Why do people kill and lie for things?

Sincerely,
Bewildered

Dear Bewildered,

The Bible says that all sins are caused by one of three things – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 Jn 2:16).  When we lust and desire things enough that we are willing to get them by whatever means necessary, sin almost always follows.  Adultery, theft, murder, and lying all have the same roots.  James warns that the best way to prevent sin is to kill it at its source.  The book of James explains that all sin begins with a mental decision (Jas 1:13-15).  When we protect our minds and hearts by dwelling on good things instead of evil things (Php 4:8), we set ourselves up for success.  Sin always begins with the thoughts and intents of our heart.  Dwell on God’s Word and will, and you will properly mold those heartfelt intentions (Heb 4:12).

I’m so torn up inside!  Why can’t I stop sinning?  I really do try, and I succeed for a while, but then I fall right back into it.  I feel as if I’m slowly escaping this sin, but I still feel burdened by it, and I’m scared God will stop forgiving me.  I know it says in the Bible that God’s grace is endless, and that’s the only thing that leads me to succeed when I do.  I refuse to give up, and feel I am slowly winning the battle, but when I fall, I feel soooooo terrible.  Any advice?

Sincerely,
Repetitive Sinner

Dear Repetitive Sinner,

When a sin becomes so entrenched in your life that you are enslaved to it (Jhn 8:34), you are dealing with an addiction.  Addictions are formed by habits, and habits are formed by repeatedly making the same choices.  James describes this process in Jas 1:13-15.  All sins begin with a mental decision.  If you want to remove an addiction, isolate the choices that are putting you in the position to commit that sin.  If you change the environment and circumstances that lead you to a sin, you change the future playing field.  One of the easiest ways to do this is to let someone else know about your struggle (Jas 5:16).  There is strength in numbers (Eccl 4:12), and exposing a sin takes its power away (Jhn 3:20).

I never ask for forgiveness right after I sin; am I still forgiven by God, and will I still be accepted into heaven with the love in my heart for Christ?

Sincerely,Worried
Dear Worried,

Your confusion is a common one because the Bible never explicitly states what happens to the sins that we didn’t specifically ask for forgiveness for.  There is no specific verse that deals with this issue; instead, we must look at some of the concepts that are scattered throughout the Scriptures.

1. Jesus is our Advocate (1 Jhn 2:1-3).  Jesus is our High Priest, and He mediates between us and God (1 Tim 2:5).  Jesus wants to intercede for your sins, and He desires to help you get into heaven.
2. God doesn’t desire anyone to be separated from Him (2 Pet 3:9).  No one will ever accidentally go to hell, and no one will accidently miss out on heaven because they didn’t have an opportunity to pray for forgiveness right before they died.  God is ready and willing to forgive (Ps. 86:5).
3. God expects our obedience, and all forgiveness is dependent upon our willingness to draw near to Him with obedient hearts (1 Pet 1:14).  The Bible says that our obedience to Him purifies our souls.  God forgives the faithful and obedient servant (Heb 10:38).
4. John paints a beautiful picture for us in 1 Jhn 1:7 by saying, “If we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.” The word ‘walk’ means ‘to live continually’, and whenever we have that relationship but we accidentally sin, the blood of Jesus continually cleanses us of our sins.

When you consider all of these concepts, the truth on the subject becomes evident; we are forgiven as we ask for forgiveness, and God gives grace in those times when we are unable or ignorant to ask for it.  So continue to ask and pray for forgiveness, but you can also have peace that God’s grace will protect your soul as you do your best to live faithfully.

Is it a sin to cuss?

Sincerely,
Watching My Words

Dear Watching My Words,

Cussing is a sin.  Eph 4:29 tells us to avoid all corrupt speech.  We need to avoid any and all language that sounds filthy or derogatory – this would include all swear words.  All our speech needs to be both clean and reverent, so God’s name is spoken well of amongst His people (1 Tim 6:1).  All our words should be gracious and seasoned so as to uplift and be an example of godliness (Col 4:6).  Cussing, swearing, and using the Lord's name in vain don't have any place in wholesome speech.

     I love someone who has the same gender as me, and we're both Christians.  Is this wrong?  We love God above all.  Our preacher preached about this and made me scared because I do not want to go to hell, neither does my partner.  I do not want her to be in any trouble.  I love her so much, and I do not want to let her go.  Please help me.  Is loving someone the same gender as yours a sin?  Help me please.

Sincerely,
In Love

Dear In Love,

Homosexuality is definitely a sin (Rom 1:26-27).  Any sexual activity outside of God’s plan for marriage is fornication.  Homosexual behavior, pre-marital sex, adultery, etc. are all sinful and Jesus condemned them all when He taught the right way for men and women to behave.  God doesn’t force anyone to act upon same-sex attractions, just like God doesn’t force an alcoholic to the bottle or a wrathful husband to strike his wife.  How we act is a choice, not a genetic equation.  There is a lot of debate over why some people have same-sex attractions, but at the end of the day, your temptations need to be mastered.  When Cain was angry, God told Cain to rule over sin or it would devour him (Gen 4:7).  Same-sex attractions are a temptation that stems from within a person, just like anger, unhealthy opposite-sex attractions, and a thousand other temptations (Jas 1:13-14).  The key is that there is always a way of escape from those unhealthy desires (1 Cor 10:13).  You and this other woman need to flee the fornication of homosexuality (1 Cor 6:18).