How to Overcome Sin
by: David M. Curtis

1. Q. How many have sinned?

A. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23

2. Q. What is the penalty for sin?

A. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23

3. Q. What is the gift of God that results in eternal life?
A. “For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16.

4. Q. What is the name of the Son of God and what does He save us from?

A. “When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. . .the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:18,20,21.

5. Q. What is sin?

A. “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.” 1 John 3:4

Note: “Had men ever been obedient to the law of ten commandments, carrying out in their lives the principles of these ten precepts, the curse of disease now flooding the world would not be. Men and women cannot violate natural law in the indulgence of depraved appetite, and lustful passions, and not violate the law of God. Therefore, God has permitted the light of health reform to shine upon us, that we may see our sin in violating the laws God has established in our being. All our enjoyments or sufferings may be traced to obedience or transgression of natural law. Our gracious Heavenly Father sees the deplorable condition of men while living in violation of the laws he has established. Many are doing this ignorantly, some knowingly. The Lord, in love and pity to the race, causes the light to shine upon health reform. He publishes his law, and the penalty that will follow the transgression of it, that all may learn, and be careful to live in harmony with, natural law. He proclaims his law so distinctly, and makes it so prominent, that it is like a city set on a hill. All accountable beings can understand his law, if they will.” -E. G. White The Health Reformer October 1, 1872.

6. Q. Can man obey this law?

A. “The carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” Romans 8:7

7. Q. The Bible says we are powerless and incapable of obeying the Holy Law. Has God forsaken us? Has He left us no Way of salvation from our sins of disobeying His holy Law?

A. Jesus said to the Apostle Paul, “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

Jesus said “Without me ye can do nothing.” John 15:5

Paul understood this and said, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Philippians 4:13.

8. Q. How do I obtain the victory over sins, is it by trying harder?

A. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

9. Q. Some churches teach that God’s grace, is God looking at Jesus on the cross when men sin, so that men can just go on sinning against the Law of God and still go to Heaven. Is that true faith?

A. “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Romans 6:1-3.

“Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.” Romans 3:31.

10. Q. What is the true definition of grace?

A. “By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for His name: Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ:” Romans 1:5,6.

Note: Grace is the POWER that helps us OBEY THE FAITH OF JESUS CHRIST. It is not license to disobey.

11. Q. Does the Gospel of Jesus Christ truly have the Power to save men from transgression of the Ten Commandments? Does Jesus really have power to keep men from falling?

A. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.” Romans 1:16,17.

“Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and for ever. Amen.” Jude 24,25

12. Q. Why does Jesus have this power?

A. “For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” Romans 8:3,4

“Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.” Hebrews 2:14-18.

“Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:14-16.

13. Q. How does Jesus Christ victory “in the likeness of sinful flesh” nearly 2000 years ago save me from sin in my sinful flesh today?

A. “Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.” 1 John 4:2,3.

Note: Jesus has the victory over sinful flesh. We must invite Jesus Christ to be LORD and SAVIOR in our lives giving us HIS VICTORY in our flesh.

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20.

“To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:” Colossians 1:27,28.

14. Q. Is it true that man was originally made in the Image of God, and not in the image of monkey’s?

A. “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” Genesis 1:26,27.

15. Q. Since “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) can Jesus really redeem mankind back to the God’s image, and glorify His Father? Does He really have the power to do this?

A. “Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 3:17,18.

16. Q. Some sincere churches and ministers do not teach this, You may not have ever heard that the gospel of Jesus Christ had so much power to save men from sin and redeem men back to God. Does the Bible warn that Christians would some day forget about the POWER OF GOD and lose faith in the true Gospel?

A. “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.” 1 Timothy 4:1.

“Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” 2 Timothy 3:5-7.

Note: We are to “turn away” from the companies of Christians that reject the power of God to over come sin. “Turn away” from those who accept a false definition of grace. Who Believe God’s grace is a license to violate the Ten Commandments. To come out from the churches that deny the power of God to restore His Holy Law in the minds and hearts of man. “ And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.” Revelation 18:4. God still remembers the sins of the apostate Christian bodies that in scripture are described as the unfaithful Harlot of Revelation 17. These Christian bodies reject the gift of God in His Son by rejecting the POWER the Holy Spirit to obey His Ten Commandments, and have victory over sin.

17. Q. How does the book of Revelation describe the pure Christian church in the last days?

A. “And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Revelation 12:17.

18. Q. How do the last day saints obey the Ten Commandments?

A. “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” Revelation 14:12.
Note: The foundation of true believers in the last days is built on obeying the faith of Jesus Christ and the Commandments of God. It is not one or the other it is BOTH.

19. Q. Is anyone going to eat the Tree of Life or Enter the New Jerusalem that rejects the Law of God?

A. “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.” Revelation 22:14,15.

20. Q. What is the real reason the saints obey the Commandments?

A. “If ye love me keep My commandments” John 14:15.

Note: Jesus was quoting the last six words of the second commandment “love Me and keep My commandments.” Exodus 20:6. God wants us to obey Him because we love Him. He wants an obedience that is not merely artificial in an out ward show of works. He wants us to obey the Law of God from our mind (reason) and from our heart (feelings). This was a prophecy about Jesus Christ given by King David. “Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.’ NO ONE CAN SEPARATE THE LAW OF GOD FROM THE HEART OF JESUS! ANY ATTEMPT TO DO AWAY WITH THE LAW IS A FALSE GOSPEL BE NOT DECEIVED!

21. Q. In the New Testament dispensation of grace, when I accept Jesus of Nazareth as the Son of God and ask Him in my heart what does He do to change my heart and mind?

A. “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.” Hebrews 8:10-12.

THE NEW TESTAMENT GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST IS TO RESTORE US TO OBEDIENCE TO THE LAW OF GOD FROM THE HEART AND MIND THAT ADAM AND EVE LOST IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN; AND TO FORGIVE US FOR ALL OUR PAST VIOLATIONS OF THE LAW OF GOD. Redemption from our past faults, and salvation for the present.

22. Q. That covenant is made to Israel. What is the LORD’s covenant to the Gentiles?

A. BROTHERS AND SISTERS THERE IS NO COVENANT ANY WHERE IN THE BIBLE MADE TO THE GENTILES. PAUL SAYS BOTH FLESH AND BLOOD JEWS AND GENTILES MUST BE GRAFTED INTO JESUS CHRIST TO BE THE TRUE ISRAEL! [Romans 11] Only disciples of Jesus are members of the twelve tribes of Israel, in the sight of the LORD. “For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.” Romans 2:28,29. “And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Galatians 3:29. The Holy Spirit writing the Law of God in our minds and hearts IS the promise to Abraham’s seed; Israel. You must accept Jesus Christ to be heir to this promise. If you accept THIS promise then and ONLY then are you true NEW TESTAMENT Christians. You may not of ever heard this truth before, maybe your minister does err not knowing the scriptures nor the power of God. Man is NOT our rule book the INSPIRED WORD OF GOD -THE HOLY BIBLE IS OUR ONLY CREED BOOK. If they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them.

Note: With out the Law of God there is no sin. “For by the law is the knowledge of sin.” Romans 3:20. If there is no divine standard of what sin is, then there is nothing to repent of. Teaching that God did away with the Law of God at the Cross does away with the standard of what is right and what is wrong. If there be no more standard of sin, then there is no need of a Savior.
23. Q. What does the Bible say about those who teach a different gospel of Christ?

A. “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.” Galatians 1:9-11.

It is not pleasing to man to know that the Standard we must reach is out of the ability for man in his power to reach. This requires us to wholly rely on God to give us grace (POWER) to obey Him. This takes faith. Therefore we are saved by grace through faith. Christ has the victory over ever temptation, and sin. Invite Him into your life right now and give Him control over every thought imagination desire and member of your body. Let Him truly be LORD over everything in your life. Ask for the HOLY SPIRIT TO CONTROL YOU AND KEEP YOU FROM OBEYING THE DESIRES OF SIN IN YOUR SOUL. ONLY THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT CAN KEEP YOU FAITHFUL. Trust Him and Obey Him, for there is no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey.

24. Q. What must I do to be saved?

A. “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” Acts 2:38.

Note: The grace (POWER) of God is given through the HOLY SPIRIT. The HOLY SPIRIT gives us the POWER to obey. If you believe on the LORD JESUS CHRIST. If you BELIEVE in HIS VICTORY and accept his DEATH ON THE CROSS for you. If you BELIEVE in your HEART THAT GOD RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD; If you BELIEVE HE IS ALIVE TO LIVE IN YOUR HEART THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT. If you accept Christ into your heart to give you HIS VICTORY over sin and believe in HIS POWER to help you OBEY the Law of God you shall be saved from transgression of God’s holy Law, and be FORGIVEN for EVERY PAST TRANSGRESSION OF THE LAW OF GOD.

“Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves FROM ALL YOUR TRANSGRESSIONS; so iniquity shall not be your ruin. Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.” Ezekiel 18:20-32.

“A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

“Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that He had said before, This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.” Hebrews 10:15-17.

The Holy Spirit is to come live in our minds (Thoughts) and hearts (Feelings) writing the Law of God in our hearts and minds leading us to obey God from the very core of our beings, so that we can not sin against God. “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. “ 1 John 3:4-10.

Note: “Whoever is born of God” and “abideth in Him” (see also John 15) “sinnether not”, and “cannot sin” “Sin is the transgression of the Law” He that is born of the Spirit of God can not sin against the Law of God because when we become born of the Spirit, the Holy Spirit writes the Law of God in our hearts and minds. We can not sin against that which is in our new born again nature.

“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.” John 3:3,5-7.

“Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6;6,11

“But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds.” Colossians 2:8,9

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” 2 Corinthians 5:17-20.

Sadly the majority of those attending churches today will not accept the truth of salvation from sin. The LORD taught to go to the prostitutes, and drunkards, and drug addicts, and those in the greatest bondage of sin with the message of salvation from sin; teaching men to obey the Law of God in the POWER of CHRIST VICTORY IN THE FLESH, and not in their own weakness. “No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse. Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.” Matthew 9:16,17.

The NEW WINE IS THE POWER IN CHRIST JESUS GIVEN BY THE HOLY SPIRIT TO MAN SO WE CAN OBEY THE LAW OF GOD, AND THUS BE FREE FROM THE POWER OF SIN.

“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.” “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.” 1 Corinthians 3:16,17;6:19,20. “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” 10:31.

Dear brother and sister if this message has convicted your heart of sin, of righteousness and of the judgement of God, that is the HOLY SPIRIT convicting you to accept Christ. “ And when He (the HOLY SPIRIT) is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:” A stern message convicting of sin is a Message from the Comforter. God loves you and is drawing your heart to accept the gospel of Jesus Christ to save you from your sins. God loves you so much He sent His Son to die for you. He will save you from ALL sin if you believe in His Son and accept Him today. Do you want Jesus in your life? Do you want to know more about Him and what the Bible says?

There is NOTHING I want more in this world than to help you know Jesus. “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” John 17:3. “And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.” 1 John 2:3-6

I am a Seventh Day Adventist that means not only do I think it is wrong to kill, steal, lie, I also believe in keeping the Seventh Day Sabbath. If you have and questions about that I refer you to read the Ten Commandments in Exodus chapter 20, and then read the Gospels and the book of Acts and you will see the Sabbath is the ONLY DAY JESUS OR THE APOSTLES EVER KEPT AND JESUS AND THE APOSTLES NEVER COMMANDED MEN TO KEEP ANY OTHER DAY! (The Apostles kept no less than 84 Sabbaths in the book of Acts) The Sabbath Commandment is referred to more than any other commandment in the New Testament. Jesus did not break the Sabbath of the Ten Commandments as the Jews accused him of doing. If He had broke the fourth Commandment he would be guilty of breaking all ten commandments and then would be unfit to save anyone. “If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.” James 2:8,10-12. Jesus who never sinned against the Law of God was in His life saying “ This is how to keep the Sabbath Holy. “Remember, the Sabbath day to keep it holy.” Why because Jesus did! He is our ONLY example of the Way to eternal life.

Feel free to send me a note with any questions and comments concerning what I have written. I love to share the hope that is in me. I have been praying for four years for my community and want to serve you with all my heart.

Finally Jesus Christ said, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe [obey] all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” Matthew 28:18-20.

That is why I wrote this article. That is why I admonish you to repent of sins to turn to Jesus Christ pray for the Holy Spirit to come into your heart so that you will have POWER to obey the Law of God, not in your power but in the power of the gospel. IT IS BECAUSE JESUS HAS ALL POWER IN HEAVEN AND EARTH TO GIVE YOU POWER TO OBEY THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD AND HE IS WITH YOU TO GIVE YOU VICTORY OVER SIN. Pray to the Father He is watching and waiting for you to come home. “Come home my son, Come home my daughter, I love you, “If you love Me keep My commandments,” says the LORD. (John 14:15).

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” Revelation 3:20.