Website owner:  James Miller

On overcoming sin



   Envy, jealousy, covetousness, pride, hatred, bitterness, lust, 
   inner anger, hostility toward society.  Suppose one is 
   afflicted by one or more of these.  How does one deal with it?  
   How do you rid yourself of it?  Can you get rid of it just by 
   willpower?  Just by abstaining, deciding not to do it?  I don't 
   think so.  Then how do you rid yourself of it?  Let us ask a 
   different question.  What is the underlying cause of these 
   things?  I suggest that the cause lies in underlying mental 
   structure in the form of values, outlooks and attitudes.  Not 
   everyone is afflicted with jealousy.  Not everyone is afflicted 
   with envy.  Not everyone is afflicted with pride or hatred or 
   inner anger.  What is the difference between one who is 
   afflicted and one who is not afflicted?  I would say it is 
   underlying mental structure in the form of values, outlooks and 
   attitudes.  To get out from under envy, or pride or anger there 
   must come a shift in underlying mental structure.  What then is 
   the secret to causing changes in underlying mental structure?  
   I would suggest the following answer:  Turn to God, commit 
   yourself to his way, and make, as the primary object of your 
   life, the pursuit of Wisdom, Understanding, Truth, Goodness and 
   Virtue.  Ask God for wisdom and understanding.  The Bible 
   contains a promise:  "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of 
   God, that gives to all men liberally, and without reproach, and 
   it will be given to him." (James 1:5).   Keep this promise in 
   mind and make this request to God a part of your daily prayer.  
   Ask him for it.  Understanding comes in the form of realizing, 
   or appreciating, fundamental truths.  It is not something to be 
   learned, it is something to be realized, to be appreciated.  
   And with increasing appreciation of fundamental truth, I 
   believe you will come to appreciate the various teachings of 
   Jesus Christ.  Study the teachings of Jesus --  his teachings 
   on humility, meekness, kindness, concern for others, avoidance 
   of strife, forgiveness, peaceableness, patience, honesty, 
   purity, simplicity, self-denial, temperance, contentment with 
   little, goodness, virtue, etc.  Study New Testament scripture.  
   Christ's teachings are the embodiment of Wisdom and 
   Understanding.  Try to implement these principles in your life.  
   Question the values, outlooks, attitudes and ways of society.  
   Reject and renounce sin.  Turn your back on it and eliminate 
   it.  Think, reflect, examine, question.  Pursue Goodness and 
   Virtue.  And I suggest one more thing.  Self-analysis.  Study 
   yourself.  Question and examine yourself.  Get to know 
   yourself.  And write your observations down.  It helps greatly 
   to write it down. 


   Dec 2008




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