Sin
by Bryan Carlson
Sin is a violation of God’s holy character with eternal consequences:
Gen 6:5-6 The LORD saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. 6 The LORD regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled.
Isaiah 5:20-21 Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. 21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight.
Rom 2:5 But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when His righteous judgment will be revealed.
James 4:4 You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.
Sin separates us from God:
Rom 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God
Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death came through sin, and in the way death came to all people, because all sinned.
James 2:10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.
While we were still sinners, Christ died for us!
·Rom 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Our faith in Christ alone is the only thing that saves us:
Matthew 7:13-14 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
John 14:6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Eph 2:8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
There are only two groups of people in the world: those who have trusted Christ and those who have not:
John 3:15-18 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” 16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
1 John 5:10-12 Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony. Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. 11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
Everyone who has trusted Christ is now part of His body, the church:
Eph 4:4-6 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
Everyone who dies without Christ will spend eternity separated from Him:
Matt 7:21-23 21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
Matt 13:40-43 “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. 42 They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.
Matt 25:46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.
2 Thess 1:8-9 He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might
Rev 20:15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.
In light of this, it should be the passion of every Christian to share the Gospel—in action and in words—with non-Christians:
Matt 28:19-20 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
2 Cor 5:17-21 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Prov 11:30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and the one who is wise saves lives.
Our response to such a great salvation is to live our lives as a living sacrifice!
Luke 9:23-26 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. 25 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? 26 Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.
Rom 12:1-2 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Gal 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
1 Pet 1:13-16 Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. 14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
And to produce fruit:
Jesus and the New Testament writers make it very clear that a Believer can be recognized by their fruit. Where it gets tricky is us using the fruit test on others. Some unbelievers can still be good people and do good works—they, however, are not saved unless they have placed their faith in Christ alone for the forgiveness of sin and have the Holy Spirit living in them. (Romans 8:8-9: “And those who are in the flesh cannot please God. However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirt of Christ, he does not belong to Him.”) Ultimately, God is the ultimate judge, not us. He is the only One who truly knows each person’s heart. We, however, still need to be lovingly confronting each other in our areas of sin—not because we are better and NOT in judgment, but with grace, mercy, and a restorative spirit. Jesus demonstrates this perfectly with the woman caught in adultery. “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you? Neither do I condemn you; go your way. From now on sin no more.” And right after that, “I am the light of the world; he who follows me shall not walk in the darkness but shall have the light of life” (John 8:10-12). In this story, the religious leaders judged her even though they were steeped in their own sin. They had no desire to lovingly lead her into the Kingdom. Jesus lovingly confronted sinners with their wrongdoing. He was not okay to leave people in their sin.
Matthew 7:13-23 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
John 15:1-8 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
2 Cor. 13:5-10 Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test? And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test. Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong—not so that people will see that we have stood the test but so that you will do what is right even though we may seem to have failed. For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. We are glad whenever we are weak but you are strong; and our prayer is that you may be fully restored. This is why I write these things when I am absent, that when I come I may not have to be harsh in my use of authority—the authority the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down.
Galatians 6:7-10 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
Eph 2:10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
1 John 3:1-16: See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure. Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him. Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister. For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous. Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him. This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.
And to teach these amazing truths to our children and grandchildren!
Deuteronomy 6:1-9 These are the commands, decrees and laws the LORD your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, 2 so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the LORD your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life. 3 Hear, Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD, the God of your ancestors, promised you. 4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
Sin is generational—the habits, sins, struggles of one generation generally get passed on and are oftentimes exacerbated by future generations. Our love for the Lord is also passed on. The one thing that makes me more thankful and emotional than any other is to realize that I am a part of a spiritual legacy and am now passing that legacy on to my kids and grandkids.
Exodus 20:4-6 “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
Generational curses and blessings and more proverbs than a promises/guarantees. Sin affects more than the individual—it affects other people. Satan will use everything he can to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10) us, the church, and our families.
All sin is still our own. Romans 5:12 reminds us that just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned. Because of this, we can “change our stars” for us and our future generations.
Deut 24:16 Parents are not to be put to death for their children, nor children put to death for their parents; each will die for their own sin.
Ezekiel 18:19-20 “Yet you ask, ‘Why does the son not share the guilt of his father?’ Since the son has done what is just and right and has been careful to keep all my decrees, he will surely live. 20 The one who sins is the one who will die. The child will not share the guilt of the parent, nor will the parent share the guilt of the child. The righteousness of the righteous will be credited to them, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against them.
We should not use God’s grace as a license to sin:
Rom 6:1-2, 15-18 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means! 16 Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. 18 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.
We should learn from Solomon, that all human efforts apart from God’s will are meaningless. All idols we place above God lead to futility and desperation. Solomon had it all and he tried everything, but when He left God out of the equation, he was left hopeless, helpless, and unsatisfied.
Ecclesiastes 1:2 “Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.”
Ecclesiastes 2:10-11 10 I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my labor, and this was the reward for all my toil. 11 Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.
In our freedom, we should not cause others to stumble:
Luke 17:1-3 Jesus said to his disciples: “Things that cause people to stumble are bound to come, but woe to anyone through whom they come. 2 It would be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck than to cause one of these little ones to stumble. 3 So watch yourselves. “If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them.
Romans 8:12-23 So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God. 13 Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. 14 I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean. 15 If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died. 16 Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil. 17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, 18 because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval. 19 Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. 20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. 21 It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall. 22 So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves. 23 But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.
1 Corinthians 8:9,12-13 Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak. 12 When you sin against them in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if what I eat (fill in the blank) causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall.
When we do sin, we should confess our sins:
Gal 3:13-14 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.” 14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.
Hebrews 4:12-16 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. 14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
1 John 1:7-11 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. 8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.
We should even confess our sins to each other!
James 5:16-20 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. 17 Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. 18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops. 19 My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, 20 remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.
And, as the church, we should challenge each other to holy living!
Matt 18:15-17 (Jesus) “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. 16 But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ 17 If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.
Luke 17:3 (Jesus) So watch yourselves. “If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. 4 Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.”
1 Cor 5:1-13 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that even pagans do not tolerate: A man is sleeping with his father’s wife. 2 And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have gone into mourning and have put out of your fellowship the man who has been doing this? 3 For my part, even though I am not physically present, I am with you in spirit. As one who is present with you in this way, I have already passed judgment in the name of our Lord Jesus on the one who has been doing this. 4 So when you are assembled and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, 5 hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord. 6 Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough? 7 Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8 Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old bread leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. 9 I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people—10 not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. 11 But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people. 12 What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? 13 God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked person from among you.”
2 Cor 7:8-12 Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it—I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while—9 yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. 10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. 11 See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter. 12 So even though I wrote to you, it was neither on account of the one who did the wrong nor on account of the injured party, but rather that before God you could see for yourselves how devoted to us you are.
Gal 2:11-13 When Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. 13 The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.
Gal 6:1-2 Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. 2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
Eph 4:11-16 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. 14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
2 Thess 3:10-15 For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.” 11 We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies. 12 Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the food they eat. 13 And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good. 14 Take special note of anyone who does not obey our instruction in this letter. Do not associate with them, in order that they may feel ashamed. 15 Yet do not regard them as an enemy, but warn them as you would a fellow believer.
1 Tim 5:19-22 Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses. 20 But those elders who are sinning you are to reprove before everyone, so that the others may take warning. 21 I charge you, in the sight of God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, to keep these instructions without partiality, and to do nothing out of favoritism. 22 Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, and do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.
2 Tim 4:1-4 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
Titus 3:8-11 This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone. 9 But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless. 10 Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time. After that, have nothing to do with them. 11 You may be sure that such people are warped and sinful; they are self-condemned.
Hebrews 10:23-27 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. 26 If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27 but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.
Prov 27:17 As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.
2 Sam 12:1-14 The LORD sent Nathan to David. When he came to him, he said, “There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor. 2 The rich man had a very large number of sheep and cattle, 3 but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him. 4 “Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to him.” 5 David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, “As surely as the LORD lives, the man who did this must die! 6 He must pay for that lamb four times over, because he did such a thing and had no pity.” 7 Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. 8 I gave your master’s house to you, and your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you all Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more. 9 Why did you despise the word of the LORD by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. 10 Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.’ 11 “This is what the LORD says: ‘Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity on you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will sleep with your wives in broad daylight. 12 You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.’ ” 13 Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” Nathan replied, “The LORD has taken away your sin. You are not going to die. 14 But because by doing this you have shown utter contempt for the LORD, the son born to you will die.”
There are also different degrees of sin. Positionally, we are all equally guilty. James 2:10 says, “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of it all. Romans 3:23 reminds us that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” However, certain sins carry heavier consequences than other sins (the flood, Sodom and Gomorrah, David with Bathsheba and Uriah). Not all sin is equal is equal in terms of its effects, consequences, and degree of punishment on the person, the church, the family, and society. Some of this is common sense: getting angry with someone vs. murder; lusting vs. bestiality. God has given us minds to reason. It only makes sense to us in setting our own laws and consequences for breaking those laws based on their severity and impact on others. It is illegal to drive five miles over the speed limit and is completely fair if we are pulled over and given a ticket. I would fully expect, however, to receive a much more severe punishment if I kill an innocent family of five when I cross the center line while driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
Sexual sins incur stricter judgment. 1 Corinthians 6:18 tell us the immoral man sins against his own body. But even with sexual sins, there are different degrees of punishment. If I lust after a woman, that is sin, no doubt (Matthew 5:27-28). If I commit adultery with a woman, I am sinning against God, my body, the woman, my wife, her husband, etc. If I choose to have sex with a man, that is even a more grievous sin in God’s eyes, because not only am I violating my marriage vows, I am now also violating God’s created order as found in Genesis 1:27; 2:18-25. If I choose to participate in an orgy and have sex with many people at the same time…if I choose to have sex with a child…if I choose to have sex with an animal…these are all sins worthy of eternal separation from a holy God. But as I move more and more down the path of depravity, I deserve, and will receive, a harsher and harsher judgement from God. And as our nation moves farther and farther down this path of perversion, the farther we get away from God’s perfect ideals, and the more judgement we can expect.
We see in Romans 1:18-32 that “the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness.” Even though they knew God they did not honor Him and exchanged His glory for idols. “They exchanged the truth of God for a lie.” So, God “gave them over to in the lusts of their hearts to impurity.” Their men and women “exchanged the natural function for that which in unnatural” and “burned in their desire for one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving the due penalty of their error. God gave them over to a depraved mind to do things which are not proper.” God is so grieved by some sin that He gives people over to desires, perversions, and severe judgment.
In 1 Corinthians 5, Paul calls out the Corinthian church for not dealing with a grievous sexual sin they all knew about. Was it true that Paul didn’t have his own sin or that the Corinthians didn’t each have sin issues they were all individually guilty of? Of course they did. But some sin is more heinous than others and must be dealt with more harshly. (1 Corinthians 5:1-6; 9-13) We are all sinful men, but some acts are more wicked than others and deserves a harsher response.
In the days of Noah, according to Genesis 6:5, “the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually…but Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.” Noah was still a sinner but did not incur the same judgment as the rest of mankind. 2 Timothy 3:13 says that in the last days (days still to come), “evil men and imposters will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived” (see 2 Timothy 3:1-9). According to Paul, sinners can go from bad to worse. All sin is bad; some sin is worse.
Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed because of their egregious sins. Were all of the other cities around them “good.” No, they were all sinful people. But some sins deserve and incur greater wrath and hatred of God than others. Genesis 18:20: “And the Lord said, ‘The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is indeed great, and their sin is exceedingly grave.” When the Lord could not even find 10 righteous people, He chose to destroy the city as a result of their wickedness. In Genesis 19, two angels came to visit Lot in Sodom. “Before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, surrounded the house, both young and old, all the people from every quarter; and they called to Lot and said to him, ‘Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to use that we may have relations with them.’” When Lot offered to give them his two virgin daughters to do with them whatever they would like and asked them to stop acting wickedly, they accused him of judging them. The Lord showed mercy to Lot, his wife, and his two daughter and worked out a plan of escape for them before he rained fire down on the city, destroying all its inhabitants. Was Lot without sin? Clearly not. But God still showed favoritism to this less-wicked man and his family.
Joshua and Caleb, the only two spies who trusted in the Lord to enter the Promised Land, were the only two people over the age of 20 who didn’t die wandering in the wilderness and were allowed to enter the Promised Land once the wandering was over. Were they without sin? No. But their sin did not offend God to the point of death.
David was called by God “a man after His own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14). He was still a sinner up to his sins of adultery and murder with Bathsheba and Uriah. It was only after these egregious sins that God says the sword will never depart from his family. From this point on, his family is a complete mess. God still forgave David when he repented. The consequence of these sins, however, were much more severe than his other sins. Nathan was loving enough to confront David is his sin. David, as a true believer, was humble enough to repent of his sin before God.
Some Old Testament sins could be atoned for and others required the death penalty
Genesis 9:6 “Whoever sheds human blood, by humans shall their blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made mankind.
Romans 13:1-7—God uses government to punish those who do greater evil.
Jesus also talks about this in the New Testament:
Luke 12:47-48 “The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows. 48 But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.
Scripture often refers to degrees of sin, punishment, and eternal reward:
Genesis 4:10; 18:20; 19:13; Exodus 3:7-10—certain sins cry out to God
Leviticus 4; Numbers 15:19-31; Luke 12:47-48—intentional sin receives a harsher punishment than unintentional sin
Jeremiah 7:16, 24, 26—they did evil more than their fathers
Matthew 6:19-21; 1 Corinthians 3:12-15—we are called to store up for ourselves treasures in Heaven—there will be more rewards in Heaven for those who do more good works and abstain from evil; their will be some in Heaven with no rewards, just escaping through the flames
John 19:11—Jesus said to Pilate: “he who delivered me up to you has the greater sin.”
1 Timothy 5:20—elders who sin should be publicly rebuked as an example to the body
James 3:1: “Let not many of you become teachers knowing that we shall incur a stricter judgment.”
1 John 5:15-17—there are sins we commit that lead to death
The most serious sin—blasphemy against/rejection of the Holy Spirit and of Jesus Christ—Matthew 12:31-32; Hebrews 6:4-6; 10:26-31
I am not trying to make myself feel better by convincing myself that my sin is not as bad as another’s sin. At the end of the day, I am responsible for myself alone before a holy God whether I have sinned one time or one million times, whether I have lied or murdered. I, nor any other believer, is better than anyone else. It is only by the grace of Christ through faith in Jesus Christ alone that we are saved and are viewed by God as holy and blameless in His sight. It is not my merit that makes me righteous before a holy God but Christ’s merit on my behalf. It is now my desire to become as much like Christ as possible and strive to be holy as he is holy. I will still continue to sin every day until I am glorified. My response should be to repent of my sin and strive to become more like Christ every day. A true believer should never become complacent of our sin, comfortable in our sin, or accepting of our sin. As we discipline ourselves in Godliness and choose daily to walk with the Lord, we are honoring the Lord and will be blessed. Any of us, which includes me and you, who choose to blatantly, live in open rebellion against the Lord and His Word, will incur judgment. The more blatant and brash the rebellion, the more severe the judgment.
Everyone is able to be saved—even the “worst of sinners.” Look at the Apostle Paul who openly persecuted the church of Jesus Christ and was gloriously saved. He became the leading proponent of spreading the Gospel to those who had never heard and wrote the majority of the New Testament. God desires that none should perish but be brought repentance (2 Peter 3:8-9). It is our responsibility to share this Good News (Romans 10:9-15)!
While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. John 3:16; Ephesians 2:1-10.
Repentance is a huge part of how we deal with a person living in a habitual sin. We are all called to confront others in the church who we see in sin.
As Believers, when we challenge each other to holy living, we keep the following in mind:
I am a sinner saved by grace. I am absolutely a sinner. We all are. The deeper my relationship with the Lord, the more grievous my own sin becomes. I constantly confess sin in my own life. Will I ever be perfect this side of heaven, no. Nobody will.
I am not better than you, just saved by grace.
We are not the Holy One whose righteousness is violated by sin. We must still call sin, sin however and in love either be willing to share the Gospel with the unrepentant person or challenge a brother or sister living in sin. Either way, we are calling the person to repentance—either repentance leading to eternal life (the cure for eternal separation) or repentance that leads to a right relationship with God.
Matt 7:1-5 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
I will confront you directly, in love, not slander you to others.
James 4:10-12 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. 11 Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. 12 There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?
If you see sin in my life, I would ask that you, in love, care enough about me to bring it to me.
Nathan demonstrated this beautifully as he rebuked David for his sin against Bathsheba and Uriah in 2 Samuel 12. David responded appropriately and confessed his sin (Psalm 51).
Sin in ourselves and in others should sadden us. In others, not because of the effect it has on us but because of the effect it has on the other person—and the other lives they impact. Look at the contrasts between living in the flesh and living in the Spirit!
1 Cor 3:14-15 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.
1 Cor 6:9-11 Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
Gal 5:16-25 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
·Eph 5:11-17 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. 14 This is why it is said: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” 15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.
Ultimately, we have victory in Christ! Once saved, our redemption in guaranteed!
Romans 8:28-39 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Conclusion:
The conversation, at the end of the day, comes down to how we believe love should look? Is it more loving to not confront a person—either an unbeliever or a believer—in their sin, or is more loving to confront the person? Is it self-righteous judgement to lovingly, with the right Spirit, confront a person in their sin? It is more loving to confront them and even unloving to not confront the person. Confronting them in judgment is never right—that is a sin on our part. Our sin is equally as egregious as their sin. The goal of confronting a person is not to show how I am better and they are worse. I am just as much of a sinner as they are, just redeemed. If I am living for the Lord, I will humbly be confessing my sin to God and keeping a clear conscience. I also hope that others will lovingly confront me in my sin if they see an area of my life they are concerned about.
