William Wilberforce was a British politician and Christian abolitionist who dedicated his life to the eradication of the slave trade in the British Empire. He believed that slavery was a sin and that it was the duty of Christians to fight against it. In his book, Real Christianity, Wilberforce wrote, “"In the same way, God has called us to be the sworn enemies of sin. We are to wage war against it and strive to give it no opportunity in our lives." (p. 65)
In the same way that Wilberforce fought against the sin of slavery, he believed that Christians should wage war against all sin. He understood that sin was a destructive force that had the power to harm individuals, families, church families, local communities, and entire societies.
Wilberforce believed that Christians had a responsibility to fight against sin and strive to give it no opportunity in their lives. When we deal with our own individual sin it lessens the impact that sin has on those around us.
The Bible also teaches that sin is a powerful force that can lead to death and destruction. Romans 6:23 (CSB) says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Sin separates us from God and leads us down a path of destruction.
Followers of King Jesus are called to be sworn enemies of sin, because we know the destructive nature sin has in our lives.
To be an enemy of sin means that we should not tolerate sin in our lives and that help others to overcome the sin in their lives. We are to strive to live a life that demonstrates God’s character and avoid the paths of temptation that lead us to sin.
We live in a sin corrupted world which is constantly trying to pull us away from following Jesus. This means being an enemy of sin, even when we know it is evil, will not be easy. Temptation will still come our way and sin will still be present in our lives. However, with the help of the Holy Spirit, we can make progress in overcoming sin and live a life that honors Jesus’ sacrifice and reflects the image of God into the world.
Waging war against sin also means that we should be actively involved in fighting against the sin in our world. This includes standing up against injustice, as we fighting against poverty and oppression, and working to bring hope and healing to those who are hurting. We should use our resources, talents, and influence to make a positive impact in the world and to fight against the forces of sin and evil.
Remember, we can’t win this fight on our own, so we join forces with others working in these areas, offering our prayers and money to extend our love into areas we wouldn’t otherwise be able to go.
This quote from William Wilberforce reminds us that as Christians, we are called to be sworn enemies of sin. It is crucial that we wage war against it and strive to give it no opportunity in our lives.
For us to do that we need to live a life that bears God’s image of love and holiness by loving our neighbor, working to make a positive impact in the world, and doing what we can to fight against the injustice that is in the world.
My prayer is that we will be inspired by Wilberforce's example and live a life that is dedicated to fighting against sin and promoting righteousness.
