Sin

m01600

TITLE: SIN

I'd like to consider sin briefly. Today we seem to term sin in ways that make us feel comfortable. If we offend people we call it personality differences. If we disobey rules or laws we call it "EVERY BODIES DOING IT" or else we call it "THAT'S A DUMB LAW." If we sin we call it missing the mark. If we disobey God's specific commands we call it displeasing God.

GOD CALLS IT ALL SIN! True it is missing the mark - but it is also an affront to GOD'S character and nature! It isn't just displeasing to Him it is out and out distasteful to HIM. It isn't something that we can shrug off - GOD HATES INDIVIDUAL TYPES OF SIN AND HE HATES ALL SIN!

I have for many years felt that the foreign mission problem was a lack of prayer, and I have not changed that evaluation. I have realized however that the lack of prayer is only a symptom of the real problem. The real problem is SIN in the lives of believers.

I John 1.5-9 mentions, "This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 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. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

First John speaks of the confessing of sin. I believe that we have made this one too easy for the believer. I believe that the Psalmist had the right idea when he said, "For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin." ps 38.18; "Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin." ps. 51.2

Consider well the words of Paul concerning the Lord's table. I Cor 11.27-30 "Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink [this] cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of [that] bread, and drink of [that] cup. 29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. 30 For this cause many [are] weak and sickly among you, and many sleep."

Some are sick and some sleep or are dead. Those words should ring in some believers heads. Many today are walking in sin on a daily basis and they have the audacity to walk into the Lord's table with their dirty shoes and attempt to worship God on holy ground where they ought not even have their shoes on.

Don't mistake what I say. God is not out to get us. he is indeed merciful to the extremes as the Psalmist mentions, "The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. [but] He will not always chide; neither will he keep his anger forever." ps 103.8-11

Be forewarned there is no guarantee on how long His mercy will be extended to the believer that remains in sin and fails to clean up his act.

CONCLUSION: Christ died for our sins - past, present and future - not only to save us, but also for the sins that we have been involved with in recent days.

The sins that we have been involved with in recent days demanded that Christ shed His blood for us. It is for His work on the cross for us - past, present and future that we gather to remember as we come to the Lord's table. Christ's death - His giving of his body and blood are something personal to each one of us that have trusted Him as our Savior.

I rather think part of the reason for the Lord's table is to remind us to take time to inspect our lives - to remove sin and to restore fellowship. This is not only a remembrance of what He did for us, but should also remind us of what we did to Him. It was our sin that placed Him on the cross.