fromthepreacherspc

WHAT IS SIN?

INTRODUCTION

J. W. McGarvey once said, “I would esteem above every other gift that could be bestowed upon me as a preacher the power to adequately conceive what sin is and to adequately set it before the people.”

1. Why was this ability so important to brother McGarvey?
2. Because of the consequences of sin
3. Isaiah 59:1-2
4. Romans 6:23
5. John 8:21… in our sins we cannot go to Jesus

It is my prayer in this lesson that I will have the ability today to convey to you what sin is, so that it may be avoided and also its consequences.

DISCUSSION

THE BIBLE’S DEFINITION OF SIN

Sin is a violation of conscience

Romans 14:23

1. The word “faith” in the context of this verse is not referring to a system of faith as it does in Galatians 1:23 and Jude 3.
   • It refers to faith in a subjective sense, the persuasion or confidence of an individual
   • Thus, this passage is teaching us that we must be fully persuaded that what we are doing is lawful; otherwise, to act, is to sin
   • Thus we also see that our actions are not to be based on what “the crowd thinks” or “what others do”
   • We must believe a thing to be right
2. Our conscience is that moral nature about us that reacts favorably or unfavorably, sanctions or disapproves, as we react to the things we think, say or do.
   • Our conscience must be educated by God’s Word
   • Paul persecuted Christians in all good conscience (Acts 23;1; 24;16; 26:29)
   • The conscience is not an infallible guide… John 16:2
   • The conscience can be dulled
   • 1 Timothy 4:1-2
   • Ephesians 4:19
3. Do you have any doubts about playing a certain game, going to a certain place, participating in a certain function, or involving yourself in a certain habit?
   • If so, refrain from doing it!
   • Instead of living by doubt, obey… Hebrews 10:22

Sin is knowing to do good, but doing it not

1. James 4:17
2. This verse emphasizes the fact that sin is not only wrong doing, it is a failure in doing right, failing to do good.
3. We are not only to be innocent of doing bad, we are to be followers and doers of good
   • Galatians 6:10
   • Ephesians 2:10
   • The good Samaritan was a doer of good (Lk. 10:30-37)
   • Jesus went about doing good (Acts 10:38)
4. James 4:17 presents unto us the sin of unused knowledge, the failure to do what we know is right, the sin of knowing how to live right and not doing it.
   • Yet how often do we hear……
   • “I know what’s right, but …”
   • “I know I should teach the lost, but …”
   • “I know that I should not forsake the worship assemblies, but …”
   • “I know what I should be doing, but …”
5. Consider seriously… Luke 12:47-48

Sin is a violation of God’s law

1. 1 John 3:4
2. Sin is breaking God’s law
3. For example:
   • God tells us not to lie (Eph. 4:25) – to lie is a sin
   • God’s law tells us not to forsake the assembly of the Saints (Heb. 10:25) – to do so is a sin
4. 1 John 3:4 also teaches us there is a law
   • For where there is no law there is no sin (Rom. 4:15)
   • Because we have law, we cannot do as those mentioned in Judges 17:6
5. 1 John 3:4 teaches that sin is a personal refusal to be governed by God

Sin is a failure to keep God’s commands

1. 1 John 5:17
2. God’s commands are righteousness (Psa. 119:172)
3. Thus, those who obey God’s commands are righteous, but those who do not obey God’s commands are unrighteous
4. For example…
   • We are to be baptized (Acts 2:38) – to fail is sin
   • We are to teach others so they in turn can teach others (2 Tim. 2:2) – a failure to do so is sin
5. What is the difference between 1 John 3:4 and 1 John 5:17?
   • 1 John 3:4 discusses the matter positively – it speaks of flagrant sins – sins of co-mission
   • 1 John 5:17 discusses the matter negatively –  a failure to obey – sins of omission    

THE BIBLE’S EPITHETS FOR SIN

1. Webster defines epithets as “a characterizing word or phrase accompanying or occurring in place of the name of a person or thing”
2. One epithet for sin is “transgression”
3. Psalm 51:1, 3
   • “Transgression” means to rebel or set one’s self against
   • Thus, sin is treason against the Most High
   • A sinner is a rebel
   • Sin is a clinched fist and its object is the face of God

Another epithet for sin is “iniquity”

1. Psalm 51:2, 5
2. “Iniquity” has reference to perversity or crooked dealings
3. Thus, iniquity = that which is twisted/bent out of line
4. God’s word draws a line, and it is our responsibility to walk along that line without bending it to the right or to the left
   • Deuteronomy 5:32
   • Joshua 1:7  

THE BIBLE’S WORD PICTURES OF SIN

1. Sin is pictured as a “putrefying” disease… Isaiah 1:6
2. Sin is pictured as a “heavy” burden… Psalm 38:4-6
3. Sin is pictured as “foolish” insanity… Numbers 12:11
4. Sin is pictured as “defiling” filth… 2 Peter 2:20-22 ©
5. Sin is pictured as a “binding” debt… Matthew 6:12
6. Sin is pictured as a “blemishing” stain… James 1:27
7. Sin is pictured as an “impenetrable” darkness… 2 Corinthians 6:14 ©

CONCLUSION

1. Sin is no laughing matter
2. Sin is:
   • Rebellion
   • Lawlessness,
   • Perversity
   • Failure
3. Furthermore, sin is:
   • a disease needing curing,
   • a burden needing lifting,
   • insanity that needs curing,
   • filth that needs cleaning,
   • a debt that needs paying,
   • a stain that needs removing,
   • and darkness that needs light
4. All this can be accomplished by the blood of Christ

***Outlined from Windell Winklers book “Studying Sin Seriously”

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

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