Mark Dever, a pastor out of Washington DC told a story recently about his conversation with an older lady who was not a believer.  He asked her if she belonged to a church.  Her response was “No, I don’t want to be a bunch of hypocrites, those people are no different from the rest of us.”  Mark then asked her is she thought that a majority of people thought that they were bad people, to which she replied “no”.  Mark then gently suggested to her that “maybe the difference between those in church and those outside, is not that they are different, but that they recognize they are not good, and are sinners in need of a savior.  Now I’m not going to say this woman instantly turned to the Lord, it was a process of months of conversations; after all she was an older lady stuck in her ways and stubborn, ha ha.

What I want to note is that the point made by Mark is so important.  Many people think of the church and the people in at as hypocrites, and often times they are correct.  If you find a church that focuses on your behavior, instead of your heart, you will always find hypocrites.  That is because they will whitewash their lives, while their heart, the root of their lives remains unchanged.  Jesus spoke of this when confronted by the religious leaders of his day – Matthew 23:25-28 – “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.”

One of the marks of a healthy church is an openness about struggles.  This is the gospel, that we are sinners, that have been declared just and righteous because of Jesus, and his atoning death on the cross for sinners.  So what does it look like to be a believer, who struggles well with their sin?  It begins with personal openness about your sin before God, and others.    1 John 1:8-10 says it plainly – “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. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”  

There are a mountain of tactics beyond confession and prayer to make war on the sin in our hearts, but none of them will be helpful if attempted under your own power.  You have to understand that you can change your behavior, but you are powerless to change your heart, and your heart will eventually win out.  Only God can change your heart, and as he already knows your heart’s struggles, you’re not telling Him anything he doesn’t know, you’re going to Him as our only hope for healing and change.

Beyond that, struggling well with our sin does not focus on behavior, it focuses on the heart’s affections, the thought patterns that give birth to sin.  Ask yourself this question – “Does my heart delight more in the things of the world than in God”?  “When I think about my future, does my mind process decisions with a view of eternity with God, or my time here?”  This is the root of our sin that God wants to change in us.  Struggling well is filling our hearts and mind with those things that bring about passionate affections for God, and that seek to live with a mind set on eternity.  I would be remiss if I didn’t say that in my own personal experience, there is no better weapon in this internal war, than time spent with God in His Word and Prayer.  Involvement in a church, Christian community, spiritual disciplines, wisdom in placing barriers in your life – all of these things will be helpful as you struggle, but make sure your battle is one of the heart and mind – your behavior will follow where your heart and mind’s affections push you.  Psalm 37:4 – “Delight yourself in the LORD,and he will give you the desires of your heart.”  Nehemiah 8:10b – “And do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”   

My hope is that we all struggle well, and continue to put to death the sin in our lives.  It is a life-long battle.  There will not be a point when we “arrive” or “conquer” all the sin that is in us.  There are no perfect people.  Thanks be to God, that He Himself, came as a perfect man, Jesus Christ, and conquered sin on our behalf, that in Him all who delight in Him would be reconciled to God.  We have a great conqueror King, Jesus, who has already won the war, let’s all push forward to win the battles daily, for our good and His glory.

Grace and Peace,
Adam