Sin is a big problem in people, but it's not the greatest problem you deal with. Sin is the thing that separates you from God, which appears to be our biggest problem when it comes to the kingdom of God, but there is an answer to correcting sin in your life if you're willing. Our greatest problem lies in our unwillingness to acknowledge sin and repent from it. This rebellion is what actually keeps us separated from God. This kind of sin is when you add sin to sin, as Isaiah spoke about in Isaiah 30:1-3.
Sin can be described in several ways.
1 John 5:7 All unrighteousness is sin.
James 4:17 Whatever is not of faith is sin.
Proverbs 24:9 The thought of foolishness is sin.
1 John 3:4 Sin is the transgression of the law.
1 Corinthians 15:56 The sting of death is sin.
Everyone has sinned, and there are variations to sin and how you carry it out. Sin first lies within your heart and imagination. The focus of sin should not only be on what you do outwardly but how you think and what you do inwardly. The Bible teaches that in Adam, all die; therefore, we naturally tend to excel in a sinful nature. But as I said, that can be overcome through the blood of Jesus and repentance from sin to love God with all your heart.
Sin is not your biggest problem; it's your lack of repentance from sin when God reveals it to you.
The apostle James described sin as knowing the right thing to do but not doing it. (James 4:17) That sin is exactly what I'm after in this teaching. In many cases, the deciding factor for being forgiven of your sins comes down to what you do after you learn what the good is that you need to do. If you resist doing good, then sin will remain. (A good example is Adam's first son Cain in Genesis 4:7)
Adding sin to sin.
Sin is bad enough, but when you add the sin of knowing to do right before God and then choose to go against His will to do your own will and not ask the Lord for guidance, you are destined for destruction from within. Once you go this way, you will have trouble finding repentance. Returning from rebellion against God will take a long time when your will to serve your sin is stronger than your desire to humble yourself and obey God.
In this teaching, I'm using the sin that James describes in a specific way to show that when you know to repent and you don't repent of your sins, you are adding greater damnation to your sin.
Adding sin to sin is when you are aware of sin, yet you conspire to continue in it against God's will. It's when you take counsel, but not from God, and put yourself under a covering, but not of the Spirit.
Sin will always exist in us as long as we are in the flesh, but again, that's not the greatest problem. Not all sin is done willingly against God. For those who love God, sin can be hidden in your nature until it's revealed and forsaken. Therefore sin could be present until the Lord chooses to go after it in your life. That's why grace is so important to your salvation, it covers your sin while God gets you ready to deal with it, but that's another subject we can discuss later.
Your life consists of opportunities to have your sin revealed to you so that you can choose to leave sin, or continue in it. This is the crucial point in your life where you determine your future and how long it will take to finish the work Jesus started in you from the beginning. We all partake in repentance initially when coming to Christ. But that doesn't always translate to continuing in the Spirit without sin.
We must always be ready to forsake any sins revealed by the Spirit, even after becoming a child of God who believes in Jesus.
The vital part of this teaching is the opportunity for choice that God so graciously gives us. If you continue in sin, you create a path in the thoughts of your heart that go down deeper into the pit of darkness. Your parable (life) will reflect that decision. But if you can learn to hear the word of the Lord and repent when that opportunity arises, you will be in great favor with the Lord and rise to a life of light and peace in the kingdom of God.
One good example of dealing with sin.
There are people in the Bible who stand out because of the sins they committed. Not least, King David is counted as the greatest king ever to rule Israel. Jesus sits on his throne. The reason being he loved God more than anything else in his life. That doesn't mean he didn't struggle in the flesh, but when he did, he humbled himself before God and submitted to how God could help him. David wasn't filled with the arrogance of not admitting to his sins. His love for God allowed him to acknowledge his sins and repent from them. And that's what made him a great person in the kingdom of Jesus.
In the New Testament, Paul was another great example. He was a blasphemer against Jesus, yet when Jesus appeared to him, he repented and was baptized in the Spirit. After that, he was taught by the Spirit to be a servant of truth and righteousness without sin. The point is that Paul thought he was doing God's service until the Lord showed him that he opposed the Lord through false truth. Once Paul saw this, he repented and was washed in the truth of Jesus. He became a great witness to how to repent after learning the truth.
In conclusion, it's not uncommon for believers to deal with thoughts of the flesh and have sin still present in their hearts. Walking in repentance is a continual prayer that Jesus gives us. It's only when you add sin to your sin, that you have no chance of returning to God. The answer is simple; when your sin is revealed, immediately repent by turning to God for counsel and let His word wash away your sin.