Sin, Humanity’s Ruin
Notes
Transcript
Before we can understand the greatness of the gospel, we must understand the seriousness of sin.
Many people today want the blessings of Christianity without confronting the problem Christianity addresses.
They want peace…
They want purpose…
They want forgiveness…
But they do not want to talk about sin.
Yet the Bible begins its explanation of salvation by first explaining humanity’s greatest problem.
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Notice the word all.
Sin is not merely the problem of criminals.
It’s not merely the problem of only people who are immoral.
Sin is the universal condition of humanity.
If we misunderstand sin, then we will misunderstand the gospel.
So today we must ask three important questions:
What is sin?
What are the effects of sin on humanity, individuals, and families?
And, what is God’s answer to the problem of sin?
Before we move forward however, it is important to understand something about the human tendency toward sin.
Human beings are experts at minimizing their own wrongdoing, or making excuses for them.
We rename sin don’t we?
Instead of calling it sin, we find ways around that,
We say things like:
—I made a mistake
—I had a lapse in judgment.
—I was going through something at the time.
But the Bible speaks clearly about it, and calls it out for what it is, sin.
It calls a spade a spade, it calls sin exactly what it is, it is sin.
Now, let’s understand what I am saying correctly.
Until we confront sin honestly, we will never fully appreciate the grace of God.
Think of a doctor diagnosing a serious illness.
If the doctor softens the diagnosis and pretends the illness is minor, the patient may never receive the treatment
needed to survive.
Jesus spoke about this very thing when he said in this in the parable of the two debtors.
41 “There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.”
In the same way, the Bible diagnoses humanity’s deepest problem so that we can understand our need for salvation.
So, as to our first of three questions we will be asking today is.
I. What Is Sin?
I. What Is Sin?
At its most basic level, sin is rebellion against God.
4 Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.
Sin is not simply a mistake.
It can’t be chocked up to weakness.
Sin is a violation of God’s holy standard.
Period!
Sin occurs when humanity chooses its own will over God’s will.
It can be seen in several ways.
1. Sin Is Missing God’s Standard, as I said.
1. Sin Is Missing God’s Standard, as I said.
The word “sin” in the Greek language originally meant to miss the mark.
God created humanity in His image to reflect His character.
But sin means we fall short of that perfect standard.
Even our best efforts cannot reach the holiness of God.
A useful illustration is that of an archery target.
Imagine standing before a target with a bow and arrow.
God’s holiness is the center of the target.
Even if you shoot and come close, missing the center means you have still missed the mark.
Some people may come closer than others in terms of their moral behavior.
And some may even appear more ethical,
or more disciplined, or more kind.
But the Bible says every arrow misses the mark.
No one meets the perfect holiness of God.
This is why salvation could never be achieved through human effort.
Next,
2. Sin Is Rebellion
2. Sin Is Rebellion
Sin is humanity declaring it’s independence from God.
It is humanity saying,
—I will decide what is right.
—I will determine my own path.
—I will be my own authority.”
This rebellion began way back, in the Garden of Eden.
When Adam and Eve chose to disobey God, sin entered the world.
12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned—
From that moment forward, humanity inherited a sinful nature.
and because of that, sin became part of the human condition.
Just look at the world for an example of rebellion
It can be seen even in childhood.
Think about it,
—Parent do not need to teach a child how to lie.
—Parents do not need to train a child to say, “Mine!”
—And worst of all, Children seem to naturally want to resist the authority of their parents.
Why?
Because the human heart is bent toward autonomy.
It is the nature we inherited from the fall of man in the garden of Eden
Now the second Question:
II. What are The Effects of Sin on Humanity as a whole?
II. What are The Effects of Sin on Humanity as a whole?
Sin does not only affect individuals.
It affects all of creation and all of humanity together.
Sin Corrupts Human Society
When sin entered the world, it brought corruption into human relationships.
We see this in the forms of:
• Violence
• Greed
• War
• Oppression
• Injustice
Human history has a long record of what happens when sinful hearts shape societies.
Even our best systems of government cannot remove the sinful nature of the human heart.
Consider the twentieth century alone.
Despite advances in
education,
science,
and technology,
The twentieth century became one of the most violent centuries in human history.
Two world wars, now quickly approaching a third world war.
Untold numbers of Genocides.
a handful of Totalitarian regimes, with millions upon millions of lives lost.
The problem was not a lack of intelligence in that century
The problem was sin-filled human hearts.
Technology can advance civilizations, but it can never cure sin.
Sin brought Death into the World
Before sin entered the world, there was no death.
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Sin introduced
—Physical death into this world
—Spiritual death into this world
—Separation from God
Death became the unfortunate universal reality for every human being.
Every hospital is a reminder us of this truth, because of sickness, and injuries
And especially every funeral reminds us of this unfortunate reality.
We know death was never part of God’s original plan for humanity.
Death is the consequence of sin entering the world.
Sin Corrupted Creation
The Bible teaches that creation itself was affected.
22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.
It is vitally important to remember, the brokenness we see in the world is not accidental.
It is the result of humanity’s fall into sin.
Natural disasters, disease, and decay all remind us that creation itself has been affected by the rebellion of humanity.
And deep within the human soul there is a longing for its restoration.
Thirdly,
III. What are the Effects of Sin on the Individual
III. What are the Effects of Sin on the Individual
While sin affects the whole world, it especially affects each person personally.
Sin Separates Us from God
2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear.
God is holy.
Sin cannot exist in His holy presence.
Therefore sin becomes a barrier between humanity and God.
This is why people often feel spiritually empty.
They were created for relationship with God, but sin has broken that relationship.
Many people attempt to fill that emptiness with other things with
Pursuing success.
Or in the promiscuous pursuit pleasure.
Some seek wealth and riches.
Others chase fruitless relationships.
But nothing can fill the spiritual void created by this separation from God.
Let me say something to you sitting here today or watching on screens,
The human heart was designed for fellowship with its Creator.
And Until that relationship is restored in you, something in your life, will always feel incomplete.
Sin also distorts the Human Heart
9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?
Sin distorts our thinking and twists our desires.
It causes us to pursue things that can ultimately destroy us.
A powerful example can be seen in addiction.
Think about how destructive this is,
A person may even know something is destroying their life.
And they may know it is damaging their health, their family, and their future.
And yet they continue to pursue it.
Why?
Because sin distorts desire.
The heart becomes enslaved to what wants to harms it.
This is why Jesus said in
34 Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.
Sin also Produces Guilt and Shame
Ever since Adam and Eve hid in the garden, humanity has lived with the burden of guilt.
People try to deal with guilt through:
• self-justification
• denial
• distraction
• and even religion
But none of these has even the slightest hope in removing the stain of sin.
Only the good news of Jesus can remove guilt.
What about shame?
Many people live their entire lives trying to outrun shame.
—They change careers.
—They change relationships.
—They move to new cities.
But wherever they go, the weight of their guilt travels with them.
The gospel is the only message in the world that truly removes guilt instead of merely hiding it.
How about “The Effects of Sin on Family Lineage?”
You know Sin also affects generations.
The Bible teaches that the consequences of sin often ripple through families.
All, children grow up in environments shaped by the decisions of their parents.
So, we see generational patterns in this world of:
• addiction
• violence
• broken homes
• bitterness
•And rebellion
This does not mean children are punished for their parents’ sins.
20 The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.
Each person is responsible for their own sin.
But the consequences of sin often create patterns that echo through generations.
A father’s anger can shape his children.
A mother’s bitterness can influence a home.
Sin spreads like a disease through human relationships.
And many families today are living with the consequences of sins committed decades ago.
For example, a father who struggles with uncontrolled anger may raise children who grow up in fear.
Those children may struggle with relationships later in life.
They may repeat the same anger they witnessed growing up.
Patterns like this repeat themselves across generations.
But here is an important truth.
The gospel has the power to interrupt those patterns.
A new story can begin.
A new legacy for the family can start with one person who turns to Christ.
The Only Solution to Sin is The Gospel of Jesus Christ
Let’s be clear, If the story ended with sin, humanity would have no hope.
But thank God, the Bible does not end with humanity’s failure.
It tells the story of God’s redemption.
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
God’s answer to sin was not philosophy.
It was not moral improvement.
It was a Savior.
Jesus fulfilled the righteousness humanity failed to achieve.
He perfectly obeyed the will of the Father.
Where Adam failed, Christ succeeded.
Where humanity fell, Jesus stood righteous.
Jesus Took the Punishment for Our Sin
On the cross, Jesus bore the judgment that sin deserves.
5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.
The penalty of sin was placed on Christ.
An illustration that helps explain this is a courtroom scene.
Imagine standing before a judge guilty of a serious crime.
The evidence is overwhelming.
The verdict is certain.
But then someone steps forward and says, “I will take the punishment in their place.”
That is what Jesus did at the cross.
He bore the judgment in death on the cross we so deserved.
Three days later, Jesus rose from the grave.
The resurrection proved that sin and death had been defeated.
Through Christ, forgiveness is offered to every person who believes.
Because the Gospel Breaks the Power of Sin
When someone receives Christ:
• Their sins are forgiven
• Their heart is transformed
• The Holy Spirit begins a new work within them
Even generational patterns of sin can be broken by the power of the gospel.
And a new family legacy can begin.
A family history marked by brokenness can become a family history marked by redemption.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Sin is humanity’s greatest problem.
It corrupts society.
It separates individuals from God.
It damages families for generations.
But the gospel declares that sin does not have the final word.
Jesus Christ came to do what humanity could never do for itself.
Through His death and resurrection:
• sin can be forgiven
• hearts can be changed
• families can be restored
• eternal life can be given
And the invitation of the gospel is simple.
Turn from sin.
Trust in Jesus Christ.
Receive the grace of God.
Because where sin once ruled, grace now reigns through Jesus Christ.
