

Any of those sound familiar? I’m not trying to make you feel guilty, but I want you to understand we all sin and fall short of the glory of God. We can’t make excuses for sin and think God is going to agree with us. How can we say they are right when God says they are wrong? God is holy and just and God will not tolerate continuance in sin. God looked at the people of Noah’s time and was sick over man’s sin and only found favor in Noah. All other men perished except Noah and his family. God told Abraham he was going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah for their sinful sexual acts. Abraham begged they be spared if righteous people could be found, but they weren’t. God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah for their uncontrolled sexual perversion. Only Lot and his daughter’s were spared. Lot’s wife looked back toward the sin she desired and died. And even afterwards Lot’s daughter perverted sex because of their desires.

So let’s not whitewash sin. Call sin out for what it is whether it is adultery, lust, gluttony, pride, homosexuality, gossip, drunkenness, hostility, murder, envy, jealousy, idolatry and as The Bible says, “other sins like these.” But remember God gave His Son Jesus Christ to pay the debt for these sins and write upon our hearts what is right and wrong to give us direction in life. Don’t hamper the efforts of the Holy Spirit trying to work in your life by covering up sin. Confess your sin and allow God to show you the steps you need to take in your life to overcome sin.

One final word, I love people and try to love people as Jesus did. I pray you are able to do the same as well and encourage people away from sin through love and not hate.