Accountability and Victory over Sin

Do you know any common sayings that are misattributed to the Bible?

“’God helps those who help themselves’ is probably the most often quoted phrase that is not found in the Bible. This saying is usually attributed to Ben Franklin, quoted in Poor Richard’s Almanac in 1757. It originated from Algernon Sydney in 1698 in an article titled Discourses Concerning Government.”

“The Bible teaches the opposite. God helps the helpless! Isaiah 25:4 declares, ‘For You have been a defense for the helpless, a defense for the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shade from the heat...’ Romans 5:6 tells us, ‘For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.’” [1]

In terms of salvation, we are all utterly helpless. Romans 3:23 says that we all have sinned. Romans 6:23 says that the wages of sin is death. We need someone else to save us. Thankfully, God is the helper of the helpless. Romans 5:8, says, “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “He [God] made Him [Christ] who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him [Christ].” God provided His own dear Son to save us from our sin because we cannot save ourselves from our sin. On our own, we lose this battle every time. We must abide in Christ to live a Christ-like life.

In Matthew 5:21-44, Jesus used “You heard it said, but I say” statements six times to urge His listeners to go beyond minimum requirements of the law to embrace a higher standard of righteousness. On the topic of murder, He spoke against anger. On the topic of adultery, He spoke against lust. On the topic of divorce, He spoke against adultery. On the topic of false vows, He spoke for one’s “yes” to mean “yes” and one’s “no” to mean “no.” On the topic of retaliation, He spoke for not retaliating. On the topic of love, He spoke of loving and praying for one’s enemies. Harboring anger, lust, guile and unforgiveness is unhealthy. [2]

In Ezekiel 8:1-3, God wanted people to stop repeating a particular proverb...

“The Word of the Lord came to me again, saying, what do you mean when you use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying: ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge?’ As I live, says the Lord God, you shall no longer use this proverb in Israel.”

This ancient proverb was used to blame a previous generation for the suffering of the current one. It was used by the Israelites to avoid personal responsibility for their own exile. The Lord emphasizes individual accountability for one's own sins.

“Sour grapes represents the sinful actions and poor choices of the fathers. The teeth set on edge represents the unpleasant, negative consequences and suffering experienced by the children as a result of those past actions.” [3]

A long time ago, I attended a seminar entitled, “Breaking Curses and Releasing Blessings.” The leaders provided the attendees a list of sins that carry curses according to the Law of Moses. We, the attendees, were urged to consider if any of these sins were practiced by our ancestors, and if so, to verbally denounce the sins, and verbally declare that our generational curses were broken in the Name of Jesus. In one sense, I found this helpful because it helped me to realize that one of my ancestors did palm reading, others looked to horoscopes and still others believed in lucky charms and were superstitious, but if any teaching shifts the blame of my sin or our false beliefs onto another, it contradicts what God says to me in Ezekiel 18.

The Lord says in Ezekiel 18:4-5...

“Behold, all souls are Mine. The soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine. The soul who sins shall die. But if a man is just and does what is lawful and right...he is just. He shall surely live, says the Lord God.”

The Lord says in Ezekiel 18:10-13...

“If he begets a son who is a robber or a shedder of blood, who does any of these things and does none of those duties, but has eaten on the mountains or defiled his neighbor’s wife; if he has oppressed the poor and needy, robbed by violence, not restored the pledge, lifted his eyes to the idols, or committed abomination; if he has exacted usury or taken increase—shall he then live? He shall not live! If he has done any of these abominations, he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon him.”

The Lord says in Ezekiel 18:14, 17...

“If, however, he begets a son who sees all the sins which his father has done and considers but does not do likewise. ...He shall not die for the iniquity of his father; he shall surely live!”

The Lord says in Ezekiel 18:21-23...

“If a wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is lawful and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die. None of the transgressions which he has committed shall be remembered against him; because of the righteousness which he has done, he shall live. Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? says the Lord God, and not that he should turn from his ways and live?”

The Lord says in Ezekiel 18:24...

“But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, shall he live? All the righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; because of the unfaithfulness of which he is guilty and the sin which he has committed, because of them he shall die.”

The Lord’s holds each individual accountable for his or her own sin. Each individual needs to turn to our Savior Jesus Christ and ask Him for forgiveness and salvation.

The Lord says in Ezekiel 18:30-32...

“Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin. Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die? For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies, says the Lord God. Therefore turn and live!”

The key to victory over sin is to receive a new heart from God. Surrender your current heart to Christ and ask Him to give you a new one that has an appetite for Him. By abiding in Christ we do not abide in sin.

In 2 Corinthians 3:5-6, Paul wrote, “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God...” Zechariah 4:6 says, “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.”

For positive and lasting change, we need the Spirit of God to come into us and fill us with the wonderful presence of God. In Christ, there is hope of glory!


[1] GotQuestions.Org
[2] Edited from Google sources on Matthew 5:21-44
[3] Google sources on Ezekiel 18:2