Why Do You Do What You Do? Part 1

Root causes of sin. What this does do to your soul?

Sin is sure destruction to the soul. What is sin? All unrighteousness is sin (1 John 5:17). All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.

1 John 5:17 All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death [one can repent of it and be forgiven]. (Amplified Bible)

What is unrighteousness? The Old Testament describes unrighteousness (H5765) as (moral) evil: – iniquity, perverseness, unjust (-ly), unrighteousness (-ly), wicked (-ness). The New Testament defines it (G94) as (legal) injustice (properly the quality, by implication the act); moral wrongfulness (of character, life, or act): – iniquity, unjust, unrighteousness, wrong, as found in 1 John 5:17 (see verse above).  

 

Just to give further clarity 1 John 5:17 also reads that there is “sin that is not unto death.” This brings to mind; can we be pardoned for our sins? Thank Heavenly Father that he gave His Son Yahusha the Messiah to pay the cost of our sins so that we do not have to pay the wages of sin, which is death (Romans 6:23) Sinners are still living and still sinning. Why is that? It is because of Yahuah’s mercy. He could end our lives because the wages of sin is death, but instead, He gives us mercy and grace which allows us to return to Him. But do we live a morally wrong life because sin has been atoned for? This is what John spoke of when he used the word unrighteous. So, what is the opposite of unrighteousness?

Abraham was counted by Yahuah as righteous because he believed in Him (Genesis 15:6). Abraham believed or had faith in Yah. What is faith? Faith is the substance of things hoped for and evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1). Abraham certainly wasn’t perfect so what attributes did he have? Righteousness is defined as rightness (abstractly), subjectively (rectitude/upright), objectively (justice), morally (virtue), or figuratively (prosperity).  The New Testament describes righteousness as to render (that is, show or regard as) just or innocent.  To be righteous is to be equitable (in character or act); by implication innocent, holy (absolutely or relatively): – just, meet, right (-eous).

 

By these words we see Abraham had faith in Yah, he believed Yah to be the One He said He was, which led to his obedience. We see that he was an upright man, he was a man of justice and virtue, and Abraham had moral substance. The New Testament reads Abraham was innocent (in nature) and fair, or equitable. However, nowhere does it tell us that Abraham was without sin. Yet we see that according to the definition we read concerning unrighteousness it appears his soul was in the right place, that is, not full of wickedness.

Can a person be righteous and still be a sinner? Of course, and why? Because we all fall short of the glory of Yahuah, that is what Apostle Paul taught.

Romans 3:23-25  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of Yahuah;  Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption (emancipation) that is in Yahusha the Messiah: Whom Elohim has set forth to be a propitiation (the act of gaining or regaining the favor or goodwill of someone or something) through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of Yahuah.

Through faith, and belief in Yahusha, we are counted for righteousness just like Abraham. This is good news for the weary, broken soul.

 

ROOT CAUSE OF SIN – Why Do you Do what you Do?

 

Apostle Paul said in terms of his behavior that no longer was it him that committed an unrighteous act but that it was sin that was in him (Romans 7:20). What did Paul just say?  Genesis 15:6 spoke of Abraham being counted for righteousness because of his faith and belief in Yahuah. We just read that nowhere do we read that Abraham was without sin. Romans 6:23 teaches we are all sinners who have been justified unto righteousness through faith and belief in the death of Yahusha. Just as Abraham was found righteous through faith in and belief in Yahuah today we too have received forgiveness of sins through our faith in Yahusha. Then you may ask the inevitable question if we are forgiven of sin why do we keep on sinning? Paul explains it beautifully that it is no longer us but the sin that dwells in us. Be it known the sin that dwells in us has been there since Adam and Eve committed the first act of sin. Paul wrote:

Romans 7:18-21.  For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh [my human nature, my worldliness–my sinful capacity]. For the willingness [to do good] is present in me, but the doing of good is not. For the good that I want to do, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want.  But, if I am doing the very thing I do not want to do, I am no longer the one doing it [that is, it is not me that acts], but the sin [nature] which lives in me. So, I find it to be the law [of my inner self], that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. (Amplified Bible)

Believers want to do good but often get caught up in the affairs of the flesh whatever they may be. And when sin has its perfect work, it brings forth death and this is the death of the soul (James 1:15).

Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. 

Paul goes on to say:

Romans 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

Yet Paul knows where his redemption and salvation come from:

Verse 25 I thank Yahuah through Yahusah ha Mashiach. So then with the mind, I myself serve the law of Yahuah, but with the flesh the law of sin.

The soul dwells in the body. Sin weakens and can kill the soul. To protect our souls from spiritual death we must live within the laws given us by our Heavenly Father. We are told throughout Scripture to obey, that if we obey, we will have a good life, if we do not, we will not have a good life.

Eph 6:2-3  Honor thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;)  That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. Also Exodus 20:12.

 

Truth: We cannot pay for our salvation; it was paid for through the death of Yahusha haMessiah.

 

How does this connect with the soul? Salvation is in the son of Yahuah, Yahusha our Messiah. Our soul belongs to Yahuah. The soul that sins die. Not a physical death, (understanding that sin can bring physical death); it dies a spiritual death. Through continued sin, the soul loses connection with the Spirit of Yahuah separating them from Him. With the connection being loosed or broken a door is opened for Satan/Sin to enter.

 By any number of factors, the individual has become spiritually dead and in need of restoration. Praise Heavenly Father that He is full of grace, mercy, and forgiveness.