Commentary on "Victory Over Sin"

RICHARD PEIFER

 

Day 3: Monday, August 9, 2010 - Sin Personified

 

Overview

“Go back over the quote from Ellen G. White in today’s study. Notice how crucial the concept of free will is. As moral creatures, we must have a free will, the power to choose right and wrong, good and evil, Christ or the world. Over the next 24 hours, try to keep track consciously of how you are using this moral free will. What can you learn about your use, or abuse, of this sacred gift?” (Adult Teachers Sabbath School Bible Study Guide; July, Aug, Sept, 2010, Page 80)

 

Observations

My biggest issue in this portion of the lesson is that Romans 6:12 is treated as an independent thing, rather than as part of a coherent argument. As an independent thing it is the perfect spot to insert the (in)famous quotation from Steps to Christ. Again, victory over sin is described as something we gain as the result of proper choices.

Here’s how the Teacher’s portion of the lesson put it: “Christ’s sacrifice freed us from sin’s reign and empowers us to live holy lives – if we choose.” (Adult Teachers Sabbath School Bible Study Guide; July, Aug, Sept, 2010, Page 83)

Jesus’ death absolutely does not empower us to live holy lives! Jesus’ death defeated sin, once and for all. But we have an even bigger problem than sin. Death is that problem. What good is freedom from sin if we’re still dead? There is no power in death. In fact, if all Jesus did was die then there is no power at all.

Now Steps to Christ. There can be only one conclusion after trying to “understand the true force of the will.” If that’s what it takes to gain victory over sin, then I am doomed to hell. This quotation was my “life verse” for 10 to 15 years. I read it often and pondered it deeply, and every time, EVERY TIME, I thought I understood I was met with abject failure. I mean, when you give God your will (thousands of times) and your nature, affections, and thoughts are not brought into any kind of harmony with Him, nothing is left but depression, deep, soul-crushing depression.

And it was the same for all those heroes who were more mature in the faith than I. The more closely I got to know them, the more I realized they were living as big a lie as I was, or they were so duped that they didn’t see the lie the rest of us saw.

Lest you think this is another screed against Seventh-day Adventists, let me assure you that I’ve seen the same failure in every other denomination. More specifically, I see this failure in every person who ever tried to fight sin on their own. Make no mistake, telling a person that Jesus will help you behave is exactly the same as telling that person, “You’re on your own.”

Jesus is not interested in helping me behave. He’s not interested in my will. He wants me, warts and all. It is His job, and His job alone, to replace my heart of stone with one of flesh. My job is to respond to His work in me. That response is faith—acting in this moment as if seeing Him face-to-face (Revelation 22:4) is true now.

 

Summary:

1. Taking this verse out of context in order to talk about the human will ruins the sense of the entire passage.
2. Romans 6:1-14 is about death and life, flesh and spirit, not sin and self-effort.

 

GO TO DAY 4

 

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