STUDYING SIN SERIOUSLY #1

THE ORIGIN OF SIN

INTRODUCTION

Sin, is a word we are all familiar with, or, are we?

• Sin comes from ‛amartia and literally means “to miss the mark” – it is the idea of an archer missing the target
• Sin, though it is a small word, is a very terrible word
• Sin is terrible because it separates man from God
• Isaiah 59:1-2
• Consider also… 1 John 1:6

Many in the religious world today try to talk as little about sin as they think they can get away with.

• We are seeing the deteriorating results of this terrible philosophy in our world today
• People do not know a lot about sin, so out of ignorance or indifference they commit sin

We need to study sin seriously because of its frequent use and its soul damning effect

• The origin of sin is where we will begin our study
• We will divide the study of the origin of sin in three parts:
• The pre-Eden origin of sin
• The origin of sin on earth
• The origin of sin within the individual ©

DISCUSSION

THE PRE-EDEN ORIGIN OF SIN

• Though sin began on earth in the garden of Eden (Gen. 3), it is obvious that this is not the original beginning of sin and evil; for, the very presence of Satan in Eden proves this fact.
• Thus, in dealing with the original beginning of sin, we must deal with the origin of Satan.
• We cannot know everything about the origin of Satan, but there is information on the subject that God has revealed to us that we need to study.

Satan apparently was originally a holy angel in heaven, but sinned

• To say that Satan was created as Satan, as the devil, reflects on the holiness of God
• It would make God the creator of sin
• “God saw everything that he had made and it was good” (Gen. 1:31)

Satan must have been an angel, since he was neither God (as evidenced by his subordination to God) nor man (as evidenced by his power over man).

• Upon sinning, Satan was cast out of heaven
• We need to remember that God dwells in holiness:
• “God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness” (Psa. 47:8)
• Revelation 21:27
• Thus, Satan’s expulsion from heaven was inevitable and immediate upon his having sinned.
• Other angelic creatures, having sinned, were cast down to hell
• “God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell” (2 Pt. 2:4)
• Jude 6

What is the destiny of Satan and those of like kind?

• They are lost
• Matthew 25:41
• Revelation 19:20
• And apparently it seems they are beyond redemption
• “For verily not to angels doth he give help, but he giveth help to the seed of Abraham” (Heb. 2:16)
• The Bible speaks of no scheme of redemption for Satan and his angels.

THE ORIGIN OF SIN ON EARTH

Sin had its beginning on earth in Genesis 3

• This is one reason the first book of the Bible is called “Genesis”
• “Genesis” means beginnings

Notice Satan’s diabolical and deceptive tactics on man in the garden of Eden

• First, notice his timely approach
  • He approached Eve when she was unsupported by her husband – Adam seems to be there but gave her no aid
  • In like manner, Satan approached Christ at the perfect time as well (Mt. 4:1ff)
  • Satan will do the same with us
• Secondly, notice his insinuating question
  • “Yea, hath God said …?” (Gen. 3:1)
  • Satan was trying to generate doubt in the mind of Eve
  • Satan throws doubt on the Divine Word
  • Satan put a question mark where God put a period
  • The same tactic is being used today
• Thirdly, Satan implies unfair treatment
  • It seems as if Satan said to Eve, “Surely God has not given you such an unfair restriction.”
  • Today, Satan is having his way with us when he can convince us that in living the Christian life we are burdened, mistreated and deprived.

Notice Satan’s three-way approach

• Satan uses three avenues through which to tempt man… 1 John 2:15-17
• Genesis 3:6
• In the case of Eve there was:
  • The lust of the flesh – she saw that the tree was good for food
  • The lust of the eye – the tree was pleasant to the eyes
  • The pride of life – it was a tree to be desired to make one wise
  • Satan also tempted Jesus in these avenues in the wilderness (Mt. 4)

There were three steps in man’s original fall

• Man listened to a lie
• Man believed a lie
• Man obeyed a lie

Why did man sin?

• He desired freedom from divine restraint; he desired to be independent of God
• This nature is seen in the parable of the prodigal son (Lk. 15:11-32) ©

THE ORIGIN OF SIN WITHIN THE INDIVIDUAL

• Sin does not originate in the individual through hereditary total depravity
  • Sin is not inherited, it comes as a result of a violation of God’s word… 1 John 3:4
  • Ezekiel 18:20
  • Matthew 18:1-4

The origin of sin in the individual is described in James 1:13-15

• There is first lust, then enticement, followed by temptation, resulting in sin, with spiritual death ultimately following
• Each individual is the begetter of his own sin and the ancestor of his own demise.

The teaching of James 1:13-15 is graphically illustrated in the case of the sin of Achan

• Joshua 7:20-21
• Achan saw, Achan coveted, Achan took and Achan died.
• The same thing occurred in Eve’s case
  • Eve saw, Eve coveted, Eve took and Eve died
  • The same will happen to us today if we give in to the devil     ©

CONCLUSION

• We know how sin originates
• We also know that by our own free will sin has originated in all of us who are of an accountable age (Rom. 3:23)
• The Bible, though, teaches us how to relieve ourselves of the terrible consequences of sin

*** Outlined from Windell Winker’s book “Studying Sin Seriously”

Tom Moore
http://www.fromthepreacherspc.org
http://www.harrisandmoore.org
http://www.parkheightscoc.com