Losing the Weight of Sin

Losing the Weight of Sin

1 John 2:15-17

1 John 2:15-17 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. 17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

Hebrews 12:1-2 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Let us ponder Laying aside the weight of sin in order to attain victory.

Billy Graham said:

Sin is like ice in our pipes—our spiritual lives have been “frozen.” There is only one solution, and that is repentance to clear the blockage and restore the flow of the Holy Spirit.

It has been said that there are two things that never live up to their advertising claims: the circus and sin.

Jesus speaking to the crowd gathered to stone the woman who was caught in adultery

John 8:7 And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.”

Numbers 32:23 But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the Lord, and be sure your sin will find you out.

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The Seven Deadly Sins

In the writings of Thomas Aquinas, he wrote about sins that “have their army against us. They are “Pride, Envy, Anger, Sloth, Greed, Gluttony, Lust.”

The bible has its own listings of sins: One is found in Romans 1:29-32

Romans 1:29-32 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 Though they know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.

Losing the Weight of Sin

I am wearing a backpack with 50 pounds of rock and so far, we have looked at getting rid of Guilt and Fear. Today I want to look at the “Weight of Sin.” While this is a general in nature, it is understanding the downward spiral of sin and its results.

Giving into Sin is a downward spiral as we will see today.

In Genesis 3 we will see that sin is progressive. For example, we can look at the Fall of Man, found in Genesis 3:1-19. We are all familiar with the story, however, I want to look at the “downward spiral of sin” in this instance.

The crafty deceiver, questioned the Word of God. Eve listened to what he had to say (Genesis 3:1) The serpent had a message and presented Eve the deception.

Eve speaks to the deceiver and answers the question with what she understood as the truth.

Once the door is opened, all the senses are used by the deceiver:

Eve saw - vs. 6...woman saw the tree was GOOD for food....

Sin is not hurtful because it is forbidden, but it is forbidden because it is hurtful

Sin starts in the eyes, appealing to sense, that seed grows in brain.

Eve Desired – Eve understood that the tree was to be desired to make one wise

Eve took - vs. 6...she took of the fruit thereof.

Sin is progressive. She listened. She saw. She Desired, She acted.

There may be times when we thought an act would not go any further BUT ONCE YOU ENTER THE PROCESS EACH STEP BECOMES EASIER

Many a man and woman has started down the road of betrayal, starting with a smile, a word, a touch, a hug, a kiss, a lie

Eve partook of the fruit.

Forbidden fruit may be exciting, but it makes BAD JAM.

Eve shared - Gen. 3:6 She gave also to her husband.

Sin likes company. Sin draws others into trap...no man is an island to himself.

Adam did eat - Gen. 3:6...He did eat...

Free will and choice. Ponder what if Adam had been stronger?

Adam demonstrated a lack of fear, respect and love in this act of disobedience. I don’t care what God says I’ll do what I want to do

Adam becomes a “GOOD EXAMPLE of a BAD EXAMPLE”

Adam’s sin does more than a little harm

Following generations come under the curse

Loss of Divine Favor...God had walked and talked with Adam.

Sin will take you farther than you planned on going.

Sin will keep you longer than you planned on staying.

Sin will cost you more than you planned on paying.

Recognize the downward spiral of sin

1 John 2:15-17 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. 17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

Like Lucifer man begins sinning when he “declares his independence of God and His Word!

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Carnality is by its own nature, selfish. Fellowship with God and our neighbors is outward, but sin reverses and focuses on the one gazing into the mirror.

Conclusion

Learn to control your lust of the flesh and eyes and your pride of life

As John Wesley rode across Hounslow Heath late one night, singing a favorite hymn, he was startled by a fierce voice shouting, “Halt,” while a firm hand seized the horse's bridle. Then the man demanded, “Your money or your life.”

Wesley obediently emptied his pockets of the few coins they contained and invited the robber to examine his saddlebags which were filled with books. Disappointed at the result, the robber was turning away when evangelist cried, “Stop! I have something more to give you.”

The robber, wondering at this strange call, turned back. Then Wesley, bending down toward him, said in solemn tones, “My friend, you may live to regret this sort of a life in which you are engaged. If you ever do, I beseech you to remember this, ‘The blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanseth us from all sin.’” The robber hurried silently away, and the man of God rode along, praying in his heart that the word spoken might be fixed in the robber's conscience.

Years later, at the close of a Sunday evening service with the people streaming from the large building, many lingered around the doors to see the aged preacher, John Wesley.

A stranger stepped forward and earnestly begged to speak with Mr. Wesley. What a surprise to find that this was the robber of Hounslow Heath, now a well-to-do tradesman in the city, but better still, a child of God! The words spoken that night long ago had been used of God in his conversion.

Raising the hand of John Wesley to his lips, he affectionately kissed it and said in tones of deep emotion, “To you, dear sir, I owe it all.”

Wesley replied softly, “Nay, nay, my friend, not to me, but to the precious blood of Christ which cleanseth us from all sin.”

Christ the Sin-Bearer

An old servant was once carrying a large bough of a tree to have it cut into pieces to make a fire. A little boy, one of the family, seeing the end of it dragging along the ground and making it very heavy, came and took hold of the end, and the burden grew light. Then said the servant, “Ah! Master Frank, I wish you could take hold of one end of the greater burden that I have to carry; I have a burden of sin; the more I drag it about, the heavier it becomes. I wish Jesus Christ would take hold of one end of it.” The little boy said, “My mother told me, yesterday, that Jesus Christ carries all our sins; therefore, you do not want Jesus Christ to drag one end of it; he will take the whole of it.” The poor woman, who had been long seeking rest, found it by that remark of the child. Yes, Jesus does take your sins. If you trust Christ, this is the evidence that all your sins are laid on him.

—C. H. Spurgeon

There is never a little sin, even the smallest leak could lead to a ship sinking

2 Kinds of men:

Righteous see self as sinner.

Sinners that see self as righteous

Therefore, repent and confess your sin before God

James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.