Christ commanded His disciples to go into "all" the world and preach the Gospel because He knew the power and the effect the Gospel message would have on the unbelieving world. Saint Luke stated the words of Christ in the 24th chapter that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name. Both repentance and remission of sins are received in the heart of man through the effect of the truth of the Gospel message upon the unregenerate heart. What does the Gospel message have to do with the unregenerate man forsaking sin? How does the Gospel message effect the unbelieving world? These questions arise.
As the Gospel message is ministered to the hearts of men the Holy Spirit has an effect on the unbeliever that "sways" mans thinking and attitude. The unbeliever sees himself in light of the Spiritual presence of the person of Christ. Sin is revealed as the goodness of God "leads" an unregenerate man to repentance or change of mind. This leading, this spiritual effect, and this power that flows from the truth of the Gospel message "stirs" the conscience of the unregenerate soul. It stirs him enough to give him the attitude to "turn away from sin". It stirs him enough to give him the attitude to quit sinning. It sways him enough to give him the attitude to "forsake sin and dirty living". This is the work of the Holy Spirit that breaks the will of fallen man and turns him away from the desire to live unholy in the eyes of God.
Forsaking sin is the attitude of an unregenerate man in repentance. Forsaking sin is a natural desire of an unregenerate man who weighs out the things he did in the past...and puts them in light of the truth about Christ that comes from the hearing the Gospel message. Yes my brothers and sisters forsaking sin is the attitude of the unbelieving soul, even before God's Grace comes in to remit and forgive man from all past sins.
Forsaking sin comes from the act of repentance. Forsaking sin is a desire to quit wrongdoing because of enlightenment that Christ places upon the unbelieving soul. The attitude of forsaking sin is the right attitude to receive the Grace of God that bringeth Salvation. The power of the Gospel, the power of God's Grace, and the power of the Holy Spirit that flows from Calvary is the power that breaks, sways, and changes the unbelieving heart...to a place of repentance.
When the power of Calvary is "trusted" completely by a man that repents and forsakes sin... a miracle takes place. The miracle is the remission of sins that man receives "when" he personally trusts Christs redemptive work on the cross at Calvary. Through this man (Christ) is preached the forgiveness of sins. Reconciliation is made for the lost soul in Heaven. God speaks pardon to man who repented with the desire to forsake sin. This man can believe and trust Christ because the eyes of his understanding have been enlightened. Christ is revealed and accepted. Sin has been forsaken. The attitude of forsaking sin took place before the new birth in repentance. Now the repentant heart can accept and trust Christ for personal forgiveness. All sins are remitted. A power from above has showed the man who forsook sin a new life and a new walk. Grace brings a new experience of righteousness and right living. Not weaving in and out of wrongful living. Even before the saving Grace came in mans attitude was to forsake sin. After Grace came in the regenerated man had power to live holy and to do right. He not only forsakes sin in repentance but has a God given desire to live holy and right in the eyes of God.
Don't let man deceive you God's Grace is enough to live holy. Repentance and godly sorrow is enough to usher in the power that a believer needs to be the person they ought to be. Isn't that beautiful? Don't be confused sin is forsaken in repentance. Holiness of heart is found in Salvation. Glory! Believing in and trusting in Christ for personal forgiveness is also a renunciation of sin. Why? Belief allows the Holy Spirit to give you a desire to quit sin. When the Holy Spirit takes you over you will quit your meanness completely. Your body is the Temple of the Holy Spirit. You are delivered from sin and washed in the Blood. You don't have to forsake sin anymore. You did that when you repented. Now by the Grace of God, you just cease from sinful living. You become "proof" our Savior lives. He's alive in you! Glory! You're saved! Your heart is clean! No more dirty living!
Luke 24:44-47...And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations,
