Our Sin

Romans 5:6–12 “For while we were still helpless, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly. For rarely will someone die for a just person—though for a good person perhaps someone might even dare to die. But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. How much more then, since we have now been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from wrath. For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, then how much more, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life. And not only that, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received this reconciliation. Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, in this way death spread to all people, because all sinned.” [U=v. 12]

Genesis 3.1-19.

Genesis 3:1–6 “Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the wild animals that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You can’t eat from any tree in the garden’?” The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit from the trees in the garden. But about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden, God said, ‘You must not eat it or touch it, or you will die.’ ” “No! You will certainly not die,” the serpent said to the woman. “In fact, God knows that when you eat it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” The woman saw that the tree was good for food and delightful to look at, and that it was desirable for obtaining wisdom. So she took some of its fruit and ate it; she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.”

Sin, therefore, is missing the mark; it is disobedience to God—either by doing what God has said not to do, or by not doing what he has said to do.

OUR ISSUES…

[Yes, WE—WE ALL—have issues!]

((As a kid did you ever take and eat something you weren’t supposed to eat? Like cookies from the jar?…blue raspberry popsicle from the freezer? And then when asked if you did by your parents (& your wondering why are they even asking this question), you say, “Umm. No.” Then they say, “Are you sure? Because…there are Oreo (or Nutter Butter) crumbs all over your face (shirt). …Or, your lips (& tongue) are blue! WELL, denial has long been many of our’s go-to-method of ‘dealing with’ (responding to) sin.))

Denial

1 John 1:8–10 “If we say, “We have no sin,” we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say, “We have not sinned,” we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” [U=vv. 8-9]

Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God;”

Including the denial that my sin is actually ‘that bad.’ Like the Pharisee Jesus spoke about, “I thank you Lord that I am not like this sinner” (in reference to the Publican [tax collector]…in an actual repentant posture of prayer [“Lord, be merciful to me a sinner.”].

((How many of you put your left sock on first?…your right?…do you even know? Why might you not even know? Because, simply, it’s just my habit, I just do it that way because (with no good reason). It’s just a habit. Now, some habits are good, and very intentional…& others are, well…bad—sinful…what do we do with habitual sin?))

Habitual

1 John 3:4–10 “Everyone who commits sin practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness. You know that he was revealed so that he might take away sins, and there is no sin in him. Everyone who remains in him does not sin; everyone who sins has not seen him or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. The one who commits sin is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God was revealed for this purpose: to destroy the devil’s works. Everyone who has been born of God does not sin, because his seed remains in him; he is not able to sin, because he has been born of God. This is how God’s children and the devil’s children become obvious. Whoever does not do what is right is not of God, especially the one who does not love his brother or sister.” [U=vv. 7-9]

“The one who commits sin…[then] he is not able to sin…” = does not remain; is not going to keep up a lifestyle of sin (a specific, etc.)…because God will discipline [but this does not preclude struggle with a sinful attitude or action—the struggle is the key; sanctification is the process by which our Lord grows us, step-by-step, in righteousness. We are not perfectionists—neither are we libertines!!!]

((So, when I was a teenager, my Aunt & Uncle bought a new Camero (this would’ve been in the mid-to-late 1980’s {1986ish]). They came to visit and allowed me to take the car for a drive by myself one afternoon. So, I promptly took it out on the Main Street near our house and proceeded to test its speed capabilities (which were at least 60-70mph on a 45mph stretch of road). COOL! And I was content to keep this my little secret…except the fact that our friends who lived behind our house (the next street over), the mom saw me out on the road and noted my accelerated rate of driving! Busted to my parents and my aunt and uncle. So much for my own little hidden sin.))

Hidden

Psalm 51.

[1 Samuel 11.1-27.

1 Samuel 12.1-23.

Psalm 51:1 “Be gracious to me, God, according to your faithful love; according to your abundant compassion, blot out my rebellion.”

Psalm 51:10–12 “God, create a clean heart for me and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore the joy of your salvation to me, and sustain me by giving me a willing spirit.”

May God use the Holy Spirit…including the presence of godly friends and family, to keep us accountable (& encouraged) to pursue righteousness and AVOID hiding sin (with which we think we can “get away.”).

CONCL—

1 John 3:19–24 “This is how we will know that we belong to the truth and will reassure our hearts before him whenever our hearts condemn us; for God is greater than our hearts, and he knows all things. Dear friends, if our hearts don’t condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive whatever we ask from him because we keep his commands and do what is pleasing in his sight. Now this is his command: that we believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another as he commanded us. The one who keeps his commands remains in him, and he in him. And the way we know that he remains in us is from the Spirit he has given us.” [U=vv. 19-21]

How can “our hearts not condemn us?”—Being forgiven. How do we have our hearts forgiven?—Repentance.

INVITATION:

Salvation

Habitual Sin

Hidden Sin

1 John 1:9 CSB

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

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