THINK TOGETHER
Is it hard for you to admit when you do wrong things? Why?
READ TOGETHER
The best thing about being a Christian is that we are connected to Jesus forever. He lives in us by the Holy Spirit, pouring out his love and goodness into our hearts. The worst thing about being a Christian is that sin also still lives inside of us too. And the sin that lives inside of us often tries to overpower the love and goodness of Jesus inside of us. Listen to how Paul says it here in Romans 7:
Romans 7:20. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.
It might sound like Paul is making an excuse for his sin – “It wasn’t me…it was the sin inside of me.” But that’s not what Paul is doing at all. Instead he’s trying to teach us a very important truth about being a Christian – we have two competing powers inside of us. The power of sin and the power of the Holy Spirit.
We need to know that even though we are Christians, sin is still inside of us. And it can be very controlling at times. In fact, for Christians there is an ongoing battle raging in our hearts between sin and righteousness, between good and evil.
But Jesus is always stronger than our sin. Yes, there will always be times when you follow the sin inside of you instead of the Jesus inside of you. But Jesus’s love for you will always forgive you and always help you to not choose sin.
Because of Jesus the sin inside of us cannot defeat us.
With Jesus we don’t have to sin.
DO SOMETHING TOGETHER
One of the most important things you can talk about with your children is this internal battle that they will constantly feel as a Christian – the battle between the desire to sin and the desire to obey Jesus. Help them to see that this is a normal part of being a Christian.
The movie Megamind is a good one to illustrate the internal battle between wanting to be selfish and wanting to help others.
PRAY TOGETHER
Jesus, you live inside me battling against sin for me. Help me to choose you over sin. And when I fail, help me to know that you have already forgiven and cleansed me. Amen.
TLICfamily 