Three Roots of Sin

THREE ROOTS OF SIN

Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever. 1 John 2:15-17

THREE ROOTS OF SIN

THE LUST OF THE FLESH

THE LUST OF THE EYES

THE PRIDE OF LIFE

Lust of the Flesh

Root Cause: Self Pity, Not taking personal responsibility for our lives, Always blaming others for our problems.

Lust of the Eyes COVETOUSNESS IDOLATRY

Root Cause: Believing things will satisfy the spiritual need inside.

Pride of life:

Root Cause: Honoring ourselves more than God or others. Using others to serve ourselves.

Sin has its power in three Roots - THE LUST OF THE FLESH, THE LUST OF THE EYES and THE PRIDE OF LIFE (I John 9:16).

This means the way we defeat it at the root is to destroy the life of each of these roots.

As sin has three roots so also does sanctification. If these three roots are empowered they destroy the power of the source of sin in our lives.

There is a one way door inside of us.

If we open our lives to the world we, at the same time close our lives to the Spirit.

If we open our lives to the Spirit we, at the same time close our lives to the world.

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. 17 For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. Galatians 5:16-18

THANKFULNESS - DEFEATS THE LUST OF THE FLESH

CONTENTMENT - DEFEATS THE LUST OF THE EYES

HUMILITY - DEFEATS THE PRIDE OF LIFE

THANKFULNESS

Root Remedy:

Thanksgiving, Worship, Gratitude and being filled with the Spirit, taking personal responsibility for our actions, ceasing blame.

in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Thankfulness brings us into God’s presence

Enter His gates with thanksgiving And His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name. Psalm 100:4

When we seek comfort from bodily pleasure or substances we are trying to fill the hole in our lives that only God can fill.

As we give thanks to God we open to His Spirit. This brings true fulfillment.

Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit. Ephesians 5:18

As we enter into the secret place of God’s dwelling through thanksgiving and praise we are able to receive his comfort.

"I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter, that He may be with you forever; John 14:16

Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. John 14:26

"But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Comforter will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. John 16:7

The comfort we are seeking in the lusts of the flesh we find as we are filled with the divine comforter.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 2 Corinthians 1:3

And the comfort we find in God is intended to be given to others.

. . .who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 2 Corinthians 1:4

So Thankfulness breaks the power of self pity.

It brings us into God’s presence.

It redeems our pain to bless others as we are filled with the divine comforter.

And it opens us up to be a channel for the river of life to flow through to others.

Establishing Thankfulness

When lust of the flesh activates rather than seek expression of it, express faith in God by thanking and praising Him.  

Seek the face of God in prayer. Give thanks to Him for his restrictions. Build moral freedom by exercising your will toward purity.

Make no provision for the flesh... I Timothy 5:2

Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. 2 Timothy 2:22

CONTENTMENT - DEFEATS THE LUST OF THE EYES

Root Remedy: Contentment: Finding our identity not in what we possess but in a relationship with the true God.

Then He said to them, "Beware, and be on your guard against every form of covetousness; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions." Luke 12:15

Contentment is the state of mind that is perfectly happy with what God provides and what he does not provide.

. . . what He gives and what He takes away.

He said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, And naked I shall return there. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord." Job 1:21

The secret of contentment is understanding that things can never take the place of the relationships of our lives.

We love God and others and we use things.

The person bound by the lust of the eyes uses God and people and loves things.

The person who lives in the lust of the eyes is trying to fill the deepest longings of his or her soul with things instead of God.

This is the mystery of idolatry - Bowing down to a thing as if it is God.

But scripture shows us that when we find our heart’s desires filled in a deep relationship with Jesus we will not look to things to fill us.

Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. Hebrews 13:5 (KJS)

Establishing Contentment:

Gain Financial Freedom through disciplined work and personal, initiative (taking responsibility).

Establishing Contentment: For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example, because we did not act in an undisciplined manner among you,  Establishing Contentment: nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but with labor and hardship we kept working night and day so that we would not be a burden to any of you;  Establishing Contentment: not because we do not have the right to this, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you, so that you would follow our example. For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either. For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies. Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to work in quiet fashion and eat their own bread. 2 Thessalonians 3:7-12

Reject the false doctrine that as Christians we ought to be rich.

The truth of contentment that the world cannot see is that as we walk in contentment we find God’s full provision for us.

(Wicked men who) supposing that gain is godliness: . . .  But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.  And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. 9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.  For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. I Timothy 6:5-10

Express obedience by making debt-free living your goal and by establishing diligent work habits both at home and the job (as unto the Lord).

The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower becomes the lender's slave. Proverbs 22:7

Obtaining financial freedom through contentment in whatever state you are in.

But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity. 11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. 12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Philippians 4: 10-13

Express faith in God by giving to Him in your need. Rather than complain, give in secret out of your need. With the gift offer the sacrifice of Praise.

Giving - Establishing "value" through secret giving.

When the desire to obtain grows find a place to give in secret to God and others and so establish that real value is in being like God who gives His only Son for the good of others.

"But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. Matthew 6:3-4

Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, Colossians 3:23

SERVANTHOOD - DEFEATS THE PRIDE OF LIFE

But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted. Matthew 23:11

Root Remedy: Serving God and serving others.

The person who is captured by pride can never truly find the fulfillment God intends because we were created to be God and other centered.

Our destiny is to be like Jesus.

Our Spiritual DNA is to look like, act like, think like and in everything respond like Him.

Establishing Servanthood:

Humility, Relinquishment of Rights, recognizing the Lordship of Christ and serving God and others before self.

He is the picture of Humility

And humility at its heart is servanthood out of love.

Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God, 4 got up from supper, and laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself. 5 Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. . . . . 12 So when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments and reclined at the table again, He said to them, "Do you know what I have done to you? 13 "You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. 14 "If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. 15 "For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you. 16 "Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him. John 13:3-16

When the desire to gain power comes serve the one who you want power over and thus establish that true authority begins with humility.

In this way we come under the authority of Christ by the relinquishment of our "rights" to power.

Esteem others better than yourself by giving honor to the weaker vessel.

Allowing God to establish your authority by becoming a servant of all.

The great secret of humility is that it brings us under God’s hand of protection.

Three Roots of Sin