OceanSide church of Christ
Previous | Return to list of sermons | Next |
“THE PROBLEM OF SIN"
Original outline by Mark
Copeland
Text:
Eph. 2:1-5
Thesis:
To
understand How The Gospel of Christ addresses the Problem of
Sin.
1. A number of years ago a book came out with the title:
"Whatever Happened To Sin?"
2. This is a relevant question, for today "sin" is
often taken too lightly...
a. By
the world
b.
Even by the church
3. Exactly what is sin? The Bible speaks definitively,
describing sin as:
a. A transgression of the law of
God - 1John
3:4
b. A failure to do what you know
to be right - James
4:17
c. Doing that which violates your
conscience, even if the act is right within itself - Rom
14:23
4. The Bible also reveals the seriousness of sin, which
is seen...
a. In its universality -
"all have sinned..." (Rom
3:23; 1 John 1: 6-10)
b. In its consequences -
"The wages of sin is death..." (Rom
6:23)
5. Even so, I am not sure that many people, even some
Christians, truly understand...
a.
The problem of sin
b.
How the gospel of Christ effectively addresses this
problem!
I.
THE PROBLEM OF
SIN
A. THE "LOVE" OF SIN...
1. Sin does have
its pleasurable nature - Heb
11:24-25
2. It is this
pleasurable side that makes it easy for men to love sin, which in turn can then
blind them to the truth-
John 3:19
B. THE "PRACTICE" OF
SIN...
1. The
seriousness of this aspect of sin is seen in that ALL havesinned! -
Rom
3:23
2. Even
Christians continue to practice sin at times – 1John
1:8-10
C.
THE "STATE" OF SIN...
1. Those who
both love and practice sin are said to be dead "in" sin -
Eph
2:1
2. This pertains
to our relationship to God; as far as He is concerned, our practice of sin
places us in a state in which wearedead "to"
Him!
D.
THE "GUILT" OF SIN...
1. In the
Scriptures, this refers primarily to "legal" guilt, but it often includes
"emotional" guilt
2. We may try to
deny or suppress this truth, but a Holy God stillrecognizes our guilt before Him
- Rom
3:19
E.
THE "POWER" OF SIN...
1. Jesus spoke
of the enslaving power of sin - John
8:34
2. Sin is so powerful,
that even when a person wants to do good, outside of Christ they are unable to
do so consistently - cf. Rom
7:14-21
F.
THE "RESULT" OF SIN...
1. "The wages of sin is death"
(Rom
6:23)
2. In the Scriptures, death includes the
idea of separation (e.g., physical death is the separation of body and spirit –
(James
2:26)
a. The result of sin is "spiritual death," or separation from
God
b. Such separation exists in this life, but even more so in the life to
come! - Rev
21:8
Such is the problem of sin.
·
Do we understand what a serious problem itreally is?
·
How does the Gospel of Christ address this problem?
·
Bear in mind that the gospel consists
of:
- FACTS to believe
- COMMANDS to obey
-
PROMISES to receive
The
facts to believe are concisely stated in 1Cor
15:1-4,
which reveal things that God has done in Christ.
These things which God has donemake it possible for the
commands and promises of the gospel to really address the problem
of sin!
Consider...
II.
HOW THE GOSPEL ADDRESSES
THE PROBLEM OF SIN
A.
"BELIEVE IN CHRIST" ADDRESSES THE "LOVE" OF SIN...
1. That it is
necessary to believe is evident from Mark
16:15-16
2. When a person really believes in Christ and the facts, The gospel
tells about Him...
a. They will come to hate sin for what it cost God and
Christ
b. They will have the attitude expressed by the Psalmist
(Psalms 119:104)
Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false
way.
3. The point is,
true faith helps to eliminate our love for sin
B. "REPENT OF SINS" ADDRESSES THE "PRACTICE" OF
SIN...
1.
The gospel clearly calls mankind to repent - Acts
2:38;
17:30-31
2.
When a person truly repents (a decision of the mind that leadsto a change of
action), they will cease living a life devotedto the practice of
sin
C. "BE BAPTIZED INTO CHRIST" ADDRESSES THE "STATE" OF
SIN...
1. Remember,
outside of Christ our state is "dead in sin"
2. The gospel
includes the command to be baptized - Mark
16:15-16;
Matt 28:18-20
3.
When we are baptized, our "state" changes
a. For baptism puts us in Christ
- Gal
3:27
b.
In Christ, we are now "dead TO sin", no longer "dead IN sin"-
Rom
6:1-7
D.
"REMISSION OF SINS" ADDRESSES THE "GUILT" OF SIN...
1. Remission of sins is promised to those
who repent and are baptized - Acts
2:38
2. When sin has
been remitted, there is no longer any guilt!
E.
"THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT" ADDRESSES THE "POWER" OF SIN...
1. The gift of
the Holy Spirit is likewise promised to those whorepent and are baptized -
Acts
2:38
2. With the help
of God's Spirit, we are no longer under the power of sin - Rom
8:12-13;
Eph 3:16, 20
F.
"ETERNAL LIFE" ADDRESSES THE "RESULT" OF SIN...
1. Instead of spiritual death and eternal separation from
God, wecan have spiritual life and eternal communion with
Him!
2. As Paul put it so succinctly: "For
the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus
our Lord."(Rom
6:23)
Have you let the gospel address your problem of sin?
By...
-
Believing
the facts of the gospel?
-
Obeying
the commands of the gospel?
-
Receiving
the promises of the gospel?
Do so, and through Jesus Christ you can overcome the
problem of sin!