The Effect of Sin on Man’s Relationship with Man

Introduction

As bad as it is, sin did not just effect our relationship with God. In the beginning, God created the world to opperate a certain way and when man fell into sin and wandered away from God’s perfect plan. Every relationship was effected by that choice. Our relationship with God was effected, but also our relationships with other people were efffected by sin.

Think of sin as a bad cellphone connection. We use our cell phones everyday to check things on the internet or get driving directions, but the thing they were created for was so we could contact other people. Have you ever been somewhere where you just coouldn’t get any connection. I remember driving through the deserts where they test bombs out in New Mexico and Arizona. There was absolutely no signal there. When our cell phone’s won’t connect to the tower or in some cases a satelite; it effects our ability to reach out to other people. Sin as it disrupts our access to God also hinders our ability to connect with others effectively. It's like trying to have a video call with a poor connection - the conversation gets choppy and disjointed. Relationships begin to break down.

The last section in this chapter describes the effects of turning our backs on God on our relationships with other people. Rather than go line by line through the text in this section since it includes a long list of sins, I am going to categorize the effects that sin has on our relationships with other people.

If there is one word that describes all of the sins listed in the following passage, it is the word lusts. The word lusts refers to self-indulgence desires, but it is interesting that the actual Greek word means over desires. Desire is a natural part of who we are as human beings, but when man fell in the garden our desires were tainted by sin. They became disordered. Lusts are essentially when a good thing becomes a god thing. The pursuit of our desires becomes overwhelming and it guides our actions instead of God guiding our actions. But all mankind has these over-desires and they affect the way we relate to other people.

That word over desire might seem a little strange to you. But we all know that you can desire too much of a good thing.

We love icecream, but when we desire it too much it becomes gluttony and we get fat.

It’s nice to have a little money, but when you desire it enough to cause you to steel, you desire it too much.

Desires becomes lusts when they begin to rule our lives. Instead of God ruling our lives, desire rules our lives.

At the heart of lust is selfishness. Pleasing self becomes the focus of my thoughts and desires. When selfishness rules our relationships they will always break down over time. You ever wonder why so many families are broken? The answer is selfishness.

Selfishness causes husbands to cheat on their wives

Selfishness leads to angry outbursts of abuse

Selfishness leads to arguments- I have to have my way

Selfishness breaks down communication- I don’t empathize with the other person or listen to their concerns

Our text reveals five areas of our relationships that are effected by sin. The list of sins in this section defy neat classifications, but I want to draw out at least these five areas where sin changes the way we relate to other people.

Sin effects our sexual relationships

Romans 1:24–28 “Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;”

The types of sexual sin

The very first relationship listed in this text that is effected by sin is our sexual relationships. Paul uses this word uncleaness which is often associated with sexual sin.

2 Corinthians 12:21 “And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.”

Galatians 5:19 “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,”

Ephesians 5:3 “But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;”

I believe this verse here speaks of general sexual sin. Any kind of sexual sin like fornication, adultery, masturbation, fantasies ect. are included in this passage. The following verses will also describe Lesbianism in vs 26 and homosexuality in vs 27. We will look at these in more detail next week.

The root of sexual sin

I want us to notice the very first word wherefore. I have argued in the past that idolatry is at the heart of all sins. Paul’s use of wherefore which could also be translated therefore here links idolatry as the root of sexual sin. Because man did not worship God, they rejected him and surpressed the truth; God gave them up or handed them over to sexual sin.

Why is it that we sin sexually?

Ultimately, our hearts are set on what we want and we don’t care what the bible says. We are discontent to live in the confines of marriage. We want it before marriage or we want it with someone other than our spouse. In the end, it becomes about fulfilling our desires. You aren’t asking what does God want, but you are also not asking what is best for this other person. God’s best is a committed loving relationship in the bounds of a marriage covenant.

The results of sexual sin

This idea of dishonoring their own bodies- refers to shaming them. According to Hebrews 13:4 “Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.” Sex is an amazing wonderful, God-glorifying thing in marriage. But when we take it and use it for merely fulfilling our desires, we debase it. We make it less special. Its kinda like taking the Declaration of independence and using it as toilet paper.

Sin effects our economic relationships

There are two words in this list of vices that describe our economic relationships: coveteousness and envy. Whenever you make purchases or work for someone to get paid, you invariably have some kind of a relationship with people. But sin has an effect on our relationships that deal with money.

We can be guilty of coveteousness or a desire to have more than what we are due. Another word for this is greediness. Greed may seem like it doesn’t effect other people. Afterall whats the problem if you amass a bunch of money and hold onto it. Greed can effect our relationships:

when it causes us to withhold giving to someone who has a need Ephesians 4:28 “Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.” teaches that one of the purposes of work is to have money to give to others.

when it causes us to take advantage of others so we can get more.

Envy is a desire to have what others have. I look at the things that others have and I don’t and I desire it. This sin effects our relationships when it causes us to get bitter towards others or to try and tear them down out of jealousy.

Sin effects our social relationships

Sin also effects our relationships with society in general. Sin isn’t confined to our own hearts or even our own homes, but it bleads out into society and effects other people around us. Included in this list are

1. murder

2. debate- the word here speaks of rivalries. We have to be right or have our own way. We allow rivaries and fights to arise between us. I think of the Hatfields and the MacCoys.

3. deceit- this word includes lies but also the idea of betrayal by lies. Those tiny white lies are not as harmless as you think. Relationships are built on trust and trust can’t exist where there are lies.

4. whisperers- passive aggressive attacks on people. We might never say something bad to the person but we will go around and talk to other people about them. When we look at our hearts, what we really want is to push them down, make them look bad maybe to make ourselves look better.

5. malice- aggressive in your face aggression

Sin effects our family relationships

Families everywhere are being effected by sin. How many families have both a father and a mother? How many families have been effected by divorce, adultery, abuse? Parents and children don’t talk to one another. They live completely spearate lives. Families have been effected by sin in two areas in this text:

1. disobey parents- There is so much disobedience and disrespect from children to their parents in this culture. I’m going to be honest, this is the result of sin in the parents lives because at some level they did not train their children. Children can choose to be disrespectful but when their entire life is characterized by this, it is a failure of the parents.

But that doesn’t remove the responsibility from the children. Kids you all know Ephesians 6:1 “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.” so let’s say it together. God commands you obey your parents. If you aren’t you are sinning against God and He will judge you. God’s perfect order in the home is that parents lead and children follow. Sin has reversed that to now the kids are really in charge. They get what they want by throwing fits and complaining, yelling and just refusing to do what they are told. Kids this whole passage is about how God is angry at sinners for these things and He promises to judge people for their sin. Disobeying your parents is serious.

2. without natural affection-root word στοργέως which refers to love of family. There are people out there who are so selfish that they have no love for their families. The narcissist doesn’t love his wife, the wife doesn’t respect her husband, the children hate their parents and treat them like trash. We hardly ever visit our elderly parents let alone try to take care of them. There is a closeness, a love that is supposed to be a natural part of being family, but as family has become a forgotten word, the love of family has also been forgotten.

Sin effects our interpersonal relationships

without understanding- the first definition of this word refers to a gross lack of understanding respecting one’s obligations in socity. Maybe we could call this socially awkward. We live lives so socially unaware and self focused that we don’t realize how we hurt other people. Uyou know it isn’t an excuss to say, “Well, they just don’t understand how saying things like that hurt people.” They don’t understand because they are inattentive to others. There are certain things that are socially required of us like parent’s taking care of their children, husbands their families, not trampling other people when we walk down the hall ect. Sin effects all these areas because we become so focused on what we want that we don’t even think about how it effects other people.

2. covenant breakers- faithless- they can’t be trusted to keep their promises. The most pandemic example of this is divorce. There are times when divorce is permissible, even best; but it is never a good thing. When divorces happen it is often because someone broke their covenant vows.

3. unmerciful- God is merciful and it is amazing because you know what He has no reason to be merciful. It just is who he is, but mankind is another story. If we are all honest, we know that we are all sinners. Because we are all sinners, we ought to be able to offer mercy to other people. But there are some people who are so cruel that they cannot even fathom showing mercy.

This is another reason why marriages breakdown. Husband does something stupid like not calling when he is going to be late and the wife gets angry and cannot be passified. She will not forgive. This is the last straw. Her responce is unmerciful and it is ungodly.

Conclusion

How should we respond to a passage like this? It presents a pretty dark view of people. The first response ought to be to recognize that this is a true picture of humanity. The world and psychology want to tell us that mankind is basically good, they are just twisted by outside influences. Mankind is essentially broken and it isn’t cynical to recognize this. In order for us to find hope, we have to realize how deep a hole we are actually in. We are sinners totally depraved, but Jesus. Those should be the sweetest two words: But Jesus.

Secondly, we cannot set ourselves up as judges over other people. We are all in this boat. We are all sinners. That isn’t good news, but I can’t look at you who is in the bottom of a sinking boat and brag because I am on the top of the sinking boat. We are both going to die. These verses should strip us of any pride.

Third, as we close out this section let’s not forget why these verses were written. These verses were written to higlight how beautiful the gospel is. Our situation is pretty bad, but the gospel tells us that Jesus came to saved us from this horrible situation. Jesus died for our sins, all these sins. was buried and rose again to offer forgiveness if we will repent and place our faith in Jesus Christ.

Christian, let’s deflate all our pride. But to the unbeliever, the gospel can save you from all of this. Will you come.