{"id":94015,"date":"2026-02-17T15:14:23","date_gmt":"2026-02-17T21:14:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/?p=94015"},"modified":"2026-02-17T15:55:09","modified_gmt":"2026-02-17T21:55:09","slug":"the-advantages-of-preventing-sin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-advantages-of-preventing-sin\/","title":{"rendered":"The Advantages of Preventing Sin"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\t<p>by David Gibson<\/p>\n<p>As wonderful as forgiveness is, isn&#8217;t it far better not to sin in the first place?<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Preventing sin helps us avoid being hardened by sin (Ephesians 4:19; I Timothy 4:2; Hebrews 3:13). Habitual sin desensitizes. A hardened sinner is a sad spectacle indeed!<\/li>\n<li>Preventing sin helps keep our influence positive. If others know of our sin, how can we influence them for good? And-horrible thought!-what if my sin leads someone else to sin (I Corinthians 5:6)?<\/li>\n<li>Preventing sin spares us the agony of a wounded conscience. Abigail begged David not to take revenge so that &#8220;<em>this will not cause grief or a troubled heart<\/em> . . .&#8221; (I Samuel 25:31 NASB). David listened.<\/li>\n<li>Preventing sin makes for a happier life! &#8220;<em>Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it<\/em>&#8221; (I Peter 3:10-11).<\/li>\n<li>Preventing sin keeps the prayer-lines open (I John 3:22-23). Sin can actually hinder our prayers (I Peter 3:7, 12). If we&#8217;re not willing to listen to God, why should He listen to us?<\/li>\n<li>Preventing sin helps us stay ready. &#8220;<em>Abstain from every form of evil. Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ<\/em>&#8221; (I Thessalonians 5:22-23).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>No wonder the apostle John said, &#8220;<em>My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin<\/em>&#8221; (I John 2:1).<\/p>\n<p>Let&#8217;s remember these the next time we&#8217;re tempted!<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>by David Gibson As wonderful as forgiveness is, isn&#8217;t it far better not to sin in the first place? Preventing sin helps us avoid being hardened by sin (Ephesians 4:19; I Timothy 4:2; Hebrews 3:13). Habitual sin desensitizes. A hardened sinner is a sad spectacle indeed! Preventing sin helps keep our influence positive. If others&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[179,185],"class_list":["post-94015","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-sin","tag-temptation"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":47311,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/can-you-accidentally-make-a-vow\/","url_meta":{"origin":94015,"position":0},"title":"Can you accidentally make a vow?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 24, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: About the question that asks about\u00a0sinful promises: If we made a foolish or rash vow, are we to keep it? Also, can you \"accidentally\" make a vow? Like, if you keep thinking \"don't think about x... Don't think about x\" and then think it, is it binding? Answer: In\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Answer&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":50982,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/does-sin-start-in-the-heart-or-can-we-blame-the-influence-of-others\/","url_meta":{"origin":94015,"position":1},"title":"Does sin start in the heart or can we blame the influence of others?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 18, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Based on Matthew 15:19 and James 1:13-15, does all sin begin in the hearts and minds of people? When thinking about a possible transgression, should we put our desires and motives under consideration? Should we blame any outside influence or are our sinful hearts the greater concern when it\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Answer&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":49636,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/god-doesnt-give-up-on-me-because-i-fell-again-does-he\/","url_meta":{"origin":94015,"position":2},"title":"God doesn&#8217;t give up on me because I fell again, does He?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 24, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Good Morning, I finally rededicated my life to the Lord. I was doing well. Then I felt strong enough to invite a friend over. Huge mistake! One thing led to another and we had sex. I feel awful. I don't want to continue this or ever engage in this\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Answer&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":55622,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-consequence-of-sin-can-outlive-us\/","url_meta":{"origin":94015,"position":3},"title":"The Consequence of Sin Can Outlive Us","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 7, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"by Kent Heaton The apostle Paul declared in Galatians 6:7, \"Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.\" There has always been consequences to sin from the moment Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the garden (Genesis 2,3). A man\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Article&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":22191,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/make-me-know-my-end\/","url_meta":{"origin":94015,"position":4},"title":"Make Me Know My End","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 10, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Text: Psalms 39 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Psalms 38-40 cover related themes regarding the problems caused by sin \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0God has punished David because of his sin - Psalms 38:1-2 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Between God\u2019s punishment and the burden of the sin itself, David feels overwhelmed - Psalms 38:3-8 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0C.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Even close friends and family avoid you when\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Audio&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":8031,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/why-do-you-teach-that-men-are-born-without-sin\/","url_meta":{"origin":94015,"position":5},"title":"Why do you teach that men are born without sin?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 17, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I am perplexed by the fact that\u00a0you can expound upon the idea that all man is born sinless. I am afraid that you need to complete the chapter in Ezekiel 18 - where God says He invites us all to repent, after which He can give us the Holy\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Answer&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/94015","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=94015"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/94015\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=94015"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=94015"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=94015"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}