Title: Dismantling Doubts (10)
Series: Weakness Is Your Greatest Strength
Author: Eddie Snipes
Text: Hebrews 6:4-8
One of the greatest challenges of the Christian faith is the fear of sin, and the resulting anger of God. Many well-meaning, but incorrect teachings use fear to keep sin in check; however, this is not God's way. The Bible says that when we know and trust in God's love, His perfect love casts out all fear.
Sin is not defeated by fear of wrath; it is defeated by walking in faith. Sin is of the darkness, and faith is of the light. Darkness only exists when light is absent - it can never overcome light. Sin cannot defeat your faith in Christ. Faith comes by hearing the word of God; therefore, if the word is taught correctly, it should always strengthen your faith and disempower sin, as well as drive out fear.
When a fearful version of the gospel is taught, it causes people to doubt, and undermines the power of the Christian life. Fear may have a momentary response to try to resist sin, but in the long term, it has the opposite effect. The reason is that it weakens our trust in the gospel, and causes people to replace the work of Christ with human commitments instead of trusting in the power of the Spirit.
When someone doesn't understand that the power of the Christian life is the Spirit working within us through faith, they will use rules and the law to try to compensate. However, willpower can never compensate for the lack of reliance on the Holy Spirit.
When I explain this, there are some objections based on misunderstood passages in the Bible. These passages are usually taught as a warning of God's anger, so people naturally say, "If sin doesn't cause God's wrath to return upon the Christian, then what about this scripture?" In this section, I want to answer the 'but what about,' questions. Two of the most difficult passages are found in Hebrews 6 and Hebrews 10.
I once ...
Series: Weakness Is Your Greatest Strength
Author: Eddie Snipes
Text: Hebrews 6:4-8
One of the greatest challenges of the Christian faith is the fear of sin, and the resulting anger of God. Many well-meaning, but incorrect teachings use fear to keep sin in check; however, this is not God's way. The Bible says that when we know and trust in God's love, His perfect love casts out all fear.
Sin is not defeated by fear of wrath; it is defeated by walking in faith. Sin is of the darkness, and faith is of the light. Darkness only exists when light is absent - it can never overcome light. Sin cannot defeat your faith in Christ. Faith comes by hearing the word of God; therefore, if the word is taught correctly, it should always strengthen your faith and disempower sin, as well as drive out fear.
When a fearful version of the gospel is taught, it causes people to doubt, and undermines the power of the Christian life. Fear may have a momentary response to try to resist sin, but in the long term, it has the opposite effect. The reason is that it weakens our trust in the gospel, and causes people to replace the work of Christ with human commitments instead of trusting in the power of the Spirit.
When someone doesn't understand that the power of the Christian life is the Spirit working within us through faith, they will use rules and the law to try to compensate. However, willpower can never compensate for the lack of reliance on the Holy Spirit.
When I explain this, there are some objections based on misunderstood passages in the Bible. These passages are usually taught as a warning of God's anger, so people naturally say, "If sin doesn't cause God's wrath to return upon the Christian, then what about this scripture?" In this section, I want to answer the 'but what about,' questions. Two of the most difficult passages are found in Hebrews 6 and Hebrews 10.
I once ...
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