The Truth Detector

“For in that He died, He died unto sin once: but in that He lives, He lives unto God.  Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.”  Romans 6:10-11

When an individual receives Christ into his or her heart, he or she then has the power to abstain from sin.  The Apostle Paul said that the believer is dead unto sin.  Here’s the thing though–we are dead to sin, but sin didn’t die.  It’s still there all around us, taunting us and tempting us.  Some sins on the surface don’t seem so bad, (I said “seem”, for all sin is bad), but when we fall for its’ lies and deceptions, we find out how easily and quickly we can get caught up in sin’s trap.  Most sin starts out as a thought, but if not dismissed, can become a desire, then an act, and then a shameful regret.

I consider the Apostle Paul one of the greatest Christians who ever lived, but he also had a problem with sin as it related to his old nature.  When we are born again, we have a new nature that makes us want to do what’s right, but we are still stuck with that old nature that tends to be selfish and desires what it wants rather that what God desires for us.  The old sinful nature, as Paul points out using himself as an example, leads him to do what he doesn’t want to do.  He confessed that he really wanted to do what was right, but it was a constant battle within himself.  He came to the conclusion that in his own power he did what he didn’t want to do because sin still had its’ grip on him.  He stated that his new life led him to do right, but his old life led him to do wrong (Romans 7:15-25).  What a dilemma.

The good news is that there is help to keep us on the straight and narrow.  When we come to know Christ in the forgiveness of sin, we are filled with His Holy Spirit, who is our “truth detector”, to borrow a phrase from a well known radio personality.  If we pay attention to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, we won’t fall for the devil’s schemes.  That old liar, Satan, likes nothing better than for a Christian to sin because Satan loves to disparage Almighty God and minimize God’s influence over His people.  That’s Satan’s goal.  He can’t literally infiltrate the soul of a person who is filled with the Holy Spirit, but he can find a weak spot and harass, discourage, and depress one whose faith is wavering.  Depend on the Lord to stay strong in your faith and don’t give Satan an edge.  Make him sing the song of the Rolling Stones: I can’t get no satisfaction, which is a double negative, but you know what I mean.

As one who has been walking with the Lord for many years, I can testify that, while I am certainly not sinless (for there has been only One who can claim that criteria), I have learned to pay attention to the inner voice of the Holy Spirit when making decisions, in conversations with others, in my thought life, and in times of distress or distraction.  And when I step outside the bounds of what is pleasing to the Lord in word or deed, I know it immediately.  So, yeah, the Holy Spirit is our truth detector, our helper, our guide, and our comforter.  Listen for His voice and heed His word.  He only has our best interest at heart.