Offence is the devil’s most dangerous weapon

The passage explains that offense is one of Satan’s most dangerous traps, harming many Christians and damaging relationships. Offenses often come not from enemies but from people close to us—family, friends, or fellow believers, making the pain feel like betrayal. This reflects the sorrow expressed in Psalm 55:12–14, where David grieved over being hurt by a close companion rather than an enemy.

The closer the relationship, the deeper the wound. Homes, friendships, churches, and even marriages—places meant for love and support—can become sources of great pain. Since people naturally expect more from those they love and trust, disappointment and hurt can be severe.

Let is highlights that selfishness and self-love, described in 2 Timothy 3:2, are common in the last days and can be found even within the church. As a result, many believers become wounded, bitter, and offended without realizing they have fallen into Satan’s trap.

However, Jesus taught that offenses are unavoidable in this world. The key issue is not whether offense comes, but how we respond to it. If handled wrongly, offense can grow into bitterness and hinder spiritual growth and calling. Therefore, believers must be spiritually prepared, because their response to offense shapes their future.

1. THE DECEPTIVE TRAP: -   Let us explains that the Greek word for “offend” in Luke 17:1, skandalon, originally referred to the baited part of a trap. This illustrates how offense is a trap used by Satan to capture and control people spiritually. According to 2 Timothy 2:24–26, those involved in quarrels, strife, and opposition can fall into the devil’s snare and unknowingly become captive to his will.

A dangerous aspect of offense is spiritual deception. Offended people often do not realize their condition, believing they are right while bitterness and wrong attitudes flow from their hearts. Like the prodigal son, they need to awaken to their true state.

The message identifies two types of offended people:

1.                  Those genuinely treated unjustly, and

2.                  Those who believe they were treated unjustly.

In the second case, offense may arise from incomplete information, misunderstanding, distorted conclusions, assumptions, appearances, or hearsay. Whether the hurt is real or perceived, offense clouds understanding and can lead people into deception and spiritual bondage.

2. THE HEART’S TRUE CONDITION: - This message teaches that pride is one of the enemy’s main tools for keeping people trapped in offense. Pride hides the true condition of the heart, making a person deny or suppress hurt rather than honestly confronting it. The author shares a personal example of being hurt by ministers but insisting he was “fine,” only later realizing that pride had concealed his offense.

Pride distorts spiritual vision, hardens the heart, and prevents repentance, which is necessary for freedom (2 Timothy 2:24–26). When people believe nothing is wrong, they resist change and healing.

Another effect of pride is a victim mentality. An offended person may justify wrong attitudes or unforgiveness by focusing on how they were mistreated or misunderstood. They may think their hurt gives them the right to hold on to offense. However, while the heart’s true condition may be hidden from people, it is not hidden from God.

The central message is that being wronged does not justify holding onto offense or withholding forgiveness. Even when mistreated, believers are called to deal honestly with their hearts, because two wrongs do not make a right.

3.THE CURE: - The para uses the example of the church of Laodicea in Revelation 3:14–20 to show how pride can hide a person’s true spiritual condition. The Laodiceans believed they were spiritually strong because they were materially rich and self-sufficient, yet Jesus revealed that they were actually “wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.” Their pride and reliance on outward success kept them from recognizing their spiritual need.

I compares this to my own experience of carrying hidden resentment while convincing myself that I am not hurt. In the same way, many people fail to recognize the true state of their hearts because pride blinds them.

Jesus’ solution to the Laodiceans was to seek God’s true riches and spiritual insight, allowing them to see their real condition and escape deception. The main lesson is that humility and honest self-examination are necessary for spiritual healing and freedom.

4. Buy God’s gold: - The para explains Jesus’ instruction in Revelation 3:18 to “buy from Me gold refined in the fire” as a picture of spiritual purification. Pure gold is soft and flexible, but when mixed with impurities or alloys it becomes hard and less pure. Likewise, a pure heart is tender and responsive to God, but sin and unresolved offense harden the heart.

According to Hebrews 3:13, sin deceives and hardens hearts. When offenses are not dealt with, they produce bitterness, anger, resentment, and unforgiveness, reducing spiritual sensitivity and making it harder to hear God’s voice or discern truth.

The refining process of gold—where fire separates impurities from the precious metal—illustrates how God uses trials and afflictions to expose and remove hidden sin. As taught in Isaiah 48:10 and 1 Peter 1:6–7, trials test and refine faith, bringing hidden impurities to the surface.

I share a personal experience of reacting with anger during difficult trials and realizing that the fire did not create those attitudes but revealed impurities already present. God showe/d him that hardships expose what lies hidden in the heart.

The central lesson is that trials present a choice: either blame others and remain bitter or recognize sin, repent, receive forgiveness, and allow God to remove the impurities. Spiritual refining leads to a purer heart and deeper freedom in God.

5: See your true condition: - The passage teaches that seeing our true spiritual condition is essential for freedom from deception. When people are offended, they often view themselves as victims and place blame on those who hurt them. This leads them to justify negative attitudes such as bitterness, unforgiveness, anger, envy, and resentment, and sometimes even transfer these feelings onto others who remind them of past pain.

Jesus’ instruction in Revelation 3:18 to “anoint your eyes with eye salve” means believers need spiritual vision to see their own hearts clearly. True repentance becomes possible only when people stop blaming others and honestly acknowledge their own condition.

Let us warn ourselves that self-justification produces spiritual blindness. Like trying to remove a speck from another person’s eye while ignoring the log in our own, offended people often focus on others’ faults while overlooking their own. Real freedom comes when God’s Spirit reveals the truth about our hearts, leading us to repentance and healing.

God bless you

Let us test ourselves

I just want to say that we must warn ourselves against a false assurance of salvation and calls every person to examine themselves according to the Word of God. Many people claim to be Christians because a preacher told them so, because they prayed once, or because they “feel” saved, yet the Bible says, “There is a way which seems right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Proverbs 14:12). The heart itself cannot be trusted, for “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked” (Jeremiah 17:9). True salvation is not proven by emotions, words, or a past experience alone, but by a continuing life of repentance, faith, and walking with Christ.

Through this message I want to explain two biblical truths: the security of the believer and the assurance of salvation. Every true believer is kept by the power of God, for “He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). Yet believers are also commanded to test themselves to see whether they are truly in the faith. As written in 2 Corinthians 13:5, “Examine yourselves, whether you are in the faith; prove your own selves.” A genuine Christian continues in repentance, continues in faith, and continues walking with God because true grace produces perseverance and holiness.

The text warns that many who profess Christ may actually be deceived. A person who once appeared religious but later loves the world, enjoys sin, and abandons fellowship may reveal that they never truly knew Christ. Scripture teaches, “They went out from us, but they were not of us” (1 John 2:19). Therefore, no one should rely on feelings, comparisons with other Christians, or the opinions of preachers. Salvation must be examined in the light of Scripture alone.

The message urgently calls people to stop trusting in false hope and to seek true conversion. Eternity, heaven, and hell are real. Just as a weak bridge must be tested before trusting your life to it, so every person must test the foundation of their salvation. Jesus Himself said, “Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 7:21). Therefore, the call is clear: repent, believe the Gospel, cry out for God’s mercy, and seek assurance through a living relationship with Jesus Christ, evidenced by obedience, perseverance, and love for God.

This message teaches that true salvation is not gained by merely repeating a prayer or making a profession of faith, but by a genuine work of God in the heart. A person may need to seek God earnestly, crying out in repentance and faith until the Lord completes a true work of grace within them. Scripture says in 1 John 5:13 that the epistle was written “that ye may know that ye have eternal life.” Therefore, assurance of salvation must come from testing our lives by the Word of God, not by emotions, family opinions, or outward religion.

The message calls believers to examine their “secret life” — the person they are when no one is watching. Many may appear religious outwardly while inwardly living in sin. God sees the hidden heart, and His Word exposes every false profession. The preacher must urge people to compare their lives honestly with Scripture, because eternity is at stake. Just as someone would urgently warn a child standing before a moving train, the Gospel must be preached with seriousness and urgency.

From 1 John 1:5, “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.” God is perfectly holy, righteous, and pure. He is not a hidden or undefined god who allows people to live however they please. God has clearly revealed His character and His will through Scripture. Therefore, every person is accountable before Him. True Christianity is not based on a vague belief in God, but on knowing and obeying the God revealed in His Word.

The message explains 1 John 1:6: “If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth.” A person who claims to know Christ yet continually lives in a lifestyle of sin, rebellion, and disobedience is giving evidence of a false profession. Walking in darkness means living in a manner that contradicts God’s character and commandments. True believers are not sinless, but their lives increasingly reflect God’s holiness rather than continual love for sin.

The text also warns against the false teaching of sinless perfection. According to 1 John 1:8, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” Even mature Christians still struggle with sin, but the true child of God confesses sin, repents, and seeks cleansing through Christ. Verse 9 gives the hope of the Gospel: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Through this message I also want to explain that one of the greatest types of evidence of true salvation is sensitivity toward sin. A genuine child of God is convicted by sin, led to repentance, confession, and brokenness before the Lord. Many outwardly religious people remain cold and unmoved, while true believers grieve over their sin. As Psalm 34:18 says, “The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart.” A saved person does not become comfortable in sin, but feels the loving discipline and conviction of God.

Every preacher must explain that God guards His children with jealous love. When believers sin, the Holy Spirit convicts them deeply and draws them back to repentance. Hebrews 12 teaches that the Lord disciplines those He loves. Therefore, a Christian cannot continually enjoy sin without conviction. If someone gradually slides deeper into sin without repentance, it may reveal an unconverted heart. But if God pulls them back through conviction and correction, it is evidence of His saving work.

1.Through this message let us ask an important question to ourselves:- “Do you tremble at God’s Word?” From Isaiah 66:2, God says He looks with favor upon the one “that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembles at my word.” True believers do not search for excuses to justify sin or avoid Scripture when convicted. Instead, they humble themselves before God, allowing His Word to expose and correct them. A real relationship with God produces a new relationship with sin — hatred for it, confession of it, and a desire to turn from it.

2. Let us test with another test of salvation is obedience: - According to 1 John 2:3, “And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.” Assurance does not come from emotions, repeating a prayer, or a preacher’s words, but from a life that continues in obedience to Christ. The believer’s life is marked by a growing love for God’s Word and a sincere desire to obey it. Though Christians are not sinlessly perfect, their lifestyle reflects repentance, perseverance, and submission to God’s commands.

3. let us strongly warns ourselves against false professions of faith:- 1 John 2:4 says, “He that saith, I know him, and keeps not his commandments, is a liar.” A person may loudly claim to know Christ, yet if their life continually rejects God’s will, their profession is empty. True Christianity is not merely verbal confession but a transformed life empowered by grace.

4. Let us examine with another Bible verse: - I point out the Christ as the example for every believer. 1 John 2:6 declares, “He that saith he abides in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.” Christians are called to imitate the character, holiness, and obedience of Jesus. Though believers stumble, their direction is toward Christlikeness. A true child of God desires to walk as Jesus walked, loves His Word, hates sin, and continues in repentance and faith until the end.

5. another question: This Bible teaches that a true believer desires to walk as Jesus walked. Using the illustration of a child stepping into his father’s footprints in the snow, I just explain that although Christian’s stumble and fall, the deepest desire of their heart is to follow Christ and become like Him. As 1 John 2:6 says, “He that saith he abides in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.” The evidence of salvation is not perfection, but a sincere longing to imitate Jesus in holiness, obedience, and love.

6. Let us ask ourselves next question: - Whether a person truly desires Christ or whether they love the world instead. If someone continually desires to live like the world, speak like the world, and fellowship with the world more than with Christ, it reveals the condition of the heart. Romans 12:2 commands believers, “Be not conformed to this world.” True Christians identify themselves with Jesus Christ rather than the sinful ways of the world.

7. Another important test of salvation is: - love for fellow believers. From 1 John 2:9-11, the verses teaches that a person who claims to know God but hates or neglects fellow Christians still walks in darkness. Genuine believers love the brethren in practical and sacrificial ways. Jesus said, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:35). Christian love is more than attending church services; it is serving, praying for, helping, and sacrificing for God’s people.

The preacher gives examples of believers risking their lives, caring for missionaries, feeding Christians in prison, and helping fellow saints in need. This reflects the love described in 1 John 3:18: “Let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but indeed, and in truth.” True faith produces active love and fellowship with the family of God. A saved person desires to be with believers, speak about Christ, worship together, and strengthen one another in the Lord.

8. Next test: - The message also warns against loving the world. 1 John 2:15 says, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.” The “world” refers to everything opposed to God’s nature and will. Anything that promotes sin, rebellion, impurity, or disobedience to God draws the heart away from Him. A Christian must examine whether the things they enjoy, listen to, watch, or pursue honor God or contradict His holiness

The Bible warns believers not to love the world or the sinful things of this passing age. According to 1 John 2:15, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.” A true Christian is no longer enslaved to worldly pleasures, sinful entertainment, pride, beauty, wealth, or fleshly desires, but is set free to pursue Christ and eternal things. The pleasures of this life are temporary, for “life is a vapor” (James 4:14), and everything earthly will one day pass away.

9. The Next question we must ask ourselves: - The Christians who fill their minds with ungodly entertainment while expecting God to move powerfully in their lives. Loving sinful jokes, impurity, and worldly pleasures reveals divided loyalty. Jesus said, “No man can serve two masters” (Matthew 6:24). A believer cannot claim devotion to Christ while continually delighting in the very things that dishonor Him and contributed to His suffering on the cross.

10. The next test for us is:- We must remind ourselves of the certainty of death and eternity. Beauty, strength, money, fame, and worldly success all fade away, but “he that doeth the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:17). The only lasting treasure is Christ Himself. True wisdom is to live for eternal glory rather than temporary earthly pleasures. The Christian life becomes sweeter with age because believers look forward to the glory of God and eternal fellowship with Christ.

11. Next question for young believers: - I call young people to seek God early in life. Many servants of God in Scripture, like Samuel, were called while still young. Rather than delaying repentance or obedience, believers are urged to seek the Lord wholeheartedly now. Jeremiah 29:13 says, “Ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.”

12. Another mark of true salvation is perseverance in the faith;- From 1 John 2:19, those who permanently abandon biblical Christianity and depart from Christ reveal that they were never truly converted. Genuine believers remain in Christ because God Himself preserves them. Salvation is secure not because of human strength, but because believers are kept by the power of God in Christ.

13.Next tests for ourselves is:- I just express that a true child of God practices righteousness and seeks holiness in every area of life. According to 1 John 2:29, “Every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.” Righteousness means living in a way that conforms to the nature, will, and commands of God. A genuine believer desires to obey God’s Word, practice His wisdom, and submit daily to His truth. Jesus warned in Matthew 7:23, “Depart from me, ye that work iniquity,” showing that those who claim Christ yet live lawless lives give evidence of false conversion.

14. The next question to ourselves: - The text emphasizes that Christianity is not merely verbal profession but practical obedience. A true disciple seeks to know and obey God’s commands in thoughts, speech, actions, entertainment, conduct, and daily living. The Bible speaks to every part of life, and believers are called to conform themselves to Scripture. God’s commandments are not burdensome to the saved heart, for 1 John 5:3 says, “His commandments are not grievous.” Obedience flows from love for God rather than legalism.

I also explain about biblical modesty and holiness. God desires His people to be decent, pure, and beautiful in a godly way. Christians are not to live according to worldly fashions or sensuality, but in a manner that honors Christ. The principle is that everything about a believer’s life — even clothing, speech, and behavior — should reflect godliness and point others toward the glory of God rather than toward fleshly desires.

15. Next question we must ask ourselves: - sanctification. From 1 John 3:3, “Every man that hath this hope in him purifies himself, even as he is pure.” True believers who are waiting for the return of Christ actively strive for holiness. Salvation does not produce spiritual laziness but a continual desire to become more like Christ. Christians are called not only to trust in Christ’s righteousness but also to pursue purity, repentance, and growth in godliness through the power of the Holy Spirit.

The message asks believers to examine themselves honestly: Are they fighting sin? Are they seeking purity in thought, word, and action? Are they striving after holiness? The Christian life is not casual religion but a continual pursuit of Christlikeness. Hebrews 12:14 teaches, “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.”

16. The next question tok ourselves: I just want to explain that true believers rest in the finished work of Christ while also striving after holiness. According to 1 John 3:3, “Every man that hath this hope in him purifies himself, even as he is pure.” Genuine Christians pursue righteousness because they have been changed by God’s grace. Holiness is not an attempt to earn salvation, but the fruit of a transformed heart that desires to please God.

17. Another question: - We must emphasize the seriousness of sin. 1 John 3:4 declares, “Sin is lawlessness.” Sin is not merely a mistake or weakness; it is rebellion against the Lord of Glory. The message describes how all creation obeys God — the stars, seas, mountains, and planets follow His command — yet sinful humanity resists His authority. This reveals the horror and wickedness of sin. Therefore, believers must never treat sin lightly, because it opposes the holy God who created all things.

18. Next question: - The preacher explains the difference between a believer who struggles with sin and an unbeliever who practices sin as a lifestyle. Christians may fall into sin, but they are convicted, repent, confess their sins, and continue growing in holiness through God’s discipline. However, those who continually love and practice sin without repentance reveal an unconverted heart. As 1 John 3:8 says, “He that committeth sin is of the devil,” referring to a continual lifestyle of rebellion and love for sin.

19. The next warning: - Another warning is given against deception. Believers are urged not to trust false teachers, careless Christians, or worldly opinions, but to examine themselves according to Scripture. True righteousness is shown by a life that increasingly reflects obedience to God and hatred for sin. A person who claims Christ while continually loving the world and walking in habitual sin gives evidence that they do not truly know Him.

20. Next question: - The mess also points to Christ as the center and source of life. 1 John 5:12 says, “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” Jesus is not merely an addition to an already comfortable life; He is life itself. Wealth, health, success, family, and earthly blessings are empty apart from Christ. A true believer treasures Jesus above all things and desires Him more than the world.

At the same time, the preacher must comfort struggling believers. True Christians are not sinlessly perfect, and they may grieve because they feel they do not love Christ enough or are not as holy as they desire to be. Yet this very struggle is evidence of spiritual life. A heart that longs for holiness, grieves over sin, and desires Christ is evidence of the Holy Spirit’s work within. The concern is not for believers battling sin, but for those who live comfortably in sin without repentance

Christian and ongoing sin

 We need to understand that if a person is a Christian, their heart has been regenerated, they have been made alive, they have been given a new heart, and also the Holy Spirit dwells within them.

So, a Christian is going to experience changes, transformations. They are going to grow in conformity to Christ. Yet at the same time, we will never be free from sin on this side of heaven. I want us to look at 1st John and Chapter one and John says in verse eight, If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. One of the things that is so evident about someone who is a Christian, it is not that they are sinless, but that they recognize sin in their life.

And when they see that sin, they confess it. A lot of times we do not see how extraordinary that actually is. We live in a world that is sinning constantly against God. And yet so few people recognize their sin, take responsibility for their sin, confess their sin, mourn over their sin. So, when you see a person who has professed faith in Christ doing these types of things, it is evident that they truly have come to know Him.

You see, a Christian will sin less, but they will not be without sin. But when they do sin, it will cause sorrow in their heart, it will lead them to repentance and the confession of that sin. He says, if we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. There are so many times when I will preach in a church and this very same thing will happen every time. Maybe I shall preach in a Church about sin or about the necessity of being holy.

And sometimes the spirit of God will be working and many people will be broken over their sin. And what seems to be so unusual is this: the people who are usually the most godly, sincere and devoted in the Church are the ones most broken over their sin. While those who show little signs or evidences of having been born again sit there as though they had no sense at all.

And what we are seeing is the working of the spirit of God in God's people and the lack of that working in people who profess faith in Christ but really do not know Him. Now, he says this in verse 9. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness who says this a 90 years John the Apostle of Jesus Christ.

When the believer sins, the believer should confess that sin turn away from it and ask for forgiveness. Now, what is confession? Confession literally in the Greek is is a word omologeo and literally it means to speak the same thing. So, if I am a Christian and I study the word of God and reading the Bible, one day the Lord convicts me of sin. Or let's say that a brother in Christ who dearly loves me sees that I am not walking as I ought to be and he speaks to me about my sin.

And I know it is from God. He is using the scripture. It really is true. I have sinned. When God tells me through the word of God or through the instruction of another believer or some other way, when God tells me that I have sinned, when he speaks to me. You have sinned; you were impatient. Confession is not just to say, "I' am sorry." Confession is to speak the same thing. When God says, you have been impatient. Confession is when I say Lord, I agree with you with regard to my sin. You say I have been impatient. You are right. I have been impatient. That is confession and then asking for forgiveness. Forgive me for my impatience now. So, we see here that even though a believer is going to be transformed and continue transforming, even a believer will experience change and conformity to Christ.

We will still have to deal with sin in our lives. Hopefully it will be a lot less as we grow, but it will be there and we have to deal with it and we deal with it through brokenness and confession, recognizing that what God says about us is true and confessing it. 

Now, let me take you to another text that is very, very important. Very important. In Psalms 119:11, David says: Your word, I have treasured in my heart that I may not sin against You. How can we grow in conformity to Christ, how can we sin less? Well, one of the essential, essential things we need is here in verse 11, the word of God. Look what he says. Your word I have treasured in my heart that I may not sin against You. Now, if you are listening to this, let me ask you a question. How much time do you spend in the word of God? How much time do you spend reading the word of God, studying the word of God, memorizing the word of God, meditating on the word of God? Most people, when they hear this question, they kind of bow their head and acknowledge not enough. Some even almost not at all.

This is one of the reasons why that we have so little power over sin, is because we spend so little time in the word of God. You know, you cannot miss breakfast without starting to get hungry. You miss lunch, you are starting to feel weak. You miss lunch and supper and breakfast. You mean you miss meals all day and by the next day you are probably even going to feel sick. Well, that is a physical illustration of a spiritual reality.

You need the word of God. Sometimes people ask me and they act like, you know, growing is this great mystery that no one can solve. How can we grow? And then I ask them this question, well, how much time do you spend in the word of God? And their answer is usually: It cannot be that simple. Show me some trick or some key to spiritual growth. And I say, I am trying to. You need to spend time in the word of God.

Now, look what he says again. Your word I have treasured in my heart that I may not sin against you. Now let us change it a little. Your word I have not treasured in my heart so that I might sin against you. Do you see? It works both ways. If you are going to neglect your study of scripture, the memorization and meditation of scripture, then you are opening your life to less and less conformity and to more and more sin. Now, when I talk about the Bible and studying the Bible, how should you do it?

Well, I do not have the only way to do it. But let me tell you something that is very important. Most people jump back and forth. They read one portion in one book and then maybe another chapter in another book, and they go from here to there. And they never really understand the council of God. They never really see the big picture. I would recommend that if you have never read the New Testament, start in the book of Matthew and read all the way through to the Book of Revelation and do that several times and then go to the Old Testament. Start in Genesis and read all the way through to Revelation and spend the rest of your life in that life discipline, whether it is three, four or five or fifteen chapters a day.

The important thing is that you are reading through the Bible systematically and you are beginning to see how all the pieces fit together. You are beginning to see the big picture of God and the big picture with regard to God's salvation and God's will. Very, very important. Now, I want us to go to the Book of James for a moment, and I want to show you something that is often overlooked.

But it is been very helpful for me in my life in chapter one. You know, James is talking about trials. And then after he is talking about trials, James comes down and he says this. Verse 13. Let no one say when he is tempted, I am being tempted by God, for God cannot be tempted by evil and He himself does not tempt anyone. When I am being tempted to do something, I need to realize, first of all, this is not from God and this is not according to God's will, and this is not conformed to God's character.

I need to see sin for what it really is, something that stands in opposition to everything that God is and everything that he desires. This is not just some little mistake. This is hostility. It is enmity. It as fighting against God and God's purpose in my life and so I need to recognize sin for what it is. It is not coming from God. And when I am living in this world and maybe a person asked me to do something or there is a possibility to do something over here and I consider it in the light of scripture and I realize it is not something God would want me to do. I need to recognize this is not from God. I am a child of God, and I should have nothing to do with it. There is nothing. We have no fellowship no truce, no unity with darkness, with sin, with the devil.

And so, recognize when temptation comes I i's not from God and it needs to be rejected. Now, verse 14, it says, but each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Now, when a temptation comes and it enters into your mind, do this or look here, that is not sin. That is a temptation. That is not sin. It becomes sin when you give into it, when you give yourself over to it, when you devote yourself to it, when you deliver yourself to do that very thing, that is when it becomes sin. But when it first enters into your mind, look at that no, that's not temptation. 

But here is what you need to understand. You cannot play around with temptation. You cannot play around with sin. It will grab you and it will grab you quickly. If you are out working in the fields in India or Pakistan and there is a big cobra and you have got a machete in your hand and all of a sudden that cobra rises up, you don't have... You cannot sit there and talk to it. You cannot reason with it. It is going to strike in a matter of a second or two. You have got to take off its head or you have got to flee. You have got to get out of there. You cannot play around with it. How many children do we know, at least in and around that have been around me in my lifetime, that have sat there and played around with poisonous snakes, having a good time, and then all of a sudden, they get too close, they get too careless and what happens? 

The snake strikes when you see the temptation, when it appears, don not play with it, do not meditate on it. Do not think about it. Kill it, get away from it, flee from it. We are told to flee from certain sins (1 Corinthians 6:18). You see, do you remember when Cane was angry, he was very, very angry and God said to him, sin is waiting at the door and its desire is to have you (Genesis 4:6-7). You need to realize something. Sin is like a wild animal and when it approaches, it wants you. It wants to devour you.

It wants to destroy you. The Bible says the devil is like a roaring lion (1 Peter 5:8), seeking whom he may devour. So do not play with this, cut it off immediately. And here is another thing that's very important about sin. Do not go to the places where sin is easy. I said, do not go back to the places where you used to frequent, do not run with the same guys and do not go near those taverns and places where you used to drink physically. Stay away from them. This is very important on the Internet and other things, never put yourself in a position where you can be alone with temptation, build guards around you to protect yourself. You have got to realize how weak you are and how strong the devil is and how strong sin and its lust can be.

Now it says in verse  James1:15, then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death. Another thing that you need to realize about sin, it is deadly and you say, well, I am a Christian, OK, you are a Christian, I is still deadly. How many Christian homes have I seen destroyed by sin? How many Christian ministries are no more because of sin?

How many men who have been used mightily of God to do great things, and then they fall into sin and it and it does everything that was good before? Sin is deadly. It is monstrous. You need to fear it. You need to run from it. Now, verse James 1:16, this is the important part in dealing with temptation. Do not be deceived, my beloved brother, and every good thing, given every perfect gift is from above coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no sin. 

God desires believers to be transformed into the likeness of Jesus Christ

God desires believers to be transformed into the likeness of Jesus Christ, a process known as sanctification, rather than conforming to the world. This involves renewing the mind, putting off the old self, and developing character traits like love, humility, and holiness through the power of the Holy Spirit, not just willpower.Key Bible Verses for Becoming

 Christ-LikeRomans 8:29 (ESV): "For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers." (God's goal is conformity to Jesus).

2 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV): "And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit." (Transformation is a process).

Romans 12:2 (ESV): "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." (Changing how we think).

Ephesians 4:22-24 (ESV): "...to put off your old self... and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness." (Active change).

1 John 2:6 (ESV): "Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked." (Modeling Jesus' lifestyle).

Galatians 2:20 (ESV): "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me..."

 (Surrendering to Christ's life within).

1 Peter 2:21 (ESV): "For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps." (Following Jesus' example).How to Cultivat

 Christ-likenessDepend on the Holy Spirit: It is the Spirit's job to produce this character in you, not your own strength.Read the Word: Being familiar with Scripture guides you on how to live.

Focus on Love and Service: Actively work on patience, kindness, and humility (Galatians 5:22-23).Be Persistent: It is a lifelong process of growing up into Him (Ephesians 4:15).

Jeremiah 33:3 (Call to me and I will answer)

 Jeremiah 33:3 is a prominent Bible verse where God invites prayer, promising: "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know". Spoken to Jeremiah while in prison, it offers assurance of divine guidance, revelation, and help during crises. 

Key Themes and Meaning: -

• An Invitation to Pray: God calls on people to seek Him directly, particularly during difficult times.
• Promise of an Answer: It highlights that God is accessible and promises to respond to prayers.
• Revelation of the Unknown: "Great and unsearchable" (or "mighty") things refer to hidden insights, divine wisdom, and future blessings that exceed human understanding
• Context of Restoration: In context (Jeremiah 33:1-14), this promise was given to encourage the prophet regarding the restoration of Israel and Judah during captivity. 

This verse is often cited as a reminder that God provides strength, direction, and answers to those who seek Him, often revealing solutions that are beyond human reasoning.

 

Clarification about old and new covenant in respect of sexual immortality

 yes, the sexual sin of King David with Bathsheba and the subsequent murder of her husband, Uriah, had severe, lasting consequences that affected his further generations and household. While David was forgiven by God, the earthly repercussions—often termed "generational consequences"

Impact on David’s Generations

Death of the Child: The first child born from the union with Bathsheba died.

The Sword in His House: God declared that "the sword shall never depart from your house" (2 Samuel 12:10), resulting in violence within David's family.

Family Tragedy:

Amnon (David's son): Raped his half-sister, Tamar.

Absalom (David's son): Murdered Amnon in retaliation, later rebelled against David, and attempted to seize the throne.

Sexual Misconduct Repeated: Absalom publicly slept with David's concubines on the palace roof, mirroring David’s sin in a public manner.

Adonijah (David's son): Later attempted to seize the throne, resulting in his own death (1 Kings 2:25).

Pattern of Dysfunction: The sexual sin, murder, and instability that David initiated in secret were repeated by his children in open defiance of him.

What the New Covenant Says About This Type of Sin

The New Covenant, established through Jesus Christ, changes the context of "generational curses" by emphasizing individual responsibility and the breaking of sin's power through grace.

Individual Responsibility: Under the New Covenant, the focus is on personal accountability for one’s actions, rather than punishment for ancestral actions. Ezekiel 18:20, a foundational principle reinforced in the New Testament, states: "The son shall not bear the punishment for the father’s iniquity".

Freedom from the Law’s Curse: Galatians 3:13 explains that Christ redeemed believers from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for them. This means that while earthly consequences of sin may remain (e.g., broken relationships, diseases), the spiritual bondage and condemnation of generational sins are broken for those in Christ.

No Condemnation: Romans 8:1 states, "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus".

Repentance and Renewal: The New Covenant offers forgiveness and a new beginning. While David’s story shows that forgiven sin can still have consequences, the New Covenant promises that God can turn evil into good and break the cycle of sin through the power of the Holy Spirit.

In summary, David’s sin did heavily affect his generation, but the New Covenant offers believers freedom from the curse of such sinful patterns and responsibility for their own walk with God, rather than being bound by the sins of their predecessors.

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Ramesh C Koundal

The narrative of Jesus and the woman caught in adultery (John 8:1–11) is widely interpreted as a direct confrontation between the grace of God and the rigid, hypocritical legalism of the Pharisees. While Jesus did not condone adultery, his actions and words, "Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone," demonstrated that a self-righteous, merciless, and legalistic spirit is fundamentally worse than the sin of adultery.

Key Details in the Scene:-

The Trap: The Pharisees brought only the woman, ignoring the requirement of the Mosaic Law (Leviticus 20:10) that both the man and woman be punished. Their goal was not justice, but to trap Jesus, forcing him to choose between breaking the Law (by releasing her) or violating Roman law (by executing her).

The Legalism of the Pharisees: The Pharisees wanted to use the woman to condemn Jesus, revealing a heart devoid of compassion and full of self-righteousness. They were eager to stone her, despite their own hidden sins.

Jesus’ Response: By stating "let him who is without sin cast the first stone," Jesus redirected the focus from the woman’s sin to the conscience of the accusers. Their conscience convicted them, causing them to leave, starting with the eldest.

The Verdict: Jesus did not condemn the woman, but rather offered her mercy and a command to "sin no more" (John 8:11), highlighting that the purpose of his coming was to save, not to condemn.

Legalism vs. Adultery:-

Legalism is a "Beam": The Pharisees' judgmental spirit is compared to a "beam" in their own eye, which is more dangerous than the "speck" (adultery) they pointed out in another.

The Danger of Self-Righteousness: Legalism substitutes the letter of the law for the heart of the law (love and mercy) and, in its self-righteousness, often causes greater damage than the sins it condemns.

While the woman was guilty of a grave sin, Jesus used the situation to expose that those who act with cold, merciless judgment are closer to condemnation than the sinner who finds mercy.

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