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  • What are besetting sins?
    2021/08/19
    Besetting sins are ones that we continually struggle with and have a weakness toward. In the King James Version of the Bible, the word beset is found in Hebrews 12:1: “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.” According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, besetting sin refers to “a main or constant problem or fault” (m-w.com, accessed 5-11-20). Basically, a besetting sin is one that we constantly struggle with and toward which we are naturally inclined. Other translations refer to the sins that “beset” us as “sin that so easily entangles” (NIV) and “sin that just won’t let go” (CEV). The Greek word used in this verse means “easily ensnaring” (Logos Bible Word Study). Like a trap that easily captures a mouse, there are some sins that easily ensnare us. Everyone has besetting sins they constantly struggle with, whether it is gossiping, lying, losing one’s temper, or lust. Christians do not automatically become perfect and sinless when we are saved (1 John 1:8); rather, we will continue to struggle against sin for the rest of our lives. We are constantly fighting against our sinful nature, as what the flesh wants conflicts with what the Spirit wants (Galatians 5:17). The Bible gives examples of people who struggled with besetting sins. Both Abraham and Isaac fell into the same sin multiple times, when they lied about their wives to protect themselves (Genesis 12:10–13; 20:1–2; 26:7–9). In the book of Judges, Samson struggled with lust throughout his life, and it caused him many problems (Judges 14:1–3, 16–17; 16:4–5, 15–17). Similarly, David and Solomon both had a weakness in regard to women, and their lust proved troublesome (2 Samuel 11:2–27; 1 Kings 11:1–4). Besetting sins also affected those in the New Testament: the apostle Peter struggled with the fear of man, such as when he denied knowing Jesus three times (Matthew 26:69–75) and when he sided with the Judaizers in Antioch and was confronted by Paul (Galatians 2:11–14). Besetting sins do not have to control us. In Christ, we have been set free from our sins and are no longer slaves to sin (John 8:36). We are dead to sin: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). As we lay aside “the sin that so easily entangles” (Hebrews 12:1), we should avoid tempting situations and relationships, making “no provision for the flesh” (Romans 13:14, NKJV). We should pray for wisdom and strength to change our habits. We should saturate ourselves in Scripture (Psalm 1:1–2; John 17:17). And when we sin, we should immediately seek God’s wonderful mercy and grace, having this promise: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). www.keithmuoki.com
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    23 分
  • What was the first sin?
    2021/07/23
    The first sin must have preceded Adam’s and Eve’s choices to sin, since the tempter in the garden was already evil before he talked to Eve. There is no biblical evidence for any sin having preceded Satan’s. The occasion of Satan, or Lucifer, being cast out of heaven is described in Isaiah 14:12: “How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, You who have weakened the nations!” (NASB). Some versions, such as the New King James, use the word Lucifer instead of the phrase star of the morning, and that is where Lucifer’s name comes from. It’s important to note that Lucifer’s sin preceded humanity’s sin. We know from Romans 5:12–21 that all men and women throughout history (except, of course, for Jesus) have been sinners as a result of Adam’s sin. Since Lucifer’s sin preceded that of Adam, it also preceded that of the rest of humanity. Furthermore, Lucifer’s sin apparently preceded that of the rest of the angels who fell and, we assume, were corrupted into demons. In Revelation 12:4, we read that the tail of the dragon (who represents Satan or Lucifer) “swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth.” Then, in verse 9, we read that “the devil, or Satan, . . . was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.” This passage speaks of the fall of Satan, who took one third of the holy angels with him in his rebellion. Thus, Lucifer’s sin preceded both mankind’s and the other angels’. Finally, the Bible does not tell us about any other creatures capable of sinning against God. Angels and humans are the only beings who are morally responsible and therefore able to sin. It is reasonable to conclude that Lucifer’s sin was indeed the first sin, as both human sin and angelic sin came after his fall. There seems to have been no sin prior to Lucifer’s. . . . . Keith believes that we are saved only once (Hebrews 9:12) by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9) in the finished work of Jesus Christ at the cross (John 19:30) and we can NOT lose our free (Romans 5:15) God-given Salvation (John 6:39). This is because our salvation is based purely on faith in the gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) and not on any of our fleshly works of righteousness (Titus 3:5-7). ………………………………………………………………………………… Please Subscribe, Like, Share & favorite our Videos and Podcasts: Our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/KeithMuoki/videos Spreaker Podcast Channel: https://www.spreaker.com/user/14810659 Our Website: https://keithmuoki.com/ ………………………………………………………………………………… Watch & Listen to More bible study videos & Podcasts from our other Channels: Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/keithmuoki01 Bitchute: https://www.bitchute.com/channel/101uy9WzWYah/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/keithmuoki Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/keithmuoki Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/keithblackkenya Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/keithmuoki Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/user/31clxlnx72ssrgtquuiwq7ytml2e?si=a96c414059514a3a _______________________________________ SUPPORT OUR CHANNEL: If you want to get a step by step detail on how to be saved, or you'd like to know more about our ministry or support us, please check out the details in our website; https://keithmuoki.com/ …………………………………………………………………………………… ➤𝗟𝗲𝘁'𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁: Email: keithmuoki@gmail.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/keith_muoki Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keithmuoki/ Facebook Account: https://web.facebook.com/keithmuoki/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keith-muoki-4073a414a/ God bless you! ………………………………………………………………………………………. FAIR USE NOTICE: This production may contain copyrighted material. Such material is made available for educational purposes only. This constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Title 17 U.S.C. section 106A-117 of the U.S. Copyright Law.
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    6 分
  • What is a sin tax?
    2021/07/23
    Sin tax is not a biblical term. In common usage, sin tax is a rather facetious name for a special tax levied against things considered “sinful” or harmful to society in some way. Taxes on tobacco products, beer, liquor, gambling, and, most recently, legalized pot are considered “sin taxes.” A sin tax can be an effort on the part of a governmental body to curb certain behaviors that are deemed to be dangerous or detrimental to the individual or society by making the cost of the products or services extraordinarily high. For instance, on average, almost half the cost of a pack of cigarettes is due to taxes. By taxing certain products and activities heavily, it is hoped that usage and participation will be deterred. The “sin tax” is an alternative to outright banning of certain activities and products or punishing/fining people for indulging in them. A more cynical view is that a sin tax is simply a way for the government to boost its revenue. People are going to indulge in these harmful behaviors, especially when they are addicted to a substance, and the government has chosen to profit from it. In this view, government leaders are not really trying to curb behavior, for then they would lose tax money. They have come to rely on the taxes generated, so they are knowingly taking advantage of people who may be caught in a web of addiction. Alcohol and tobacco products are historically the most common things targeted by a “sin tax.” Other products and activities that may have “sin taxes” levied against them are gambling, pornography, and marijuana. Some jurisdictions are also passing laws to levy “sin taxes” on candy, soft drinks, and fast food. Certain vehicles that consume large amounts of gasoline are also becoming targets of extra taxes, perhaps due to a belief that fossil fuel consumption is a moral issue. Many of the things that are the targets of sin taxes are no doubt unhealthy, and a reduction in their use would be a good thing. However, critics argue that, in reality, sin taxes do not reduce consumption, but instead place an undue burden on the poor. They argue that people will use these products (especially cigarettes and alcoholic drinks) regardless of the cost, and that the rich can easily afford them while the poor cannot. Sin taxes illustrate the difficulty of trying to change and regulate behavior externally. There is no doubt that some form of external control is necessary to keep sinful actions in check. However, a truly free society can only operate when there is common agreement on what constitutes moral behavior and an equally common determination to act morally. At one time, there was a consensus in the United States about basic standards of right and wrong. Even when people violated those standards, they still could agree in principle that what they did was wrong. This consensus was based on what has been called “the Judeo-Christian ethic,” which simply means an ethic based on the teachings of the Old and New Testaments. The Judeo-Christian ethic was partially external but also to some degree internal, as most citizens were indoctrinated in it and “social pressure” was largely pushing people in the right direction. Today, as that Judeo-Christian consensus has been eroded, there is no agreement on even the most basic questions of right and wrong or even truth and falsehood. Perhaps the current situation reveals the weakness inherent in a free society not comprised of people who have been born again by the Spirit of God. Even a return to the Judeo-Christian consensus of the past would not solve the basic sin problem, which is really a heart problem. While such a society would no doubt be a better place to live, individuals would still be just as sinful on the inside and just as guilty before God. Certainly, Israel in the Old Testament had some heavy external regulations, yet sin was still rampant. That is why God told Jeremiah about a New Covenant that He would enact: “The days are coming,” declares...
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    9 分