Sermon Tone Analysis

| *Taboo or Not Taboo – Part 4 – Calling /Sin/ “Sin”*!

Romans 14:4, 10-19

August 10, 2008(New Century Version) 4You cannot judge another person’s servant.

The master decides if the servant is doing well or not.10So

why do you judge your brothers or sisters in Christ?

And why do you think you are better than they are?

We will all stand before God to be judged, 11because it is written in the Scriptures:“ ‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘Everyone will bow before me; everyone will say that I am God.’ ”12So each of us will have to answer to God.13For that reason we should stop judging each other.

We must make up our minds not to do anything that will make another Christian sin.

14I am in the Lord Jesus, and I know that there is no food that is wrong to eat.

But if a person believes something is wrong, that thing is wrong for him.

15If you hurt your brother’s or sister’s faith because of something you eat, you are not really following the way of love.

Do not destroy someone’s faith by eating food he thinks is wrong, because Christ died for him.

16Do not allow what you think is good to become what others say is evil.

17In the kingdom of God, eating and drinking are not important.

The important things are living right with God, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.

18Anyone who serves Christ by living this way is pleasing God and will be accepted by other people.19So

let us try to do what makes peace and helps one another.PRAY Scripture Memory: Let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up.

– Romans 14:19 (NLT) Intro:This morning we are doing part four in a five part series entitled “Taboo or NOT Taboo.”

We have looked the larger issue of the need to discern between the essentials of the faith and disputable issues.

*We pointed out how we need to learn how to agree to disagree agreeably rather than be so disagreeable*.

J Then over the past two weeks we have looked at the difference between Weak faith and Strong Faith, particularly in this context, and Sabbath Principles in the New Covenant.This morning we will be looking at the difference between Calling /Sin/  “Sin” and standing in judgment over each other.Finally, next week we will explore the principles of Christian Liberty  in  the context of Christian Community.As we mentioned previously, in this passage Paul is addressing the problem of divisions within the body of Christ over disputable life-style issues:Dietary restrictions – What we eat (or don’t eat) – drink or don’t drinkHow we view holy days – Sabbath*Two critical responses:*Believers who were “strong” were viewing those who were “weak” with contemptBelievers who were “weak” were passing judgment on those who were “strong”The deeper issue, here, is not so much theological as attitudinal.

“The crucial problem that needed to be addressed was the critical responses of the groups to one another.

This morning: The other side of the picture: calling /sin/ “sin”1.

Defining “Sin”2.

The Danger of Ignoring Sin3.

Dealing with Sin 1.

Defining “Sin”☞    *Sin is a Matter of the Heart.*Sin is not so much defined by WHAT we do as WHY we do it.What

we do or don’t do is an external expression of an internal reality.A person can DO everything right and still be totally in sin.Willful rebellion Will MetzgerThere are numerous Hebrew and Greek words used to designate sin in the biblical writings.

Perhaps the most basic is a Hebrew word meaning ‘revolt’ or ‘transgression’ and indicating a deliberate act of defiance against God.

(Harper’s Bible Dictionary)Used of sin it is perhaps the profoundest OT term reflecting as it does the insight that sin is rebellion against God, the defiance of his holy lordship and rule (Is.

1:28; 1 Ki.

8:50; /etc./)

(New Bible Dictionary) ☞    *Some Sin Expresses Itself in Actions.*Shorter

Catechism, Question 14: Sin is disobeying or not conforming to God’s law in any way.God’s law, the Scriptures define this type of sin.Where the Scriptures are clear, sin is clearly defined.

This includes both sins of commission (i.e.

gossip, deceit, stealing, adultery, etc.).It also includes sins of omission or not doing what God has clearly commanded.

(this could include things like, not honoring our parents, not remembering the Sabbath, not tithing, etc.) ☞    *Some Sin is visible to others, while other sin can be known only by God.*Sin which is known only by God is personal, and to a large degree private…Sin which is visible to others is not.All sin, though, is 1st & foremost an offense against GOD. 2.

The Danger of Ignoring SinSin is a cancer – like yeast (1 Cor.

5:6-13)Sin kills (Rom.

6:23)The Danish philosopher Kierkegaard tells a parable of a theater where a variety show is proceeding.

Each show is more fantastic than the last, and is applauded by the audience.

Suddenly the manager comes forward.

He apologizes for the interruption, but the theater is on fire, and he begs his patrons to leave in an orderly fashion.

The audience thinks this is the most amusing turn of the evening, and cheer thunderously.

The manager again implores them to leave the burning building, and he is again applauded vigorously.

At last he can do no more.

The fire raced through the whole building and the fun-loving audience with it.

"And so," concluded Kierkegaard, "will our age, I sometimes think, go down in fiery destruction to the applause of a crowded house of cheering spectators."One of American Christianity’s most serious evils may be the sin of sermon listening.

We hear, but we do not act.

God is not basically interested in our listening to sermons.

He wants us to be living sermons.

Beam *How and Why do we Ignore Sin?*☞    *Sometimes we ignore sin by renaming it.*·

Adultery – having an affair·       Homosexuality – a viable alternative lifestyle·       A little white lie·       Sin – a mistake ☞    *Sometimes we ignore sin by refusing to confront it.*·

In our own hearts and lives·       Or in other’s lives/(More on this in a minute…)/☞    *Sometimes we ignore sin by rationalizing and~/or justifying it.*How

do we rationalize?·

“Everyone does it!”·

“It doesn’t hurt anyone!”·       “I don’t do it very often!”·       “It’s just who I am!

I can’t help myself!”·

“It’s NOT MY FAULT!”·       “At least I’m not as bad as…!” |   | ·        ☞    *Sometimes we ignore sin because we don’t really take it seriously.*God

takes sin seriously!·

Sin sent Jesus to the cross!·

Sin cost Mr. & Mrs. Adam their home.·

Sin cost Moses the joy of leading his people into the promised land.·

Sin cost King David the lives of his son and of thousands of his people.We buy into Satan’s first lie: Gen. 3:4 - You will NOT surely die! ☞    *Sometimes we ignore sin because it is just too painful to look at.*

We feel impotent and helpless.Sin IS ugly!

Shame IS painful!

Satan continues to tell us that we are impotent and helpless…Romans 6:6-7, 9-12 (NIV)6For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. 9For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him.

10The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. 11In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

12Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.3.

Dealing with Sin☞    *Dealing with our OWN Sin*X    *Humble Yourself Before God.* Admit that it is “sin.”

Stop downplaying it.X    *Confess it to God*, reminding yourself what sin cost Him… then BELIEVE the gospel…X    *Humble Yourself Before Your Brethren.

*·     Seek others whom you trust to hold you accountable and to keep your feet to the fire.·

Be quick to apologize and ask forgiveness.·

Where necessary, and as able, make restitution·     Welcome (or at least accept) correction from others.Proverbs 12:1b (NIV) – He who hates correction is stupid.Proverbs 15:10b (NIV) – He who hates correction will die.Proverbs 15:12 (NIV) – A mocker resents correction; he will not consult the wise.Proverbs 9:8-9a (NIV) – Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love you.

Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser stillX    *Be Quick to Call out to God for Grace & Help.*X    *Identify the Situations* which precede your sin and, as much as possible, avoid them.X    *Prepare your Strategy Ahead of Time.* ☞    *Helping our Brethren Deal with Sin*X    Three reasons a church exercises discipline:1.

the glory of God2.     the good of the sinner3.

the danger to the churchJames 5:19-20 (NIV) - My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth & someone should bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death & cover over a multitude of sins.X    The difference between /judging/ our brother~/sister and dealing with sin:    Dealt with this when we looked at Romans 2:1-3*Do not judge.*Mat.

7:1 – Do not judge, or you too will be judgedRomans 14:4 (NIV) Who are you to judge someone else’s servant?

To his own master he stands or falls.Romans 14:10 (NIV) You, then, why do you judge your brother?

Or why do you look down on your brother?

For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat.*We are called to judge.*1

Corinthians 5:12 (NIV) What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church?

Are you not to judge those inside?1 Corinthians 6:2 (NIV) Do you not know that the saints will judge the world?

And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases?*What does it mean to /judge/ someone?

Is there a time when it is right for a Christian to /judge/ another?**To judge:**To sit in judgment* – to pass judgment – To condemn, judge as guilty*OR**To form an opinion* – To pronounce an opinion concerning right and wrong.*Based

on Scripture* OR*Based on conjecture* ~/ assumptionIt is not wrong To pronounce an opinion concerning right & wrong when that standard is clear in Scripture.

The problem comes when we start making assumptions without having all the facts, or when we pronounce /right and wrong/ based on culture rather than God’s Word*Judging an action vs. judging a heart*1 Cor.

4:5 (NIV) Judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes.

He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts.

At that time each will receive his praise from God.Only God knows someone else’s heart.There is a big difference between /judging/ an action and /judging/ motive, between calling what a person /does/ wrong and calling the person wrong.

I often hear people attribute motives to the actions of others when there is no way they could really know the truth of what they are saying.*When

judging is sin:*Ø    *When we, as individuals, pass judgment on someone else*, when we condemn them or judge them as /guilty/, thus acting as judge and jury.

– We often do this with homosexuals and with others whose particular sins we don’t struggle with.

Sometimes we do that by excluding others whose struggles are different from ours.

We often condemn others because they struggle in ways we don’t.

NOTE: there is a big difference between */struggling/* with some sin and casually partaking in that sin.Ø    *When we judge another’s heart,* when we purport to know someone else’s heart motive – Sometimes I hear this in the form of “He~/she is a liar.”

Or, “He~/she obviously doesn’t care.”

Or, “He~/or she did that intentionally.”

Or, any time we presume to know WHY someone has or has not done something (unless, of course, they have told us so)*When judging is not sin:*Ø    When lawful courts (of the church or civil courts) pronounce judgment after careful examination of all the evidenceØ    When we are calling /sin/ “sin” – When we say something is wrong which the Bible says is wrong.Once again, NOTE: there is a big difference between saying that someTHING is wrong (i.e. an action of some sort) and someONE is wrong.

It is right and proper for God’s people to judge sin in the sense of calling it /sin/ and wrong.