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WHosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the
law: for sin is the transgression of the law. 5 And ye know that he was manifested
to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. 6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth
not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. 7 Little children, let no man deceive
you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. 8 He that committeth sin is of the
devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of
God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whosoever is born of God doth not
commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is
born of God. 10 In this the children of God are manifest,
and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God,
neither he that loveth not his brother.
(1 John 3:4-10)
At the outset of every serious
discussion, there must be a clarification of terms that highlight the
discussion. The banner term upon which today’s discussion is centered is the word,
SIN. Sin is not a very pleasant topic of discussion. Reference to SIN is more
avoided today in churches than it is in the bar room. Many believe that sin is
a word passe to
our time, but it is more relevant a point of discussion and deliberation today
than ever before. Many have dismissed the Law of God as having nothing to do
with our obligations before God. That is a lie straight from the burning fires
of Hell itself. So what,
exactly, is SIN? I will not mince human terms of theologians in the definition
for their opinion is irrelevant in the face of God’s pure Word.
Simply put, as Scripture declares, sin is the transgression of the law. No further
effort to define sin is
necessary when God has summarized it so concisely.
It
may surprise some readers to hear me aver we are even saved under the terms of
the Law, but we are. You may claim, Not so, by
grace alone are we saved. Both answers are correct and both are required for salvation. In
what way? Do you agree that we have all sinned and fallen short of the
righteousness of God? For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Romans 3:23
(KJV) So, are you an exception, or perhaps an angel who kept his first estate? No! You and I are sinners who
fell short of the glory of God - no exception.
God is a God who cannot disregard His Holy Law. The sentence of death, which we
all deserve, must be executed. For the wages of sin is death;
but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans
6:23 (KJV) Those wages will be paid - no exception.
However, the penalty of the Law stands between us and our God. Since God cannot
ignore His Law of Justice, that penalty must be paid ere we come to Him at the
end of this life. How can we satisfy that debt before we perish (for we cannot
be saved after death)?
The
Law requires the penalty of death to all sinners, and there is no way we can
pay the penalty. We are poor and desperate sinners who have no collateral or
bond to post that will satisfy our sin debt. If we say that we have no sin, we
deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he
is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from
all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a
liar, and his word is not in us. (1 John 1:8-10) We need to call on someone who has the means
and resources to pay our debt, and that Benefactor must have no debt on His own
part, else the debt could not be paid. There is but One who could
satisfy the terms of the Law on our behalf. Only One of all men who has no sin
and who is rich in righteousness. That Person is both Man and God. His name is
our Lord Jesus Christ. Being sinless, He had no sin debt to pay on His own
part. Therefore, He could be our substitute in redeeming the debt for all who
accept His Lordship. Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption
that is in Christ Jesus, (Romans 3:24)
When a prisoner is pardoned by proper
court of wrong doing, the law that convicted him from the beginning is not done
away; and neither are the Law and Commandments of God done away. They exist for
all, but those who have found their calling and election in Christ are pardoned
from paying the sin-debt that our Lord satisfied on our behalf. Every one of
the Ten Commandments of God are subordinate to the first. If we keep the first
Commandment, we cannot fail to keep the other nine.
Jesus summarized the Ten Commandments when
asked what is the first and great Commandment. Jesus responded: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God
with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the
first and great commandment. (Matt 22:37-38) Jesus is summarizing the first five
Commandments in our obligations to God
- the Fifth is a transition Commandment
between our obligations to our Father in Heaven and our obligations to our
earthly parents. Our Lord then summarizes our duties to each other: And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy
neighbour as thyself. (Matt 22:39) Please note how the second summary is totally
contingent on keeping the first: If a man say, I love God, and hateth his
brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen,
how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we
from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also. (1 John 4:20-21)
Sin Is a Thief and Murderer
SIN represents the legal code
of Satan. We are born with a propensity to sin. That means that no matter how
hard we try, or how much we study, we cannot claim a free will to live
righteously; therefore, the very wills of the sinner is not free at all, but
enslaved to the legal code of Satan which is unrighteousness altogether. Sin is
Satan’s
means of taking all that we
have and leaving us for dead. A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho,
and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half
dead. (Luke 10:30) Fellow Christians, you and I were that ‘certain man’ that
went DOWN from the Holy City, out of the will of God, and was mugged by Satan -
robbed and left for dead. When Satan leaves you
for dead, it is time for the mighty power of God to act.
Sin is a Debt Owed
In that communal prayer called the Lord’s Prayer, we
pray: And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. (Matt 6:12) Forgiveness must be sought, and it will be
granted by God’s mercy and grace.
Sin is a Heavy Burden
Sin weighs us down and makes running the race God has chosen
to set before us impossible to run. For mine iniquities are gone over mine
head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me. Psalms 38:4
(KJV) As the track runner, Paul says, Wherefore
seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us
lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the
race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith;
who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame,
and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Heb 12:1-2) The sin burden is too heavy for any man to
bear across Jordan Banks without a Deliverer of them: Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I
will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and
lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy,
and my burden is light. (Matt 11:28-30)
Sin is a Deadly Sting
Sin is a sting that results in eternal
death unless the antidote is applied (the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.) The
sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the
law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory
through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1
Cor 15:56-57)
Sin is a Deadly Wound and
Separates Us from God and His People
Just as the disease of leprosy is a
living death, so is the wound of SIN. My wounds stink and are
corrupt because of my foolishness. Psalms 38:5 (KJV) The spirit of a man will sustain his
infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear? Prov 18:14 (KJV)
Sin is a Plague of the Soul
What prayer and supplication soever
be made by any man, or by
all thy people Israel, which shall know every man the plague of his own heart,
and spread forth his hands toward this house: (1 Kings 8:38) Sin is spiritual LEPROSY. IT ALWAYS leads to
death. It is a disease of the blood contaminated at Eden. It is a growing sickness. It becomes impossible
to conceal the spread of the disease due to its disfiguration of the soul, and
the putrid odor of a character blemished by the advancing leprosy. Only the
blood of Christ can cleanse the spiritual leper’s blood disease.
Sin Is Uncleaness
When we are unclean, we need to take a
bath. When we have sinned, we need the washing of the Word. In that day
there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants
of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness. (Zech 13:1)
There
are many other features that are associated with sin; however, it is enough to
know that sin kills, and salvation in the Lord makes alive. Rather than study
the parameters of sin, let us more diligently study the ways of righteousness
in the Lord. Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth
not to be ashamed.
