You are sitting on the back porch with some friends talking about the latest TV series you watched when the conversation takes a turn. One of your friends clears her throat a bit and says something you weren’t quite prepared for: “So, I’ve been struggling with watching porn lately. I’ve talked to my mentor about it, but I’ve stepped away from watching shows like that. It’s just not good for me.”
Everyone stops. In the most caring way, your other friends jump in to tell her they’re proud of her courage for confessing her struggle. They’re so glad she’s told someone and that she has accountability. And the whole time your stomach is churning, because you just want to tell them it’s something you’re struggling with too. It feels too hard to say out loud even though you know the truth: In Christ, there is no condemnation (Romans 8:1).
jesus changes everything
There is a total pivot that happens in our lives when we turn it over to God. Romans 8:1 shows us: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Does following Jesus mean we won’t ever struggle or sin again? Absolutely not. But it does change everything about the way we can respond to it all.
The enemy wants you to feel so much shame about your struggle that you keep it to yourself. You stay in your own head, deciding you’re the only one on the planet to ever struggle with this sin and it is too big and too alarming to admit.
But, there is no condemnation.
When we go back to week one and two of this study and remember that (a) we are all sinners, and that (b) before Jesus gave his life on our behalf our sin equaled death, we see how big of a mess we were in. Without Jesus there was no solution. But Jesus did not die on our behalf so we could then keep living the same life, held back by the same struggles, and trapped in the same self-made prison. We are free.
go and sin no more
Too many of us follow Jesus yet are still walking around carrying the weight of chains and being tied so tightly to our secrets and sin. But Jesus has already given us freedom.
We just have to live like we are actually free. Take a look at John 8 for example. We find the story of a woman who was brought to Jesus by the Scribes and Pharisees. They wanted her to be stoned, because she had been caught in adultery and that’s what the law said should happen because of it. What did Jesus say instead? Look at John 8:7–11.
- “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her” (v. 7).
- “She said, ‘No one, Lord.’ And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more” (v. 11).
The gospel isn’t an excuse for us to keep sinning, but it is a permission slip for us to confess, take the shame off, and walk freely in the other direction. The beauty about walking alongside other followers of Jesus is that you get to cheer each other on, hold each other accountable, and keep pointing each other to Jesus the whole way home.
Because of the gospel you can say your sins out loud. Because of the gospel you can take off the chains now. You are free.
Shame and embarrassment keep me from admitting my sin. However, I logically know that Jesus will forgive me, but admitting sin is difficult.
One thing holding me hostage is a sin of omission: failure to consistently (daily) spend time in His word and in prayer. I do not discipline myself to ignore distractions and keep this a priority in my daily schedule.
Thank you for putting a name on my problem ,too. I beat myself up for my failures, then the shame keeps me from stepping up when God asks me to do something new. The fear of failure used to paralyze me. When God told me to lead a bible study on the Good Gospel I said yes. We start Wednesday!
I actually just recently handed it over to God fully, I had confessed my sin but still found myself ashamed and burdened and not yet free from it. When I brought my sin further into the light by sharing it with like minded believers I found myself being free from it entirely.
I would have to say that just like was mentioned on the video, I’m a slave to anxiety. I let the “what if’s” in life hold me back from being all that God intends for me to be. I’ve found scripture that I go to but I have to commit to handing it over and not taking it back.
Fear of finances in retirement given the current economic problems. I want to trust God!
I want to be consistent in prayer and devotions yet find myself realizing it’s been a few days since I REALLY spent focused time with God. I let other things compete for the time that belongs to God. Lord Jesus be my highest priority!
Being in control of situations and people holds me hostage. I am working on handing it over. Sin and bad habits are hard to break but I know God has set me free.
It is fear. Fear of there not being enough. When I claim my right as a co-heir with Christ, the fear subsides, but comes back when I read the next hysterically slanted fear report in the news. Like the woman in the narrative, I need to limit my exposure to news . I will delete NY Times from favorites
Fear of rejection (a.k.a. PRIDE) keeps me from being who God really wants me to be.
FEAR!!! Fear of not being good enough. Fear of rejection. Fear of repeating the same mistakes over and over.