Morning Devotions With Pastor Dan
Whatever Happened To Sin? This is a relevant question, especially for today. Just turn on the TV, or the radio, or just take notice of the culture we live in today and you will see that sin is running rampant today. Sin is often made to be no big deal – taken too lightly, and there is no clear understanding by the masses that it blocks our relationship with the Holy God.
But this is also true of some professing to be Christians today. It is sad, but many professing Christians are not taught about sin in their churches because it is either not popular due to political incorrectness, or it is to negative of a message for the new generations to hear.
What exactly is sin? – How many people (Christians or not) really know what sin is? Do you know? And do you know the consequences of being condemned a sinner before a righteous God? The Bible speaks definitively when it defines sin, and that is crucial to us when we understand what the Bible is (2 Timothy 3:16-17) (Isaiah 40:8) (Psalm 33:4) (various verses in Psalm 119). Since the Bible is given by God – and is true and right – then what it says about sin is also true and right. So then – what is sin according to God?
- It is the transgression of the law of God – (1 John 3:4)
- It is all that is unrighteous – (1 John 5:17)
- It is the failure to do what you know to be right – (James 4:17)
- It is doing what violates your conscience – even if the act is right within itself (Romans 14:23)
The source of sin can be found in…….
- Satan – (John 8:44)
- Adam – (Romans 5:12,16)
- The heart – (Matthew 15:19)
- Lust – (James 1:15)
The Bible also reveals the seriousness of sin – which concerns each and every person who has lived – and will live – on this earth
- All have sinned – (Romans 3:23)
- The wages of sin is death – (Romans 6:23)
- Even so – I am not sure that many people – even some Christians – truly appreciate the problem of sin – or even how the gospel of Jesus Christ effectively addresses this problem
What is the problem of sin? Why don’t so many people see sin as a problem?
- There Is The State Of Sin
- Those who both love and practice sin (that is – making it an acceptable lifestyle) are said to be dead in sin – (Ephesians 2:1)
- This pertains to our relationship to God – as far as He is concerned – the practice of sin places us in a state in which we are dead to Him
- There Is The Love Of Sin
- Sin does have its pleasurable nature – (Hebrews 11:24-25)
- It is this pleasurable side that makes it easy for men/women to love sin – which in turn can then blind them to the truth – (John 3:18-21)
- There Is The Participation Of Sin
- Again – the seriousness of this aspect of sin is seen in that ALL have sinned – (Romans 3:23)
- Even Christians continue to sin at times – (1 John 1:8-10)
- There Is The Power Of Sin
- Jesus spoke of the enslaving power of sin – (John 8:34-36)
- Sin is so powerful – that even when a person wants to do good – outside of Christ they are unable to do so consistently – (Romans 7:14-21)
- There Is A Payment For Sin
- The wages of sin is death – (Romans 6:23)
- In the Scriptures – death includes the separation from God for eternity
- Read: (1 Corinthians 6:9-10) (Galatians 5:19-21) (Revelation 21:6-8)
That is the problem with sin – and our culture today does not want to deal with it or address it much. So the question for us here today is – “Do we appreciate what a serious problem it really is? How about in our own life? Are you still dead in your sins like the word of God (Bible) describes? Are you in a place where sin has grabbed hold of you as its slave – and you find it hard to get free? Then come to Jesus Christ and be delivered from sin and its penalty.