FOUNDATIONAL TRUTHS:

Sin

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.   There are some Bible subjects that we might say are foundational truths.

1.    They lay the groundwork for other truths.  In other words, they help us to understand and appreciate other truths of God’s Word.

2.    They are needed in order to keep us anchored in the Lord.

3.    They are the truths that all men need to hear because they inform the mind, cut to the heart, and move a person to make his life right with God.

 

B.   We have looked at several lessons in this series this year.

1.    There Is One Church

2.    Bible Baptism

3.    Worship

4.    Grace

5.    The Soul

 

C.   In this lesson, let consider the three-letter word, “Sin.”

 

I.             THE PERCEPTION OF SIN

 

A.   In order to appreciate this study, each of us must have the correct perception of sin.

1.    In other words, we must understand “what” sin is.

2.    Those in our society who are not religious, do not include the word “sin” in their vocabulary. 

a.    The closest they would come is to say something is wrong.

b.    The problem is that the word “wrong” has no standard for the judgment.  What is wrong to one person might be right to another (Ex., hunting, divorce, abortion, etc.).

3.    Even those who are Christians might only have one definition of sin, the transgression of the law (1 John 3:4).

 

Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law:  for sin is the transgression of the law.

 

B.   Other definitions of sin found in the Bible.

1.    The book of Proverbs teaches us that even thoughts involve sin (Prov. 24:9).

 

The thought of foolishness is sin…

 

2.    To know to do good and to fail to do it (Jam. 4:17).  Some refer to this as “the sin of omission.”

 

Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

 

3.    John tells us that all unrighteousness is sin (1 John 5:17).

4.    In a discussion about matters of liberty or option, Paul sets forth another definition of sin in Romans 14:23.

 

…and whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

 

Example:  Playing with a standard deck of playing cards, 52 in a deck

a.    Some associate cards with gambling.

b.    If they were to play with those cards, they would violate their conscience.

c.    Since what they were doing is not based upon faith, that is, an understanding from the Scripture that playing with cards is not a sin, then playing with the cards would be sin.

 

II.           THE PERSON OF SIN

 

A.   There is one being who is the embodiment sin. 

 

B.   We refer to him by the two common names, the devil or Satan.

 

C.   His character briefly described.

1.    The name Satan means “adversary” (See Job 1:6)

a.    An opponent

b.    The archenemy of all that is good

c.    The head of the opposition forces against God

2.    Jesus said, “I am the truth” in John 14:6.  Satan is the opposite of truth (John 8:44).

 

Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do:  he was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him.  When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own:  for he is a liar, and the father of it.

 

3.    He is a deceiver (Rev. 12:9).

4.    He is a destroyer (1Pet. 5:9).

 

D.   This person has children.

1.    In one of Jesus’ parables, He referred to tares that were sown among the wheat (Matt. 13:25).  When Jesus explained the parable, He said that “the tares are the children of the wicked one” (Matt. 13:38).

2.    Children take on the nature of their parents.

 

III.         THE PRESENCE OF SIN

 

A.   When Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, they enabled sin to enter into the world (Rom. 5:12a).

 

Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world…

 

B.   Not one human being other than Jesus Christ has been able to resist sin.

1.    “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23).

2.    Since sin impacts all of humanity, John declares:  “…and the whole world lieth in wickedness” (1 John 5:19).

 

C.   What this enormous presence of sin does:

1.    Sin is common.

2.    Because each of us grapples with it, we find it hard to condemn.

3.    We have a tendency to categorize sin,  small, medium, and large.

4.    Our categorization of sin enables us to “compare” sinners.

5.    The presence of sin in our lives causes us to justify and rationalize it.

 

IV.         THE PROBLEM OF SIN

 

A.   Sin violates God’s will.

1.    The Creator has a law by which He wants all to live.

2.    This law molds His creation into His image.

3.    Sin violates the law of God (1 John 3:4)

 

…sin is the transgression of the law.

 

B.   Sin flies in the face of God’s holiness.

1.    Holiness begins with purity.

2.    I John 1:5

 

This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

 

3.    Any sin, regardless of how small, is in direct opposition to God’s holiness.

 

C.   Sin stains the soul of man.

1.    There are some substances that defile clothing and make them impossible to wear (Ex., rust).

2.    Sin upon the soul is much like that rust stain on clothing.  It completely defiles the inner man.

3.    The Bible’s description of sin upon the soul.

a.    It corrupts (Gen. 6:12).

b.    It causes sickness (Isa. 1:5-6).

c.    It wounds (Isa. 1:6).

d.    It defiles (Jer. 2:7).

e.    It stains (Jer. 2:22).

f.     It ruins (Ezek.18:30).

g.    It pollutes (Ezek. 20:31).

 

V.           THE POWER OF SIN

 

A.   The power to harden man’s heart completely against God (Heb. 3:13).

 

But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

 

B.   The power to enslave an individual (John 8:34).

 

…Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.

 

C.   The power to destroy people, families, nations, even, churches.

1.    Judas

2.    Lot’s family

3.    Israel and Judah

4.    The seven churches of Asia

5.    Proverbs 1:32

 

For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.

 

VI.         THE PENALTY OF SIN

 

A.   Shame (Prov. 3:35)

 

…but shame shall be the promotion of fools.

 

B.   Loss

1.    There are countless things that can be lost to sin:  reputation, family, wealth, position, influence, even one’s soul.

2.    When the prodigal son came to himself in the pig pen, he realized what he had lost (Luke15:17).

 

And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

 

C.   Separation (Isa. 59:2)

 

But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

 

D.   Suffering (Ex., David after the matter of Uriah, Num., 2 Sam.12:10-14)

1.    Wars

2.    Rebellion in his own house

3.    His wives would be defiled by his enemy in the sight of Israel

4.    The death of his child

 

E.   Death

1.    Sometimes physical death is the result of sin (Ex., Ananias and Sapphira, Acts 5:5, 10).

2.    Spiritual death is always the end of sin (Ezek. 18:20; Rom. 6:23).

 

VII.       THE PAYMENT FOR SIN

 

A.   Blood (1 Pet.1:18-19)

 

B.   Life (1 John 3:16)

 

C.   An innocent victim (2 Cor. 5:21)

 

D.   A human being (John 1:14)

 

E.   Jesus

 

VIII.     A PLACE OF NO SIN

 

A.   Initially, the Garden of Eden had no sin in it.

 

B.   There has never been a time when sin was not present in the world.

 

C.   There is a place wherein no sin will dwell in the hereafter.

1.    It is the most holy place. 

It is the holy of holies. 

It is the dwelling place of the most holy God.

2.    It is that place called Heaven (Rev. 21:27).

 

And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie:  but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.   There are some who might tire over a discussion of sin.

1.    Sin brought man’s fall.

2.    Sin condemned the world.

3.    Sin necessitated the death of the Son of God.

4.    Sin harms men and women in the present.

5.    Sin runs rampant throughout the world.

6.    Sin will condemn mankind in the last day.

 

B.   God and the Bible certainly do not shy away from sin.

1.    Sin is introduced in chapter three of Genesis.

2.    Sin is universally destroyed in Genesis 6-9 in the days of Noah.

3.    In the first chapter of Matthew’s gospel, we read about Jesus (Matt. 1:21)

 

And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS:  for he shall save his people from their sins.

 

C.   My friends, we need to face sin, fight against sin, and seek the forgiveness of sins found in Christ Jesus our Lord.