YOU CAN’T WIN AT THE GAME OF SIN

James 1:15 KJV 1900

Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

THE GAME OF SIN

CAIN PLAYED A LOSING GAME

1. He worshipped God the wrong way; .

Genesis 4:3–5 KJV 1900

And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.

2. He slew his brother Abel; .

Genesis 4:8 KJV 1900

And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.

3. He became a vagabond on earth; .

Genesis 4:12 KJV 1900

When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.

THE ANTEDILUVIAN WORLD PLAYED A LOSING GAME

1. The Antediluvian World was wicked; .

Genesis 6:5 KJV 1900

And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

2. The Antediluvian World was warned; ; .

2 Peter 2:5 KJV 1900

And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;

Hebrews 11:7 KJV 1900

By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

HEB.

3. The Antediluvian World perished; , .

Genesis 7:21–23 KJV 1900

And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man: All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died. And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark.

LOT’S WIFE PLAYED A LOSING GAME

1. She knew she lived in a condemned city; , .

Genesis 19:13–16 KJV 1900

For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the Lord; and the Lord hath sent us to destroy it. And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the Lord will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law. And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city. And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the Lord being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.

GEN. 19:13

2. She knew the way of deliverance; .

Genesis 19:17 KJV 1900

And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.

3. She disobeyed God and died; .

Genesis 19:26 KJV 1900

But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.

HAMAN PLAYED A LOSING GAME

1. He was King Ahasuerus’ prime minister; .

Esther 3:1 KJV 1900

After these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes that were with him.

2. He sought to destroy God’s people; , , .

Esther 3:6 KJV 1900

And he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they had shewed him the people of Mordecai: wherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai.

Esther 3:8 KJV 1900

And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from all people; neither keep they the king’s laws: therefore it is not for the king’s profit to suffer them.

Esther 3:9 KJV 1900

If it please the king, let it be written that they may be destroyed: and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver to the hands of those that have the charge of the business, to bring it into the king’s treasuries.

3. He was hanged on his own gallows; , .

Esther 7:9 KJV 1900

And Harbonah, one of the chamberlains, said before the king, Behold also, the gallows fifty cubits high, which Haman had made for Mordecai, who had spoken good for the king, standeth in the house of Haman. Then the king said, Hang him thereon.

Esther 7:10 KJV 1900

So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king’s wrath pacified.

BELSHAZZAR PLAYED A LOSING GAME

1. He was intemperate; .

Daniel 5:1 KJV 1900

Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand.

2. He was immoral; .

Daniel 5:2 KJV 1900

Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein.

3. He had his life taken away; .

Daniel 5:30 KJV 1900

In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain.

THE RICH FOOL PLAYED A LOSING GAME

1. He was successful in material things; .

Luke 12:16 KJV 1900

And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:

2. He never included God in his plans; , .

Luke 12:18 KJV 1900

And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.

Luke 12:19 KJV 1900

And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.

LUKE

3. He met sudden destruction; .

Luke 12:20 KJV 1900

But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?

EVERY UNREPENTANT SINNER PLAYS A LOSING GAME

1. His sin will find him out; .

Numbers 32:23 KJV 1900

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

2. His sin must be reaped; , .

Galatians 6:7–8 KJV 1900

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

GAL. 6:7

3. His sin will pay the wages of death; .

Romans 6:23 KJV 1900

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

THE BIBLE WAY OF SALVATION

Apostolon, B. (1966). Preach the Word (pp. 37–39). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House.