Back To The Basics: Sin

Sometimes it is necessary to revisit basic principles.  We get so involved in being deep thinkers and speakers that we leave out some basic things.  When I coach sports I always hammer basic fundamentals.  Today, we are trying to avoid the basics of sin by changing the name of it.  We avoid calling it sin, so we call it "freedom of choice" or "alternate lifestyle" or "convenience" and in doing that we change the word grace to fit our new look at sin.  We change the word grace to "free pass."  That leaves us with a free pass to a freedom of choice or an alternate lifestyle or to live conveniently.  Today, I want to point out that we can change the names of many terms but we are doing that because we do not understand the basics of sin, like where sin started, what it is, etc..  I read a quote and I thought it was very relevant to this subject and it goes like this, "I covet no phraseology that lends respectability to sin.  The sorest injury we can do a man is to lighten his conception of the enormity of sin."~J.H. Howet  I must add here that we can't sugar coat sin, but we can and should expose it as loving as possible!  Remember, a liar is as evil as a raping murderer in the eyes of God.  You don't have to burn down the place the congregation gathers to be a sinner.

Sin started in the Garden of Eden.  Mankind became a sinner because they heard, believed, and obeyed a lie that was preached to them by Satan through the serpent. Gen 3:1-8  Eve was deceived because the lies that were preached to her was mixed with some truth.  That is happening today as well.  Except Satan is using well dressed, articulate, and intelligent men and women to preach his lies mixed with truth.  Adam and Eve were given a simple and plain command that they chose to disobey.  That disobedience brought sin into the world.  Which brought death, or separation from God, into the world. Gen 2:17   

Let's look at a few words that are translated sin to understand what sin is.  First, sin is lawlessness.  One word translated lawlessness means to break, violate, or reject God's law. Sin is to be in opposition of and disregard God's law. 1Jn 3:4  This is exactly what we see in the actions of Adam and Eve.  Remember there was only one tree forbidden tree in that entire garden.  The command was simple and clear "you shall not eat."  You have to hire someone to help you misunderstand that!  God provided a way for them to be saved forever in the tree of life, but He also allowed Adam and Eve to have the freedom of choice: loyalty or disloyalty, obedience or disobedience, life or death.  He is doing the same today.  He has provided a way for us to be saved forever through Jesus Christ, but He is allowing us to choose from the same choices.  This test of loyalty definitely didn't cause the disloyalty.  This test of obedience didn't cause the disobedience.  The disloyalty and disobedience came from a rebellion of Adam and Eve that started in their hearts!  The eating of that fruit, or disloyalty and disobedience, was just a display  of what is their hearts.  

Second, sin is a transgression of God's law.  This word that is translated transgression means to go over or beyond God's law. It is disregarding the boundaries between right and wrong.  This is the word that the elder brother of the prodigal son uses when he is voicing his complaint to his father. Lk 15:29  This is what we do when we try to change the meaning of the grace.  

Third, sin is missing the mark.  The word translated sin literally means a missing of the mark.  Vine's says this word sin is an inward element producing acts.  That is why I say Adam and Eve's sin started in their hearts.  The mark that is missed is God's mark.  All mankind has missed the mark and fallen short of the glory of God. Rom 3:23  

I read one time, I believe it was Barclay, and he was discussing the difference between sins of commission and sins of omission.  I want you to know that sin is not just avoiding the wrong, but it is also not doing the right!  We can avoid all the bad and never do any good!  That is just as sinful as doing the bad and wrong in God's eyes!  James says as much in Jas 4:17  

Sin is selfish and that is its essential principle.  The chief characteristic of love is giving.  No matter what it cost ourselves.  The chief characteristic of sin is the exact opposite.  It is getting, no matter what it costs others.  Sin is very alluring.  It has an appealing characteristic to it.  It is very charming and fascinating because it is filled with pleasure.  Often times sin can feel great.  That pleasure may be short lived but is still alluring.  It makes me think of a bug zapper.  I can never figure out how so many bugs fly into that light to their death.  That light is so alluring to bugs that just can't resist.  I would look around see all my dead buddies and say, "Forget this.  I'm outta here!"  Really...   I look around and see my buddies now filled with sin and far too often I fail to say, "Forget this.  I'm outta here."  The biggest reason is because sin is also deceitful.  Sin shows off all its pleasure but disguises its pain, shame, and consequences.  That is exactly what Satan did to Eve!  He listed all the advantages but disguised the consequences and pain of sin.  Satan is a barter, who bargains with things he doesn't have!  That is what he tried with Jesus. Mt 4:1-11  Satan wants us to think of sin as something beautiful and pleasureful.  The beer commercials do the same thing today.  Their product will cause you to do dumb and costly things.  It will make you extremely sick.  It will cause to loose memories of what you did.  It could even kill you.  Yet, their commercials never communicate that.  All we see is fun, pleasure, and beautiful people. If we are not careful sin will make us its slave.  Rom 6:16  

Sin separates us from God. Isa 59:2  It brings suffering.  Eve suffered in childbearing, Adam suffered in labor, the earth suffered in what it produced, and Satan suffered with his head being crushed.  Everything and anything suffers when sin enters the picture!  Sin also brings death, both physical and spiritual.  It may have took over 900 years for Adam's resulting death from sin to catch him, but it did.  Cemeteries all over the place are a reminder that sin resulted in a physical death.  Paul reminds us of the spiritual death that sin produces.  2Th 1:7-9  

Thank you Lord for providing a cure from this sin in Jesus Christ! Rom 5:8-12

He died for our sins, by His wounds we are healed, and He destroyed death and brought life! 1Co 15:3; 1Pe 2:24; 2Ti 1:10  Thank you Jesus!  His blood provides our redemption and forgiveness in accordance with God's grace. Eph 1:7

The cure is provided all we must do is partake.  Antibiotics can't help you if you do not take them.  Christ can't help if you do not obey Him.  Obedience to the Gospel is a must.  God did His part and now we must do ours.  Those at Pentecost understood this and asked, "What should we do?"  Saul understood this and said, "What will you have me do?"  Today, are you ready to let go of sin in your life that is separating you from God and ask the same question as Saul and those at Pentecost?  Sin is not an alternate lifestyle or permissible due to convenience.  It is separating you from God and eternity with Him.

WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?

We must hear the Word of God:  Rom 10:17; Acts 4:4

We must believe or have faith:   Heb 11:6; Acts 16:31

We must repent of our sins:  Lk 13:3; Acts 17:30

We must confess Christ before others:  Mt 10:32; Acts 8:37

We must be immersed into Christ (baptized) Mk 16:16; Acts 2:38

We must be faithful:   Rev 2:10; Acts 14:22   

The Reality Check

1Pe 1:13

Leading up to this verse, Peter has been talking about the greatness and the glory that Christians can look forward to.  The problem is when someone get so lost in their dreams of the future glory they forget they are in a battle in the present.  Many are so focused on the Christian's coming glory they forget of the Christian's current struggles.  Eph 6:11,12  So to keep Christians focused on our current battles and still looking forward to the coming glory Peter gives a three point reality check to his readers.

The first reality check is to "prepare your minds for action."  This is a very vivid phrase.  It actually means something like "pull up your sleeves" or how a person will "take off their jacket" when it is time to work.  Peter is telling us that we must be ready to put in mental work.  We must be ready for a very strenuous mental endeavor.  A person who rolls up there sleeves of takes off their jacket to prepare for work does so because they want to work without any type of interference.   Do we prepare our minds like that for our faith?   This is a reality check, how often do you clear your mind just for spiritual things?  Too many of us never clear our minds and fix our eyes on Jesus.  We must "lay aside every encumbrance" to do this!  Heb 12:1-3  How many people can't prepare their minds and focus on the Lord's Supper for a weekly observance?  We must never be content with an unexamined faith.  Do you believe what you believe from your own personal study or because the preacher said so?  If you are of the latter, you are not preparing your mind for work!  You may be drifting away (Heb 2:1) because you are not heeding the Word, paying attention to the Word, or preparing your mind for work.  Reality check, are you preparing your mind for work?  Are you doing all you can to keep your mind free from interference?  Are you taking off the mental jacket?  Are you rolling up the mental sleeves?

The second reality check is to be sober in spirit.  The word sober means to refrain from drunkenness or to be free of the influence of intoxicants.   It metaphorically carries the association of watchfulness.  Peter is giving the reality check of being steadfast and knowing what we believe.  As mentioned earlier, how many people when asked, "Why do you believe this or that" can only reply, "I don't know.  It's what the preacher always says."    To be free of intoxicants is to not be carried away by a new enthusiasm and then be completely under the influence of the latest craze.  Paul tells Timothy the same thing.  2Ti 4:5   This being "sober" is to be in spiritually sound judgment.  It is having a spiritual self restraint that will not allow you to be entangled by the allurements of the world.  Reality check, are you making sound spiritual judgments from a mind that is prepared to work for Jesus Christ?  Many people are so focused on earthly things that all they can think about is getting to the weekend.  Why, Monday is just around the corner?  I am not ignorant to the fact that we have tough and difficult weeks, but there will be many more.  May we focus on Christ from a sober and prepared mind!

The third reality check is fixing your hope on grace.  This hope is in something we haven't seen, but we are eagerly waiting for.  Rom 8:24,25  Grace is often under valued and misunderstood.  Many think grace is ticket to sin and lack repentance.  Jesus said we all must repent in Lk 13:3.  People say, "That was told to the Jews.  There is no call of repentance today because we are covered by grace."  Well, the book of Acts tells us how the early church grew and how the Lord added people to the church.  You do not "join" the church.  In this book you can read where God has called all men to repentance. Acts 17:30,31    You can stand in the corner like the cowardly lion in the Wizard of Oz saying, "I do believe, I do believe, I do, I do, I do, I do believe" and be immersed in every pool, pond, and waterway in the United States, but without repentance you will perish.  The greatest characteristic of Christianity is that we live in the hope of grace.  It is that hope that gets us through trials of this present time.  It is that hope that carries us through our toil and struggles.  It it because the Christian knows these struggles leads somewhere great and incomparable.  Rom 8:18  The glory that awaits is why athletes train so hard. For Christians, the best is yet to come.  I often say when the struggles feel like they are to much to bear, think about how great the glory will be later!  Reality check, are you living with the gratitude of mercies for all that was in the past, with the fortitude to meet the struggles of the present, and with the hope of grace that for those in Christ, the best is yet to come?   Is that how a friend would describe you?  Do you friends and coworkers even know you are a Christian?  I always say that if those around you do not you are a Christian, God probably don't either!

This is a reality check to make sure our minds are prepared for working for Christ, our judgments are wanting for Christ, and our hopefulbelieve.  He is coming for those who are obedient!  2Th 1:7,8

Today, is a reality check.  If Christ would return today would you be found obedient or disobedient.  You see God loves us so much He sent his son to be a final and perfect sacrifice for our sins.  That is done from His mercy.  He gives us His gift of grace that saves us through faith.  That faith is determined by our obedience to God's Word not by what we claim to believe!  Mt 7:20  In the winter time when you look at mountain it is hard to differentiate between the trees.  Yet, in the summer when you look at the same mountain, it easy to differentiate between the trees because you can see the fruit they are producing.    Reality check, are you producing Christian fruit because that is what differentiates Christians from other people.  Sanctification and holiness are the desire and duties of every Christian!

WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?

We must hear the Word of God:  Rom 10:17; Acts 4:4

We must believe or have faith:   Heb 11:6; Acts 16:31

We must repent of our sins:  Lk 13:3; Acts 17:30

We must confess Christ before others:  Mt 10:32; Acts 8:37

We must be immersed into Christ (baptized) Mk 16:16; Acts 2:38

We must be faithful:   Rev 2:10; Acts 14:22     

 

Calamity Happens

Lk 13:1-5

It is just not right to think that when trouble comes on people that they are more wicked than another person.  This world is not where we receive retribution.  As a matter of fact, the wicked tend to be prosperous here.  The punishment of the wicked and the blessing of the righteous are reserved for another world.  What appears unequal here will be made equal there.  It is often said at time of calamities, "Why would God let that happen?"  We often blame God for tragedies and calamities but forget to give credit to Him for times of blessings.  We often associate calamities, diseases, and terrible things to unrighteousness.  I have heard it said, "Hey, he didn't change his ways.  He had it coming."  Don't confuse consequences of sin with punishment of sin.  We suffer many hard consequences of our sin, but the punishment of that sin will be much more severe.  Consequences of sin can remain a lifetime, but punishment of sin will remain for eternity.  

Notice in verse three Jesus doesn't say that they were NOT sinners, but that they were not WORSE sinners.  I see this as Jesus removing a sense of false security from those hearing him.  That false security is running wild today.  He doesn't want them to feel righteous because that calamity didn't fall on them.  The great truth that is uttered here is that God rejects the thought that some are more righteous because of the severity of sin!  Jesus doesn't say, "You BAD sinners repent."  God is not a respecter of mankind.  Rom 2:11   Today, we try to put levels on our sins.  How many times do we condone fornication as long as that fornication is not with a person of the same sex!  Do we think God is happier with the person that has relations with five different people of the opposite sex, as opposed to the person that has relations with one of the same sex?  Do we think God is happier with a liar than a murderer?  Sin is sin and we all must repent of it!  Acts 17:30  

If there is no repentance in a person their fate is to perish. Many say that there is no need of repentance because we are covered by God's grace. Eph 2:8-10  I agree that grace is what saves us and we can not earn that grace.  However, we are "His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works."  When we are created in Jesus, born again and walking in the newness of life after our immersion where we have crucified and buried the old self (Rom 6:1-4), we are to have works that proves our salvation and that we are a new creature. 2Co 5:17  We are no doubt covered by grace, but we can fall from that grace.  See a previous blog. 

Consider Heb 10:26,27, this is no doubt referring to apostasy.  I see this as a stern warning that the rejection of Christ will result in the only opportunity for salvation from the wages of that sin. Rom 6:23   The Jews rejected Christ and many suffered the same fate as the Galileans in verse one.  They died at the the hands of the Romans as mentioned in Mt 24.  Many are falling away today because they are losing that "terrifying expectation of judgment."   There is a serious lack of a Holy fear of God today.  People are having their ears tickled by the teachers that they are gathering to themselves.  2Ti 4:3

The apostles went around preaching Christ crucified.  1Co 1:23  People see the cross as foolishness because they don't realize the lost state they are in without it!  In Acts 2:14-36, Peter preaches a sermon that explains that God's loving plan has been unfolded through Jesus Christ who was crucified.  It was their sins that put Jesus on that cross.  In verse 36 he said, "whom you crucified."  Is that what everyone wanted to hear?  NO, but it was they needed to hear.  What was the result of a sermon that convicted people by using the Word of God?  Acts 2:37 says they asked what they should do.  They were told to REPENT AND BE BAPTIZED! Acts 2:38

If the life you are leading today does not look like the life Jesus laid out in the Bible, do you change your life or the Bible?   If the church you attend can't be found in the Bible, do you change churches or Bibles?  We must be reminded that through God's love he sent Jesus to be our perfect sacrifice.  He went into the Holy of Holies and that sacrifice was accepted.  We must be reminded that is our sins that put Jesus on that cross.  We must repent from godly sorrow from that message.  2Co 7:10-12  We must repent and separate ourselves of all sin.  We must stop putting levels on sin.  

Today, have you talked to God and confessed your sins to Him?  If we do, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us of our sins. 1Jn 1:9   Unless we repent we will perish.  Today, produce fruit that says you are God's workmanship created in Christ Jesus.  Have a healthy and Holy fear of the Lord my friends.  Mt 10:28  I hope this was not communicated in a harsh or angry way because that was not my intention.  It was said in a true concern for souls out of love!

WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?

We must hear the Word of God:  Rom 10:17; Acts 4:4

We must believe or have faith:   Heb 11:6; Acts 16:31

We must repent of our sins:  Lk 13:3; Acts 17:30

We must confess Christ before others:  Mt 10:32; Acts 8:37

We must be immersed into Christ (baptized) Mk 16:16; Acts 2:38

We must be faithful:   Rev 2:10; Acts 14:22