Real Sin

Your flesh, or the way man naturally thinks and feels and wills to do... Defines sin much differently than God does.

God understands WHERE sin originates. The flesh can only see where sin manifests. 

Matthew 5:29-30 NKJV — “If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. “And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.

The Gospel, or good news, is that we can change.  If you don't change, you will never stop "sinning."

Without the Holy Spirit's light, you can't really know your own heart.

Jeremiah 17:9 NKJV — “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?

This is why Israel could not see the love in God's judgment... They could not know where their own sin was originating.

You can.

Theft, adultery, lying, murder... These are symptoms of sin... The full blown manifestation of the disease.  The actual disease, though, are the internal heart conditions we try to hide.

Shame, fear, pride, greed, jealousy, etc.  Just because no one sees these inside doesn't mean they aren't there.  These are the sins 

Jesus is mostly talking about when He tells us we can be free of sin in sanctification.

Jesus wants to change our hearts.  What you would be tempted to think of as your "natural personality" is actually the secret place of sin Jesus gave everything to save, or change. You gotta lose your life to let Him save it. No one was born with a good personality, or good heart... Not to the standard Jesus requires.

The manifestation of sin will only disappear as the leadership of our hearts changes.  

You can grit your teeth and try to keep yourself from full blown manifestation of sin, but it won't change your heart. In fact, it will make your heart harder and much harder to change.

No. You can't "not sin" to the standard Jesus requires. You can only let Him in to see the truth of how you are really feeling  and why.

Matthew 5:19-28 NKJV — “Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. “For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ “But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire. “Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, “leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. “Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. “Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny. “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ “But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Do you see?... His definition of sin goes deeper than what anyone 

can see.

This is what makes religion a prison.  Religion is about human control of human actions. Religion keeps you spinning... Chasing your own tail, trying to control the sin YOU know about, not the sin God sees.

You have to have an intimate and honest relationship with Jesus where He and you uncover why you are feeling mad and sad:

Genesis 4:5-7 NKJV — but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. So the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? “If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.”

Abel knew what God wanted. Cain did not. Both could have.  Here ^ we find Cain in a conversation with God, but Cain would not let God lead his emotions and thoughts, and therefore, his will. His sacrifice became the object lesson to reveal his heart condition, and murder became the full blown manifestation of his sin...the same is true for you and me.

Where am I trying to "be better" instead of trying to be open with God and learning. To hear His prescription for my heart change?

If we don't come to the Lord looking for why we are mad and sad, willing to let Him tell us things we never thought we would hear and then follow Him in faith to freedom, we will never actually get free of sin and the Gospel has fallen on deaf ears... Rocky soil.

The way to freedom is to embrace our need of a savior... To tell Him everything, honestly, and, seeing Him like a good husband or father, let God in to our hearts so He can tells us what is really going on inside and help us see our lives rightly.

You know you are starting to touch real sanctification when you stop focusing on other people's outward manifestation of sin (homosexuality, abortion, divorce, drug addiction, murder, gang violence, etc) and start seeing how merciful God is to really deal with why you are mad and sad. It's why Jesus went to the cross.

Jesus didn't talk to the thief on the cross about the manifestation of his sin...he rewarded the open heart next to him:

Luke 23:39-43 NKJV — Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.” But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? “And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

The Gospel is entirely about giving leadership of your mind, will, and emotions to Jesus. Without that, you cannot possibly be saved. 

Heaven is governed by God and it will always require our free will agreement with what He thinks and feels and wills to do.

From the inside out. His kingdom is coming from the inside out!