The Affects of Sin

Introduction

We have been working toward this conclusion for a very long time. Paul’s argument which began in chapter 1 went through chapter 2 finally finds its conclusion in:

Romans 3:9 “What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;”

Everything he has said is to show us that all are sinners. In the next few verses we are going to see a description of the effects of sin, but notice words like none, not one, all- They teach the universality of sin and its effects. This isn’t a description of the drug dealer, cartel leader who kills people who get in his way. This isn’t a description merely of the serial killer who rapes and murders brunettes that remind him of his previous wife. This is a description of you and me. Paul’s view of mankind is darker than the traditional Jewish view that thought some could keep the law. Its darker than most of us would lie to admit. I think if we were honest we all believe we are decently good people, but that is not how God looks at it and that is not what the bible teaches.

We are all influenced and controlled by sin. It is our master and has control over our lives as unredeemed, unregenerate human beings. Apart from Jesus changing you this is you: a slave to sin. They are all under sin Vs 9.

Sin has power over us:

it reigns 5:21

it enslaves 6:6

it rules 6:12

it has lordship 6:14

we are slaves to it 6:16

we can be freed from it 6:18, 22

When I think of sin being our slave master, I think of the story of Ben Hur. You remember the scene in the galley boats? Ben Hur had been wrongly accused and convicted of a crime he didn’t commit. He was sentenced to life aboard the galley ships rowing. This was no pleasure cruse. People died pretty quickly from the strain. But in that boat was a man with a drum. He would beat that drum and Ben Hur would row to its pace. One day when Quintas Arias boards the ship, he puts the people to the test. He was in control. That man with the drum was in control. Whatever speed they beat the drum to, Ben Hur must row to. Sin has the drum of our hearts and it is beating out the rhythm of evil and destruction in our lives. We have no choice but to obey.

There are some things that are true because we are sinners. Some things about our lives are affected by our sin. And before we can find help for our sin, we must wrestle with the cost of our sin. What has sin done to us? What has it cost us? We are going to divide the following verses into six categories for the affects of sin.

Our standing before God is affected

Romans 3:10 “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:”

Verse 10 really is the foundation for all of this passage. Because you and I are sinners, we are all guilty before God. Paul has concluded in Romans 1:20 “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:” The Gentiles are without excuse. In Romans 2:1 “Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.” The Jews are without excuse. We will all be judged for our sin because we are guilty.

You might think you are pretty good, but Paul referencing Psalm 14:1-3 concludes there is none righteous. If I am brought before a court of law, the only way I am getting out of there is if I am innocent. The bibles word for this is righteous. To be righteous, you must have done everything right; but we aren’t right. We are guilty.

Let’s just take the 10 commandments as an example. We will just take a few:

You shall not steal. Have you ever stolen in your life before? (lollypop story) Does the value of what you stole really matter when it comes to determining if you are a thief? The punishment might be greater for greater crimes, but it doesn’t change your standing. You are guilty.

You shall not commit adultery. Jesus said that if we look upon a woman to lust after her we have committed adultery in our hearts. What man in here today can ever say he never looked at a woman who wasn’t his wife and desired her. So we are guilty of theft and adultery.

You shall not kill- Again Jesus said that if you are angry at someone without a cause- you will stand in judgment as a murderer. That phrase without a cause is so delightful isn’t it. We all think we have reason’s to be angry at other people. But the nature of anger is that it doesn’t always see the truth properly and it often blows things out of proportion. How we doing so far?

Sin has made us pretty guilty hasn’t it. There is coming a day when we will all be judged Hebrews 9:27 “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” One of the worst consequences of sin is that I am now guilty before God.

Our minds are affected

Romans 3:11 “There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.”

Sin affects our minds as well. It blinds us to our own sin. We often can’t see sin for what it truly is. Consider the young couple who commit fornication. They see it as love; God sees it as sin. And the girl bawls her eyes out later when the boy moves on. In Psalm 73:22 “So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee.” that his bitterness made him foolish like a beast or an animal. When you tell an animal you are going to the store, it doesn’t fully understand you.

Sin also makes your dreams and values vain. Romans 1:21–22 “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,” What you think is important is often skewed by sinful desires. The word vain means empty. Our imagination or reasoning becomes worthless.

I preached an entire message on the noetic affects of sin; so I would challenge you to review that message. But sin will affect your thinking. You just don’t think straight.

Example- My body my rights- it someone else’s body inside your body

Our motives are affected

Romans 3:11 “There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.”

Why do you do what you do? Man was created to glorify and enjoy God forever, but that isn’t how we live our lives is it. Everything you do is motivated by something. You are seeking something when you make the choices you do. You can either seek after God or seek after pleasing yourself. This verse declares that no one apart from the grace of Christ truly seeks God. Paul is not saying that no one ever seeks a spiritual blessing or power or answered prayers or an experience of the supernatural, but no one seeks God for God. Selfishness contaminates the motives behind everything that we do. Romans 8:8 “So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.”

Isaiah 64:6 “But we are all as an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; And we all do fade as a leaf; And our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” The traditional doctrine of total depravity does not teach what many have come to think it means. Some take this to mean that man is so dead that they cannot respond to the grace of God. The traditional teaching of total depravity teaches that everything about you is touched by sin. There is nothing unaffected by our sin. That includes your motives.

Pride, selfishness, relieving our own discomfort, looking good, feeling good about ourselves, hoping to get something out of it, escaping punishment are all wrong motives for why we do what we do. We may tell ourselves we do it because it is right, but the motive still fall short of doing it because of God’s glory. 1 Corinthians 10:31 “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”

Our wills are affected

Romans 3:12 “They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.”

The focus on this verse is the things we choose to do. We have chosen to go out of the way. We have chosen to do evil. We are sinners by birth, but we are also sinners by choice. James 4:17 “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” indicates that we know what is good but choose not to do it. Sin’s contamination has so affected our wills that we do not choose to do what is right.

Let’s put it this way, If you could do something wrong that you really really want to do, and no one would ever know, would you do it? The lack of integrity among people when the opportunity to sin comes around reveals that we often choose to do wrong when we think we can get away with it.

Our bodies are affected

Sin is not just about our attitudes; it also involves our bodies. It is with our bodies that we often commit sin. Romans 3:13–15 “Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood:”

our speech lets out the evil in our hearts

we deceive

our words are poisonous

we give vent to hate and bitterness

our feet run to do violence

Our relationships are affected

With mankind Romans 3:15–17 “Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known:”

we inflict destruction and misery not we experience them

With God Romans 3:18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” Job 28:28 “And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; And to depart from evil is understanding.”

Conclusion

Romans 3:19–20 “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”

Everything in chapter 2-3:9 have been arguments against what Paul is saying. It’s like the kid who when confronted by their parents keeps saying but but but. Finally, they just have to stop talking because they are clearly guilty.

Even though this passage is directed at the lost, do not think that Christians don’t feel the affects of sin in their lives. These effects are universal, we have been redeemed, regenerated which lessens the affects while we live. But when you choose to live in sin, it will impact you in these ways more and more over time. In counseling, when it comes to those struggling with sin, one of the best tasks you can challenge them to do is write down all the ways that this sin will affect them and others. Consider a man who is considering committing adultery. If he were to write down the consequences of his sin, he may just think twice.

Divorce

lose his relationship with his kids

financial lose

stained reputation

guilt before God

loss of job depending on the situation

Emotional distress from guilt and shame

Wife would suffer emotional pain, possibly need counseling and suffer damage

loss of trust

An unwanted child potentially

Bring shame upon the name of Christ

Unwanted disease potentially

Starting life over again

The influence of your sin might extend to your children

Sin is not without consequences. If this morning you are considering a course of action, or if you are struggling with sin in your life; spend some time meditating on the ways that sin will affect your life before you go down that path. Paul’s point is that sin also affects us in these ways. It always has consequences and I pray you will think twice this morning. Maybe you need to come down front and pray for awhile mourning over your sin. 2 Corinthians 7:10 “For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.”