The Seriousness of Sin
Philadelphia Baptist Church
7/8/2007 Sun. a.m.
The Seriousness of Sin
Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.
Introduction: One word that makes people shudder is a little three-letter word called SIN. Our culture clearly teaches that, “What I like makes it right.” Scripture, however, is very serious on this subject. When the Bible is serious about a subject, we should be too. Let’s look together at what Scripture tells us about this very real doctrine of sin:
1. The Definition of Sin. The apostle John says, “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.” (1 John 3:4). Again John declares, “All unrighteousness is sin …” (1 John 5:17). James declares, “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. ” (James 4:17). Paul states, “And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” (Rom. 14:23). The two most familiar types of personal sin are omission and commission. The sin of omission is when one fails to do what God prescribes. The sin of commission is when one does what God prohibits.
| Sin• Life is short / Death is sure / Sin the cause / Christ the cure. —Anonymous • It is impossible for a man to be freed from the habit of sin before he hates it, just as it is impossible to receive forgiveness before confessing his trespasses.—Ignatius • We have a strange illusion that mere time cancels sin. But mere time does nothing either to the fact or to the guilt of a sin. —C. S. Lewis • Sin and the child of God are incompatible. They may occasionally meet; they cannot live together in harmony. —John R. W. Stott |
2. The Devastation of Sin. When Adam disobeyed God in the garden (Gen. 3) he was separated or alienated from God. As an individual he became sinful, dying spiritually as God had warned. As a result of sin he began to die physically. God pronounced a curse on the serpent, the woman and Adam (Gen. 3). God also provided salvation for Adam and Eve and then drove them out of the Garden of Eden lest they eat of the tree of life (Gen. 3). Sin infected the individual, the family and the entire human race (Rom. 3; 5:12). The result was chaos and death.
3. The Destruction of Sin. Genesis 6–8 records the destruction that resulted from Adam’s disobedience. (Gen. 6:11) The human race was corrupt and every imagination of the hearts of the inhabitants of the earth was evil continually. Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord and he and his family along with two of every animal were spared the waters of the flood (Gen. 6:17). Peter reminds his readers of the destructive nature of sin when he cites the illustrations of the angels that sinned, the flood that destroyed and the judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah (2 Pet. 2:4–6).
4. The Disillusionment of Sin. Sin always promises far more than it ever delivers (2 Sam. 13; Luke 15 and Eccl. 1–2). Sin never brings lasting joy. There is no peace to the wicked, they are like the troubled sea.
| Jonathan Edwards stood in the pulpit of his church in Enfield, Connecticut, and preached Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, saying “O sinner! Consider the fearful danger. The unconverted are now walking over the pit of hell on a rotten covering, and there are innumerable places in this covering so weak that it will not bear their weight, and these places are not seen.” Five hundred were converted that day, sparking the Great American Awakening. |
5. The Distress of Sin. Sin produces physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual stress. Genesis 37 (the sin of Joseph’s brothers), Acts 9 (the acts of Paul before he was saved), and Joshua 7 (the sin of Achan keeping back silver, gold and a Babylonian robe) serve as classic passages that deal with the distress caused by sin.
6. The Deceitfulness of Sin. Sin is always deceptive and destructive. Scripture constantly reminds us of this truth (Heb. 11; Judges 12–16; Samson Gen. 19 Sodom & Gomorrah).
7. The Degeneration/Depravity of Sin. Romans 1:18-24–3 provides a divine record of the progressive nature of sin. It follows a downward spiral until the only remedy is judgment.
8. The Deliverance from Sin (Rom. 6:23). God has provided redemption through the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. God’s method for saving man is by grace through faith. The prerequisites for salvation include: recognition of our sin, repentance of our sin, reception of Christ’s payment for our sin, and reliance on Christ for salvation from our sin.
Conclusion: The seriousness of sin cannot be overlooked. Sin will be judged by God Himself. The saints will be judged (1 Cor. 3:8-16; Rom. 14; 2 Cor. 5). Societies will be judged (Matt. 25) and sinners will be judged (Rev. 20). God has provided redemption for the sinner through the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Have you recognized your sin, repented of your sin, and received Christ as your savior? Are you relying on Him for salvation?
Trust and Obey
1 John 2:3–11
INTRODUCTION: If you were in a small aircraft and the pilot slumped over with a heart attack, you would try your best to do exactly what the control tower told you to do. Obedience is a crucial quality in critical times, and it’s a crucial quality all the time as it relates to the Lord.
1. Obedience Is the Sign of Relationships (1 John 2:3–5).
A. Obedience Proves the Reality of Our Faith (1 John 2:3–4).
(1) The Positive Statement (1 John 2:3).
(2) The Negative Statement (1 John 2:4).
B. Obedience Proves the Reality of Our Love (1 John 2:5).
2. Obedience Is the Secret of Fellowship (1 John 2:6–8).
A. The Expectation of Obedience (1 John 2:7).
B. The Explanation of Obedience (1 John 2:8).
C. The Example of Obedience (1 John 2:6).
D. The Expression of Obedience (1 John 2:9–11).
CONCLUSION: Life is like sitting in the pilot’s chair for the first time. But Someone out there is telling you how to fly. Take what He says seriously. He’s the Captain of your salvation. He can guide you safely to your destination but you have to trust Him, and you have to obey.