Sin – Part 6 of 7

By Tom Buckle
Sin—The War Inside

 

In the New Testament we find a more advanced view of sin as Jesus is viewed as the standard for righteousness. He is the perfect example of a life of righteousness from which you can judge what is sinful.

 

Jesus taught that sin starts in the heart when he taught, “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies, These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man” (Matthew 15: 19-20Matthew 15: 19-20
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19 For out of the heart come forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual sins, thefts, false testimony, and blasphemies. ²⁰ These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands doesn’t defile the man.”

WP-Bible plugin NKJV). Jesus taught in a straightforward manner that sin comes from the condition of the heart. It is the wrong desires of the heart that lead to sin. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus states that anger in the heart is the same as murder (Matthew 5:21-22Matthew 5:21-22
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21 “You have heard that it was said to the ancient ones, ‘You shall not murder;’ and ‘Whoever shall murder shall be in danger of the judgment.’ ²²Â But I tell you, that everyone who is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment; and whoever shall say to his brother, ‘Raca “Raca” is an Aramaic insult, related to the word for “empty” and conveying the idea of empty-headedness.!’ shall be in danger of the council; and whoever shall say, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of the fire of Gehenna Gehenna is another name for Hell that brings to mind an image of a burning garbage dump with dead bodies in it..

WP-Bible plugin NKJV) and the impure look is adultery (Matthew 5:27-28Matthew 5:27-28
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27 “You have heard that it was said, TR adds “to the ancients,” ‘You shall not commit adultery;’ ²⁸ but I tell you that everyone who gazes at a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart.

WP-Bible plugin NKJV). He was teaching that the condition of the heart of man is filled with sin. His teachings are also seen as expounding the deeper meanings of the Ten Commandments.

 

The New Testament warns throughout against the sin of unbelief. One must believe that Christ is the Savior of mankind and this belief accounts for one’s righteousness in the sight of God. Speaking to the Jews He said, “Therefore I said that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins” (John 8:24John 8:24
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24 I said therefore to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am he, you will die in your sins.”

WP-Bible plugin NKJV). The writer of the book of Hebrews writes about unbelief (a lack of belief and trust) in these terms: “Without faith (belief) it is impossible to please Him” (Hebrew 11:6w 11:6
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Izbrana zbirka WEB ne vsebuje vpisane knjigeMesto:

WP-Bible plugin NKJV). Jesus challenged his audience, “Repent (of your sins) and believe the gospel” (Mark 1:15Mark 1:15
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15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand! Repent, and believe in the Gospel.”

WP-Bible pluginb NKJV).

 

Hebrews 3:16-18Hebrews 3:16-18
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16 For who, when they heard, rebelled? No, didn’t all those who came out of Egypt by Moses? ¹⁷ With whom was he displeased forty years? Wasn’t it with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? ¹⁸ To whom did he swear that they wouldn’t enter into his rest, but to those who were disobedient?

WP-Bible plugin reminds us of an earlier account of unbelief and its results. The children of Israel experience a miraculous deliverance from Egypt’s bondage. They had seen the hand of God in the parting of the Red Sea, the destruction of Pharaoh’s pursuing army, God leading Israel with a pillar of fire by night and a cloud by day, feeding them en mass and providing for their needs. Forgetting their miraculous deliverance and concentrating on the negative, it didn’t take long for them to murmur against Moses and God. Murmuring leads to unbelief and the writer of Hebrews points out that because of their unbelief those over forty years of age were denied entrance into the Promised Land.

 

In the Ephesians epistle (letter) the great missionary and Apostle calls the church’s attention to some of the sins of the flesh in relationships by naming the sins. He wants them to live as vessels that testify to a life of holiness. The Apostle Paul needs them to understand that sins of the flesh will do them harm, so he lists some sins. (31) “Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. (1) Therefore, be imitators of God as dear children. (2) And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. (3) But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; (4) neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. (5) For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God” (Ephesians 4:31; 5:1-5Ephesians 4:31; 5:1-5
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31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, outcry, and slander, be put away from you, with all malice. ^{5 1} Be therefore imitators of God, as beloved children. ²Â Walk in love, even as Christ also loved you, and gave himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling fragrance. ³Â But sexual immorality, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not even be mentioned among you, as becomes saints; ⁴ nor filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not appropriate; but rather giving of thanks. ⁵ Know this for sure, that no sexually immoral person, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and God.

WP-Bible plugin NKJV). In other words, he wants Christians to walk in purity and holiness before God and each other.

 

Jesus taught that His followers had to make a choice between the world and him when he said, “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon” (Luke 16:13Luke 16:13
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13 No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. You aren’t able to serve God and mammon “Mammon” refers to riches or a false god of wealth..”

WP-Bible plugin NKJV).

 

In the epistle of James he wants the Christian to know that there is a difference in the way the world lives and the way a Christian lives. The world lives to satisfy the flesh and its appetites. It is selfish and short-lived. He makes his point certain by asking, “Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God” (James 4:4James 4:4
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4 You adulterers and adulteresses, don’t you know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

WP-Bible plugin NKJV).

 

The Apostle John is also concerned that love of the world and the flesh will cause some to fall from the faith. He writes, (15) “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (16) For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. (17) The world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever” (I John 2:15-17John 2:15-17
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15 He made a whip of cords, and threw all out of the temple, both the sheep and the oxen; and he poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew their tables. ¹⁶ To those who sold the doves, he said, “Take these things out of here! Don’t make my Father’s house a marketplace!” ¹⁷ His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will eat me up.”

WP-Bible plugin NKJV).

 

Two verses from Romans contrast the Christian’s walk from the world’s walk. (1) “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. (13) For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live” (Romans 8:1, 13Romans 8:1, 13
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8 ¹Â There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who don’t walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. ¹³Â For if you live after the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

WP-Bible plugin).

 

When the Apostle James wrote, “To him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin” (James 4:17James 4:17
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17 To him therefore who knows to do good, and doesn’t do it, to him it is sin.

WP-Bible plugin NKJV) he must have had the commandment to love your neighbor as yourself in mind. This scripture is rightly referred to as “the sin of omission,” not doing what you know you ought to do. (The parable of The Good Samaritan is a good illustration of this Scripture, Luke10:30-37.)

Sin – Part 5 of 7

By Tom Buckle
The Transgression of Adam
 
In reading the story of creation we realize that sin was present before Adam and Eve succumbed to it.  We know that Satan was already in the world, having sinned against God before man was created and cast out of heaven (See Luke 10:18Luke 10:18
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18 He said to them, “I saw Satan having fallen like lightning from heaven.

WP-Bible plugin). But it is the subject of the origin of sin into the human race that is paramount in our present subject.
 
In Scripture we read that the Lord created man in His own image and placed man in the Garden of Eden to tend to it.  God instructed Adam. “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” (Genesis 2: 16-17Genesis 2: 16-17
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16 Yahweh God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat: ¹⁷ but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat of it: for in the day that you eat of it you will surely die.”

WP-Bible plugin NKJV).  This instruction was given to Adam before God created Eve. 
 
Why did God forbid Adam to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil?  Biblical scholars rightly suggest that this forbidden tree was to remind them of their dependence on God and that they were His creation.  Another interpretation is that God had reserved for Himself the knowledge of good and evil and wanted Adam and Eve to stay innocence and enjoy His provisions.  God had created man in His image with the freedom to choose and Satan went straight to the jugular to tempt them to disobey what God had said.
 
Sin always begins with speculation, questioning God’s word and man’s accountability to Him.  Satan approached Eve in the garden to start a conversation.  What better way to begin a dialogue then to ask her a key question about what God had said concerning the trees in the garden?  “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”  Eve responds by correctly quoting what God had warned Adam that he was not to eat of the forbidden tree; “You shall not eat it, nor shall touch it, lest you die” (Genesis 3:3Genesis 3:3
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3 but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat of it, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’”

WP-Bible plugin NKJV).  Satan now contradicts the veracity of God word, “You will not surely die” (Genesis 3:4Genesis 3:4
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4 The serpent said to the woman, “You won’t surely die,

WP-Bible plugin NKJV).   He continues, that God surely didn’t mean they would die if they ate of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, for they would surely become like God.  God is benevolent and He can’t possibly mean that they would die.  Satan declared the opposite in saying they would only become like God. 
 
We can clearly see the true origin of sin and understand its true character.  It does not originate in overt actions but in the thoughts and desires that come out of the heart of man.  In the Garden of Eden Satan sowed the thoughts of doubt by challenging the veracity of God’s Word.  God had placed a severe penalty on disobeying His word, but with Satan’s help to mollify God’s command Adam and Eve fell into grievous sin.
 
It is this desire to be as God, knowing good and evil, which brought the fall of all mankind into sin. 
 
Contrary to macho talk about Eve taking the first bite out of the fruit of the forbidden tree, the blame for the Fall of the race is never placed on her in Scripture.  The Apostle Paul writes, “For since by man came death . . . For as in Adam all die” (I Corinthians 15:21-22 NKJV).  “Just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin . . . By one man’s offense death reigned through the one . . . By one man’s disobedience many were made sinners” (Romans 5:12, 17, 19Romans 5:12, 17, 19
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12 Therefore, as sin entered into the world through one man, and death through sin; and so death passed to all men, because all sinned. ¹⁷ For if by the trespass of the one, death reigned through the one; so much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one, Jesus Christ. ¹⁹ For as through the one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the one will many be made righteous.

WP-Bible plugin NKJV).
 
The transgression of Adam was a repudiation of God’s authority, faithfulness, wisdom, justice, goodness and grace.  Created for the presence of God and His fellowship, Adam and Eve now sought to hide from God’s presence, indicating a breach in their relationship had taken place.  Fear and shame now enveloped them when God comes looking for them in the garden.
 
The prophet Jeremiah wrote, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9Jeremiah 17:9
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9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly corrupt: who can know it?

WP-Bible plugin NKJV).  The prophet of the Lord realized how far man had fallen from the holiness of God and His plan for life.
 
Writing to the church in Rome, the Apostle Paul says, “ . . . as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned—” (Romans 5:12Romans 5:12
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12 Therefore, as sin entered into the world through one man, and death through sin; and so death passed to all men, because all sinned.

WP-Bible plugin NKJV).  He is expressly pointing to Adam’s sin.  Not a single person is excluded when he says, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans3:23 NKJV).  These and other Scriptures teach that the results of Adam’s fall into rebellion and sin affected all of mankind after him. 
 
We are all prone to rebel against God’s plan for our lives, but nonetheless there is hope for us in Christ.  (17) “For if by one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. (18) Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. (19) For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous” (Romans 5:17-19Romans 5:17-19
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17 For if by the trespass of the one, death reigned through the one; so much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one, Jesus Christ. ¹⁸ So then as through one trespass, all men were condemned; even so through one act of righteousness, all men were justified to life. ¹⁹ For as through the one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the one will many be made righteous.

WP-Bible plugin NKJV).
 
The debate of how all mankind has been infected with sin has been entertained by scholars for centuries.  Passages like Psalm 51:5Psalm 51:5
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5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity. In sin my mother conceived me.

WP-Bible plugin, Ephesians 2:3Ephesians 2:3
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3 among whom we also all once lived in the lust of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.

WP-Bible plugin suggest that sinful nature is inherited.  Other Scriptures teach that sin is due to human choice (Ezekiel 18:4, 19-20Ezekiel 18:4, 19-20
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4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul who sins, he shall die. ¹⁹ Yet say you, Why does not the son bear the iniquity of the father? when the son has done that which is lawful and right, and has kept all my statutes, and has done them, he shall surely live. ²⁰ The soul who sins, he shall die: the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son; the righteousness of the righteous shall be on him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be on him.

WP-Bible plugin; Romans 1:18-20; 5:12Romans 1:18-20; 5:12
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18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, ¹⁹ because that which is known of God is revealed in them, for God revealed it to them. ²⁰ For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity; that they may be without excuse. ¹²Â Therefore, as sin entered into the world through one man, and death through sin; and so death passed to all men, because all sinned.

WP-Bible plugin NKJV).
 
The possible answer to this supposed conflict between sin being transmitted from Adam and Eve and sin being the result of choice is to understand that in the Jewish belief system there is no problem in including two mutually exclusive ideas into the same thought system.  The sinful nature that mankind inherits needs to be joined with the consequence that each person is responsible for their choice to sin.
 
 (22)  “Having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.  (23) For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:22-23Romans 6:22-23
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22 But now, being made free from sin, and having become servants of God, you have your fruit of sanctification, and the result of eternal life. ²³Â For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

WP-Bible plugin NKJV).

Sin – Part 4 of 7

By Tom Buckle

Sin Is Ultimately Against God

All attempts to define sin are inadequate because the main ingredients of sin in all of its different word forms are directed against God. We can rightly teach that all sins are directed towards the first commandment and are ultimately traced to it. “You shall have no other gods before Me” (Exodus 20:3Exodus 20:3
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3 You shall have no other gods before me.

WP-Bible plugin NKJV). Deuteronomy’s quote of the commandment is more definitive and later used by Jesus: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” (Deuteronomy 6:5Deuteronomy 6:5
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5 and you shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.

WP-Bible plugin NKJV).

Sin is a disruption of a relationship between persons. Theologian C. E Brown’s writing on this subject illustrates this commandment. Brown writes, “If there were only one man in the entire world it would be impossible for that man to commit nearly every sin one could name. He could not steal, he could not lie and he could not be guilty of murder. The only sins he could commit would be sins against God because there would still be a relation between him and God. Such thoughts as this will show us that the soul of man comes first before human law, and the being of God comes first before any law regulating the relation of his creatures to him. The relation of man to God comes before any other law. It is the basis of all law.”

God insists on being number one in your life. He does not want anything to come in-between Him and you. He wants your devotion, your trust and companionship. He is your “frame of reference” in values and in the way you live.

Jesus repeats two commandments to show how loving God is connected to loving your neighbor. (37)“’You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ (38) “This is the first and great commandment. (39) “And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Matthew 22:37-39Matthew 22:37-39
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37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ ³⁸ This is the first and great commandment. ³⁹ A second likewise is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’

WP-Bible plugin NKJV). This second commandment is a hard one to put into practice. Invariably, someone will disturb your peace and the flesh will want to rise up and assert feelings of contempt to the offender. It is in these instances of being offended that you will call upon God and refocus on His mercy and forgiveness offered to you. You will extend forgiveness to the offender, remembering God’s merciful forgiveness offered to you. Because of God’s forgiveness to you, it is important for you to try and see others as God sees them, lest you fall into conflict and sin.

One of the best examples to show that sin is really against God is found in David, King of Israel. After the prophet Nathan confronted David about his adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband to cover up his sin, David acknowledges his sin and cries out in repentance to God. In his plea for forgiveness he says, “Against you only, have I sinned and done this evil in Your sight . . .” (Psalm 51:4Psalm 51:4
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4 Against you, and you only, have I sinned, And done that which is evil in your sight; That you may be proved right when you speak, And justified when you judge.

WP-Bible plugin NKJV). As with other passages in the Bible clarifies that whatever our sin, it is ultimately against God.

The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia’s definition of sin is one that King David fully understood. “Sin is to be defined primarily in relation to God. It is disobedience, unbelief, ignorance, the positive assertion of usurped autonomy, and the wicked deviation from, or violation of, God’s righteous will and law. The breach of a right relationship with God carries with it the disruption of a right relationship with others and the disintegration of self. But this is the derivative, for it is because of sin against God that there is sin against others and oneself.” (Vol. 4, p. 456). David acknowledges that his sin was against God and pleaded for God’s mercy and forgiveness.

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8Romans 5:8
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8 But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

WP-Bible plugin NKJV).

Sin – Part 3

Sin – By Tom Buckle
Part III
Silence Please!

In a recent L.A. Times newspaper article a popular television preacher of a large church stated, “I was called to start a mission, not a church. There is a difference . . . You don’t try to preach . . . what is sin and what isn’t sin. A mission is a place where you ask non-believers to come and find faith and hope and feel loved. We’re a mission first, a church second.”

I don’t know how you feel about this rationalization of mission and church in regards to not being willing to preach and teach about sin, but I have difficulty with it. I am always provoked when any religious leader tries to redefine a basic orthodox doctrine of the Christian faith to justify leaving out what Jesus did on Calvary to atone for our sins. I wonder, “How can you have faith in Christ without repenting of your sins—and how can you repent of sin if you are not taught what sin is?” How can you pass on eternal hope to an unbeliever unless you tell the story of Christ’s love for mankind in giving His life at Calvary as a sin sacrifice, paying the penalty for your sins?

The church is a mission and we should feed the poor but not to the exclusion of talking about the need for redemption in Christ. The Church needs to feed the starving with food and share the message of salvation and hope. Feeding the poor would be a great time for personal testimonies of redemption and eternal hope through Christ’s forgiveness of sin.

When churches and modern day ministries are given to promoting growth, performance and popularity, the focus is on what man can accomplish under man’s power. The subject of sin is banned from the message. It is not in vogue to talk about sin because it would stir up a sense of guilt, shame and this would likely make some feel uncomfortable. After all, the modern church trend wants everyone to feel good about self and comfortable in worship. Self help in philosophy is called “humanism” and is easily transferred into religion as motivational messages. The message is mostly about how you can help yourself in your own strength with positive thinking and action. Its focus is self-centered.

In church Christians come together to honor Christ in corporate worship. They are hungry to hear an oracle from God with the pastor in the pulpit preaching a message from God’s Word. Self-help is an ingredient that is helpful but alone it lacks the goal of trusting in God rather than self. It does not speak of being reconciled to God by repenting of sin and being born again spiritually into a new person. Living under one’s own strength is no match for living under the infusion of God’s power.

John the Baptist preached a message of repentance to prepare the way for the coming of Jesus the Christ. People by the droves went into the wilderness to hear John’s message of repentance and they responded by repenting. Jesus began His ministry preaching,

“. . . Repent: for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 4:17Matthew 4:17
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17 From that time, Jesus began to preach, and to say, “Repent! For the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”

WP-Bible plugin NKJV).

Why repentance? Sin is what displeases God. Repentance of sin is the first step to having a relationship with God. It is turning away from your sins to have a relationship with Him. Christ gave his life on Calvary’s cross as a sacrifice for your sins. You can accept His sacrifice as your atonement and be born into a new spiritual life by following Him.

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8Romans 5:8
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8 But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

WP-Bible plugin NKJV), shedding His own blood as our sacrifice so we can be right with God. “. . . Without the shedding of blood there is no remission (of sin)” Hebrews 9:22Hebrews 9:22
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22 According to the law, nearly everything is cleansed with blood, and apart from shedding of blood there is no remission.

WP-Bible plugin NKJV).

Jesus shed his blood as a “sin sacrifice” for you and as many who will come to Him. “. . . He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself” (Hebrews 9:26Hebrews 9:26
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26 or else he must have suffered often since the foundation of the world. But now once at the end of the ages, he has been revealed to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

WP-Bible pluginb NKJV).

(9) “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (10) For with the heart on believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (13) Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10: 9-10, 13Romans 10: 9-10, 13
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9 that if you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For with the heart, one believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. ¹³Â For, “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

WP-Bible plugin NKJV).

Sin – Part 2

Sin – By Tom Buckle
Part II
Acknowledging Sin

God recognized that His people needed to be reminded of their waywardness and their temptation to drift from Him. He told Moses to once a year set aside a special day to call attention to the people’s sins. Moses called it “The Day of Atonement” (Leviticus 23:26-32Leviticus 23:26-32
English: World English Bible - WEB
26 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, ²⁷ “However on the tenth day of this seventh month is the day of atonement: it shall be a holy convocation to you, and you shall afflict yourselves; and you shall offer an offering made by fire to Yahweh. ²⁸ You shall do no manner of work in that same day; for it is a day of atonement, to make atonement for you before Yahweh your God. ²⁹ For whoever it is who shall not deny himself in that same day; shall be cut off from his people. ³⁰ Whoever it is who does any manner of work in that same day, that person I will destroy from among his people. ³¹Â You shall do no manner of work: it is a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. ³²Â It shall be a Sabbath of solemn rest for you, and you shall deny yourselves. In the ninth day of the month at evening, from evening to evening, you shall keep your Sabbath.”

WP-Bible plugin NKJV). It was a day of “holy convocation” to collectively fast. People were to remain in their houses and treat the day as a Sabbath, remembering that the high priest was entering the Most Holy Place praying for the atonement for the sins of all of Israel’s tribes, whose names were borne on his breastpiece. The Day of Atonement was a good time to prepare for the Feast of Tabernacles that followed a week later.

The Old Testament also speaks of a sin offering and a guilt offering. These two offerings are very similar and both are sacrifices that are offered for the removal of sin. The difference between these offerings is that the guilt offering required restitution. For instance, if a person stole something from his neighbor he would have to return it to his neighbor. After returning the item he would then be qualified to have a guilt offering made for his sin. Both the sin offering and the guilt offering forgave the transgressor of his sin.

History says St. Augustine, Martin Luther and John Wesley all grew up with godly parents who taught and drilled them in the Bible teachings. Although St. Augustine rebelled in his youth and backslid into sin and debauchery, his sense of sin and shame was heavy and he repented of his sins to become one of the great theologians of the early church. Martin Luther and John Wesley both had mothers who taught them the Bible. Each of these men at an early age had consciences with great “sin sensitivity” that helped to deepen their faith in God.

Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758), the great early American Calvinist, revivalist and theologian was known for making listeners quake with his fiery message, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” The messages of sin and hell were usually proclaimed without any concern for political correctness or worry about making congregants feeling comfortable. Edward’s eminent concern was about the souls of sinners getting right with God. The message against sin was a message about choosing one’s destiny, heaven or hell. The message was not how to find “happiness” but rather on repenting of sins and living a righteously redeemed new life.

I grew up hearing about the suffering and damnation that sin brings on lives and relationships. Those early teachings strengthened my faith and resolve to live for God. It gave me a keen sensitivity between right and wrong. From the pulpit I was taught that the end result of sin is eternal punishment in hell (another subject that seems to be banned from today’s contemporary preaching).

Here’s the solution for sin that I need to repeat. Acknowledge you are a sinner. Repent of your sins and receive forgiveness through Christ Jesus. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (I John 1:9John 1:9
English: World English Bible - WEB
9 The true light that enlightens everyone was coming into the world.

WP-Bible plugin NKJV).

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