Sermon Tone Analysis

Matthew 5:27-30

Introduction

The doctrine of sin is an almost forgotten doctrine in the church today.

This biblical doctrine has been replaced with a watered down, feel good, pop psychology that seeks to absolve our sins before we even experience the conviction of sin.

The fact is not only have we lost the doctrine of sin, we have all but removed the word from our vocabulary.

In pulpits all across America today pastors will counsel their audiences concerning their “weaknesses” and “mistakes,” rather than rebuking them concerning their sin.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon lamented a similar problem in his day, “Sometimes we are inclined to think that a very great portion of modern revivalism has been more a curse than a blessing, because it has led thousands to a kind of peace before they have known their misery; restoring the prodigal to the Father's house, and never making him  say, ‘Father, I have sinned.’”

The result of losing this blessed doctrine is in my opinion the undoing to the church.

This is true because a proper understanding of the doctrine of sin is essential to understanding ever other major bible doctrine.

Allow me to suggest six examples.

1.

The doctrine of the incarnation demands a proper understanding of sin, otherwise there would be no reason for Christ’s coming to earth.

2.           The doctrine of salvation and the cross make no sense without a proper understanding of sin.

Why would the Father punish the Son unless that was the only way that our sin could be atoned?

3.           The doctrine of regeneration rests on a proper understanding of sin, otherwise why would men need to be “born again.”

4.           The proper practice of evangelism is dependant on a proper understanding of sin.

True evangelism begins with the preaching of the law, demonstrating the sinfulness and lost condition of man, because no one needs a Savoir who is not lost.

5.           True holiness cannot be realized until sin in properly understood.

Until we realize the difference between ourselves and holy God, we will think better of ourselves than we should.

6.

A proper understanding of sin will cause us to realize our need for a sovereign and all powerful God.

“If you dislike the New Testament doctrine of sin, it simply means that you are not a Christian.

For you cannot be one without believing that you must be born again and without realizing that nothing but the death of Christ upon the cross saves you and reconciles you to God.”  (Lloyd-Jones, D. Martyn, /Studies in the Sermon on the Mount/ (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, reprinted 2000), 235.)

Our Lord presents two principles for us.

Ø      A biblical understanding of sin

Ø      A biblical response to sin.

1A.

A Biblical Understanding of Sin  (5:27-28)

1B.

All men are sinners.

Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”

1B.

Sin is not just a matter of deeds it is a matter of the heart.

Matthew 15:18-19 “But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man.

For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders.”

Sin is the root, sins are the fruit.

We sin because we are sinners.

Jesus is teaching us that our sin begins in our hearts.

James 1:14-15 “But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.

Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.”

2B.

It is the nature of sin to deceive.

Jeremiah 17:9 “The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?”

“Sin is this terrible thing which so deludes and fools us as to make us feel quite happy and contented so long as we have not committed the act.”

(Lloyd-Jones, 298.)

Sin convinces us that if we only think about sin it is not sin.

So we sin by proxy, by watching others commit the sins we want to commit.

We must be careful not to be fooled into believing that our thoughts are not important.

Proverbs 23:7 “For as he thinks within himself, so he is.…”

Romans 12:1-2 “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, /which is /your spiritual service of worship.

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”

3B.

Sin makes even good things to be evil.

(Romans 7:4-13)

Sin perverts even the Law of God, so that it actually leads a man to sin.

That is the perverting power of the sin abides in each of us.

4B.

Sin always leads to death, and ultimately to hell, suffering and punishment

Genesis 2:16-17 “The LORD God commanded the man, saying, ‘From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.’”

Ezekiel 18:4 “Behold, all souls are Mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine.

The soul who sins will die.”

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

2A.

A Biblical Response to Sin  (5:29-30)

1B.

We must place the proper value on our soul and its destiny.

Our soul is to be valued above our most treasured possessions.

Mark 8:36 “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?”

Our soul is to be valued above our most treasured relationships.

Luke 14:26-27 “If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple.

Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.”

2B.

We must train ourselves to hate sin.

We must see sin as our enemy and hate everything about it.

Psalm 97:10 “Hate evil, you who love the LORD…”

Amos 5:15 “Hate evil, love good...”

Proverbs 8:13 “The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverted mouth, I hate.”

3B.

We must desire and seek to have a pure heart.

Matthew 5:8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”

Psalm 24:3-5 “Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD?

And who may stand in His holy place?

He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood And has not sworn deceitfully.

He shall receive a blessing from the LORD And righteousness from the God of his salvation.”

Ø      Notice the Lord calls us to clean hands (actions) and a pure heart (motives).

4B.

We must die to sin.

Romans 8:13 “for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.”

Romans 13:14 “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to /its /lusts.”

Colossians 3:5 “Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.”

How can we accomplish this command?

We deny our flesh.

1 Thessalonians 5:22 “abstain from every form of evil.”

1 Peter 2:11 “Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul.”

2 Timothy 2:22 “Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love /and /peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.”

We discipline our flesh.

1 Corinthians 9:27 “but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.”

We remember the price that had to be paid to deliver us from sin.

Romans 5:9 “Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath /of God /through Him.”

1 Peter 1:18-19 “knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, /the blood /of Christ.”

We make pleasing and glorifying God our first priority.

1 Corinthians 10:31 “Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”