Introduction: I Jn. 2:16-17 (In this passage the Apostle John classifies sin in three categories. A detailed examination of this should help us understand the dynamics of sin and therefore defeat sin.)
In The Garden Of Eden:
1. God Spoke His Law: Gen. 2:15-17 (God's law forbid them to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.)
2. Satan Tempted: Gen. 3:1-5 (Satan enticed Eve based on natural desires for food, knowledge, etc..)
3. Eve Lusted: Gen. 3:6 (She experienced lust of the flesh [saw the tree was good for food], lust of the eyes [and that it was pleasant to the eyes], and the pride of life [a tree to be desired to make one wise, be as gods]).
Today:
1. God Has Given His Law: Rom. 3:20, Rom. 7:7 (God's law through Moses defined sin.) I Tim. 3:4 (The law of Christ today defines sin.)
2. Tempted By Satan: Mt. 4:3 (He is fitly called the tempter.) Jas. 1:13, II Pet. 2:9 (In contrast God is not the tempter but the deliverer.) I Cor. 10:13 (God has put limits on how much Satan can tempt us.) (Our temptations, like Eve's are based on natural desires. The natural desires are not wrong. It is not a sin to be tempted, it is a sin to yield to lust and the sinful act itself.)
3. Lust By Man: (At this point sin occurs. There is more than a mere natural desire. There is now a sinful anticipation of the sin. Man anticipates fulfilling the natural desire in a way that violates God's law.) Gal. 5:17 (This passages examples lust of the flesh.) Mt. 5:28 (This passage examples lust of the eyes.) Ps. 10:4 (This passage examples pride of life.)
4. Lust Conceives: Jas. 1:14-15 (Man is drawn away of his own natural desires. He experiences lust [sinful lust] and the lust conceives, giving birth to the sinful act itself.)
5. Judgment From God: Gen. 3:7-13, Rom. 14:10-12 (As Adam and Eve were scrutinized for their sin, so will you and I be.)
6. Punishment: Gen. 3:14-24, II Thes. 1:8-9 (As God punished Adam and Eve, he will punish those now in sin at the coming of Jesus.)
7. The Way Of Escape:
A. Be in Christ: Gal. 3:27, Rom. 6:7 (Once you are baptized into Christ you are free from sin.)
B. Remember Promises: II Pet. 3:9 (Remember God loves you and doesn't want you to perish.)
C. Use The Word: Jas. 4:7 (If we [like Jesus in Mt. 4] use the word to resist Satan, he will flee from us.)
D. Physically Flee: Gen. 39:12 (Joseph fled the circumstances that created the temptation. So must we.)
E. The Great Escape: II Cor. 5:1-4 (Just keep hanging on and some day we will all be delivered from this flesh and its temptations.)
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