Let us examine ten facts about sin as taught in the Word of God.
1. Sin is SOMETHING NOT NATIVE TO OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. Hebrews 4:15, I Peter 2:22, and II Corinthians 5:21
2. Sin is SOMETHING YOUR SOUL DOES. Leviticus 5:1 and 17 and 6:2 See also Ezequiel 18:4 and 20 (yet, see Ezekiel 14:13)
3. Sin is SOMETHING WE’RE BORN IN(TO). Romans 5:12 and Psalm 51:5
4. Sin is SOMETHING WE ALL HAVE. I John 1:8, Romans 7:17, and John 8:7
5. Sin is SOMETHING THAT DECEIVES – Hebrews 3:13.
6. Sin is SOMETHING THAT RULES MEN, MAKING THEM ITS SERVANTS. Romans 5:21 and 6:6, 12 and 20, and John 8:34
7. Sin is SOMETHING FOOLS MOCK – Proverbs 14:9 (see Galatians 6:7).
8. Sin is SOMETHING THAT CAN BE MEASURED. Genesis 18:20 and 20:9, Exodus 32:21 and 30-31, and II Kings 17:21 See also Luke 13:2 and 4 and John 19:11
9. Sin is SOMETHING WE DIE FOR (BECAUSE OF) (Hebrews 9:27) James 1:15, Romans 6:23, and I Corinthians 15:56 See Romans 8:10, II Kings 14:6, and II Chronicles 25:4
10. Sin is SOMETHING CHRIST CLEANSES US OF. I John 1:7, Psalm 51:2, and Revelation 1:5
SIN: Some Definitions
Sin is defined Biblically in both absolute and relative terms.
I. ABSOLUTE DEFINITIONS OF SIN
A. Missing the mark (hamartia) 1. We’re obliged to strive for a standard – Matthew 5:48. 2. Yet, we miss the mark, come up short – Romans 3:23.
B. Transgressing the Law – I John 3:4 (anomia) 1. Break one rule, you’re a transgressor – Ephesians 5:5, Colossians 3:5, and James 2:10-11. 2. Better rendering is "lawlessness" (as in Matthew 14:4). 3. Hence, we’re all sinners by one act – Romans 5:12, 19. 4. Contrast this with love (Romans 13:8-10), against whose actions there is "…no law…" (Galatians 5:23).
C. All unrighteousness – I John 5:17 1. This indeed covers "a multitude of sins". 2. It truly encompasses "all of the above". 3. It includes all acts of evil. a. Three forms of evil: heart, mind, and action (these are seen in Mark 7:21). b. We might also refer to these as sins of thought, word, and deed.
II. RELATIVE DEFINITIONS OF SIN
A. Things done with wrong motives 1. Respect of persons a. This is wrong if done as in James 2:1-9. b. Yet, we are to respect, honor men – I Peter 2:17. 2. Fear can motivate wrong actions, as when David numbered Israel – II Samuel 24:1-10 and I Chronicles 21:1-8. 3. Sometimes men "slip into" sin, so that something "becomes sin" – I Kings 12:30 and 13:34.
B. Things done by one (who should know better) 1. Faithlessness and its "fruits" (or lack thereof) as indicated in Romans 14:23 2. Omission of doing KNOWN GOOD – James 4:17 a. This was an Old Testament principle – Deuteronomy 15:9. b. A way to avoid some sins is simply to NOT VOW (see Deuteronomy 23:21-22). c. Practical applications of this model abound. i. The giving of alms and I John 3:17 ii. Remove obstacles before the blind (see Leviticus 19:14) iii. Never "stall" in doing good – Proverbs 3:27-28
SIN: Some Descriptions and Demonstrations Our concept of sin needs to be God’s, not man’s.
For example: What color is sin? We’ve always heard of the "blackness" of sin. We need to consult Isaiah 1:18 to answer this question. Compare Revelation 1:5 and Psalm 51:7. This is how to make sense of Revelation 7:14.
I. SOME DESCRIPTIONS OF SIN A. Reproach – Proverbs 14:34 1. This indicates a national embarrassment. 2. See Psalm 107:33-34 – punishments for sin
B. Rebellion – Job 34:37 and I Samuel 15:22-23
C. Refusal to remain "nigh" (near) to God 1. This is known as backsliding – Jeremiah 14:7. a. Sin separates us from God – Isaiah 59:1-2. b. God knows our hearts, especially when we pray – Psalm 66:18. 2. The cure is found in James 4:8.
II. SOME DEMONSTRATIONS OF SIN A. Treating others wickedly – Proverbs 14:21 and 31
B. The thought of foolishness – Proverbs 24:9 1. As blasphemy, foolish questions (see I Timothy 1:4 and 5:4 and 20). 2. See also Proverbs 10:19a: impossible not to sin when "in the multitude of words". a. The wisdom of Ecclesiastes 5:1-3 and 10:12-14 – better to say less than more! b. Sin thus becomes inevitable – Luke 17:1 and James 3:2. 3. Hence, we should say – Psalm 119:113 and II Corinthians 10:5.
C. The "good" men do 1. All their righteousnesses" – Isaiah 64:6 2. The plowing of the wicked – Proverbs 21:4
D. Men’s "spiritual" activities 1. The prayers of the wicked a. Specifically those of Judas – Psalm 109:7 b. hypocrisy (as leaven – Luke 12:1) indicated (leaven usually indicative of sin – I Corinthians 5:6-8 and Galatians 5:9) c. See also Isaiah 1:15 and Matthew 23:14 2. The sacrifices of the wicked – Proverbs 15:8 and 21:27 and Amos 5:21-23; hence, Isaiah 1:13-14 and Joel 2:13
E. The general activities of the wicked – Proverbs 15:9 (see also Proverbs 21:8 and Psalm 10:1-15, but especially verse 4 – "…God is not in all his thoughts"
SIN: Its Recipients
When we sin, it always has a target/object/victim; its offense is always against someone: WHO?
I. ALL SINS ARE AGAINST GOD. A. The classic text is Psalm 51:4. 1. This is as God sees such matters. a. Consider Uriah, Bathsheba, the entire nation of Israel, etc. b. See God’s statement in Genesis 22:2. 2. This was the reasoning of Joseph – Genesis 39:9. 3. It remains the best reason to memorize the Scriptures (see Psalm 119:11).
B. Perhaps this is to state the obvious, considering the natures of God and sin. 1. Samuel knew Who he would have sinned against if he had refrained from prayer – I Samuel 12:23. 2. Remember what the prophet Oded asked Israel in II Chronicles 28:10.
C. Thus, even if we’re all alone, we can still sin – against God!
II. SOME SINS ARE AGAINST OTHER HUMANS. A. Some do "double duty", being against both God and men. 1. This helps us understand I Timothy 5:24. 2. Note the Prodigal Son’s words in Luke 15:18-21. 3. Judas lamented – Matthew 27:4. a. He knew it to be an offence to God. b. Likewise, he’d offended Christ (Whom Judas would have regarded as a Man). 4. Recall Eli’s warning to his sons in I Samuel 2:25. 5. Consider the "flip side" to this – I Corinthians 8:12.
B. Other sins are specifically said to be against other humans. 1. Peter asked Jesus – Matthew 18:21. a. Our Lord didn’t correct him, but instead indicated – Matthew 18:35. b. Christ further explained this with Luke 17:3-4. 2. This is implicit in our requests for forgiveness. a. In Luke 11:4, note "indebtedness" as in Matthew 6:12. b. In Matthew 18:15, note "trespass" as in Matthew 6:14-15. 3. Reuben so objected, in Genesis 42:22. 4. Likewise did Jonathan object in I Samuel 19:4-5. 5. Note that we can even be "partakers" (accomplices) of other men’s sins – I Timothy 5:22. a. See also II John 11 and Revelation 18:4. b. This is why there’s to be purity in the Lord’s churches (see I Corinthians 5). c. This is how (and why) the church forgives sinners – II Corinthians 2:7.
III. SOME SINS WE COMMIT AGAINST OURSELVES. A. Sexual sins are so insidious that they are labeled as sins against our own bodies – I Corinthians 6:18. 1. Men don’t actually and actively hate their own bodies – Ephesians 5:29a. 2. Yet, sexual sins invite consequences we’d never want others to bring upon us! 3. This wickedness should never exist among God’s people, as Paul instructed in Ephesians 5:3 and II Timothy 2:22.
B. "Suicidal" sins are worse that shooting ourselves in the foot (spiritually speaking). 1. Think of Saul’s "kicking against" God (Acts 9:5). 2. Solomon warned us of such sins and their sure consequences – Proverbs 20:2 and Ecclesiastes 5:6. 3. These types of sins especially "defile" us (see Matthew 15:18-20). 4. We see that the matter goes "full circle", ultimately going back to God – Proverbs 8:36.
SIN: Its Disposition (Part One) What does God do with/about the sins of the saints?
(NOTE: because of His having saved us) Recall His other activities, as indicated in Psalm 19:13a, Matthew 6:13a, and John 16:8-9. Note the ministry of all three members of the Trinity, and that some overlapping exists in the following.
CONCERNING OUR SINS, THE SCRIPTURES TEACH THAT OUR GREAT GOD:
1. Became them for us – II Corinthians 5:21
2. Blots them out a. See Psalm 51:1 and 9b, Isaiah 43:25 and 44:22, where this is literally "stroke, rub (out)", thus to erase b. See also Acts 3:19
3. Bore them – Isaiah 53:11c
4. Casts them behind His back – Isaiah 38:17c a. literally, this means to "thrown out, down, or away", hence we say to hurl or to throw b. this same verb is used in Number 5
5. Casts them into the depths of the sea – Micah 7:19c
6. Cleanses (washes) us of them a. in Psalm 51:2, it means clean (as "bared") b. in Jeremiah 33:8a, conveys "make bright, pure" c. in I John 1:7, denotes "make clean, purge, purify" d. see also Revelation 1:5
7. Covers them (the meaning of "atonement") a. in Psalm 32:1 and 85:2, cover for clothing, secrecy b. in Romans 4:7 (quoting Psalm 32:1), "conceal"
8. Died for them – I Corinthians 15:3
9. Forgets them – Psalm 25:7a a. that they are never remembered – Isaiah 43:25, Jeremiah 31:34c, and Hebrews 8:12 and 10:17 b. nor are they ever mentioned again – Ezekiel 18:22a and 33:16a c. they may be sought for, but they’ll never be found (see Jeremiah 50:20)
10. Forgives them (NOTE: with men, not same as Number 14!) – see Exodus 34:7a, Colossians 2:13, and I John 1:9 and 2:12
11. Gave Himself for them a. as in Galatians 1:4 (see also Titus 2:14) b. we are thus delivered – Romans 4:25
SIN: Its Disposition (Part Two – Conclusion)
We now conclude the study begun last week.
CONCERNING OUR SINS, THE SCRIPTURES THEACH THAT OUR GREAT GOD:
12. Hides His face from them – Psalm 51:9a (denoting that He will "be absent", or "keep secret" our sins)
13. Makes propitiation for them a. means to serve as an expiator, make atonement b. indicated by the Beloved Apostle in I John 2:1-2 and 4:10
14. Pardons them a. as already noted, NOT (with men) the same as Number 10 b. see Exodus 34:9c, Numbers 14:19-20, Job 7:21a, Psalm 25:11, and Jeremiah 33:8b
15. Purges them (away) a. in Psalm 65:3 and 79:9b and Isaiah 6:7b, indicates "to placate, cancel; disannul, pacify, make reconciliation" b. in Hebrews 1:3, speaks of a "washing off"
16. Puts them away – II Samuel 12:13b a. same as original in Number 22 (a) b. means "cross over" (as we would "cross out"); used often to indicate various transitions
17. Redeems us from them a. literally, "ransoms" (by paying a redemption price) b. seen in Titus 2:14 and I Peter 1:18-19
18. Refuses to condemn us for them – John 8:11 and Romans 8:1
19. Remits them a. remissions as (literally) freedom; figures a pardon that results in deliverance/forgiveness/liberty b. used in Matthew 26:28, Acts 2:38 and 10:43, and Hebrews 9:22b and 10:18
20. Removes them (as far as the East is from the West) – only appears in Psalm 103:12
21. Saves us from them a. literally, "to deliver, protect"; thus, to heal, preserve, makewhole b. appears in Matthew 1:21 and I Timothy 1:15a
22. Takes them away a. in II Samuel 24:10c and Job 7:21a, same as original expression used in Number 16 b. in Isaiah 6:7b, literally indicates "to turn off" c. in Hosea 14:2b, literally it’s "lifts" (away) d. in John 1:29, "lift" may be rendered to takeup, takeaway, remove
Author: Pastor Stephen G. Raines Messages originally preached on Sunday Evenings, 21 June 1992 to 26 July 1992, at East Side Baptist Church of Benton, ARK by Pastor Stephen G. Raines Copyright 1992/2003, Stephen G. Raines Retyped for computer by Joy Ellaina Gardner, December 2003
