What Makes Sin Sin (Sin Series Pt. 2)
What Makes Sin Sin?
Sin Series Pt. 2
This week I saw a clip on Good Morning America that showed that more and more people were cheating on their spouses because of various reasons.
These reasons served the rationalization that it was alright given the circumstances. So now they have websites to make it convenient to find a cheating partner. Wow.
So the first question of the day is: Is adultery wrong because it is on the list? Would it be wrong if it weren’t on the list? What makes sin sin?
Let me remind you that sin is a terrorist. It is a killer. It is a destroyer. It is an enemy. We must identify it, isolate it and destroy it. But, how? What kind of profile do we use?
If we looked at Osama Bin Laden even if he changed turbans we would probably still recognize him.
Many don’t like profiling anymore because they think that one must stereotype and penalize innocent people. But when it comes to sin, is there any innocent sin? What makes sin sin?
1. Sin is a transgression of the Law~ You Messed Up
The Law was meant to be representative of God’s character. God’s nature is the essence of righteousness. When we do things that are against God’s nature, we sin. When we offend God, we sin. Everyone remembers the WWJD fad. Too bad. It shouldn’t be a fad? IN HIS STEPS.
I mentioned last week that there were about 613 laws in the Mosaic Code. This included three aspects, civil, ceremonial, and moral.
The Moral law is summed up in the Decalogue or the Ten Commandments.
There was a problem though. Man couldn’t read and keep the law. By the time he read it he had broken something. He invariably was breaking a part of it.
Therefore there were sacrifices which we will get to in another message.
This was God’s temporary provision to make up for deficiency of a person that wanted to be in covenant with God but found that he was incapable of keeping the law perfectly. We find the patriarchs had a problem. Even though they walked with God we see them slip and lie, commit adultery, murder, whoremonger to mention a few.
· Moses tried but he hit the rock.
· David tried but he saw Bathsheba
· Solomon tried but he married to many wives.
And on and on you go.
They tried the list idea.
It is not that you can’t make a short list of things that are sin. Sin is not sin because it is on the list. The reason it is sin is, get this, it is sin. That explanation is next.
Real sin is inherently wrong because it displeases God.
Paul said in Romans 7 that he was miserable because he could seem to keep the list. Paul is saying to us that there is a better way. Paul is saying if you try to make a list or live what is on the list only just because it is on the list. You are going to fail. You are going to mess up. After all the Bible says that if you are guilty of one thing on the list you are guilty of them all. Wow.
2. Sin is missing the mark~ harmartia or harmartano. You Missed It!
What is the mark? The Bible speaks of the mark of the prize of the high calling in God (Philippians 3:14). I believe the mark is being like Jesus.
When you love God with all your heart and your neighbor as yourself you have fulfilled the law. 37 Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”[1]
You will do whatever is on the list or off the list that is pleasing to God.
Sin is an attitude of the heart. So even if something is not on the list. It can be sin. We can be missing the mark. We need God’s Holy Spirit to help us keep from sinning. The Holy Spirit is reprogramming us. So we must continuously pray for keep that reprogramming in process. We must be updated. Not because sin changes but because we couldn’t possibly know everything that is wrong. There is not a list that covers it all.
We must also realize that we need the blood to speak for us while we are growing. The truth is we are falling short of God’s glory.
Jesus laid it out pretty well in His sermon on the mount found among other places in Matthew 5-7. For instance:
Fornication/Adultery we know those are on the list but look at what Jesus said: Matthew 5:21-22 21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire.[2]
In other words Jesus said you might have avoided murder like Cain. But what about David. David didn’t actually perform the act but he arranged for it to happen accidentally. He had it in his heart. Jesus said even if you don’t perform the act, if you have it in your heart, YOU MISSED IT.
27 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’28 But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
You Missed IT again!
If you want to hit the mark then:
Matthew 7:12-14
Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
People think they can hit the mark or please God on their own that is if they even believe there is a mark. That is why most religions are based on what you do instead of what he did!
When we walk close to Jesus he sees to it that we hit the mark. He is the mark. Everything else falls short.
Next week we are going to bring out the cross!!!!
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[1]The New King James Version. 1982 (Mt 22:37-40). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
[2]The New King James Version. 1982 (Mt 5:21-22). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.