Sin Working Death

Sin -Working Death Romans 7:7-25 Text 7:13

A sign on a ranch in Texas reads, “NO TRESPASSING… STOP, I know you’re thinking about crossing this gate. What you should know is that if the Coyotes, Cactus, Mesquite, Heat, Dust or Rattlers don’t get you I will. “ The rancher’s name was signed at the bottom in blood red paint. That is a sign that should be in front of our mind every time we think of doing some sin. We may survive a lot in life, but sin will get us. What is sin? The Bible describes two types of sin. Actual or original sin often referred to as carnality, depravity, the old man, etc. and then there is Committed sin, the sins that we do that are seen or thought or even heard.

What is sin?Man call is an accident, God calls it abomination.Man calls it a defect, God calls it a disease.Man calls it an error, God calls it an enmity.Man calls it a liberty, God calls it lawlessness. Man calls it a trifle, God calls it a tragedy.Man calls it a mistake, God calls it a madness.Man calls it a weakness, God calls it willfulness.

We never see sin aright until we see it as against God...All sin is against God in this sense: that it is His law that is broken, His authority that is despised, His government that is set at naught...

W.S. Plumer quoted in: J. Bridges, The Pursuit of Holiness, p. 20. cf. Gen 39:9

1Jn 5:17 All unrighteousness is sin: …1Jn 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. Jas 4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. 1Jn 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

Some thoughts on sin-

I. Sin Has consequences - Bro. Noel Scott- “We must all sit down to a banquet of consequences some day.”

1. Costs - The wages of sin it says in one place is death. What a pay. What a salary. That would be like going in to some place of business and offering them money to work there.

A. Jerry, a man my mother used to baby-sit for had a good paying job, a little family a nice house, a lot of luxuries of life, but Jerry had a problem, Jerry had nearly messed his mind up with drugs. On Friday nights, he would often forget where he had put his paycheck on the way home. He couldn’t hardly remember anything. Sin costs. Thank the Lord God gave it back when he saved him, but it cost.

B. Sin will take you farther than you want to go,

Slowly but surely taking control

Sin will leave you longer than you want to stay

Sin will cost you far more than you want to pay

2. Sin corrupts - It seems to spread. I’ve seen in my own family it doesn’t take very long for a family to leave God completely out. My Grandpa though not always a Christian when he did get in would take all his family to church. Some took the way and some didn’t. Those that didn’t you would never be able to tell that somewhere in their background was a holiness preacher.

3. Sin controls - Rom 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? Joh 8:34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.

A. Some have illustrated this as almost an octopus type entrapment. One little thing is harmless so you take it up, but soon it has you so tight you can’t get loose. That’s when you see something else, maybe to help you forget about the first one, and soon it has you under control too. When we commit sin we become the servant of sin, sin has control over us or dominion over us.

B. Dr. Ralph Sockman writes about an experience he had while standing on the edge of Niagara Falls one clear, cold March day. Wrapped in white winter garments, the falls glistened in the bright sun. As some birds swooped down to snatch a drink from the clear water, Sockman's companion told how he had seen birds carried over the edge of the precipice. As they dipped down for a drink, tiny droplets of ice would form on their wings. As they returned for additional drinks more ice would weigh down their bodies until they couldn't rise above the cascading waters. Flapping their wings, the birds would suddenly drop over the falls.

Today in the Word, October, 1990, p. 14.

4. Sin condemns and Kills- Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord 1Co 15:56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. Jas 1:15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

I’m glad this doesn’t have to be the way it ends.

1Jn 3:5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.

1Jn 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

2Co 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Rom 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

1Pe 4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;

Heb 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

1Jn 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.