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Chapter 37

Rejecting Sin

1. Encountering Sin
   1. Consequences of Sin for God’s People
      • Prelude: God’s people still sin
      • Sin deprives God’s people of his blessings
      • Sin deprives God’s people of rest and peace
      • God punishes sin, which can mean physical suffering and emotional anguish . . .
      • . . . along with various other troubles
      • Sin defiles God’s people – making them spiritually unclean
      • God turns away from those who persist in sin . . .
      • . . . God rejects them and thrusts them from his presence
      • Further implications of deliberately or habitually continuing to sin
   2. Addressing Sin (I): Return from Sin to God
      • Stop sinning, turning away from sin
      • Do not be stubborn, like the Israelites were, resisting God and persisting in sin
      • So get rid of sin . . .
      • . . . and get rid of things involved in sinful practices
      • Return to God
      • Return to God with all your heart – not insincerely
      • In returning from sin to God, do what God wants
   3. Addressing Sin (II): Deal with Sin before God
      • Confess your sin to God
      • Be sorrowful over your sin
      • Humble yourself before God over your sin – and its consequences
      • Ask God for forgiveness and restoration
      • In petitioning God, express your anguish over consequences of your sin – even with fasting
      • Note: Accept God’s discipline for sin
   4. God’s Response to Repentance
      • Prelude: God seeks to draw his wayward people back to him
      • When we repent God forgives our sins . . .
      • . . . Further references to God forgiving sin
      • Being merciful and compassionate, God saves us from the consequences of our sin
      • When we repent God restores our relationship with him
      • Note: Not repenting and returning to God brings judgment . . .
      • . . . Unrepentant churches face Jesus Christ’s judgment

2. Avoiding Sin and Being Holy
   1. Avoiding Sin
      • Take care not to sin
      • Ask God for help to avoid sin . . .
      • . . . For God and Jesus Christ are willing and able to help us withstand temptation
      • Use God’s word to avoid sin and counter evil
      • Avoid sinful passions and desires . . .
      • . . . Sinful passions and desires lead to sin
      • Renew your mind and take care of your “heart”
      • Get rid of sinful influences
      • Avoid all evil
      • Hate evil and sin
      • Along with hating evil, love what is good
   2. Alternatives to Sin
      • Instead of living by the sinful nature, live by the Holy Spirit
      • Instead of living in darkness, live according to the light and truth . . .
      • . . . Insights on living in darkness and living in God’s light and truth
      • Instead of living as a slave to sin, live as a slave to God and righteousness . . .
      • . . . In avoiding sin be focused on doing what is right
      • Pursue righteousness . . .
      • . . . Be righteous and upright
      • Be good
      • Note: Further actions that counter sin and evil
   3. Be Holy (I): General
      • Be holy
      • Be holy because God is holy
      • Be godly
      • Be pure . . .
      • . . . Be blameless
      • Make every effort to be holy and godly, particularly in view of what is to come
      • Things that lead to holiness
      • Things that lead to purity
      • We should be holy and pleasing to God because of the things he has done for us
      • The godly, blameless and pure are accepted by God and Jesus Christ
      • The godly, blameless and pure are cared for and blessed by God
   4. Be Holy (II): Being Set Apart
      • Prelude: The world is basically evil
      • Be set apart for God
      • Do not love this world
      • Do not conform to this world
      • Do not live as other people do . . .
      • . . . Worldly and human behavior to be avoided
      • Avoid bad company . . .
      • . . . Bad company is corruptive and harmful
      • Avoid compromising alliances with unbelievers and the wicked
      • Note: God’s people are not of this world . . .
      • . . . God’s people are in effect exiles and temporary residents in this world – even homeless in it

 ➜Major headings in: 37. Rejecting Sin (and all of Unit H)

Pray for persecuted Christians