What Are the Limitations of a Sinner?

Pleasing God leads to true and lasting happiness. As a result, happiness cannot be attained. However, only a relationship with God can bring happiness because only God knows what is best for us. Assuming we are pursuing happiness, we will not find it. We will never run out of joy if we seek God first. 

“So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God” (Romans 8:5-8). 

Paul divides people into two groups: those who allow their sinful natures to control them and those who follow the Holy Spirit. To have a mindset that is controlled by one's sinful nature is to be carnally minded. We would fall into the first group if Jesus had not provided us with a solution. Because following Jesus leads to life and serenity, once we have accepted Him, we will desire to keep doing so.

We are to consciously choose to place God at the center of our lives every day. We can find God’s instructions in the Bible and must adhere to them. “What would Jesus want me to do?” should be the question we ask ourselves in every circumstance. We ought to enthusiastically act when the Holy Spirit shows us what is right (Romans 6:6- 8; Ephesians 4:22- 24; Colossians 3:3- 15).

“Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God... Except a man be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:3-5). 

What was Nicodemus’ understanding of the Kingdom? From the sacred writings, it would be governed by God, reestablished here on the planet, and integrated with God’s people. Nicodemus, a devout Pharisee, was told by Jesus that the Kingdom would come to the entire world (John 3:16), not just the Jews. If Nicodemus had not been born again, he would not have been involved. This was something new, never heard of, the Kingdom being personal and not ethnic or national. To enter requires one to repent and to be spiritually reborn. Later, Jesus taught that believers’ hearts already bear witness to the beginnings of God’s Kingdom. When Jesus returns to judge the world and eradicate evil forever, it will be fully realized (Revelation 21:22). 

“Whither I go, ye cannot come” (John 8:21-22). 

Jesus warns the religious leaders of the coming judgment. Previously, Jesus had been instructing the people, and the Pharisees had sent guards to arrest Him (John 7:32). The guards, on the other hand, returned empty-handed, recalling Jesus’ profound words (John 7:45-46). Jesus’ remarks about leaving to a place where others could not follow Him partially puzzled those men (John 7:33-36). In the same way, Jesus tells the Pharisees that He will be going somewhere they cannot go.

This may have given the religious leaders hope that Jesus intended to leave Jerusalem, like in His previous remarks. Jesus, on the other hand, condemns the Pharisees for their lack of faith in this instance. Their opportunity to accept Christ would end eventually, and despite their efforts to find Him, they would be condemned for their sins. In the future, Jesus will reaffirm this point by stating to those who reject Him that their spiritual stubbornness will result in their death (John 8:24).

“There is a great gulf fixed…they that would pass cannot” (Luke 16:26).

In Luke 16:19-31, we read the story of Lazarus and the rich man. This story gives an outline of man's useless endeavor to legitimize himself. While Lazarus was ill and lying at the gates of his property, the wealthy man lived in opulence. Lazarus would not be helped in any way by the wealthy man. When the time came, both men passed away, Lazarus in heaven and the wealthy man in hell. We read that while the rich man was in hell, he was yet narcissistic and egocentric, shouting out for help and consideration. He even requested somebody to go to his five siblings and caution them.

In a sense, he was saying that he would not have ended up in that situation if he had been adequately warned. However, Abraham corrected him by stating how they would listen to a dead person if they did not listen to Moses and the prophets. What the rich man required was to listen better with his ears, not a clearer advance notice. The wealthy man attempted to justify himself, but he was his problem.

Although there are many things that a sinner cannot do, there are a few things a sinner can do.

Photo Credit: Elijah Hiett/Unsplash

Chris Swanson answered the call into the ministry over 20 years ago. He has served as a Sunday School teacher, a youth director along with his wife, a music director, an associate pastor, and an interim pastor. He is a retired Navy Chief Hospital Corpsman with over 30 years of combined active and reserve service. You can check out his work here.