8 Ways to Live Cured of Sin
Did you encounter Jesus, receive the Cure, or renew your surrender to Jesus while reading, listening to, or watching The Cure for Death: Unveiling God’s Cure for Life’s Last Disease in the Age of COVID-19? I want to give some short counsel to help you mature in your new faith and grow closer to God. These eight practices will help you live out God’s Cure till you meet Him in Heaven.
#1. Thank God for Saving You
First, to live cured, daily thank God for saving you.
Did you trust in Jesus and turn from sin, giving God total control of your life? If so, God has cured you of sin’s slavery (Romans 6:18), adopted you into His family (Galatians 4:5), freed you from the judgment you deserve (John 3:16), and prepared a place for you with Him in eternity (John 14:3). That’s a gift worth celebrating every day for the rest of your life! Make sure to thank God daily for providing Jesus as the Cure for your sin and death.
#2. Follow Through on Repentance
Second, follow through on your choice to repent.
You’ve declared repentance toward God—and now it’s time to walk it out. Jesus’ most shocking command reveals an important aspect of the journey of holiness: “If your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell” (Matthew 5:30 NIV).
“Cut off my arm?!” Don’t worry, Jesus wasn’t speaking literally. You see, the Savior often used hyperbole to reveal the radical urgency of His message. Jesus simply means you must cut off every major source of temptation in your life—and do it with urgency. He commands you to ask: “What situations or objects tempt me to sin?” Do you need to forsake any idols, sinful objects, or ungodly romantic relationships? Do you need to forego some of your current privileges to close the door on sin?
Here’s my honest suggestion. Do you struggle with gossip? Kindly tell your gossip buddies that you’ve decided to stop. If they don’t respect your decision, find better friends. Do you struggle with drunkenness? Pour out all your liquor into the toilet; do it now—without delay. Do you struggle with internet pornography? Either restrict your smartphone browsers, get the kind of accountability that will deter you from acting out, or both. Are you unmarried and sleeping with someone? Either get married, break up, or commit to never meet them in secret again until you say “I do.”
Perhaps you don’t struggle with any of those issues—or your struggles go much deeper. If so, realize that God wants to guide you, and ask Him how to cut off your temptations at their source. His wisdom won’t follow far behind (James 1:5).
Maybe you ask—“Is it possible to beat my vices without such radical measures?” Well, maybe—but honestly, I’ve only a met a few people who progressed any other way. Unfortunately, most people are unwilling to part with their privileges, so they continue addicted for years, asking why God doesn’t simply set them free. I don’t want you to experience the same tragic end—but you probably will if you don’t close the door on sin. Think about it. Why should God answer your prayer for freedom if you’re not willing to follow His instructions? That’s why I urge you to close every major door on temptation. It’s better to lose your privileges than to lose your soul.
#3. Understand the Secret of Freedom
Next, to live cured, you must understand the secret of freedom. Before Christ, you were a slave of sin (John 8:34). What is a slave? One with a binding obligation to service. Before the Cure, you were bound to your flesh, but Jesus has powerfully broken your chains (Romans 6:18). Now, Paul boldly declares that you have no obligation to do what your flesh desires (Romans 8:12). You never have to give into temptation, no matter how strong. You can choose what’s right, because God has given the Holy Spirit to strengthen you. What glorious news! But how can you walk in God’s gift of freedom? Paul answers: “Count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:11 NIV).
That’s right—God has set you free, but to live it out, you have to believe it. If you believe you’re powerless against temptation, you’ll rarely muster the faith to receive God’s power in your hour of need. But if you believe God has set you free, you’ll always know His power dwells within. I find it helps to declare aloud to Satan—“I am under no obligation to fulfill your evil desires. I’ve been set free from sin and made a slave of righteousness! By the power of the Holy Spirit, I refuse to obey your orders!” I can’t tell you how many times temptation has melted to nothing before that faith-packed declaration.
In summary, when you feel tempted, remember God has granted you the power you need. Then, obey Paul’s exhortation:
Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace. (Romans 6:12-14 NIV).
Be bold, child of God. Temptation often runs in fear at the sight of a Christian who knows they’re free.
#4. Join a Bible-Preaching Christian Church
Next, to live Cured, make sure to join a Christian church that preaches the Bible.
Hebrews 10:24-25 says, “Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (NIV). God has instituted Christian assembly (what we often call church meetings) to help Christians encourage one another to follow Jesus. You’ll never find success in the Christian life without fellowship. So be sure to find a Bible-preaching Christian church and go whenever possible. There, you will receive the teaching and spiritual connections you need to live cured.
But whatever you do, stay away from pseudo-Christian cults like the Mormons, Christian Scientists, and Jehova’s Witnesses. Though many of their adherents mean well, these religious groups teach an unbiblical Jesus and way of salvation. Tragically, they have led millions into destruction by confusing God’s Word. I don’t want the same to happen to you. If you’d like to understand more about the danger of cults, I suggest you read Walter Martin’s tome, The Kingdom of the Cults, or watch His content on YouTube.
#5. Listen to God – Read the Bible
Next, to live Cured, make sure to listen to God’s voice in the Bible every day.
God has adopted you into His family, and He wants to talk to you daily. To fulfill this yearning, He inspired the Bible—His spiritual phone-line. Here’s what you need to know about the gift of God’s Word.
First, the Bible is the only book you can absolutely trust, free of error and full of life-giving truth. As Paul declared, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV). You don’t have to sort through it to find out what’s true and false. You can read it with absolute confidence.
Second, the Bible isn’t just a book—it’s God’s living Word. When you read it, God wants to speak to your spirit. As Hebrews 4:12 says, “The word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (NIV). Therefore, don’t just read the Bible like a textbook. Every time you read, ask God to speak to your heart, pointing out details you’ll need to grow that day.
Third, the Bible is God’s channel of guidance. When we read it, God gives us direction for life and power to obey His commands. As Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (NKJV). As Psalm 119:130 promises, “The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple” (NIV). When you need God’s practical perspective, you know where to look. He’s waiting every time to give you the guidance you need.
Finally, the Bible provides the spiritual nourishment we need to thrive as followers of Jesus. As Jesus declared, “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4 NIV). Therefore, read the Bible every day to grow closer to God and healthier in holiness.
Perhaps you’re asking, “Where should I read first?” I suggest you begin in the gospel of John and the epistle of Romans. John will introduce you to the life of Jesus Christ, and Romans will introduce you to the teaching of Jesus Christ. To help you read the Bible every day, I suggest you try to live by Ray Comfort’s Bible-reading rule: “No read, no feed.” In other words, never eat breakfast until you’ve eaten from God’s Word. This will serve as a daily reminder to nourish yourself on the meat of God’s Word.
#6. Obey God’s Voice
But the Bible gives one important caveat. “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says!” (James 1:22 NIV). Bible reading won’t help you if you refuse to obey God’s voice therein. That’s like expecting to recover from sickness by reading a prescription. Don’t just read the prescription—take it! Don’t just read God’s Word—obey it! God has placed you on the road toward His “perfect will” (Romans 12:2 NIV)—but the trip will stretch long if you disobey. When God gives a red light, don’t dare go; and when God gives a green light, don’t dare stop. Obey God’s directions, and you’ll reach God’s desired destination. To help you stay on track, be sure to develop friendships with genuine Christians who can set an example, keep you accountable, and encourage you in the way. In this way you’ll assure the health of your soul. You’ll also save a lot of time you would’ve wasted in rebellion.
#7. Talk to God
Next, to live cured, always talk to God through prayer.
God calls us to talk to Him at all times; to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17 ESV). He commands we pray for God’s honor, the world’s salvation, our needs and growth, others’ needs and growth, Christian ministers, world authorities, and much more (Matthew 6:9-13, 1 Timothy 2:1-3, Colossians 4:2-4). The truth is, you can pray for anything within God’s revealed will and God will gladly bring it to pass: “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him” (1 John 5:14-15 NIV).
What should be our prayer attitude? Prayer need not be sanctimonious—Jesus commanded us not to “heap up empty phrases” to try to gain God’s ear (Matthew 6:7 ESV). Rather, we should come with the confidence of a child to a loving parent. Remember, God knows your true state—you have nothing to prove to Him, and you definitely can’t trick Him. Therefore, talk to God humbly but affectionately. Cherish God as your Father and Savior, but revere and fear Him as your holy King, Judge, and Creator.
How can we pray effectively? First, pray according to God’s will—His promises revealed in scripture (1 John 5:14-15). Don’t pray for fleshly frivolities—God doesn’t want to give you a Lamborghini! (James 4:3). Second, pray from a cleansed heart—repent of any sins you’ve committed and receive Christ’s daily cleansing (Psalm 66:18, 1 John 1:5). Third, pray in faith, believing God’s promise to answer your prayer (James 1:6-7). Fourth, pray with persistence—don’t give up on God’s promises so easily! (Luke 18:1-8). Fifth, whenever possible, pray in agreement with other Christians (Matthew 18:19). Sixth, pray with humility, realizing that God’s righteous answer may look different than you expected (Luke 22:42). If you persist in these biblical guidelines, you’ll surely see God begin to answer your prayers!
#8. Share God’s Cure; Share God’s Hope
Finally, to live cured, share God’s Cure with the world. You’ve received the Cure—God’s infinitely wonderful gift of salvation. But don’t forget that most around you still have the disease of sin and prognosis of eternal death. If someone doesn’t tell them about the Cure, they’ll inevitably suffer eternity in Hell. That’s why God commands you to soberly warn of their terrible danger and joyfully offer God’s gracious solution. As Paul declared,
“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (Romans 10:13-15 NIV)
Yes, you now have an urgent calling. It’s more important than any other earthly aspiration. Jesus commands you: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation” (Mark 16:15 NIV). When? How? Begin by praying for opportunities in your everyday life. Paul promised that God has already set up opportunities for you to do good to others (Ephesians 2:10). Therefore, “always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have” (1 Peter 3:15 NIV). I believe that God has prepared an opportunity for you to share Jesus this very week. Ask God to reveal that opportunity, and be sure to take it.
But how can you share the good news? This book gave a simple format you can review: First, sin is the Disease. Second, God’s judgment of Hell is the prognosis. Third, Christ’s sacrifice on the cross is the Cure. Fourth, to receive Christ, you must repent of all sin and receive Christ. It may help to reread the book to consider how to present this message. Then, imagine yourself sharing the message with a friend—or even practice an imaginary conversation in your car or room. That may sound silly, but you’d be surprised how much it would help you feel prepared for a real conversation.
Here’s another great way to share the good news—tell others about The Cure for Death: Unveiling God’s Cure for Life’s Last Disease in the Age of COVID-19! God used it to save or revive you—why couldn’t He do the same for them?
Do you know someone who needs Jesus’ salvation as much as you did? Why don’t you write them, tell them what Jesus just did in your life, and share the link to this free eBook? Maybe they’ll receive the Cure for death, too. Nothing would thrill us more.
There are many excellent resources about sharing your faith, but I’ll recommend two here. First, this article suggests three ways to share your faith during the COVID-19 Crisis. I think it’s valuable advice for this hour. Second, I suggest you listen to Hell’s Best Kept Secret by Ray Comfort, and read the book by the same title, or opt for the shorter and cheaper adaptation. Trust me, Comfort’s teaching on evangelism will rock your world and impart a passion for sharing Jesus.
I also recommend you read Ray Comfort’s free discipleship booklet, Save Yourself Some Pain. That will serve as a good supplement to this chapter, giving you more in-depth guidance about how to live the Christian life.
Let us know your story!
Did you receive Christ or return to Him by its influence? We praise God for that, and we want to know your story!
We released The Cure for Death to win souls—and we’d love to hear from every single person who received Christ through its message. If you wouldn’t mind, please consider writing us and letting us know that God used this book to touch your life. You can send any testimonies using the email form below, or in the public comments section at the bottom of the page.
Deepest thanks, and may God bless you as you journey with Him.
