It Still Pays The Same!

4/30/06

 

 

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

 

Pr. 10:16 The wages of the righteous bring them life,

but the income of the wicked brings them punishment.

¹⁷ He who heeds discipline shows the way to life,

but whoever ignores correction leads others astray.

 

If you take all of the world’s problems and boil them down to one word--that word is SIN!

 

Someone can ask the question: “Todd, if I have any problem at all is it because of my sin?”

 

The answer is NO!  If I get up in the morning and my car won’t start--that doesn’t mean I have sin in my life.  That’s called a minor problem--sin is a major problem!

 

Is. 59:1 Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save,

nor his ear too dull to hear.

² But your iniquities have separated

you from your God;

your sins have hidden his face from you,

so that he will not hear.

 

The whole world has a sin problem!

 

Rom. 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

 

Pr. 20:9  Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure;

               I am clean and without sin”?

 

Gal. 3:22 But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.

 

Pr. 14:34  Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.

 

 

Sin will....

 

Ÿ         destroy you life

Ÿ         steal your purpose

Ÿ         put a barrier between you and God

Ÿ         blind you to the truth

Ÿ         cause you to hate your neighbor

Ÿ         cause you to do things that go against all good reason

Ÿ         make terrible decisions

Ÿ         steal your joy

Ÿ         be heavy hearted

Ÿ         feel sick inside

Ÿ         be trapped by the devil

Ÿ         ruin your character

Ÿ         keep your name out of the Lamb’s book of Life

Ÿ         these are just a few examples

 

There are three attitudes about sin.

 

The first one is to ignore it or laugh it off.

 

Pr. 14:9  Fools mock at making amends for sin,

but goodwill is found among the upright.

 

Ps. 36:1 An oracle is within my heart

concerning the sinfulness of the wicked:

There is no fear of God

before his eyes.

² For in his own eyes he flatters himself

too much to detect or hate his sin.

 

The second attitude about sin is a religious attitude.  This has two aspects.

 

The first one is “God’s good--I’m OK--You’re OK.”

 

Is. 5:20 Woe to those who call evil good

and good evil,

who put darkness for light

and light for darkness,

who put bitter for sweet

and sweet for bitter.

 

Mal. 2:17 You have wearied the LORD with your words.

“How have we wearied him?” you ask.

By saying, “All who do evil are good in the eyes of the LORD, and he is pleased with them” or “Where is the God of justice?”

 

To the Pastor of Community of Faith Church:

“Shame on you! To spearhead a smear campaign against one company; spending church dollars, resources and efforts that can be better focused in the community, is down right wrong!  What happened to the God that is loving and non-judging? Who appointed you judge and jury?  As the mother of 6 children, I have always tried to teach my children tolerance. Church's that work at trying to undo the good that is taught within the home for the sake of the all-mighty dollar are as bad in my opinion as the drug dealers on the streets.  How dare you in one sentence state "anyone who stands for moral values and the family unit created by god knows this is true"...what about the word of god "love thy neighbor"? Is that part of the gospel not convenient to your agenda? Do we only love those that are exactly like us? Believe like us? Look like us? Pray like us?”

 

The second aspect of having a religious attitude is the “stiff arm” idea about God.  As if God delights in seeing people sin so He can punish them.

 

This is where people are hammered to death!  Yes we have a sin problem, but Jesus is the remedy!

 

This attitude creates a ministry of condemnation not redemption.

 

Westboro Baptist Church based in Topeka, Kansas, headed by minister Fred Waldron Phelps, Sr. is notorious for running godhatesfags.com and other websites expressing its condemnation of various groups.

 

Lk. 11:46 Jesus replied, “And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them.

 

Mat. 11:28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

 

The third attitude about sin is a righteous attitude.  Sin is taken serious and the mercy and grace of God is taken serious!

 

Gal. 1:3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, ⁴who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, ⁵to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

 

1 Jo. 1:8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. ⁹If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.

 

Ps. 32:1 Blessed is he

whose transgressions are forgiven,

whose sins are covered.

² Blessed is the man

whose sin the LORD does not count against him

and in whose spirit is no deceit.

³ When I kept silent,

my bones wasted away

through my groaning all day long.

⁴ For day and night

your hand was heavy upon me;

my strength was sapped

as in the heat of summer.

Selah

⁵ Then I acknowledged my sin to you

and did not cover up my iniquity.

I said, “I will confess

my transgressions to the LORD”—

and you forgave

the guilt of my sin.

Selah

⁶ Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you

while you may be found;

surely when the mighty waters rise,

they will not reach him.

⁷ You are my hiding place;

you will protect me from trouble

and surround me with songs of deliverance.

 

 

 

We do have a responsibility to address sin....

 

 Is. 59:19 So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.

 

Lam. 2:14 The visions of your prophets

were false and worthless;

they did not expose your sin

to ward off your captivity.

The oracles they gave you

were false and misleading.

 

The word “Sin” is not politically correct--even in a lot of churches!

 

Paul warned Timothy....

 

2 Tim. 4:1 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: ²Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. ³For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.

 

How can we guard ourselves from sin?

 

By His Word....

 

Ps. 119:11  I have hidden your word in my heart

that I might not sin against you.

 

By the power of the Holy Spirit....

 

Rom. 8:13 For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live,

 

By making the right choices....

 

Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. ¹²It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,

 

By watching our mouth....

 

Pr. 10:19 When words are many, sin is not absent,

but he who holds his tongue is wise.

 

By having a healthy fear of God....

 

Final encouraging words!

 

Pr. 16:6 Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for;

through the fear of the LORD a man avoids evil.

 

Ps. 103:1 Praise the LORD, O my soul;

all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

² Praise the LORD, O my soul,

and forget not all his benefits—

³ who forgives all your sins

and heals all your diseases,

⁴ who redeems your life from the pit

and crowns you with love and compassion,

⁵ who satisfies your desires with good things

so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

 

¹⁰ he does not treat us as our sins deserve

or repay us according to our iniquities.

¹¹ For as high as the heavens are above the earth,

so great is his love for those who fear him;

¹² as far as the east is from the west,

so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

¹³ As a father has compassion on his children,

so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;

 

Ps. 130:3  If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins,

O Lord, who could stand?

⁴ But with you there is forgiveness;

therefore you are feared.