Sin is such
a touchy topic right now. Our culture demands that we be tolerant of
everyone's behavior, no matter what the Bible says about it and while
we as Christians know that this isn't true and we (sometimes) stand
firm on hot button issues such as homosexuality or abortion, we have
unwittingly allowed this societal permissiveness to influence our
daily lives and sins that a generation or two ago were virtually
unheard of in the lives of believers are now as common as dental
checkups and vaccination schedules. Most assuredly each generation
within the Church has it's own unique temptations, however, it seems
to me that there has been a growing lethargy and unwillingness to
call out and confront the sins that are found in the lives of
believers. Furthermore, there is a general confusion among young
believers as to how to approach sin and temptation. We have been
raised in a social climate that says that everything is permissible
(except intolerance) and a great confusion has come upon us as we see
that the Bible clearly states that we should resist sin and
temptation, but the church often does not practically explain to us
how that is to be done.
Over the next few
months, I will be joining with Christians from around the world as we
read John Owens' classic work Overcoming Sin and Temptation.
Tim Challies started this virtual reading group over at his blog and
I am excited to learn what God has in store for us as we read through
the books chapter by chapter. It will not be an easy read – Owens
is a challenging author in more ways than one! Not only does he write
in a style rather unfamiliar to modern readers, but he also writes
about topics which we sometimes would rather not disturb!
I will be posting
weekly reflections on my own readings here and participating in the
conversation over at Challies' blog. I'm cautiously looking forward
to this excursion into Owens' works – I know it will be a challenge
and I tend to be lazy (sloth? Oh dear...) Will you join me?
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