“But whenever the judge died, they turned back and were more corrupt than their fathers, going after other gods, serving them and bowing down to them. They did not drop any of their practices or their stubborn ways.” Judges 2:19 ESV
The cycle of Judges was a constant for Israel in the post-Joshua days. The cycle looked like this: as they turned from God to sin and idolatry, God released an enemy to suppress them, then, after crying out to the Lord, God raised up a judge to rescue them. After a period of peace, the people fell to sin and the cycle repeated again and again.
From our perspective, it seems obvious: how could they not learn from their mistakes? How could they not see their sinfulness? Yet, they in their stubbornness fell again and again. They paid what seemed to be an unnecessary price for an obvious lesson, a war of the flesh that occurred multiple times over.
Of course, we are not much different in our own wars of the flesh. And this is especially confusing for believers in Christ, because although we are free from the condemnation of sin, we still struggle with it on this side of glory. Our sins are clear and obvious, and when it becomes painfully obvious, we often turn back to God, confess, feel better, then commit them again. We can fall into a constant state of a sin cycle (or Judges’ cycle), leaning on God’s grace, even abusing it by taking it for granted.
Yet Christ didn’t die for a powerless people over sin. The same power that gives us God’s grace is the same power that gives us the ability to resist the temptations in the first place. In 1 Corinthians 10:13-14, Paul wrote, (ESV) “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”
Paul’s point is this: we’ve all experienced it, and for those in Christ, we have a faithful God who gives us a way to escape from the temptation. This is the same point Jesus made in Matthew 6 when He taught us to pray some simple and truthful words to the Father, “lead us not into temptation, but deliver me from evil.”
Our freedom of the sin cycle is of course, through Jesus. We have to remind ourselves that we can be conquerors over the flesh through both a true repentance and dependence on God. Through a healthy practice of confession to Him and to godly, close friends. Through a rekindled faith in the blood stained cross, the sacrifice made through Christ’s death. Through life in the power of His resurrection, a daily reliance in the power of the Holy Spirit. Through all these things that God has given to us to fight the good fight for God’s sake in our lives.
Remember, if you are in a sin cycle, there is hope. You are saved by grace through faith. Nothing else matters and nothing else means anything but the eternal life that awaits you. Hold on to that. Focus on that. Let God’s power in you help you to break free.
May the Lord speak into you to give you a true, heartfelt repentance and confession to Him. I pray that He will provide you with a true reliance on the power of His Spirit, that you are transformed by His power, keeping you in His Word, will, and way. Praying for you today!
In Christ alone,
Pastor Fran
