Hebrews 10:26-27 What does it mean to sin willfully?

Hebrews‬ ‭10:26‭-‬27‬

"For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries."

Is this passage referring to a Christian deliberately going out and engaging in sin? 

What is the knowledge of the truth that we have received? 

How come there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins? 

Resources: 

Blogs about Hebrews 10:26

https://96tolife.blogspot.com/search?q=Hebrews+10:26&m=1

Hebrews 10:26-27 No Sacrifice for Sins

https://www.livinggodministries.net/living_god_ministries/radio_archive/audio_files/hebrews_42_ch10_26_27_no_sacrifice_for_sins.mp3

Abandoning Love

Are you a Christian who shares the following observation about the current state of the body of Christ?

"The most basic tenet of Christianity is love; yet, how many Christians, especially in my home country of the United States, actually embrace that tenet? Every day, I see people who claim to be Christ's followers deny other people acceptance into the fold because of what they wear, how they look, and where they are from. The Bible says many will be deceived. I used to think the Church as a whole would be on the right side of things, but now, I wonder if the majority of Christians are the deceived. We cannot follow Christ without love. Has the Church abandoned love for the sake of worldly things such as wealth and [a] political agenda?"

I understand where this person is coming from, in general. However, there is an assumption that the person saying these things understands the subject matter they are addressing. For example, what is a tenet? By definition, a tenet is a "doctrine, principle, or position held as part of a philosophy, religion, or field of endeavor." Do Christians live by tenets? I would say that we do not. Tenets are outside influences designed to modify our behavior. In other words, they are laws. Laws can and do dictate how we act, but they do little to change our hearts. You can motivate a person to behave a certain way through force, manipulation, the promise of rewards, or threat of punishment. What does the recipient of these actions see as your motivation? To me, it would come across as fake and not genuine. Therefore, the desired effect would be lost. 

Continuing on, what does this person mean by "people who claim to be Christ followers?" Basically, it means Christians. But, when I read the phrase "Christ follower," the mental picture is that Jesus Christ is in front of a person, and that person is trying to imitate the actions of the Lord. Once again, this gives the impression that a person is being instructed on how to act instead of living instinctively in response to the Holy Spirit's leading through a changed heart. There is a popular ministry called, "I am Second." The implication is that Jesus or God is "first" in a person's life, and they are "second." However, it is this thought process that robs Christianity and the Gospel of its central meaning. That being, "Christ in you, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27)." We are not necessarily following Jesus Christ as we are being led by Him from within. Being led symbolizes the idea that Christ is our life, not that He is first and we are second. He changes our hearts, and that changes our behavior. 

Generally speaking, as Christians, we should accept others even if we disagree with them. However, from my experience, what people wear, where they are from, and how they look could indicate what they believe. There is a difference between acceptance and tolerance. Acceptance means that you understand that everybody is different and has different experiences. In this case, you are trying to meet them and forge a bond on agreement points. Whereas tolerance could mean that you could be compromising the truth to get along. If that is the case, then denying people "acceptance into the fold" may have some merit. You cannot have unity with each other "until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:13)."

The Bible does say that many will be deceived, including Christians. However, this is usually due to unbelievers or believers being led astray by "false Christs and false prophets (Matthew 24:24)" performing signs and wonders. But, to stand in judgment of people in this way without giving examples of what you are determining to be deception can make you out to be the bad guy. Who is to say that the one making the judgment isn't the one who is deceived? The apostle Paul said, "Brothers if someone is caught in a trespass, you who are spiritual should restore him with a spirit of gentleness. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted (Galatians 6:1)."It is this attitude that we should have towards our fellow Christian brothers and sisters. If they are guilty of being deceived and have fallen into sin, go to them and restore them gently, but be on guard to not fall into the same sin. 

There may be a point about the church abandoning "love for the sake of worldly things such as wealth and [a] political agenda." The prosperity gospel comes to mind when mentioning the pursuit of worldly things. Throughout history, the Church has sought to place its mark on society. At times, however, it does seem that Christians equate political agendas with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The idea that God's ability to reach the lost and hurting world with the message of Jesus Christ is tied to political success is not true and a bit arrogant on our part. Politics is the fruit of one's faith, but faith in Jesus Christ is not dependent on the political climate of a given moment in time. Ultimately, we have to define love. Love means different things to different people. As Christians, we have to use God's definition of love and then allow that to dictate how we engage the world around us. 

"Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails ... (1 Corinthians 13:4-8)" These attributes of love are examples of the fruit of the Spirit. God shares His love with us through the indwelling Holy Spirit. As we mature in our relationship with God in Christ, we will bear these fruits to the world around us. When we do this, love will not be a tenet that we embrace. It will be a natural expression of a heart changed by an encounter with the living God. A heart changed by God will abandon the world to be a part of God's agenda in spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

The Battle Is Already Won

"Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence." Colossians 2:23

A relative of mine suggested that I read the book, "Every Man's Battle: Winning the War on Sexual Temptation One Victory at a Time." Now, I don't know why it was suggested to me. I didn't confide in them that I was "losing the battle" with sexual temptation nor were we even discussing the subject. The description of the book reads, "From movies and television, to print media and the Internet, men are constantly faced with the assault of sensual images. It is impossible to avoid such temptations... but, thankfully, not impossible to confront them and gain victory over them!"  That about sums it up when it comes to all the fronts where men are confronted with sexual temptation. The devastation that sexual sin has caused to individuals and relationships is endless. From fornication to adultery and from pornography to sexual deviancy, the temptation of sexual sin knows no boundaries. Christians and unbelievers are both familiar with the story in the Bible about Sodom and Gomorrah and the wrath of God which befell those cities due to their descent into sexual immorality. "Then the Lord rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah—from the Lord out of the heavens. Thus he overthrew those cities and the entire plain, destroying all those living in the cities—and also the vegetation in the land (Genesis 19:24-25)." It is because of stories like this and the struggle men have with sexual sin that books like the one suggested to me to read are written so frequently. For clarity, I did not read the book and do not have any intention to read it. Not that the book doesn't have any useful information, but that this subject is not new to me and I don't feel that the answer to gaining "victory" over sexual sin, or sin in general, is ultimately found in instituting different techniques to modify your behavior. No offense is meant towards the author of the book, the person who suggested I read it, or to those that may have benefited from reading it. It is that I believe the more you focus on a particular sin, the more that sin gets a foothold on you than it may already have presently. Do not get me wrong, I have committed sexual sin and am not proud of it. And, yes, like the book talks about, sexual temptation is impossible to avoid. However, there is something that I know about my faith in Jesus Christ that helps me in this area as well as other areas of sin that tempt me. The Bible says, "The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law (1 Corinthians 15:56)." The power of sin is the law. In other words, the techniques you submit to that are designed to help you in "winning the war on sexual temptation" will only lead to the discovery of more sins to avoid. Then this "battle" becomes your life. The Apostle Paul, who wrote the verse from 1 Corinthians also said, "But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of coveting (Romans 7:8)," when he talked about the law commanding him not to covet. It did not give him victory it only produced more enemies to fight!

I have seen it all when it comes to avoiding sexual temptation. Make a "covenant" with your eyes as a promise not to look at something tempting. Put your personal computer in an open space in your home so as to be accountable to other people in the home. Get all types of filtering software for your computer to help you avoid inappropriate internet websites. Become a member of an "accountability" group where the pressure of having to give an account of your activities to others will hopefully get you to not give in to temptation. While all of these things may have their merit and work to some degree, where is Jesus in all of this? Every "covenant" you make, computer software that you install, placement of the furniture in the home, or group you belong to, as the verse from Colossians 2 says, will not have any value in restraining sensual indulgence. The entire focus of your Christian life becomes you and your attempts to avoid sexual temptation and not Jesus Christ and how He overcame sin on your behalf. There is no question we should do our best to avoid sin, sexual or otherwise. However, I hope the motivation isn't solely because sin is wrong and should be avoided, but rather that you are resting in the love and acceptance of God through your faith in Jesus Christ and as a byproduct the appeal of sin is diminishing. Furthermore, when you do sin, and you will whether it is sexual or otherwise, the forgiveness of God prevents that sin from separating you from Him. Therefore, you can go to Him for comfort, love, and guidance with the hope that He will instruct you in ways to live above your circumstances. Remember, "But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:57)." The power of sin is the law, but the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ have given us the victory over sin. One area that you often see "every man's battle" play out is in the area of dating. If you have a committed relationship between a man and woman, the struggle can be "how do you get close to one another without getting 'too' close?" if you catch my meaning. Again, you can try to implement the many techniques written about in various books on how to date without giving in to sexual temptation. While those may work and have worked, there is a better way to live. What does God say? "But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion (1 Corinthians 7:9)." The advice God gives the unmarried is to simply get married. Rather than a couple trying not to give in to sexual temptation and frustrating themselves constantly, they are told to just get married. There are no techniques given, just eliminate the temptation to fall in to sin altogether. There is no need to try and win a battle when God has already given you the means to avoid the conflict in the first place. In Christ, you have won the battle!

The Week in Answers

This past week I took the time to visit a Christian forum where a vast array of topics are discussed. I thought you may benefit from my answers to the questions and topics I engaged in.

Q; Why am I stuck in my sin?

A: From my experience with the sin in my life, I have come to believe that when I sin it is because I am looking for love, acceptance, meaning, and purpose in life from the world rather than from my relationship with Jesus Christ. You will always have some sin in your life. As you focus on your relationship with the Lord, the byproduct will be a diminishing of sin in your life, but you won't completely get rid of the sin until you die and enter eternity. However, be at peace, God is not counting your sin against you. This isn't to excuse it, but to say that nothing is separating you from your God; including your sin. When you sin, I would suggest asking God, "What am I expecting to get from this sin that I am not receiving from you?" Sin begins in the heart. When God starts to do a work in you and change your heart, you won't want to do those sins anymore. However, this takes time. It won't happen overnight. God is patient with you. Grace and Peace.

Q: Who is responsible for our sanctification?

A: God is responsible for my sanctification, not me. I don't get sanctified by how I live. I am sanctified based off of Who lives in me.

"But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." 1 Corinthians 6:11

"For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified." Hebrews 10:14

Grace and Peace.

Q: Is it a sin to attend more than one denomination?

A: No, it is not a sin. Your church doesn't own you, Jesus does. If they teach that, leave. There is no law or biblical mandate requiring you to attend one particular gathering of Christians or preventing you from visiting multiple denominations. Besides, we are not under the law and even if it was a sin, it was forgiven at the cross, along with all your other sins. Go where you go. The Holy Spirit goes with you. Furthermore, Jesus said, "For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them (Matthew 18:20).” This "gathering" can take place anywhere, regardless of denominational affiliation, and it could be just you and Jesus; that makes up two. Trust Him to speak to you if He believes you should settle in one place. Be well.

Q: Is it okay to be single forever; to be single as long as you live?

A: Yes, it is okay to be "single as long as you live." There is no biblical directive on who stays single, who gets married, etc. Personally, I would ask the Lord what He sees in your circumstances. I am almost 50, single, never been married, and don't have any children. I don't worry about it. If someone comes along great, if not, great. You are a child of God. The Lord doesn't love you based on your relationship status. He loves you based on your relationship status with Him through faith in Jesus Christ. Grace and Peace.

News article: "Hillsong writer reveals he's no longer a Christian: I'm genuinely losing my faith."

My comment after reading the article: Maybe he should lose his faith. Perhaps, what he is/was believing isn't true. I am not one to equate someone who says they are "losing" their faith with they had true faith in the first place. Someone needs to ask him, "What is your understanding of the Gospel?" That answer may give clarity to what it is he is believing and it may not be saving faith. When he talks about preachers falling, "contradictions" in the Bible, the lack of miracles, etc., all these things tell me he doesn't even know Jesus to begin with because all of these conclusions he is making have answers. So, just pray for him and do not let your heart be troubled saints.

Q: Are there sins that Jesus did not pay for?

A: The only sin that Jesus didn't die for at the cross was the sin of unbelief in Him. "And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me (John 16:8-9)." Men do not go to Hell because of their sins. They go to Hell because they are spiritually dead to God [and] do not believe in the offer of the restoration of the life of God received through faith in Jesus Christ. The only way a person is not saved is by not accepting Jesus' offer of life. Once they have received the life of God that is when they begin to experience the benefit of the forgiveness Jesus provided by His death. That benefit is that there is no sin that can cause the life of God to leave a believer when they sin because of the eternal redemption of the cross (Hebrews 9:12). That is why we have eternal life. Grace and Peace.

Q: If penal substitution is true, why do I have to ask for forgiveness?

A: You don't. There is nowhere in the New Covenant where a Christian is told to ask forgiveness. In fact, all of your sins were forgiven at the cross. The Bible clearly states that "God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them (2 Corinthians 5:19)." I recommend asking yourself some questions:

If you need to ask for forgiveness, what sins is God still remembering and what sacrifice are you going to perform that God requires and accepts given the fact that Hebrews 10:17-18 says, "Then he adds: “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.” And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary"?

What blood are you shedding that is acceptable to God since Hebrews 9:22 says, "In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness"?

How can you, "Forgive as the Lord forgave you (Colossians 3:13)," if you still need to ask for forgiveness for your sins?

Are you saying that you are not blessed because Romans 4:8 says, "Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord will never count against them”?

Are you believing that your sins cause you to lose fellowship with God when the Bible says, "God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord (1 Corinthians 1:9)"?

Was the Apostle Paul lying to us when he said that "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38-39)"?

It is not an act of faith to ask for something you already have received. If you do not believe you have received it, there is something wrong with what you are believing. I advise you to ask God to reteach you His truths about your identity in Christ and be open to changing your mind about everything you've been taught up to this point. It is the only way you will be able to begin to trust the Holy Spirit and let Him guide you from within and lead you into all truth. Grace and Peace, my friend.

I pray these answers were helpful and, at the very least, have sparked interest in you to seek answers to the questions you have about the Christian faith and walking with the Lord Jesus Christ.

A Hiding Place

"You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance." Psalm 32:7

On a Bible website, I came across an anecdotal story which attempted to summarize the blessing of forgiveness David was trying to convey in Psalm 32. "You have never been so tense in your life. You have been held in custody without bail on a murder charge. The courtroom battle has dragged on for weeks, draining your vitality and weighing upon you with increasing anxiety. Finally, the big moment has arrived. With your hands manacled, the bailiff leads you into the courtroom. The jury files in after several days of deliberations. The courtroom falls silent as the judge calls the court to order. He asks, “Mr. Foreman, do you have a verdict?” Your heart is pounding and your mouth is dry as you watch him rise. The rest of your life depends upon his words. “Your honor, the jury finds the defendant not guilty.” Not guilty! A flood of relief sweeps over you and tears of joy well up in your eyes. Not guilty! It’s as if a heavy weight has dropped from your shoulders! The bailiff unlocks your handcuffs and you hear the judge declare, “You are free to go.” Freedom from condemnation! Life suddenly takes on new meaning. You are free from confinement, free from the constant pressure of the charges against you, free to begin a new life, because you have been released from those charges. Can you imagine how that would feel?" Nobody knows for certain what was on David's mind when he wrote the words contained in Psalm 32. Obviously, he was confronted with the sins he had committed, but also with the forgiveness and faithfulness of God. What were some of the sins and troubles David faced in his life? King Saul became jealous of David's success and David was forced to flee and live life on the run until Saul's death ( 1 Sam 19:11; 21:11/19-25:1 ). David committed adultery with Bathsheba who became pregnant ( 2 Sam 11:4-11:5 ). David arranged the death of Bathsheba's husband Uriah ( 2 Sam 11:17 ). David confessed and repented of his sin and God forgave him, but Bathsheba's child died ( 2 Sam 12:10, 13, 19 ). David failed to discipline his sons. His son Amnon committed the sin of rape and incest; he was murdered by David's son Absalom ( 2 Sam 13:14-29 ). David's son Absalom led a rebellion in an attempt to take over David's throne ( 2 Sam 16-17 ). David's "beloved son" Absalom was murdered and David's throne was restored. It was a bitter victory for a heart-broken father ( 2 Sam 18:14, 15 ). David ignored Joab's advice and took a national census
( 2 Sam 24:2-15; 1 Chr 21:1-4 ). David's unauthorized census resulted in a deadly plague which infected the people ( 2 Sam 24:1-9; 15; 1 Chr 21:7-17 ). David wanted to build God a "house" in Jerusalem. God told David that he could not build the Temple because he was a "man of blood"
( 2 Sam 7:1-2; 1 Kgs 5:16 ). In the courtroom example given earlier, it is not stated if we are guilty of the crimes with which we have been acquitted of. However, it is clear David is guilty of sin and paid a heavy price.

In our own lives, we are guilty of sin. However, our relief should not be found in the blessing that comes with a "not guilty" verdict. Our blessing comes in the fact that we have been found guilty, but someone else, who is innocent of any charge, has paid the price for us. Of course, that "someone else" is Jesus Christ; God in the flesh. He not only died for my sins or your sins. He died for the sins of the entire world. Yet, there is something even more incredible that has resulted from God's death on our behalf. David wrote that God is a "hiding place" for him. What is a hiding place? It is a place where we can go to be safe from our enemies, a shelter in the midst of a storm, a secluded spot that is fortified and well defended. It could be someplace as prominent as a castle with a moat and a well-armed army surrounding it. Or, it could be as simple as a shelter in the forest where you can build a fire and stay out of the elements. Either way, it is safe. Because God forgave him, David was able to go to God in His time of need to seek rest and refuge from the troubles of his life. When a person comes to faith in Jesus Christ, they are able to seek refuge from life in Him. Hebrews 4:16 says, "Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." We can draw near to God with confidence because He is not holding our sins against us. This is how He becomes our hiding place. While most of us may not have to endure the types of struggles that David faced, both of his own doing and from those attempting to do him harm, we face trials of all kinds, none the less. Knowing that, in Christ, we can go to God without fear of punishment or being abandoned by Him, results in Him becoming our hiding place. We are safe, secure and loved by Him. He can comfort us, restore us, instruct us, preserve us from trouble, and defend us from that which seeks to do us harm. When it comes to salvation in Christ, one of the ways the Bible describes it is as a deliverance. Colossians 1:13 puts it like this, "He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son ..." I imagine David, with all the troubles he was facing, felt like he was trapped in the darkness. It is at those times when we feel the most vulnerable, the most anxious, the most alone and the most afraid. All we want is a safe place to be. David wrote many of his psalms while holding up inside a cave. Jesus tells us to find a "quiet, secluded place (Matthew 6:6 MSG)" to pray. These are examples of a hiding place where we feel comfortable enough to rest, recuperate, open up about our troubles and seek God's guidance. And all of this is possible because God has made Himself available to be our cave, our quiet, secluded place; our hiding place. He took away our sins so we could approach Him with confidence in our time of need. There is truly no other place to go then into the presence of our living and loving God, through faith in Jesus Christ.

Sin Déjà Vu

"The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Corinthians 15:56-57

In a message titled, "Disobedience Déjà Vu," a pastor was speaking on Abraham's propensity to lie and say that his wife, Sarah, was really his sister and then tried relating it to our own personal struggle with sin. He said we should, "never presume on our own weaknesses." By this he was warning us against giving sins we struggle with an opportunity to master us. As examples of this he said, "If you're an alcoholic, it is not wise to rent an apartment above a bar; it's foolish. You stay away from even the smell of alcohol. You spend time with those to whom you become accountable so you can live your life free of the addiction." Secondly, he said, "If you're given to lust, you are wise if you were to block off your internet the possibility of getting into pornographic sites because you can't handle it. You'll go there. And you'll go there again." For his last example he said, "If you're obese, you are foolish to spend your meals at one buffet after another." In general, I agree with taking whatever steps you feel are necessary to avoid succumbing to temptation and falling into sin. However, what I see in these three examples is a life still being controlled by your sin; rather than indulging in it, you are just trying to avoid it at all costs. It is two sides of the same coin. If you're an alcoholic, yes, living above a bar will make it easier to give in to the temptation to drink. However, how does this make the desire to drink alcohol in excessive amounts go away? Any place alcohol is available becomes a place you may have to avoid. Not just bars, but grocery stores, sports stadiums, restaurants, etc. And don't forget to turn off your TV, close your newspaper and avoid those billboard advertisements while driving. When it comes to avoiding lust, you may as well just close your eyes altogether. Similar to the struggle with alcohol, there are few places to go to avoid the temptation to lust. Besides blocking internet sites on your computer and other electronic devices, be careful not to walk down the magazine aisle at the bookstore. And good luck avoiding attractive looking people as you go about your daily life. And as far as being obese, avoiding the buffet is one thing, but what is stopping you from just ordering massive meals at other restaurants or just overloading your basket at the grocery store? You have to eat. If you multiply these behaviors times all the sins we as human beings struggle with, you will find yourself living in isolation at best and trapped in sin your entire life at worst. I do not intend to make light of the real struggle people have with these and other sins. We all struggle with something to varying degrees. But, putting ourselves under various forms of law designed to modify our behavior is only going to increase our desire to fall into sin.

Recently, I heard the story of a married man who committed adultery. When confronted about his sin, he said that the reason he had an affair was because of the religious pressure put on him by his wife and her family. Now, this may explain his behavior, but it doesn't excuse it. Adultery is wrong and this man is fully to blame for his actions. However, the religious pressure he felt to try and live a life he could not live made him look for relief outside of his marriage. Sadly, because he was tired of trying to live a sinless life, he committed sin as a way out of that life. The Bible says that the "strength of sin is the law." Whether we are trying to avoid sins by putting ourselves under laws we believe will weaken sins pull on us or we are under the laws of a church or denomination we believe will help us live holy and righteous lives, the end result, in many cases, is falling into sin. We fall into sin because we need a rest from our repeated failures at trying to live a life we cannot live. And being accountable to people who are only encouraging you to keep trying to live that impossible life, only makes things worse. Thankfully, there is a way out that doesn't involve sinning. Jesus Christ said, "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name ...(John 1:12)" As a born again Christian, you have the right to call yourself a child of God. This is your new identity. At the moment of salvation, the indwelling Holy Spirit of God begins meeting the deepest desires of your heart for unconditional love, total acceptance, meaning and purpose to life. As an inheritance of your faith, you are forgiven of all your sins, holy, righteous, blameless, justified, sanctified, freed from the law and much more. This is what allows you to rest from the disobedient works of trying to live a life you cannot under the law. While you will still sin, your focus is no longer on overcoming your sin, but on Jesus Christ who overcame sin for you. And as you grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord, sins grip on you begins to diminish as a side effect of receiving the love of God you were designed by Him to receive. Titus 2:11-12, says, "For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age ..." It is the grace of God that teaches us to say "No" to sin, not the law of God. Grace teaches us to say "No" to sin because we are no longer looking for love, acceptance, meaning and purpose to life outside of our relationship with Jesus Christ. Therefore, as we continue to rest in the love of God, through our faith in Jesus Christ, and not rely on our ability to control our flesh, we begin to live "self-controlled, upright and godly lives." Sins like drunkenness, adultery and gluttony begin to lose their appeal because we are resting in the finished work of Jesus Christ on our behalf, not looking for rest from our unfinished work of trying to perfect our flesh. This is the victory we have through our Lord Jesus Christ!