Exchanging Truth for lies

Lies, Damned Lies and Statistics

My favorite quote from Stats 145. Anyways...


Yeah, so there's this lie I believe. I feel like I am sin, or like I am my sin or like I am the wrath of my sin. The sin of course is SSA and I think I feel so much like I am it is because in many ways, the sin carries an identity that is very strong and seems at times to be, well, me. Of course when I said this in a prayer group time tonight, I was challenged by a leader — "you do realize what you just said?" "yes, I know what I said and I'm not saying it's true but that at many times I feel as if I am my sin or as if I am sin."

Driving home just a few minutes later, I felt like all of these things started being spoken — perhaps as if this is the wrath of something I've done like in how the biblical-era Israelites were assumed to be sinful (or their parents or parent's parents) if they struggled with an infirmity. This is, in many ways, how I feel about my struggles and this feeling does not reflect the truth of the matter.

The truth of the matter is that the sin has been atoned for and I need not walk in it any longer. It has no power over me for Christ has broken its bond over me. Knowing this, I can't but think that I must be welcoming it or not actively rejecting it and that this must be a reason why my battle for freedom seems to be so easily stymied. I even desire to indulge the lust even right now despite all of the truth and knowledge that I know, though perhaps do not embrace or perhaps cannot accept with my heart.

The lie is that I am my sin, that Christ is not able to separate it from me, not able to purify or rip off the flesh from my body, remove the evil-desiring portions of my heart, etc. Most feel shameful or guilty that they can't get with the program and stop sinning. I guess, for the time-being, do not feel like I get that line of attack from the enemy because he'd rather make me feel like I have no choice as, perhaps he claims that I am but one thing, a sinner who desires to be comforted by what I know, my state living in sin, without hope, without desire for freedom. In essence, if the sin is removed, I will cease to exist. Two words: Scare Tactics.

There is a choice, I can choose Christ and to accept the TRUTH that I am not my sin, that Christ has atoned for these sins and for me, a sinful person, and that I am now a new creation, being transformed to be like Christ. Even-though I may be afflicted with SSA and even-though it seems as if it is me, it is not and I must reject it to put on the clothes of Christ. Furthermore, I must reject self-hatred and self-condemnation and put on the clothes of Christ, a son who is fully known and fully loved by the Father. One who is justified by the Father through Christ and needs not to condemn one's self.

If we embrace the lies, it will not cancel out the truth but it will make it damn near impossible to live as if the truth is true for us. Our knowledge is not defined by Truth but by feelings and the lies we embrace and, well, we will be sinning against God for we are refusing to believe who we are in him, who we are as the Word declares and the wrath, the result of this sin is a lack of hope and faith in the promises we have essentially rejected. For the time being, we may be saved by Jesus but we are not fully aware of the depth of saving and redemption that Christ is going to accomplish. Yes, even if we can't fathom the depths of our sins and disbelief, Christ intimately knows it all and permits us grace and mercy especially for the things we know not of and have little if any power to do anything about. In application, I may not be able personally stop my SSA but I can be striving to seek out more of God and some of those root issues and theology issues and I can be praying, confessing and repenting... Christ role is to change my heart and my role is to ask him, partner with him, and let him do as he will.

Lord, have your way.