INTRODUCTION TO THIS SERIES ABOUT SIN

Romans 3:23 

      Why do I sin?  Why do you sin?  It is because we are sinners.  You cannot help sinning anymore than a hog cannot stop waddling in mud.  Many people have great lengths to stop but are unable to do so.  So why preach a series of messages on this subject of sin.  Say the word “sin” and listen how sinister it sounds.  It almost sounds like a snake hissing.  “Sin”

      I was deeply disturbed over the attitude of even supposedly “Christians” in regards to sin.  I was thinking of people who say that they are “Christians” and this they equalize with being a church member.  They curse, drink and don’t care who knows.  This is foreign to the Bible.  I will be very plain when preaching on this subject.  If I upset you and disturbed you, I want to cause you to think hard and long about what sin really is.  In fact, this series has taken much time for reflection, research and recording the messages for you.  I have made this statement several times in the past months.  Our children need to hear what the Bible says on this subject.   This subject is no different. 

      Before getting into the series, I researched a few thoughts that I want to give you that show you how important it is for us to understand this basic Bible doctrine.  First of all, I looked up the following words in the Bible.  The word sin, sins, sinners, sinner, sinneth, sinned, sinning, transgressions, transgressions, transgressor, transgressors, transgresseth, transgress, transgressed, transgressing, iniquity, iniquities unrighteous, and unrighteousness is in the Word of God one thousand two hundred and sixty-seven times.  That makes this an important doctrine in our Bibles.  As your pastor, I want to help you with your study of the Word of God and grow in grace and become more mature in your walk with the Lord. 

                                                2^nd Timothy 3:16-17

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”

      The word “perfect” is not perfect like some people think it means.  If they think that it means without sin, they are sadly and sinfully mistaken. It means to be mature.  No one in his or her right mind eats a peach or apple as soon as it is on the branch.  No, they want until it matures. 

      Let me give a few words that are not found in the Word of God that people want to substitute for the words for sin.  The words mistake, shortcoming or flaw in my character is not there.  I realize that you can make a mistake.  If you add up your checkbook incorrectly, and write a check for money you did not have, that would be considered a mistake.  But to say that you added up your checkbook and know that you did not have the money in the bank in the bank and try to say it is a mistake, that is nothing more than sin and not a mistake. 

      Another piece of research I did years ago was to go through a list of topics on the scriptures and found three hundred and forty one different sins.  This list is most likely small compared to the list that the Lord has.  I realize when I say things like that that someone is going to get nervous that I will read the list or preach on the whole list.  I just wanted to mention it so you would see how horrible that sin really is.  If you would like a copy of that list, let me know.  Let me know and I have it in both English and Spanish.    If I preach on each of these sins for a Sunday message, it would take me over six and a half years to do so.

      What is sin?  I read this from Lehman Straus.  He can say it much better than I could. This word “sin” means, “to missing the mark”.  It suggests inability, the absolute inability of man to measure up to God’s moral standard. Actually God has placed the standard so high so that none can ever reach it.  He also said this in his paper. There is a difference between the way God describes and explains sin, on the one hand, and the way, on the other hand, that men describe and explain sin. A certain minister excused bad behavior by accounting for it in terms of “infantile environment, traumatic experiences, psychological complexes and the like.” And then he added, “After preaching for fifty years I cannot help feeling that the church harps far too much on sin.”

Now where does a man get such ideas? Certainly not from God’s revelation to man as we find it in the Bible. This same minister, who calls himself “The Christian Agnostic,” also said, “Paul’s words that ‘through one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin’ (Romans 5:12) can be dismissed as nonsense.” Well, to such blasphemy I can only reply that God knows the thoughts of men and is able to answer their questions before they are asked. God tells us in His Word what sin is. But when any man exalts the human mind to the place of deity and goes so far as to rule God out altogether, that man is on the brink of destruction. The Bible condemns human intellect as the Supreme Court.

      In the coming weeks we will be looking at this subject.  I want to look at man’s capability to sin.  This will deal with man’s responsibility.  We will be looked sin and its curse.  Sin and its consequences will be a message or two.  But I would be amiss if I did not preach on the sweetest subject of sin and its cure.  I will be preaching on a Christian and sin also.  This gives you a slight idea of what is ahead.  What I need for you to do is thus: listen to the messages carefully.  Invite folks to come to hear them.  You could bring the next person or persons to be saved.  Ask God to speak to your heart that you will right with the Lord.  Last of all but not the least pray for me as I prepare these messages. 

      So let’s started.