You are making assumptions and excuses that you cannot support.
FAL, perhaps 50% of what I say is the result of assumptions on my part. As stated in my opening line, "I would like to explore a topic that never seems to come up in polite company".
"To say everyone is in this boat is wrong." is a given. There is an exceptions to every rule.
So let me ask you this. Which is the worst sin? Looking (twice) at a skimpy clad female in the grocery store or not telling the cashier she gave you a dollar too much back in change?
Well the knowing of keeping the money is sin, but the looking twice does not have to be. The looking depends on what caused the look. If it was to fill the eyes it is sin if not then it is not. Way too many times people put sin on others or themselves that is not sin.
The church I attend does a lot of standing and setting in the song worship service. We are up and down a lot. This last Sunday I was behind two young ladies (I use the term ladies loosely) who had jeans on and they were both too tight and too low at the waist. When they would go to stand there was a clear view of butt cracks and I mean deep down not just at the top. Those behind them were clearly mooned! Not once not twice but several times. Everyone behind them saw the view. I at no time felt convicted for seeing. I was not seeking to see for gratification and honestly even though they were nice looking women I was not impressed with the seeing. In fact it was disgusting. I had no conviction at all. I did feel anger over their lack of modesty and I also felt sorrow over their ignorance.
So if you are having a problem with the eyes do as the Lord said Pluck it out or learn not to look at whatever causes you to lust as it is a heart issue. If you had been in the service I discribed the answer for you might be to get up and move or leave completely to keep from sinning.
Even as believers we have to deal with that curse from the old nature that flares up from time to time. To me, Sin is like a gravity that pulls on all of us all the time and affects everyone.
What old nature? We died in Christ. We were given a new nature and there is no such thing as two natures living in one person. We are left with the flesh and we do have to battle that, but we do not have two natures. Also you are making excuses for your sin. Just deal with them as you have been given everything needed to do it as well God will not allow you to be temped above what you can deal with.
Personally, and let me say again, personally, I sin and fall on a daily basis. As stated, I am of the opinion that we all do. No assumption here as none of us are perfect.
Making it through one day without sin does not make someone perfect. It means they made it through a day. Just like making it one hour or two hours or ten hours. Your belief that everyone sins like you is very unfortunate for you. You have found an excuse for not stopping your sinful ways, And yes it is an assumption in fact it is more then an assumption it is sin itself to hold that everyone is like you because you are the standard as you are juding your brother without information based on your lifestyle. It is like the person who speeds saying well everyone does it. That is false. I do not speed and many others do not either. Claiming that you sin every day because everyone sins every day is an excuse and false and you need to stop making that assumption and stop sinning every day.
Being able to admit..., publicly, that I have my weaknesses is good therapy..., for me. No excuse here. I'm just human.
Another excuse. Being human is an excuse as we are more then just human after salvation. We are new creations, old things pass away and all things have become new and no temptation has taken you that is greater then you can deal with. The fact that you are willing to publically admit your sin is not a virtue. The lost do that. You need to stop what ever it is your doing to fuel the sin then you will honor the Lord.
In any church you can often find the "Have's" sitting on the right. The "Have Not's" sitting on the left. The self-righteous up front. The humble sitting somewhere in the middle and those infamous Back Seat Baptist who always sit in the last pews. You know where I coming from here?
I do know where you are coming from. More excuses. As long as another can put down someone who is walking with the Lord by calling them names (self righteous, holier then thou, or what ever) and accusing them for their godly walk they feel self justified in their sin. What you should be doing is seeking them out and asking them how they do it and applying what they tell you instead of accusing them of doing evil when they do good.
Wait a minute. Aren't we all the same in the Kingdom of God? Were we not all lost sinners at one time? Aren't we all still burdened with this constant onslaught of sin? Of course we are. Yes, there is a way out as provided in scripture.
While we all have to battle our sin and those temptations vary in each person, we all do not give up and give in to it every day. Some overcome. While I have never met anyone who never sins it is possible to bring sin to a minimum and stop the every day of your life sinning life and believe me it is a great blessing. As long as a person lives with a defeated attitude they will be defeated. It all depends on where our heart is. Is it for the Lord or our sin and the excuses we make to continue in it?
On occasion I look twice but if I'm given too much change back I'll immediately bring it to the attention of the cashier as she is the one who might end up getting fired. Each of us have our weaknesses. With many professing Christians they stumble over money, or gossip, or jealously, ego, self-importance..., none are exempt from sin.
Another excuse! First off looking twice does not make it sin. For some the first look is sin for another no amount of looking is sin. it depends on why you looked. I will admit in my case as I get older the boobs and the bottoms do not have the effect they once had, but I also have learned how to control what fed the past lusts. While each of us do have to battle different things we also do not have to give in to them. All sin is a choice. it is a matter of learning how to deal with what might tempt us.
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God [is] faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear [it].
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, [which is] your reasonable service.
[This] I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
Let me give you a word of encouragement. You can do it. First stop telling yourself it is impossible and everyone is like you are right now, sinning daily. You can make it through one day without sin. Yes it will be a battle where you have to change many things in your life which will bring persecution from other believers as you shed too mich light on their sinful hearts and lives and while you might fail many more days before you win over just one day, once you learn that it can be done the victory makes the second day in a row without sin look more possible and yes that battle will also have to be fought, but unless a battle is fought with expectation of winning the battle is alread lost. God bless
I'm not big on shoes (give me one or two pairs of comfy shoes) and I'm so not a jewelry person (I put these earrings in 5 years ago and have only taken them out twice for very special occasions - otherwise they are in 24/7) but I AM a bit of a purse freak.