Why do you sin?
What Sin Is
1 John 3:4 - Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.
1 John 5:17 - All wrongdoing is sin.
Violation of God’s holiness and righteousness; only HE determines it.
If God says it’s wrong, it’s sin.
EXAMPLES
Rebellion against God
Prov. 17:11; Psalm 106:43
Hardness of heart Eph. 4:17-18
Fulfilling our own desires Eph. 4:19
Using liberty as license
Gal. 5:13
Corrupting our conscience Titus 1:15
Ungodly thoughts, words, actions James 3:10
Ignoring what we are called to do Rom. 14:23; James 4:17
Why We Sin
Romans 3:23 - All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
1 John 1:8 - If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.
We inherited a sinful nature.
Rom. 5:12,19
We have sinful thoughts and desires.
Jude 1:18
We lack self-control.
Gal. 5:19-24
We choose to disobey God’s will and word. Rom. 1:25-26
We develop patterns that entrap and enslave us.
Rom. 7:25
A LOOK AT DESIRES
We all have them.
We want to have what we want to have.
We think we should have what we want.
We think no one should question or interfere with what we want.
We will find a way to get what we want.
When we get what we want, we want more.
We increasingly believe that what we want is more important than anything else.
Considerations:
Desires have a source – they come from somewhere.
There are only 3 possible sources: God, the devil, ourselves.
The main question is whether our desires are godly, righteous, holy, Christlike – or ungodly, evil, unholy, selfish.
Our desires will either pull us toward God and what HE wants, or ourselves and what WE want.
James 1:14 - Each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.
Sins That Hinder Us
Apathy
Unbelief
Greed
Lust
Pride
Rev. 3:16-17
Heb. 4:12,19
Matt. 23:25; Luke 12:15
Matt. 5:28; Rom. 1:24-25
Next week!
Matthew 16:24 - “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”
OUR DESIRES NEED TO BE:
Rejected
Redeemed
Replaced
Deny myself: wants, desires, opinions, perspectives
Take up my cross: instrument of suffering and death
Follow Jesus: go where He wants, say & do what He wants
How Sin Hinders Us
Sin separates us from God.
Sin wars against us.
Sin enslaves us.
Sin brings ruin and judgment.
Sin brings death.
Isaiah 59:2
1 Peter 2:11
John 8:34
Rom. 2:12
James 1:15; Rom. 6:23
Dealing With Sin
Remedy for dealing with it: repentance – change of heart, mind, direction; turning from our sin to God. Luke 24:47; Acts 20:21 &
26:20
Jesus’ main message: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”
Read Luke 13:1-5 and Acts 17:29-31
God will not turn a blind eye to sin; He knows it will destroy you; He sent Jesus to pay the full price for it.
Read Romans 8:2-4 and Hebrews 10:26-31
THE PROCESS
Hear and receive the word of truth.
Be convicted in your heart.
Be sorrowful for your sin.
Confess your sin.
Repent of your sin.
Receive God’s grace, forgiveness, righteousness.
Forsake your sin – new lifestyle, patterns, direction.
Walk in God’s truth and light.
Honour God with your whole being.
1 Thess. 2:13
John 16:8
2 Cor. 7:10
1 John 1:9
Col. 3:5
2 Cor. 5:21
Rom. 6:11; 1 John 3:6
1 John 1:7
Rom. 6:12-14
Hebrews 12:1-2 – Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with
perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.