Call-In Classic Christianity Radio – Bob George P422 (3-14-19)
Several callers asked very personal and sensitive questions in regards to marital decisions and sexual temptations of the flesh. First, there is no sin except that which is common to man. God also does not lead anyone into temptation but rather does not let you be tempted beyond what you are able to endure and with the temptation, he provides a way out. So it is unusual that people sin, for man is weakened by the sinful flesh.
1 Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
There is always a way out. One significant way out is the renewing of your mind with truth (John 8:32). People are bound in sin, or living unproductive lives, because they are thinking in error. How do you think about the opposite sex? Is your thinking in line with how God thinks of them? If the other woman is a believer, is she not a part of the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27)?
1 Corinthians 12:27
Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.
John 8:32
Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.
If she is not, what did God do to provide for her salvation? How does God act in love toward the sinner?
Romans 5:8
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Also, think about how you treat your own body? As believers, we are members of the same body, with Christ as the head. A woman, who is a child of God, and you being a believer also, then is she not a sister to you in Christ? How do you treat your sister?
Ephesians 4:15
Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.
Other errors in thinking are to be double-minded in your thinking (James 1:8) in regards to law and grace. Some people get thinking that their sin that they are entangled in is going to send them to hell. That is in stark contrast to biblical truth that Jesus took all sins away when he died on the cross 2000 years ago. You cannot believe both at the same time. The only sin that sends someone to hell is the unbelief in Jesus (John 16:9). Salvation is by grace through faith, through faith alone in what Jesus completed and accomplished in his death, burial and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). If one does not properly understand salvation, or is mixing law and grace in his thinking, then he will find himself enslaved to sin, as if he were a non-believer and quite possibly he is.
James 1:8
Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do
Romans 7:4
So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God.
John 16:9
The world’s sin is unbelief in me
1 Corinthians 15:1-4
Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. 3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,
The centrality of “Christ in you, your only hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27) is such a foundational truth to be able to walk in true freedom, an over-comer of any besetting sin. For when Christ is living in you, then you have an internal attitude change (Titus 2:11-13). That is the starting point at which to walk in all godliness and holiness. You need a solid grip on what salvation is. If you are an unbeliever, then you need to come and be reconciled to God.
Titus 2:11-13
11 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,
Romans 5:10
For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!
And those who are believers in Christ are to appeal to men to be reconciled to God.
2 Corinthians 5:20
We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.
And this is salvation, the appeal to men to be reconciled to God. Ponder over Romans 5:10. Read Romans and ask the Spirit reveal truth to you what salvation is. As a child of God you accepted that by faith, and letting his life in you. If you come to Christ to only get yours sins forgiven, then you did not come to Christ for salvation. Salvation is being saved from the consequences of sin, which is death, by the gift of God, which is resurrected life. If you did not come to Christ for his resurrection, then you only believed half a gospel and you cannot be saved with a half gospel. The acceptance of the full understanding of what Jesus accomplished for you by his death, burial and resurrection is salvation. The purpose for his death was to take away sins of the world, which he did when shed his blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. He only needed to his blood only once, for that one sacrifice was eternally sufficient for all sins, past, present and future. The purpose for his burial was to prove he was dead so he can usher in a covenant of grace we are under today. The purpose for his resurrection is so life that raised him from the dead can raise you from the dead.
There also practical ways to overcome temptations of sin. Put on Christ and make no provision for the flesh in regards to its lusts (Romans 13:14). An example is to flee like Joseph when he was tempted by Potipher’s wife (Genesis 39). There is always a way out. Are you looking for the escape route (1 Corinthians 10:13)?
1 Peter 3:14
But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed.
Romans 13:14
But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.
Or, are you not putting on Christ, and living according to the flesh? Do you even care that there is an escape route? Many a mature believer has fallen prone to sin and has fallen quite severely, but never beyond God’s grace. How can any man fall into sin? Have you taken care to watch your life and closely (1 Timothy 4:6)?
1 Timothy 4:6
Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.
Concerning doctrine, do you realize that you are a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17)? By you even being concerned about sin shows that you have some indication that you want to live according to the Spirit, but that you are weak in the flesh. So, if you are in Christ, the Spirit is also communicating with you a better way, a holy and godly way, that will never disappoint (Philippians 2:13). God has given you everything you need for life and godliness through him who lives in you (2 Peter 1:3). So are you ready now to look to Christ for help?
2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
Philippians 2:13
for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.
2 Peter 1:3
His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence
Do you know that God’s Spirit lives in you to live and to act according to his good purposes (Philippians 2:13)? So if you are struggling, is your focus on your sin or your struggle with sin? Or, do you redirect your thinking on Him who has the power to bring out true love in your heart for the other person, the person of the opposite sex? Lust is not acting in love, but is about gratifying your own fleshly desire and pleasure. Levitical provides explicit details of proper and improper sexual behavior (Leviticus 18:20). Sexual pleasure is reserved for the context of marriage, according to God’s design in creation, and God’s way is always best. Do you trust Him? That is also why sexual thoughts are quite natural to man but in our flesh it is out of control of God’s parameters and will eventually bring sorrow and heartache.
Leviticus 18:20
Moreover thou shalt not lie carnally with thy neighbor’s wife, to defile thyself with her.
Rick from Corpus Christi, TX
The first caller, Rick, asked for advice in regards to sexual temptation. He is a believer, having been delivered from a serious drug problem, testifying that he has been set free from drugs for over 16 years. Yet, he called because he is struggling with lust for girls, and he does not like having such thoughts, knowing they are wrong. He said he feels bad that he cannot look at a girl without nasty thoughts. He said that the way God delivered him from drugs, when he was good and ready, and then God moved in to stop it all. He said that as much as he tries not to lust, it happens, and then he beats himself up. Bob gave him some practical advice and biblical insight and truth to help him overcome.
Bob first compared the sin of drug addiction to sexual sin since Rick was puzzled over the fact that God delivered him over something so addictive as drugs yet he seems not to find victory in a seemingly smaller problem. So contrary to God’s design is putting chemicals into your body to mess it up. But with lust, sexual relations are a natural and mutual expression of love to someone in the context of marriage. It is sin when it exercised outside of God’s creative order, even in your thinking with lust, as Rick acknowledged. Bob first compared drug addiction as being so unnatural in contrast to lust, which is so natural to a man created as a sexual being. Drugs is not natural so when asking God to remove that you are asking God to remove something that is not even natural to begin with. Who in their right mind would ask God to remove sexual desire from you? Sex is a natural part of how we are created. The issue is how one exercises sexual relations, at the right time and with one woman in marriage, with mutual affection toward one another. So sex is a natural desire, and men in general are tempted in that area more than woman.
Bob then addressed Rick’s error in his thinking when he said he beats himself up over such sin. First of all, do not beat yourself up over it. For when you do that you are acting under law. Did Jesus take away that sin of lust? Yes, when he died on the cross 2000 year ago and shed his blood. That sacrifice was once and for all so that God chooses not to remember our sins anymore. Start thanking him for that. In the weakness of the flesh, it is a tendency for you to do that, but thank him for taking your sins away in the sight of God never to be remembered any more.
Bob then addressed another way to retrain your thinking in regards to the opposite sex. You need to renew your mind in your attitude toward woman and see them as sisters in Christ or woman for whom Christ died. You may be looking at a girl who may be a child of God. These are people for whom Christ died. These are women, not to be used as piece of luggage, but to be treated as a sister. Start seeing women from God’s point of view. Instead of seeing them to fulfill sexual desire, think of them as women whom Christ has died. Look at life from the spiritual perspective rather than the fleshly perspective. But do not think it unusual for the flesh to think such thoughts. For there is no sin except what is common to man. Bob encouraged him to renew his mind. You have been looking at woman like this but there is another way to look at woman.
Then Rick said, “Some say you would never go to heaven because you would never be able to get rid of this temptation.” Bob responded by saying that is law. You are under law and under the power of sin. How are you going to be free from sin if you are under the power of sin? You have to be free from the law. That is Satan telling you that. Did Jesus take away every sin of the entire world when he died on the cross? Did he or did he not? Rick said, “yes he did”. How then will you go to hell because of your sin? No man will ever go to hell because of sins. The only sin that sends someone to hell is the sin of unbelief in Him. The World’s sin is unbelief in me.
Rick then asked, “What does it mean that no flesh will enter heaven?” Bob responded. That is a description of a lost person. A saved person could also do those things. Just as Galatians 2:25 is a description of what she be observed in a saved person. It does not mean a saved person will always be expressing these things of love, joy and peace but he has the divine nature in him that he can participate in for that to be expressed. In the same way a lost person has certain characteristics that describes the thinking or nature of a lost person.
Rick seemed to struggle with focusing so much on sin that he was forgetting or failing to grasp salvation that Christ accomplished for him. Therefore, Bob addressed his problem in being double-minded in his thinking. For Rick had said that if he continues in such a sin that he fears God will send him to hell. He is double-minded in his thinking and therefore is unstable in his way. That is one reason why he is bound in such sinful behavior. Bob said, “You are under law and the power of sin. Satan is telling you that.” So replace error in your thinking with truth.
Bob then addressed the message of salvation more thoroughly. Salvation is being saved from the consequences of sin, which is death, by the gift of God, which is His resurrected life. Man will not go to hell because of the various sins he commits and his failure to stop sinning but because of the sin of unbelief in His son, in what Jesus accomplished for you. What did Jesus do? He died by shedding his blood on the cross for you. His shed blood was once and for all and was eternally sufficient to take away all the sins of the world, past, present and future, from the eyes of God. Jesus was buried to prove he was dead so he can usher in a new covenant of grace we are under today. Jesus rose again so the life that raised him from the dead can raise you from the dead. You are a new creation in Christ. So you can thank him for the love and kindness of God.
Do you believe Jesus took away sins of the entire world, and the only sin is the sin of unbelief in him, that he shed his blood and took away sins in the eyes of God or do you believe you do one of these sinful things and go to hell? Make up your mind which one you believe! Rick may be responding emotionally but he is certainly responding as one who does not have a firm grasp on truth. He is letting a lie unsettle him from the truth. So Bob also addressed his thinking as double-minded. A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways. Bob firmly told him that he needs to make up his mind on what he is going to believe. You are living as a double-minded man, unstable in all your ways, because you are believing two conflicting things at the same time. You cannot believe both at the same time. Jesus took away sins of the entire world, and the only sin is the sin of unbelief in him. Do you believe that he shed his blood and took away sins in the eyes of God or do you believe you do one of these things and go to hell? Make up your mind which one you believe.
Rick then asked, “Do you believe God delivered me from drugs?” So Bob shared a brief testimony of his struggle as a new believer. Bob said when he got saved he had no desire to drink and go to bars anymore. But at that time, he struggled with girls, because it was the culture for girls to run around dressed in mini-skirts. So he too had to retrain his thinking towards the opposite sex. Yes, we all struggle at different things in our journey with Christ, and in need of our mind being renewed. We, being in this flesh, will always be in need of our mind continually being renewed. That is why we can only live under grace and not law. Bob addressed the struggle we all have in this flesh of ours. There is no sin except what is common to man. It is not unusual that we sin. God came so we should not continue in sin by giving us new life, a better way to live. We all have to learn this to overcome by the Spirit and the renewing of his mind.
Then Rick asked, “When Paul was having a problem, he said his grace is sufficient, does that apply to what I am talking about now?” Bob said, “Absolutely that is true!” Rick seems so unsure of himself, not having a firm grasp of truth, to even be asking such a question. Bob continued to question why he would ask such a question for he also had said things earlier indicating he was unsure he would escape hell because of the sin of lust. Bob then asked probing questions in regards to salvation because he was struggling to hold firmly onto truth. By even asking that question, you are being tossed to and fro from every wind of doctrine. Is there any sin you commit that can cause you to go to hell? Rick responded in agreement, “No. I live by grace.” Rick affirmed that he believes in the grace of God. Bob then asked Rick, “Then that question makes no sense, does it? You are asking a question that contradicts your own belief system.”
Bob again explains what salvation is for Rick does not have a firm grasp on truth. Nothing can separate you from the love of God. Even your sin you are talking about cannot separate you from the love of God.
Romans 8:38-39
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The only question God will ask is, “What have you done in regards to my Son?” As a child of God you accepted that by faith, and letting his life in you. If you come to Christ to only get yours sins forgiven, then you did not come to Christ for salvation. Salvation is being saved from the consequences of sin, which is death, by the gift of God, which is resurrected life. If you did not come to Christ for his resurrection, then you only believed half a gospel and you cannot be saved with a half gospel. The acceptance of the full understanding of what Jesus accomplished for you by his death, burial and resurrection is salvation. The purpose for his death was to take away sins of the world, which he did when shed his blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. He only needed to his blood only once, for that one sacrifice was eternally sufficient for all sins, past, present, and future. The purpose for his burial was to prove he was dead so he can usher in a covenant of grace we are under today. The purpose for his resurrection is so life that raised him from the dead can raise you from the dead. You are a new creation in Christ. So you can thank him for the love and kindness of God. Ponder over Titus that teaches us to say no to ungodliness and worldly passions.
Titus 2:11-13
11 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,
Rick asked, “What do I do with those who reject me for that sin of lust?” Bob asked, “How does anybody know it? You are the only one who knows if you lusted or not.” Rick replied, “I have shared with other people my fault.” Bob then said, “You did what God told you not to do. Come unto me and not unto men. If you knew what they were doing you would judge them too. So you need to take such things to God. Forget what lies behind and think on the things of God and have an attitude change. Think about Titus.”
Matthew 11:28
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
John 2:24
But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people.
Bob again encouraged Rick to ponder over Titus where God’s word says that the Spirit of God teaches us to say no to ungodliness and worldly passions.
Joey from Lahaba, CA
Joey, the second caller, asked Bob for advice on marrying an older, divorced woman with children, whose ex-husband is still living. He was having second thoughts about marrying her. He was think of marrying a woman who is divorced and husband still alive. I do not want to hold this sin against her. I am not sure what to do. I am thinking about pausing the marriage which is set for June.
I am not sure why you are concerned, maybe for an other reason and not because of divorce? Have you been married before? No, he said. If I was dating someone who was divorced I would like to know the reasons why. You only hear only one side of the story. You might want to call her ex-husband and see his side of the story for the reason for the divorce. Most of them would be happy to share what the problem is. Then you have two sides of the story. Bob shared a heartbreaking story of a man who did thoroughly check things out concerning a woman he was courting. During courtship, they can be the sweetest thing on the earth. She was so interested and complimentary but soon as the day of marriage ceremony ends, she turned into a battle ax. To this day, he is living in literal hell because of her. You don’t know what she is really like. If you take the time to call the ex, you may find out that she is not as sweet as you thought she was. Explore that. I see nothing wrong in checking those things out.
1 Corinthians 7 provides practical advice on matters pertaining to marriage, re-marriage, and divorce. 1 Corinthians, in regards to marriage, will help you to see what God says in regard to that. If being married and you lose your mate through divorce or death, you had experienced sexual relations in context of marriage and therefore have ability to burn in lust. You experienced and so there is the desire to have what you once had. Later, you read about the virgin, and the virgin is yearning but not burning for something never had. Paul speaks to the unmarried and widow that it is better to stay single, but if cannot control yourself then it is better to marry than burn with passion. The most important decision in life next to salvation is your choice of a life partner. Make sure whoever you choose to marry is a born again believer. 1 Corinthians 7 mentions the problems associated with being married to an unbeliever. Paul also specifically instructs us not to be unequally yoked with an unbeliever.
2 Corinthians
Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?
Before you marry her, you need to ask questions and get answers. How long was she divorced? Was she lost and came to Christ after she was divorced? Explore and find those answers. As you do, God will give you guidance on what you should do. Did she have children? She is 12 years older and has older children. Certainly things that have symptoms of a red flag. But check such things out for every situation is unique, and there may be valid reasons.
Robert from Utica, NY
Robert is engaged to a girl and decided not to have sex before marriage but admitted he had sex over the phone. He asked Bob, “Is that a sin?” Bob replied, ” What do you think?” Robert answered, “I think so.” “Yes”, Bob said, “you are right.” Robert acknowledged what he is doing is wrong.
The whole issue is this, “Do you know the Lord? Are you in Christ? Is your fiance in Christ?” Robert said, “As far as I know.” That is not a good enough answer. Same as if I asked you, if you are in Christ? If you are not going to be unequally yoked then someone who knows will give a definitive, confident answer, and that should be an answer you need to know, that she is in Christ. Robert said he was not actually doing it. But, you are fantasizing. Jesus said that if you look lustfully at a girl then that is the same as adultery. That is why I asked if you know Jesus.
Matthew 5:28
But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Law would say do not commit adultery. And you say, ‘I am not committing adultery’, but you are fantasizing, which is lust. Jesus gets under the skin and gets down to where you live internally in your heart. Jesus tells you it is adultery. That shows you what right and wrong is by the teaching of Jesus. You are betrothed to her. Robert, you are making excuses. If you love each other enough to do that, go ahead and get married. If you are living together, why are you sitting under a guilt trip. Go ahead and get married God is not up here excited that you are not committing the physical act and thinking it is okay to fantasize in lust with phone sex. Ridiculous. You are living in preoccupation with sexual performance. According to Jesus, lust is the same as committing adultery. What does that say to you?
Jesus came to prepare us for salvation. There is not a way in the world you will ever obtain salvation by obedience to the law.
Romans 3:20
Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.
Jesus came to prepare us for salvation. He headed to the cross, and to the resurrection in order to, at the cross, provide forgiveness, and in the resurrection, to provide the solution to the wages of sin is death by giving life, raising us from the dead.
Romans 6:23
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:11
And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.
Everything Jesus said is impossible for us to do, and whose mission was preparing us for that. When Jesus said, “Be perfect as my father in heaven”, he said it to those who trusted in the law for their own righteousness. No one can perfectly obey the law, and that is the reason Jesus came. Even his disciples were amazed by his words.
Matthew 19:25-26
25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”
26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
When you realize you cannot, then that prepares you to receive him. You cannot make yourself perfect.
Hebrews 10:14
For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.
He makes you complete.
Then Robert asked, “What about Romans 7? He did not want to do something, but he did it, then he praises God in the end.”
Robert, are you justifying your behavior of phone sex. You are rationalizing something that you recognize that what you are doing is wrong and justifying it. It is not what you are doing for we are never going to do everything we need to do to be righteous before God. I cannot always live up to truth but I never want to get to the point of denying it as sin. When God calls it sin, I do not want to call it something else. When calling something other that what God says it is, then you are calling God a liar. That is a dangerous position to be in, denying the truth. I cannot always live up to truth but do not deny that it is sin.
Bob had difficulty believing that either of them, he or his fiance, are believers in Christ based on the conversation, and told Robert so. Robert had hung up on the conversation before Bob finished speaking, which in itself testifies against Robert. Bob was careful to say, though, that he does not want to judge that but has difficulty believe in that to be true, that they have Christ living in them. He based this simply on the attitude in the conversation he was hearing from Robert, where he is discerning that Robert is justifying sin.
