Is It Possible to Live Without Sinning? - By Joe Crews

7/28/2019 Is It Possible to Live Without Sinning? - By Joe Crews

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Without

Is ItPossible to

Joe Crews

Libraryof Sermons#

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Copyright 2006 by

Lu Ann Crews

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Recently I read the amazing accountof a man who submitted to a scien-tific hypnosis experiment. While un-

der the influence of a light hypnotic trancethe subject was ordered to pick up a glassfrom the table. Although he was a strong,

athletic type, the man could not budge theglass from its position. His most strenuousexertions could not lift the glass that waslight enough for any child to remove.


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Is It Possible to Live Without Sinning?

Why could he not do it? Because thescientists, after placing him in the trance,had told him that it was impossible to pickup the glass. Because his mind was con-

vinced that it could not be done, his bodywas unable to carry out the command to

lift it. What a dramatic demonstrationthat no person can really obey command-ments which he believes to be impossibleof performance!

Is this the reason so many Christians

are living weak, defeated lives? There is noquestion that the popular, modern theol-ogy has been teaching millions that no onecan really live without sinning. The TenCommandments have been portrayed asan idealistic code produced only for thepurpose of making people conscious oftheir need.

Many modern Christians are turning

more and more to a soft, lenient stance onthe subject of law-keeping. They believeGods love is incompatible with strict rulesand penalties for violation.


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That is a very comfortable doctrinebut completely foreign to what the Bibleteaches. Millions are being conditioned tobreak the great moral law of the universewithout feeling any guilt! The Word of Godgives no one an excuse to feel relaxed about

sin. It is the central problem of every per-son who has been born. Like a highly con-tagious disease, sin has infected every soulwith the germs of death, and no earthly cureor deterrent has been found to halt the fatal

progress of the sickness.From the first appearance of sin in the

Garden of Eden it has been totally disrup-tive of everything good. Never in one in-stance has it been able to coexist with righ-teousness and holiness. The requirementsof God make it utterly impossible for sin ordisobedience to be a part of the Christianlifestyle. The new tolerance for it is not bib-

lical in any sense of the word. Jesus cameto save people from it; He came to destroyit. It will never enter into heaven. Our at-titude toward it must be uncompromising.


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God, and gives a paralyzing, false securityto everyone who believes in it.

Often people are defensive of sin be-cause they have not been able to stop do-ing it in their own strength. For example,when they cant stop smoking, they must

find a rationalization for its presence intheir lives. Instead of making the humili-ating confession that they cant conquerit, they fabricate arguments that it reallydoesnt hurt them or that no one can be

perfect. Or the popular, convenient doc-trine that no one can really live withoutsin anyway.

It is probably safe to say that the major-ity of Christians today are resigned to fall-ing short of the moral law. In fact, they arequite satisfied that God doesnt even expectthem to fulfill that law completely, either inthe flesh or in the spirit.

The effect of such a teaching is exact-ly what one would expectmultitudes ofemotionally happy, but disobedient, churchmembers who feel that any concern about


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keeping the commandments is nitpickingand legalistic.

What a delusive strategy of Satan! Asthe inventor of the doctrine, the evil one issimply supporting his ancient accusationthat God was asking too much. He accused

God of being unfair by requiring somethingthat was impossible.He was able to convince a third of the

angels that God was unreasonable to expectobedience to His law, and he has been try-

ing to make everybody else believe it sincethat time. Think about it for a moment, andthe entire scheme begins to make a lot ofdiabolical sense. Satan knows that sin isthe only thing that will keep anyone out ofheaven. Since sin is the transgression ofthe law, he had to perfect a plan to makepeople look lightly upon breaking the lawand also cause it to appear unobjectionable

(1 John 3:4). To make the idea acceptableto Christians, Satan actually was able todisguise it as a doctrine and foist it upon acompromised Christianity.


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In every evangelistic crusade, we meet itin one form or another, usually at the pointof the law and the Sabbath. The inconve-nient claims of obedience are shruggedoff with a Well, nobody can keep the TenCommandments anyway.

But the problem doesnt end there. EvenChristians who have accepted the claims ofthe moral law are not too concerned abouthow well they fulfill it either. In a subtleway they have been affected by the preva-

lent belief that too much concern aboutobedience is a form of salvation by works.Incredibly, some seem to be so fearful ofkeeping the law too closely that they actu-ally make provision to break it. By doing sothey perversely comfort themselves for notbeing legalistic.

How could people committed to com-mandment-keeping ever come to such a

confused contradiction within themselves?Exposure to a false concept of righteousnessby faith is only part of the answer. Much ofthe problem is based upon human failure and


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weakness of the flesh. Because they foundthemselves stumbling in their efforts to beperfect, they finally concluded that it wasimpossible not to sin. From that point it waseasy to start interpreting Bible texts to sup-port their weak experience. Satan exploited

the psychological bent of the human mindto rationalize, and soon they had developeda comfortable doctrine that accommodatedtheir occasional deviations from the law.Consequently, most Christians today are

resigned to an alternating experience of vic-tory-defeat, victory-defeat. To them it is theapproved lifestyle of normal Christianity.

But something is fearfully wrong withthis position. In the first place, doctrineshould never be based on feeling or humanexperience. It must be rooted in the plain,unequivocal teaching of the Word of God.It is true that Bible texts can be assembled

which seem to support the doctrine of spir-itual imperfection. We are assured that allhave sinned, that the carnal mind is enmityagainst God, and that mans righteousness


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is as filthy rags. But all the verses about fail-ure, sin, and defeat are in reference to theunregenerate experience of a person. Thereare literally scores of other texts which de-scribe an opposite experience of total vic-tory and sinless living. In every case they

are referring to the Spirit-filled life of a con-verted, committed child of God.This distinction must always be recog-

nized in the reading of the Scripture. The gos-pel of Jesus Christ is thepowerof God unto

salvation. His grace is stronger than all theconcentrated forces of evil. Jesus came to saveHis people from their sin. No one who readsthe sixth chapter of Romans intelligently canbelieve that the Christian is free to practicesin. Paul utterly devastates the doctrine that abeliever should keep on falling into sin.

It is true that provision is made forcleansing in case sin is committed, but

Gods perfect plan made it possible for manto overcome every sin and to live a life ofperfect obedience through Christ. In fact,the promises of the Bible are so clear and


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Is It Possible to Live Without Sinning?10

specific on this point that it is hard to getconfused. No secret meaning or hiddenreservation can be found in the myriad oftexts which describe the victorious experi-ence of the born-again child of God. And

just because one may not have grown into

that fullness of faith which brings constantvictory, he should not, therefore, deny thepower of God to give such deliverance.When Peter began sinking in the Sea ofGalilee, it was not because Gods plan or

power had failed. Peter could have rational-ized, like so many modern Christians, andsaid, God didnt want me to walk on thewater, and besides, its impossible for any-body to do such a thing anyway. Like ourfirst parents we still tend to place the ulti-mate blame on God when we fail to followHis plan of holy living.

Total Victory Promised

The Spirit of God seemed to antici-pate the struggle many would passthrough in accepting the biblical


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Is It Possible to Live Without Sinning? 11

assurances of total victory. Consequentlythe inspired writers were moved to use al-most fanatical language in describing thepossibilities for overcoming sin. Superlativeexpressions are utilized which actually bog-gle the mind. Instead of saying we may be

saved, the Bible says we can be saved to theuttermost (Hebrews 7:25). Instead of say-ing we may conquer, it assures that we canbe more than conquerors (Romans 8:37).Instead of being told that we can just tri-

umph, we are told that we may alwaystriumph (2 Corinthians 2:14). Instead ofpromising whatever we might ask to helpus in our spiritual battles, the Bible says Hewill give us exceeding abundantly aboveall that we ask or think (Ephesians 3:20).And the verse just prior to that one clearlyguarantees that we may be filled with allthe fullness of God (verse 19).

Admittedly, many of these promisesare too vast for our human minds to com-prehend fully, but surely they are intendedto impress us with the magnitude of Gods


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commitment of ones self to the indwellingSpirit of Christ. Without me, Jesus said,ye can do nothing (John 15:5).

Equally important is the inspiredcomment of Paul, I can do all thingsthrough Christ which strengtheneth me

(Philippians 4:13). That little expression allthings is the key to victory for every one ofus. It includes power over drugs, immoral-ity, appetite, pride, and every act of sin thatwould rob us of eternal life.

All Things Available

T

he big point here is that when youget the power of Christ in your life,you have everything else you could

ever desire. He that spared not his ownSon, but delivered him up for us all, howshall he not with him also freely give us allthings? (Romans 8:32). There is that term

againall things. You will find it also in2 Peter 1:3: According as his divine powerhath given unto us all things that pertainunto life and godliness ...


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When you put those texts together,an incredible picture emerges. By claim-ing the presence of Christ in your life, youalso receive everything that Christ pos-sesses. Paul described it this way: But ofhim are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God

is made unto us wisdom, and righteous-ness, and sanctification, and redemption(1 Corinthians 1:30).

Here the all things are broken downinto very particular, individualized experi-

ences, and we begin to see that Peter was rightin stating that God has given us all thingsthat pertain to godliness. Those Christianswho doubt the possibility of overcoming sincompletely should read these verses care-fully. What do those words righteousness,redemption, and sanctification include?All three of those words promise us morethan deliverance from the guilt of our past

sins. The word redemption is not limitedto redemption from the guilt of sin, butfrom the power of sin also. Sanctificationis a word that describes continuous, daily


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us righteous through the impartation of Hisvictorious life.

After thoughtfully reading the entiresixth chapter of Romans, if you need moreassurance that victory can be yours, readthe following:

1 Corinthians 15:57But thanks beto God, which giveth us the victorythrough our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 John 5:4For whatsoever is born of

God overcometh the world: and this isthe victory that overcometh the world,even our faith.

Philippians 2:5Let this mind be inyou which was also in Christ Jesus.

2 Corinthians 5:21 that we mightbe made the righteousness of God inhim.

1 John 3:6Whatsoever abideth inhim sinneth not: whosoever sinnethhath not seen him, neither knownhim.


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Let us return for a moment to the anal-ogy of the hypnotized man. He could notphysically lift a small glass from the tablebecause his mind was so fully convincedthat it couldnt be done. Has Satan been ableto immobilize the church through the pow-

er of his hypnotic, lying assertion that obe-dience is impossible? It certainly seems so.No one is going to put forth any serious

effort to do something that he believes tobe impossible. Obviously then, those who

believe they cannot live without sinning arenot attempting to live without sin. No rea-sonable person will waste time and effort ina vain struggle to accomplish nothing.

That brings us to an interesting question:Can a person believe that there is no way tostop sinning, and yet make plans not to sin?Logically, it would seem highly unlikely, ifnot impossible. Yet the Bible commands us

to make not provision for the flesh, to ful-fill the lusts thereof (Romans 13:14). Dowe indeed make provision for sin by hold-ing that it is impossible not to sin?


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How significant it is that mans condi-tion for remaining in Eden is also the con-dition for being restored to Eden. Anyonewho believes obedience is unimportantshould read again the dramatic story ofAdam and Eve. A tiny, physical act of sin

led to all the stark tragedy of the past 6,000years. Those who are restored to that lostparadise will have demonstrated that theycan be trusted with eternal life. Throughfaithful obedience in the face of death, they

will have proven Satans charges to be ut-terly false. Their steadfast loyalty will be aneternal guarantee of the security of Godsrestored dominion.

What can we say, then, concerningthose who look so lightly upon the goodworks of obedience? They are subjects ofgrave deception and are playing into Satansdeadly sin-trap. The most glorious experi-

ence of the truly converted is to break thepattern of self-indulgence and sin. Underthe rule of the Spirit of God, fleshly habitsmay be conquered and expelled from the


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life. Through faith in the promises unbe-lievable power may be released into the lifeof one who is willing to give up the enjoy-ment of sin.

The heart of God longs for us to takeHim at His word and to claim the power He

has promised. It is the only road to real vic-tory. But no one can experience victory whodoes not believe victory is possible. Readagain the assurances of the Bible. Do not tryto twist them to match the weaknesses and

failures of your human experience. Theymean what they say. Deliverance is yoursfor the believing and the asking.

Right here we need to pause and con-sider an objection which is always broughtagainst those who believe in total victory. Itgoes something like this: If you believe it ispossible to live without sinning, are you ableto say that your own life is free from sin?

Although the question deserves ananswer, it should be pointed out that theobjection is not relevant to the issue. Ifthe Bible establishes a truth, it should be


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received on the grounds of its inspired au-thority and not on the basis of the messen-gers experience. If victory over all sin ispossible through Christ, it is true, whetherthe preacher has claimed it or not claimedit. Further, the work of sanctification is a

progressive, lifelong experience and cannever be considered as finished in point oftime. Even if one could be unconscious ofany known sin, he could never boast of be-ing sinless. In fact, the person who is closest

to perfection would surely be the least likelyto recognize it. Because the nearer he getsto Jesus the more imperfect he will appearin his own eyes.

The claim might also be made that thedoctrine of victory over sin is highly ide-alistic and too theologically complicated tobe practical. But nothing could be fartherfrom the truth. Even a child can understand

the simple faith-transaction of appropriat-ing the promises of the Bible. There is nota habit or sin known to man that cannot beconquered through faith.


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you know why trying does not work inovercoming the devil?

Why cant we fight the devil for a fewmonths and finally drive him away? Becausethe devil is stronger than we are. We couldfight him for a year, but he would still be

stronger than we are at the end of the year.Trying will never break the power of sin ina single instance, because were facing anenemy who will always be stronger than weare. What, then, is the answer to our weak-

ness and defeat? This question leads us tothe sweetest and most sublime secret in theWord of God. Let us study it thoughtfullyand with much prayer.

First of all, one must understand that allof heavens gifts are available to us throughthe promises of the Bible, and we receivethem by faith. Peter describes the exceedinggreat and precious promises and assures us

that by these ye might be partakers of thedivine nature (2 Peter 1:4). Mighty poweris stored within the promise to fulfill itselfto all who claim it in faith. So few are will-


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ing to believe that the promised blessingbecomes theirs the very moment they be-lieve it. Why is it so hard to believe implic-itly that God will do what He promises?

Now let us come down to the very heartof victory and consider the four simple

scriptural steps that any believer may takein claiming Gods power. Four texts will il-luminate the amazing transaction. First:But thanks be to God, which giveth usthe victory through our Lord Jesus Christ

(1 Corinthians 15:57). Allow your mind tosavor the fantastic message of these words.Victory is a gift!We do not earn it by our ef-forts, or deserve it because of any supposedgoodness. The only thing we need do is askfor it, and the victory will be given to usfreely by Christ. He is the only one who hasever gained the victory over Satan, and if weever possess the victory, it will have to come

as a gift from Him.Let me ask you something. Do youneed victory in your life over some bind-ing, miserable habit of sin? Some are slaves


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to appetite, to alcohol, or tobacco. Othersare struggling helplessly against impurity,anger, or worldliness. The Bible says youmay have the victory as a gift through JesusChrist. Do you believe He will give you thatpower if you ask Him? How certain can you

be that God will answer your prayer for vic-tory immediately? Here is how sure you canbejust as sure as Christs words are true!Our secondtext is Matthew 7:11, If ye then,being evil, know how to give good gifts unto

your children, how much more shall yourFather which is in heaven give good thingsto them that ask him?

Is it a good thing when you ask for vic-tory over tobacco, or any other fleshly ormoral evil? Of course it is! And you donteven have to ask if it is Gods will! He hasalready told us in the Bible that it is His willto destroy the works of sin and the devil.

If we pray for more money or a better jobwe should always ask according to His will,but the victory over sin is promised to everyone who asks in faith.


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Will God give the victory when we askHim? Jesus said He was more willing togive this good thing than we are to feed ourchildren when they are hungry. He is wait-ing to honor your faith and to supply allyour need according to his riches in glory

by Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19). Theseassurances are so open-ended and unlim-ited that our minds are staggered by it. Whyhave we been so reluctant to apply for theprovisions of grace? Why is it so hard to be-

lieve that God means exactly what He says?He will keep every promise.

Faith Makes It So

Here is the next question. How do weknow we have the victory after weask Him? Simply because He said

we would have it. We know God did not lie.We can believe His promise. The very mo-

ment we ask, we should accept the fact offulfillment, thank Him for the gift, and getup and act like it has been done. No kind ofproof-feeling or sign should be demanded


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or expected. The self-fulfilling power inthe promise is released in response to ourfaith alone.

This brings us to the third text, foundin Romans 6:11, Likewise reckon ye alsoyourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but

alive unto God through Jesus Christ ourLord. The word reckon means to believe,or to consider it done. Every particle offaith should be focused on that one requestfor victory and then it should be account-

ed as done. Do you remember how Peterwalked on the water? He asked Jesus if hecould step out of the boat onto the ragingsea, and Jesus told Peter to come. But howlong did Peter do the impossible by walkingon the water? The Bible says, When he sawthe wind boisterous, he was afraid; and be-ginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, saveme (Matthew 14:30).

What was Peter afraid of? He was afraidof sinking and drowning. In spite of Christsassurance that he could safely walk on thewater, Peter began to doubt the word of the


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Master. That is when he began to sink. Aslong as he believed the promise of Jesus andacted in faith, he was safe. When he doubt-ed, he sank.

Now, what is the impossible thing as faras you are concerned? It is not walking on

water. It is overcoming that tobacco habit.And Christ says, Come to me. I will giveyou the victory. As long as you believe thatyou have been delivered, you will have the

victory. It is as simple as that. The very mo-

ment you ask for victory it will be placed inyour life as a reservoir of power. You wontfeel it, but it is there. It will remain there aslong as you accept it in faith.

For some people the deliverance is sodramatic that they lose even the appetite forthe sin. Tobacco addicts have sometimesbeen delivered from the craving, but this isnot the usual way God does it. Usually, the

desire remains, but in the moment of temp-tation, the power to walk past the tempta-tion springs forth from within. Faith ac-cepts the fact of deliverance and constantly


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claims the victory which is in the securepossession of the believer.

The final step to victory is describedin ourfourth text, Romans 13:14. But putye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make notprovision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts

thereof. So strong is the confidence in theappropriated power of God that no consid-eration is given to falling under the powerof that sin again. Under the old tryingplan, provision was made to fail in most

cases. Cigarettes were placed on a shelf, andthe smoker said to himself, Im going to trynever to smoke again, but if I dont makeit I know where they are. But under thetrusting plan, we have no reason to fearfailure on the grounds of human weakness.Victory does not depend on our strengthbut on Gods power. We might fail, but Hecannot fail. Cigarettes are thrown away. All

plans that might involve any degree of com-promise are abandoned.Little Jimmy was in trouble because he

had gone swimming against his mothers


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orders. When asked why he had disobeyedher, Jimmy answered, Because I got tempt-ed. Mother then said, I noticed that youtook your bathing suit with you this morn-ing. Why did you do that? Jimmy an-swered, Because I expected to get tempt-

ed. How typical of those who do not quitetrust their own strength to win the victory.They make provision to fail. They take theirbathing suit along. With God there need beno provision to fail.

Someone might raise the objection thatthis could be discouraging. Suppose theperson does fail? Even Peter began to sink.Would it not shake confidence in God ifthe victory was not maintained? No. Peterssinking had nothing to do with the failureof divine power. It did not change Christswill for him to walk on the water. It onlypointed out Peters need of stronger faith

to enable him to obey Christs command.Our faith could weaken. We might need tobe reminded of our total dependence uponHis strength. But this does not diminish the


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beautiful plan of God to impart power andvictory through exceeding great and pre-cious promises of the Bible. Without faithby the receiver not even Gods promises canbe appropriated. The limits are clearly de-fined in the words of Jesus, According to

your faith be it unto you (Matthew 9:29).There it is, friend, in all of its simplic-ity.And it works!If you are willing to be de-livered, it works. Nothing will help the onewho is not willing to give up the cigarettes.

But if you want it, it is there. Victory, power,deliverancejust reach out in faith and it isyours. Believe it and claim it this very mo-ment. God wants you to be free.


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Is It Possible to Live Without Sinning? - By Joe Crews