How Sin Is Hatched
Notes
Transcript
I. Neglecting your responsibilities.
I. Neglecting your responsibilities.
Adrian Rogers said this: “All sins are sins of omission.”
His logic was that if we did what we were supposed to be doing we would not have the time to do what we shout not be doing.
If you think about it, his logic makes a lot of sense. If you were reading the Bible and meditating upon it as you should, it would be hard for you to lust. If you were working hard at your job, it would be hard for you to be slothful.
I believe Dr. Rogers was onto something. All sins are sins of omission.
The classic biblical example proving Dr. Rogers’ statement to be true is David and Bathsheba found in the 11th Chapter of 2 Samuel, and as we begin reading, you can see how sin is hatched.
It happened in the spring of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the people of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.
Then it happened one evening....
To understand what is about to happen, you must understand the duties of the kings of Israel.
A. DUTIES of King David.
A. DUTIES of King David.
Now I think that little phrase “it happened” in verse 2 is incredibly important. It is a conditional statement meaning that because David was not doing what he should, something else happened.
So, the question becomes this. What was David supposed to be doing?
In preparing this sermon, I did biblical research on the duties of the kings, and you can find these duties throughout the Old Testament. For time’s sake, however, I am not going to read the Scriptures. I am just going to give you some of the duties, and I have included in your handout what was entailed in those duties.
Obey and Study God’s Law
The king was required to write his own personal copy of the Law.
The king had to spend time daily writing, remembering, and reciting what was written.
In doing so, the king was setting the expectation for Israel. If the king did not do this, Israel followed suit.
Military leadership
Defense of the nation
Lead the armies into battle
Notice verse one that we read. The spring of the year was the optimal time for warfare. The winter crops well on their way to harvest. Men were not needed to tend the crops, so all men were available for battle, and David knew this.
Rule with justice and righteousness
Protect the poor and afflicted
Rule fairly focusing on fairness and equity
Spiritual and moral example
Ensure proper worship
Intercede for the people
Obey God’s Law
Avoid idolatry
Avoid excessive wealth (Greed/covetousness)
Display integrity
Support worship
Support the priests
Ensure the proper functioning of the religious institutions
David had many things he should have been doing, but he slept in. He neglected his responsibilities.
B. Failures of David.
B. Failures of David.
If David had been doing what he was supposed to be doing, he would not have done what he should not have done.
Look at our verses again.
It happened in the spring of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the people of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.
Then it happened one evening that David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king’s house. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold.
The writer makes it clear that because David was not fulfilling his duties, it happened.
Dear friend, idleness is a terrible sin that left to incubate leads to all kinds of sin.
They hatch vipers’ eggs and weave the spider’s web; He who eats of their eggs dies, And from that which is crushed a viper breaks out.
Once you neglect what you are supposed to be doing you have no clue what might hatch from that idleness. Idleness leads one down a dark, dark path.
I know what some of you are thinking.
You are thinking that all David did was take a nap, but if you think that you are missing the point. I typed a sermon about this topic not long ago and never preached it. Maybe I should.
The enemy, Satan, never sleeps.
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
He is waiting to pounce and if you are not engaged in what you should be doing, he will devour you.
Our society works less and sleeps more than any other society in the history of the world. Our society cherishes free time. Well, dear friend, if you and I were doing what we should be doing, there would be no free time.
We should be sharing the gospel just as David should have been leading the armies of Israel into battle, but like David, we sit too many battles out and souls are dying and going to hell.
Do you know what an abundance of idleness has led to in our society?
An explosion of addiction
An expansion of pornography into the mainstream
Increased sexual immorality and sexual experimentation
Exponential growth of mental instability
And those things affect Christians very much too.
There is no time for idleness. It was true for David. It is true for us. David was not doing what he should have been doing, and then it happened.
Listen dear friend.
You do not know what you are capable of. You are not above what happened to David. David was full of the Holy Spirit. He was godly.
And when He had removed him, He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.’
Yet, in a moment, David let down his guard, neglected his responsibilities, and it happened.
2. The Conception of Sin.
2. The Conception of Sin.
How does sin happen?
A. Idleness.
A. Idleness.
Idleness is not just the absence of activity; it is also activity with no purpose.
Samuel Johnson:
“If you are idol, be not solitary; if you are solitary, be not idol.”
If David had followed that advice, he would have saved himself and his family a great deal of heartache.
The events of the 11th chapter of 2 Samuel, in my mind, are an incredible picture of what Paul warned us about. David, who should have been at war, had laid down his armor for the sake of idleness, and here is what Paul wrote.
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
David should have kept his armor on because in a moment of idleness his life was changed forever. In the same way, a Christian’s life can be ruined in a moment of idleness.
B. Imagination.
B. Imagination.
Then it happened one evening that David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king’s house. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold.
So David sent and inquired about the woman. And someone said, “Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?”
Because of idleness, David was not doing what he should have been doing, and now the imaginations of his mind are beginning to run rampant.
Do you see how sin is conceived?
Now, a man cannot be blamed if a beautiful woman meanders into his line of vision, but David fixed his gaze upon Bathsheba and his mind ran wild with the possibilities. Many families have been destroyed because of imaginations running wild.
“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’
But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
When David paused to take that long look, his imaginations kicked into overdrive.
Do you remember Joseph from the Old Testament? He was placed in the same position, but he did not ponder the possibilities, he fled as fast he could away from Pharaoh’s wife. Joseph escaped the allurement of his imagination. David was trapped by his imaginations.
Do you remember what Jesus said in the Garden of Gethsemane?
“Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Oh, if David had done as Jesus commanded, but instead, he engaged his imagination.
Have you ever thought about this?
Jesus says to watch and pray to keep from entering temptation. Do you notice the wording there? Jesus is saying that if you do not watch (be on guard) and pray, you are voluntarily entering into temptation. In other words, you make the choice to be tempted.
Now, I had not ever paid attention to that until Wednesday, December 31, 2025 at 2:30 PM as I was typing this sermon.
In essence because of his idleness and imagination, David tempted himself, Bathsheba, and if you know the biblical account, David also tempted Uriah. All springing forth from the imaginations of David.
C. Irresponsibility.
C. Irresponsibility.
Listen to me very carefully.
The conception of sin follows this pattern closely:
Idleness
Imagination
Irresponsibility
What do I mean by irresponsibility?*******
David was irresponsible because he sinned against what he knew to be true.
What did David know?
“You shall not commit adultery.”
“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”
David was irresponsible to God’s Word. He did not care what God said. In his heart, he had already taken possession of Bathsheba. The fact that both David and Bathsheba were married was irrelevant.
Before you are too critical of David, I want you to know that you and I act in the same manner.
What does the Bible say about losing our tempers, yet how many of us justify losing our tempers?
What does the Bible say about holding a grudge, yet how many of us justify holding a grudge?
What does the Bible say about loving our enemies and our neighbors, yet many Christians hate people that they have never met?
What does the Bible say about lying, yet how many of us lie? We are irresponsible. We sin against what we know to be true, and we do it because we are not watchful and we do not pray the way we should, and as a result, we enter into temptation, and it feels so good.
We know, however, what God expects, but we do not care because we are irresponsible not concerned with doing what we should.
3. Consequences and Confession.
3. Consequences and Confession.
This episode in David’s life lasted for 13 months. During those 13 months, the Holy Spirit was wearing David out.
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no deceit.
When I kept silent, my bones grew old Through my groaning all the day long.
For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; My vitality was turned into the drought of summer. Selah
I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” And You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah
Listen to me very carefully.
If you can sin irresponsibly without the Holy Spirit getting your attention, you need to be saved. God is not going to allow his child to act like a child of the world without getting that child’s attention.
And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;
For whom the Lord loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.”
As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.
As a Christian, God will always forgive you, but you must confess your sins to Him which is what David eventually did.
I am telling you this seriously.
Sin for a Christian is dangerous business because we know better, and let me tell you why sin is so dangerous.
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.
But if you do not do so, then take note, you have sinned against the Lord; and be sure your sin will find you out.
As a Christian, you can choose to sin if you want, but you cannot choose your consequences. The consequences for your sin fall into the hands of an angry God.
If you know the biblical account of David, you know that his sin with Bathsheba was forgiven as far as the east is from the west, but the consequences of his sin lasted the rest of his life.
If David had only been doing what he should have been doing. If he had been, he would have never done what he did.
The warning for you and me is this. If we sin against what we know, we could be opening a can of consequences that will bring us great sorrow and last a long time.
