Sy Rogers
“Sin” is an old archery term for “missing the mark.” We often wonder why we sin and why do we struggle so hard not to sin. Sy Rogers came to speak to our students last week, addressing this question and many more thoughts. He formerly struggled with sexual sins and by the grace of God he’s found some enlightening discoveries.
So, why are we going to struggle with sin?
Biological Psychological Spiritual
DNA-it is in our nature Cultural influences Corrupted and weak
to sin. We have inherited media culture
weaknesses and we are peer group
off track relationally with church culture
God and others family of origin
Immaturity
Insecurity
Hormones Perception of experiences Generational Sin
Emotionally hungry or
Damaged (perception to
reaction)
Brain in training Events Satan
We gravitate to pleasure Deceives/tempts/
if you’ve learned something
gives you what you want,
you crave it.
Experience + associations =
Learned Acquired Behavior
Reinforced patterns become
controlling
What you can do about it?
Biologically
Bring into light the Principle of dependence
We must accept our limitations and get back on track to aim at the mark. The process of learning maturity and security in Christ. It’s similar to Diabetes, we must learn to manage our body and get the outside source of insulin.
What is the Mark?
Immaturity Vs. Maturity
Are you driven by impulses/urges/appetite or self controlled in spite of feelings?
Are you giving no thought to consequences or do you understand there are consequences?
Are you blaming others for being responsible or taking responsibility of actions?
Are you self centered and using others or are you able to live beyond yourself to serve others?
Insecurity Vs. Security
Are you driven and anxious or at rest and peace?
Are you striving to get acclaim and prove your value or are you accepting of self and confident in your value according to God?
Are you constantly comparing, envying, or coveting or are you content with your lot in life?
Are you jealous, controlling, manipulative, and demeaning to others or are you able to bless others and affirm and serve them?
Brain Training
We’ve created these patterns in our brains without even being aware of them. Let’s say a man started a job and on his first day he wasn’t invited out to lunch with his new co-workers. As a child he was mistreated, struggles with insecurity, and has found a way to cope by masturbating.
His co-workers not inviting him to lunch triggers a pattern-“They didn’t invite me” to “They must not like me” “I wasn’t liked as a child” “I was abused as a child” “I’m not worth anything” “I can make my self worth something” “Look at this beautiful woman” “She finds me desirable”. Each time the pattern is tapped into, he falls into the same sin.
Retraining your brain involves exposing it. Yes I was abused as a child. This was NOT what God wanted for me. He finds me worthy and wanted. Create a new pattern. Each time you are triggered REDIRECT your brain-ie look at your watch.
In addition, give yourself reachable goals. Let’s say you struggle with a sin that you find yourself doing multiple times a day. Start by limiting yourself to once a day, then 5 a week, then 3, then 1…etc. This is not to condone sin, but to manageable stop (similar to rehab).
Culturally
We can learn the principle of submission. Walking in the light of discernment and having accountability to God and others is where we can keep clean in a dirty world.
Emotionally hungry or damaged in our lives can also cause us to struggle with sin. We must remember the principle of justice. God give compensation for losses (Ps 91:12, 10: 1-14, 18:1-6, John 4:13-14, 6:35) not always in our lifetime, God also healing of specific emotional injuries.
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