We can deter sin by keeping God’s Word in our hearts. And with that thought, we ought to be motivated to keep Scripture in our thoughts continually. However, only memorizing Scripture will not prevent us from sinning.
We should put God’s Word into action in our lives, making it a fundamental manual for all that we do. Do you agree with this? And speaking of sin…
Hardly anyone talks about sin anymore, or rather, how wrong it is and the negative effects of it. In our society today, a prosperity gospel is what is primarily preached. Across America, and in no doubt around the world, many ministers are proclaiming a compromising attitude with the world.
Sin, according to God’s Word, is no longer sin in the eyes of the world. If you do not believe me, just look at what is taking place in any large metropolitan city to any small town across the United States.
Christians have failed in their duty to present Christ to the world. Our society is overrun with sin. Everyone will agree that murder and theft are wrong, but many view adultery as acceptable.
Same-sex marriage is now considered acceptable. There are those that are born physically male but claim to be female and vice versa, and society wants to say it is acceptable. The devil is roaming the globe.
What Is Sin?
Sin is “the transgression of the law” (1 John 3:4). Committing a sin and remaining in it are two distinct things. Even the most devoted believers occasionally commit sins, but they do not choose to commit a specific sin.
A believer who commits wrongdoing atones, admits that transgression, and is forgiven. In contrast, a person who continues to sin does not feel sorry for his actions.
As a result, he never makes a confession or asks for forgiveness. Whatever religious claims he makes, such a person is against God.
Sin is to “come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Because of the obvious severity of their consequences, some sins are more serious than others.
Regardless of how insignificant or significant it may appear, all sin results in death because it prevents us from living with God.
We should not undervalue minor sins or emphasize serious ones. Even though they all keep us from God, they can all be forgiven.
Sin is a violation of God’s will or law, “who were dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1-5).
These immoral acts were part of a person’s life before they became Christians when they followed the devil rather than God (Ephesians 2:2). The effects of sin are highlighted in verse one: Sin results in death.
Everyone has the tendency to commit sins, for we were born into a sinful nature. Does this imply that only Christians are good? Obviously not. Many individuals accomplish something useful in life and to other people. On a relative scale, many adhere to the law and are decent people.
We would say that these people are particularly good if we compared them to criminals. But no one is good in the eyes of God. We can only become good in God’s eyes by uniting our lives with Christ's perfect life through salvation.
The punishment of transgression and its control over us was obliterated by Christ on the cross. We were dead in sin and enslaved to our sinful nature before we became Christians, but now we are alive with Christ (Galatians 2:20).
For the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23).
We are free to choose between two masters, but we are not free to change how our choice will affect things. The two masters each pay in a different currency. The cost of transgression is death. In a life without God, death is the only thing for which we can hope.
The currency of Christ is everlasting life. We will have a new life that starts on this earth and proceeds perpetually with God if we accept Him as our Lord and Savior. Which option did we select?
Sin is “if anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them” (James 4:17).
We often believe that only doing what is wrong or bad constitutes sin. In any case, we learn from James that not doing something that is right is also a sin.
Sometimes, these two kinds of sin are referred to as sins of commission and omission. Lies are sins, as is knowing the truth but withholding it. It is wrong to criticize someone, but it is also wrong to avoid them when we are aware that they require our friendship.
As the Holy Spirit directs us, we ought to be willing to assist. If God has given us a task to perform, a service to perform, or a relationship to restore, we should complete it because it will give our Christian faith a new lease on life.
What Does Sin Do?
Sin hardens our hearts: “heart of unbelief…hardened through the deceitfulness of sin” (Hebrews 3:12-14).
When we stubbornly refuse to believe in the living God, our hearts lead us away from Him. If we endure in our unbelief, God will abandon us in our wrongdoing. However, according to Ezekiel 36:22–27, God can change our spirits, desires, and hearts.
We should remain in fellowship with believers, discuss our shared faith daily, and encourage one another with love and concern to prevent an unbelieving heart.
Sin clouds the ability to comprehend (John 9:40-41).
Jesus’ belief that the Pharisees were spiritually blind shocked them. The Pharisees should have the ability to recognize the Savior when they see Him. There was no one during Jesus' time who was more committed to God's will and the Bible.
Sadly, many Pharisees, but not all of them, were more concerned with tradition and status than with truth. These men had greater spiritual vision than anyone else by worldly standards.
As a result, the Pharisees reacted with arrogance when Jesus said that His ministry was meant to show spiritual blindness to those who thought they were wise and give spiritual sight to those who sought it.
Jesus argued in opposition that their actions could not be explained away by being blind. He provided understanding and insight to those who remained open and realized that sin had truly blinded them to the truth. He dismissed the people who had become careless, vain and refused to see the truth.
Sin deafens the hearing: “They will not endure sound doctrine…having itching ears…turn away their ears from the truth” (2 Timothy 4:3-4).
Some people only hear what they want to hear. There are four apprehensions in this passage of Scripture. To start with, individuals would become tired and burnt out on hearing the genuine gospel, and they would reject it.
They would, on the other hand, take different paths and try to find something to take the place of good or healthy teaching.
When the gospel message is given, and it begins with uneasy thinking that humbles a person, this is to be anticipated. We need to be saved because we are flawed.
Second, people would choose to follow teachers who told them what they liked rather than listen to godly teachers who spoke the truth.
The concept of “itching ears” may refer to ears that were twitching or moving in search of something other than the authentic, true gospel message.
Third, those who turn away will specifically turn from the truth. These unfaithful individuals will deviate from the truth, in addition to failing to receive sound instruction and finding teachers who appeal to them.
These people go left when the truth tells them to go right. They will not even listen to the truth or live by it. Rather than acknowledging the truth and conviction, they will oppose it.
Fourth, these unfaithful individuals will stumble upon erroneous notions and myths. In his own life, Timothy was also cautioned against this practice (1 Timothy 4:7), just as he had been warned about false teachers who devoted themselves to myths (1 Timothy 1:4).
Titus was also warned in a comparable manner by Paul (Titus 1:14). Peter made it clear that he and the other apostles were “eyewitnesses of his majesty” and not “cunningly devised fables” (2 Peter 1:16).
A person who is determined to deny the truth is more likely to believe anything, no matter how absurd it may seem.
Are we guilty of the sin of omission or the sin of commission? Disobeying God’s commands in the Bible is a form of both sins. A willful act of wrongdoing, such as lying or stealing, is known as a sin of commission.
A sin of omission is not doing something right or according to instructions, like helping a person in need.
Why Does This Matter?
For the Christian, have we allowed something to happen in our lives that has caused us to commit a sin, either intentionally or unintentionally? Have we discovered it? Have we repented of it?
For the lost person, the one that has never asked Christ into his or her heart. That person, no matter how “good” they think their lives are or how morally intact they believe that they are, that lost person is living in sin.
To continue living as you are will keep you eternally separated from your friends and loved ones.
Let every person who is still without Christ and will potentially live for eternity with him, whether they are old, middle-aged, young, or young at heart, listen to the commands of God’s Word right now. Salvation is nearer than you think (Romans 13:11).
Now is the accepted time and day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2). Do not put it off until tomorrow what you can do today (Proverbs 6:2), for we are not promised a tomorrow (Proverbs 27:1).
For further reading:
5 Things Christians Label as ‘Sin’ That Aren’t Actually Sinful
What Is Sin? Bible Meaning and How to Overcome
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