Why it’s Hard to Hate our Sin

By Eric Mattie

I’m going to be real here. I’m going to admit, hating our sin can be difficult.

Here’s why: Because the satisfaction of our lusts, though short lived, relieves lonely insecurities. The fits of anger can fill our feeling of helplessness and being out of control. The gratification of our greed calms our discontentment for a moment. Boastful words of insult and gossip can exalt our importance over everyone else

I could go on. But I think you get the point.

Our felt needs that are satisfied in the wake of sinful actions are the very fleeting pleasures the writers of Hebrews refers to (see Hebrews 11:25). But what these sinful actions reveal is not only a hard heart that doesn’t care to love God and others better. They reveals a heart that hasn’t fought sin, let alone made the decision to kill it. When we are comfortable to enjoy the fleeting pleasure of that momentary fit of rage, or that verbal assault that slanders and shames others, it reveals a heart that actually enjoys sin, instead of abhors it.

So what do we do with such a heart that has such conflict.

If I told you that mere discipline and behavior modification could work I’d point you straight to the first century Pharisees for you to model your life after.

But realize that in your religious perfection the very Son of the living God would have some pretty scathing remarks that you should consider. Remarks like:

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. (Matthew 23:25)

So let’s forgo that approach knowing that trying harder doesn’t change hearts. What changes hearts is the Holy Spirit. To get to the root of the matter means we have to look in the mirror of God’s word and see the portrait of our heart as detailed in Roman 7:15: “For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.”

So again I ask, what do we do with such a heart?

The only One who can really transform our heart and change us from the inside out is God the Holy Spirit. He has already given you a heart empowered by grace to obey his word.

In Karl Clauson’s new Book, Killing Sin, he reminds us that:

“Humility involves coming face-to-face with yourself, your sins, and any shortcomings and turning to God for help in prayer. Prayer is the engine room of power, and humility is the posture of effective prayer.”

When we rely on prayer to the Father through the power of the Holy Spirit, it is recognizing the complete dependence that we have on God and God alone to help us overcome this mess of sin in our lives.

That means getting on our knees and boldly praying Psalm 86:11 (especially the third stanza):

Teach me your way, O LORD,
that I may walk in your truth;
unite my heart to fear your name.

David understood any type of heart change starts and ends with the work of God in our hearts.

Humbly approach the wonderful throne of grace and petition daily for the Lord to unite your heart to fear His name. To recognize the empowering work of the Spirit making you born again and opening your soul to new, godly desires that include loving, obeying, and honoring the Lord.

Eric

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Eric Mattie preaches, teaches and serves as a lay elder in his local church and writes regularly at For1Glory.com. He and his wife Melanie live in La Crosse, Wisconsin and have three adult children.