9/7/2016
AWANA Journey
“Sin”
Calvin Coolidge’s famous quip
Sin--a word almost lost from the vocabulary of modern man (it is, after all, a very
JUDGMENTAL word!). But it is real, highly significant, has serious
consequences in the present life, and in the world to come, and there is nothing
we personally can do to rescue ourselves from it-Not:
--self-reform
--self-denial and asceticism
--good intentions
--trying harder
--“turning over a new leaf”
--becoming “religious”
--doing more “good” in the future to make up for the bad of the past
--etc
First, “What is SIN?”
God, not man, gets to define what sin is.
We usually think first of crimes--murder, assault, theft, arson, etc.
These are sins against people, but also against the God who made people.
Ultimately, all sin is against God. Psalm 51:4. Comparatively, David’s sin
against Uriah, Bath-sheba, his own family and his nation was as nothing in
comparison to his sin against God.
Sin can be both active (sins of commission) and passive (sins of omission;
James 4:17). Sins can extend even to our motives, whether acted on or
not, I Cor. 4:5
Sin can be in actions, in words, in thoughts and desires--Matt. 5:2122, 27-28; I John 3:15
Sin is any action, word, thought, or motive that is independent of the will of
God.
Matt. 4:1-11--Satan tempted Jesus, not to commit some heinous act against
people (murder, robbery, adultery) or against God (curse or blaspheme) but
simply to act independent of the will of God for Him.
2
Simply ignoring God is a sin (and a clear violation of the Shema, Deut. 6:4,
5, the great command in the law)
At its root, sin is self-will, rebellion, self-centeredness, pride:
“The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own way,” Prov. 14:14.
“We have turned everyone to his own way,” Isa. 53:6a.
Contrast, “Not my will but Yours be done,” Matt. 26:39.
Story: “I’m standing up on the inside”
Second, “Where did sin come from?”
Man: originally perfect (sinless) in nature and in actions, and with a perfect
relationship with God--Eccles. 7:29a
By voluntary choice, our first ancestor Adam rebelled against God, became
mortal (destined for death), acquired personal guilt and a sinful nature (an
inherent, innate disposition and inclination to do wrong). Gen. 3. This
corrupted human nature has been passed down from Adam to all his
descendants, Rom. 5:12, 18a.
Man became “totally depraved”--corrupt in all parts: in body, in spirit, in will,
in motives, in desires, in emotions.
Man’s nature is thoroughly corrupted, with the resulting sinful actions
(though each person is not as bad in conduct as he might be. And
people, with a residual of the Divine image they were originally
created with (Gen. 9:6) are still capable of noble and selfless actions
(though not man’s usual habit)).
There are three views regarding human nature:
1. that people are inherently good, and doing bad things is contrary to
man’s real self (and is usually blamed on “society”)
2. that people are inherently a blank slate (“tabula rasa”) and are
wholly the product of their environment and upbringing
3. that people are inherently bad--selfish, self-centered and sinful.
“We have met the enemy and they are us.” This last view is
what the Bible teaches.
We are sinners by birth and nature--Ps. 51:5; 58:3; Gen 6:5; 8:21
And we become sinners by choice when we consciously, knowingly choose to
do wrong.
3
Our sinful nature cannot be changed by us. It can be restrained by the threat of
punishment or the promise of reward, but it is as bad as it ever was. We will be
plagued by it until the day we die.
Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892) said, “You cannot slander human nature. It
is worse than words can paint it.”
God’s standard of judgment on sin: His perfect standard as presented in the law-Matt. 5:17-20; James 2:10. He does not “grade on the curve” or give “make-up
tests” or extra assignments for “extra credit.” We cannot excuse ourselves by
chanting, “Well, nobody is perfect.” We must acknowledge: “I am a guilty,
responsible sinner”; see Luke 18:13.
Rom. 1:18-3:20 is God’s prosecutorial indictment against all mankind:
A. pagans 1:18-32
B. the “moral” Gentiles, 2:1-16
C. the Jews, 2:17-3:8
D. all mankind, 3:9-20.
Verdict: “guilty as charged on all counts.”
And it is a capital crime deserving death, both physical and spiritual, without
pardon, parole or commuting of sentence--and it is eternal sentence.
We are all personally, entirely, undeniably guilty of sin in the first degree. We
have no excuse, there are no mitigating circumstances, and we are therefore
justly under a sentence of eternal condemnation--and there is NOTHING we can
do to rescue ourselves.
This is why we MUST come to Christ and trust only in Him as our sole hope of
rescue from the power and consequences of our own sins.
--[At salvation, we are forgiven, declared “not guilty,” cleansed, set apart for God
(sanctified) and much more but we retain our sin nature until death or the rapture,
which is why believers, though saved and forgiven are still subject to pain,
temptation, sin and death. Paul struggled all life long against his indwelling sin
nature, Rom. 7:14-25]