The Solution to Overcoming Sin

It’s the power of Christ in a believer that provides him or her the power to conquer sin in their life. John wrote that “whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him” (1 John 3:6). Those who have read chapter one of 1 John might think there is a contradiction with 1John 1:8 where John wrote that “if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” There is actually great harmony in these verses. With Christ a believer has deliverance from the power of sin despite their sinful nature. Its Christ holiness, perfection, and our union with Him that allows us to overcome sin. In other words His life becomes ours.

I asked a guy the other day if he considered himself a Christian and he replied that he did. He then proceeded to tell me that at no point since his so-called “conversion” had he read the Bible or sought to obey God, yet he claimed to love God. I told this gentlemen that he was not a believer because he had never repented and sought to abide in Christ. This man had never acknowledged Jesus as his Lord., thus he “has neither seen Him nor known Him.” This man made a false profession and never truly believed upon Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of his sins. This man, like so many who have been deceived by a pastor or someone else preaching easy believism, universalism, and casual sin, has stood in contempt of the Lord his entirely life while falsely believing he was saved.

Will true believers sin, of course. Will they practice habitual sin, absolutely not. Will sin dominant their life, absolutely not. The essential word John uses is “abide.” To abide means to dwell, remain, and stay in relationship with Christ. Jesus said “abide in Me and I will abide in you” (John 15:4). He said this because it is impossible to produce any spiritual fruit unless we abide in the Vine as His branches. As Jesus goes on to say, He wants His words to dwell in us. Far too many Christians have never abided in Christ and have no desire to study His word. They live in deception as cultural Christians and blend in with the masses having never separated themselves from their previous corruption.

Abiding in Christ leads to action and obedience. Listen closely to the way South African pastor Andrew Murray describes our union with Christ and our ability to "have no sin," “when abiding in Christ becomes close and unbroken, so that the soul lives from moment to moment in the perfect union with the Lord its keeper, He does, indeed keep down the power of the old nature, so that it does not regain dominion over the soul.”

In summary, abiding in Christ makes it possible to keep us from sinning. Have you ever abided in Christ? If not, you are not saved and your soul faces eternal damnation. Repent and abide in the grace and mercy found Jesus Christ.