WHY?

[Michael The Disciple]

Originally Posted by MissBrattified

I Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

Let's face it: We put ourselves in circumstances that lead to sin, most of the time. God doesn't put us there, and He won't override our human will to be there. However, I Corinthians tells us that God is faithful, and He won't allow us to be tempted above our ability, but will provide us a way of escape with the temptation.

Do you think that God will not allow you to put yourself in compromising situations? Let's say, for example, that your weakness is stealing. Why would you apply for a job at a bank, and then expect God to stop you from taking money? It's still your choice to sin, and you've purposely put yourself in the vicinity of your biggest vice. There are times when temptation happens on its own, but often it's our own bad choices that led us there. Not necessarily sinful choices initially, but bad ones just the same.

James 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
James 1:13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
James 1:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
James 1:15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.


P.S. Don't pursue a lifestyle. Pursue God. When you find yourself tempted, go talk to God. I don't care if it's in the middle of a crowded room and you're the star attraction and everyone's going to ask you where you're going or wonder where you went. You have to drag your SELF away and put your SELF in God's capable hands.


It's a dangerous thing when we start laying the blame for our own guilt at someone else's feet, especially God's. We alone are guilty, we alone are responsible, and we will answer for our deeds.

Not everyone can live right on just a few minutes of prayer a day, Jermyn. Some people need to turn to God constantly in order to keep themselves in line. I'm one of them. God knows I have the stinkiest attitude and spirit if I don't lay it at His feet every day. I have a hot temper that I could claim I inherited, but the truth is, it's MY anger, my flesh, and what I do with it determines whether I have to go repent to God and other people for sin. Is it a sin to be angry? Nope. But I can sure sin BECAUSE I'm angry. Is it a sin to find women attractive? No, but you can sure let that natural attraction lead you by your nose into sin if you let your mind or body take you there. Is it a sin to want nice things in your life? No, but its a sin to be greedy and let the love of money guide your decisions. Is it a sin to want other people to like you? No, but its a sin to lie to them so they'll think better of you than they might otherwise. We have natural human feelings and emotions that aren't sinful, but we can let them lead us and guide us into sin by making choices that "feed" the flesh.

Ultimately, YOU are in control. Your sins are not the fault of anyone else, anymore than my sins are your fault.

Man is the one who brought sin into the world. God has spent a lot of time and effort since then giving him a way to redeem himself, because He loves us SO much He doesn't want our stupid choices to lead us to eternal damnation. He gives us a way out--both in the short term(moment of temptation) AND the long term(after we've already sinned)--it's up to us to take it.

Truly excellent post!

[jfrog]

Originally Posted by Jermyn Davidson

...does God allow the circumstances that HE KNOWS will ultimately lead that person to sin?

How on earth can one overcome and why even pursue the overcoming in the first place when God allowed the circumstances that planted the seeds for tremendous failure-- failure that seems perpetual, if not in word and action every time, in thoughts almost daily?



How can I ever get to a place where I am pleasing God?

There are sins that have existed in my life (in thought or action) that persists, that come back, even after the most powerful experiences with God I've been blessed to know.


I'd trade the emotional highs of Pentecostal worship and unquestionable moves of God, for a life completely free from one or two sins that contradict every notion that I might be saved.

I want to experience that kind of a move of God. I have in some areas, but not all.


I'm not sad, for real. I am just at my wits end in pursuing a life that reflects the Holy Ghost that I profess I have.

I remember feeling that way. I remember reflecting on those feelings after I left church. I found that one of the reasons I kept having all those highs in my relationship with God was because I kept praying so much and striving so hard to overcome my sins. I don't have any advice for you on how to get off the spiritual rollercoaster your on but I do think that maybe part of what draws you so close to God at times is knowing that you fall short and need his mercy. Even if you didn't sin you would still need his mercy though. I also want to leave you with something to think about. If you was to overcome your sin right now, what would happen in your relationship with God? Would you still pray as much, would you still do all those spiritual things as much? Would you be able to feel his presence stronger? What exactly does overcoming your sin mean for you in relation to your relationship with God?

[MissBrattified]

Originally Posted by Aquila

I think you're not really understanding the question. The question was why does God "ALLOW" circumstances that he "knows" will lead to sin. Yes, we choose to take the escape or not. But God knows if we will or not. Yet God still allows the circumstance to be.

For example, the Garden of Eden. Yes... Adam and Eve could have chosen to escape by resisting the serpent. But God allowed the circumstance to be... and God knew they would sin. Why would God even allow it at all knowing they would sin?

The reason is because even sin works it's purpose in the plans of God. It reveals our nature and our weaknesses, reveals his nature, and gives us the force to resist to make us stronger.

Okay, I see what you're (and Jermyn's) getting at. I'd have to agree with you, that it's in His plan, and also that it appears that He wants us to be in the position where we have to choose Him over our flesh or over evil. Choosing Him wouldn't be quite as special, if there were no other choices.

Obviously I answered the question all wrong. LOL!!!! Now I'll have to come up with a different answer...maybe tomorrow.

[jfrog]

Originally Posted by MissBrattified

Okay, I see what you're (and Jermyn's) getting at. I'd have to agree with you, that it's in His plan, and also that it appears that He wants us to be in the position where we have to choose Him over our flesh or over evil. Choosing Him wouldn't be quite as special, if there were no other choices.

Obviously I answered the question all wrong. LOL!!!! Now I'll have to come up with a different answer...maybe tomorrow.

I think the bigger issue is what to make of repeated sin that we are unable to overcome in our christian walks. It becomes apparent that something is wrong when the realization hits that you may always be on the spiritual rollercoaster this creates. I don't believe he is blaming God for any of this, he just wants a way off the rollercoaster his repeated sin has created. And it's not as simple as saying just don't do it or he would have already done that. At least thats the way I interpret his question.

[simplyme]

Originally Posted by Sam

Someone once asked, "Are you a sinner who struggles to love God or are you a lover of God who struggles with sin?"

You are not the first person to go through this. The Apostle Paul evidently did too. Here's his description of his struggle in the New King James Bible and also in the Message:

8 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. 20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 21 I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. 22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin. NKJV

17-20 But I need something more! For if I know the law but still can't keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don't have what it takes. I can will it, but I can't do it. I decide to do good, but I don't really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don't result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time. 21-23 It happens so regularly that it's predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God's commands, but it's pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge. 24 I've tried everything and nothing helps. I'm at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn't that the real question?25 The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different. The Message

Woohooo! Thank GOD for HIS WORD it is so REAL and opportune for
what we go through!!
8-20 (scriptures above) are what helped me MOST when I ws comin back
from 7yrs of horrendous backsliding, I might never have made it out of that pit were it not for HIS WORD,
and also the scriptures that are in the post that follows the one I'm quoting here, these SCRIPTURES are
all like comfortable ole friends to me.

There IS POWER in the BLOOD of JESUS and in HIS WORD!

No matter what one is going through, no matter the weaknesses of the flesh, we CAN overcome as JESUS overcame!
Follow HIS example., if we belong to HIM we have everything at our disposal TO obtain the VICTORY!!

In fact we ARE already victorious through Him!!!

I CAN do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me!!

WHY do people forget that we WILL go through trials and tribulations while
we are in this flesh!???

Don't act surprised!! We have been forewarned so that we may
be foreARMED!! Put on the FULL ARMOR OF GOD and you will have
nothing to fear., nothing to dread.

[simplyme]

Originally Posted by MissBrattified

Okay, I see what you're (and Jermyn's) getting at. I'd have to agree with you, that it's in His plan, and also that it appears that He wants us to be in the position where we have to choose Him over our flesh or over evil. Choosing Him wouldn't be quite as special, if there were no other choices.

Obviously I answered the question all wrong. LOL!!!! Now I'll have to come up with a different answer...maybe tomorrow.

I thought of that all along that perhaps everyone, incl. myself, were NOT
exactly dwellling on the literal question asked...YET, I felt that all replies
are helpful in some way., and eventually work around to getting AT the main
gist of the main point.

GOD is sovreign, Jermyn, THATS WHY!!! He alone can decide
what to do with whom, how much, however long, etc.etc., just ask JOB.

JOB endured perhaps the worst dilemna of all, yet He never spoke against GOD, although
he may have thought the same thing you're thinkin, that others think as they go through tuf times.,
lol Its only human, but we must remember that GOD delights in us, His special creation.

He delights in seeing us choose Him over anything/anyone, time and time again.!!!
He even HELPS US to overcome, isn't He just awesome!!!

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by jfrog

I think the bigger issue is what to make of repeated sin that we are unable to overcome in our christian walks. It becomes apparent that something is wrong when the realization hits that you may always be on the spiritual rollercoaster this creates. I don't believe he is blaming God for any of this, he just wants a way off the rollercoaster his repeated sin has created. And it's not as simple as saying just don't do it or he would have already done that. At least thats the way I interpret his question.

Very true. I'd like to know what he struggles with. Because some things that a lot that people "struggle" with isn't sin... it's just listed as sin by religion.

[simplyme]

WHATEVER IT IS, with proper application, obedience, to all that the Bible
instructs us to do (i.e. fasting/prayer) there IS a way to OVERCOME..
IF one wants to bad enough., N O T H I N G is impossible with His
mercy.

At one time, I might've said, or thought, the same thing, regarding a particular
repetitive obstacle of my own making;YET it remained for ME alone, to remember
what the LORD repeatedly tells us

"My grace is sufficient for thee"...

[ForeverBlessed]

Originally Posted by Aquila

Very true. I'd like to know what he struggles with. Because some things that a lot that people "struggle" with isn't sin... it's just listed as sin by religion.

James 4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

[ForeverBlessed]

Originally Posted by Aquila

I think his question was why does God "allow" circumstances that "he knows" will lead one to sin. God doesn't purposefully create circumstances that cause us to sin... and yes we have free will. But God does "allow" circumstances that he knows a weak saint will sin in. Why does God allow it? I believe that it's because God has a plan. God always has a plan.

I still think Abi's post was great! However, I do agree that things are allowed because we need to recognize our need for him. He does have a plan...agreed, and in order for us to complete it, he must work things out of our lives so we are dependent upon him. We grow and become stronger through these times of temptation.