Sunday, December 2, 2018 am
UNDERSTANDING SIN
Sin
is a subject that all Christians find to be important.
Is it also a subject we need to understand if we are to properly
deal with it. But it is also
a subject that is greatly misunderstood within our society, and at times
by us as well.
So,
with that in mind, this morning I would like to remind us about some
things associated with sin.
We could actually spend a number of lessons addressing this topic if we
were to thoroughly study the subject, asking questions about the origin
of sin, different kinds of sins, what it will do to us, and of course
how to deal with sin. But
today, we just want to define and describe it according to God’s word.
a.
The word literally means
“to miss the mark”. In the
same way that an archer, misses the target or the bullseye, when we sin,
we miss the target of pleasing God.
b.
Some words associated
with sin –
i.
Transgression – a word that means to act contrary to the law, with intent.
It is breaking the law.
In Old Testament Hebrew, it is a word associated with rebellion.
Psalm 51:1, 3 – as David is repenting of his sinful relationship with
Bathsheba, he pleads with God to blot out his transgressions.
1 Timothy 2:14 - Eve fell into transgression
2 John 9 – whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of
Christ does not have God. In
this verse, I see the idea of one trespassing a boundary (stepping over
the line).
ii.
Lawlessness
– living in open defiance of the law or living without law.
It is similar to that of transgression.
1 John 3:4 – John stated that sin is lawlessness (iniquity –
KJV).
Matthew 7:21-23 – Jesus does not know the one who is a worker of
lawlessness.
iii.
Iniquity –
sometimes translated unrighteousness, this is a word that means, one
doing what is unjust.
Wrongdoing. The word is
found in passages such as:
Luke 13:27 – depart from me all you workers of iniquity.
Acts 8:23, Simon the magician was poisoned by bitterness and bound by
iniquity.
Romans 1:18 – the word unrighteousness is this same word.
James 3:6 – the tongue of the ungodly is a fire, a world of iniquity.
c.
It is breaking the laws
of God – this emphasizes further lawlessness (acting without law).
Romans 2:23 speaks of breaking the law (same word as transgression
above).
In reality, all sin is directed against God – Psalm 51:4, against you
have I sinned; Luke 15:18
James 2:10-11- whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one
point, he is guilty.
We need to realize that when we sin, we are sinning AGAINST God!
d.
There are many ways that
we sin
i.
We do what we should not do – 1 John 5:17 – all unrighteousness is sin.
1 John 3:4 – lawlessness means we are doing what we should not be
doing.
There are many direct commands in scripture that plainly point out what
we cannot do (steal, lie, commit adultery, cheat, murder, etc.)
When we do what we are forbidden from doing, we are guilty of sin.
ii.
We do not do what we should do – James 4:17, Matthew 23:23 – these you ought to have done…
Sins of omission are just as wrong as doing what we are
forbidden.
MUCH of our instruction in scripture is about what we SHOULD be doing.
How often do we find ourselves sinning because we were NOT at the
right place or doing something good that would keep us from sinning?
iii.
We act with doubting – Romans 14:23. Our conscience factors into sin.
Paul is clear that if we are uncertain about the scripturalness
of something, we ought not to participate.
Sins of doubt come with many problems, the least of which is uncertainty
whether or not you are being pleasing to God.
iv.
Sins of attitude – a subcategory of both sins of commission and omission, we have
emphasized the need for a proper attitude.
Often ungodly attitudes (or the failure to maintain godly
attitudes) result in sinful behavior.
There are attitudes that are themselves sinful – lust, pride,
bitterness, jealousy, hatred, duplicity, selfishness, etc.
Matthew 15:18-20 – out of the
heart, the mouth speaks.
Jesus even noted it was the attitudes that defile the man (the actions
are often symptomatic).
James 3:14-15 – describes these types of attitudes as of this world.
Similarly, there are attitudes we are commanded to have or develop –
love, humility, compassion, longsuffering, joy, etc. Cf. 1 Corinthians
13:1-3, Galatians 5:22-23, James 3:17-18, etc.
v.
Sins of ignorance – in dealing with sin, it is worthy to mention that ignorance will not
excuse sin. Sin is sinful,
whether you realize it or not.
1 Timothy 1:13, Acts 23:1 – Paul acted in ignorance when he persecuted
Christians.
Acts 3:17 – Peter to the crowd, not long after the day of Pentecost
tells of the people crucifying Christ.
He then notes, I know you did it in ignorance…
|
Because of ignorance, we must
continue to ensure we are right with God – 2 Timothy 2:15.
Remember Acts 17:30-31.
a.
Sickness –
Matthew 13:15, Jesus described the “heart disease” of the people – hard
of hearing, eyes closed, etc.
They needed healing.
1 Peter 2:24 - through Jesus we are healed of our sins.
Hebrews 12:12-13 – we are to strengthen the hands that hang down and
feeble knees, make straight pats so that we may be healed.
James 5:16 – we pray for one another that we may be healed…
b.
Burden – the
idea of a burden is a heavy load. Sin is a burden in many ways – it
causes heavy sorrow, troubles, etc. Psalm
38:4-6, For my iniquities have
gone over my head; Like a heavy burden they are too heavy for me.
Hebrews 12:1-2 calls for us to lay aside every weight and the sin
which easily ensnares us. The
idea of the word “wretched” in Romans 7:24 indicates one of poor quality
or condition.
Matthew 11:28, My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.
c.
Slavery
– John 8:34 – Jesus said whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.
While we are to become slaves (servants) of God, we know that He cares
and will offer us a better place.
Slaves of sin are in hopeless slavery.
Paul in Romans 6:6, 16-18 describes being set free from the bondage of
sin.
d.
Filth – 2 Peter
2:20 – Peter speaks of those who have escaped from the pollutions of the
world (and return thereto)… 2 Corinthians 7:1 speaks of us cleansing
ourselves from the filthiness of the flesh…
We find our hope in 1 John 1:7-9 – He cleanses us from all sins. Acts
22:16 – baptism washes away our sins.
e.
Stain –
associated with filth, the idea of stain is something that blemishes an
otherwise pure garment or item.
Sin is a stain – in David’s psalm of repentance (Psalm 51:1-2, 7)
– he uses this type of language – purge me, and I shall be whiter than
snow.
Isaiah 1:18 also describes this.
Again the NT, uses language that indicates in Christ we are purified and
cleansed – Ephesians 5:25-27, 2 Peter 3:14 (that we may be found without
spot or blemish); Jude 23, save some with fear, pulling them
out of the fire, hating even the garments defiled by the flesh…
f.
Debt
– Romans 6:23 – speaks of the wages of sin.
Matthew 6:12 – when we pray, “forgive us our debts, as we forgive
our debtors”- the word for debts here is defined (L&N 88.299) as “the
moral debt incurred as a result of sins.”
In other words, we are guilty and need our “debt” forgiven. cf.
Matthew 18:21-35 – Jesus tells the parable of the unforgiving servant.
When you think about sin being
missing the mark, we have FAILED to give God that which He is due, and
therefore we “owe” Him. It
is a debt we can never repay with our material resources.
g.
Darkness – in
the NT (and Old), light and darkness are often used to contrast good and
evil, godliness and sin, etc.
2 Corinthians 6:14 – what fellowship has light with darkness.
1 John 1:6, if we say we have fellowship with Him and walk in darkness,
we lie…
John 3:19-21 again contrast those who loved darkness with those who love
light…
John 8:12, Then Jesus spoke to
them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me
shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”
h.
Death – this is
the ultimate description of sin.
Sin separates us from God, which is what spiritual death is
about. Romans 6:23 – the
wages of sin is death. Romans
8:13, if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the
Sprit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
Ephesians 2:1, you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins…
James 1:15 – when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin,
when it is full grown, brings forth death.
And
thus we can see some ways that sin is described in the Bible.
This lesson is designed to help us understand how terrible sin
really is. To live a life of
sin is NOT a good thing. You
may enjoy their passing pleasures in this life, but a day of reckoning
is coming. That is the day
we must all prepare for.
How
do we deal with our sins? We
have alluded to that in this lesson – Acts 22:16.