Proper Attitudes toward Sin

By:  M. Allen

 

FILING INFORMATION:

97046

11/9/97 - Rapid City, SD

 

I.  Introduction.

A.   This AM we dealt with improper attitudes dealing with sin.  Certainly we can all see that if we had/have these attitudes that our eternal destiny would not be pleasant.

1.      Tonight we wish to "flip the coin" if you will & talk about proper attitudes about sin.

2.      As we go through the lesson - let each & every one of us be asking ourselves if we have a proper or improper attitude.

3.      Open your Bible & follow along as we discuss this very important lesson.

B.    Certainly in order to be pleasing to the Lord, we must be against sin.  In order to turn against sin, we must have the proper attitude in order to be pleasing to the Lord.  We ended this AM's lesson with the theme of not dismissing sin but dealing with sin.

C.    How should we deal with sin???

 

II.  Proper Attitudes toward Sin.

A.   Admit it.

1.     We must admit that we are guilty of sin!

a.     David - Psa 32:5; 51:3-6

b.     Solomon said - Prov. 28:13 <He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy. >

c.     NT exhorts Christians to admit sin - 1 Jhn. 1:8-10

d.     Must not be like some & refuse to admit they sin before God.

1.     Lk. 15:29…I never transgressed your command at any time.

2.     To do so causes God to be displeased!

2.  Must admit that we are personally responsible for our sin

a.     Js. 1:13-16…stress v. 14…

b.     Nature of man - to point blame somewhere else.

1.     Gen. 3:12-13…Adam; Ex. 32:22-24…Aaron

2.     We even reason "Look at what they made me do"

3.     Heard people reason: made to go to church when little, vowed not to go now that they are adults…

c.     Back to Psa. 51 - how many times does David use me, mine, and my?

1.     v. 1-4 - 9 times he denotes responsibility for his sin.

3.  Let us stop blaming others, society, heredity, bad luck, and start taking responsibility for our transgressions.

B.    Hate it.

1.     I hate Chinese Food.  Do what I can to stay away from it.  We do not eat foods we dislike.

a.     I am scared of snakes.  Only good snake…dead snake.  I stay away from them at all costs.

b.     You see, we avoid the things we hate.

c.     If we have an intense hatred for sin - we will be less likely to commit sin.

2.     God hates sin

a.     Prov. 6:16-19; 8:13

b.     The Lord has absolutely nothing to do with sin.  It is not a minimal thing with the Lord!

3.     Christ hates sin.

a.     Heb. 1:8-9; Psa. 45:6-7

b.     Remember how Christ cleansed the temple in Jh. 2:13-17

c.     It is clear to see that Christ hates iniquity.

4.     The Bible mentions several specific sins that men are to hate.

a.     Sins of covetousness - Ex. 18:21; Prov. 28:16 <A ruler who lacks understanding is a great oppressor, but he who hates covetousness will prolong his days.

b.     Sins of falsity - Psa. 119:104; 128

c.    

We Must Turn Away From These Sins!!!

 
Sins of vanity - Psa. 119:113

d.     Sins of lying - Psa. 119:163; Prov. 13:5

e.     Sins of pride - Prov. 8:13

f.      Sins of murder - Prov. 6:16-19

g.     Sins of evil thinking - Prov. 6:16-19

h.     Sins of false teaching - Prov. 2:6, 15

5.     While we are told to hate sin, we must not hate the sinner.  We are to love the sinner.

a.     Jude 22-23

b.     That is why Christ died on the cross for us!

1.     Jhn. 3:16

2.     Hated sin; loved us - so He died for us!

6.     How much one loves Christ determines how much he hates sin.

a.     cannot love Christ w/o hating sin - Mt. 6:24

b.     Psa. 97:10

c.     Remember it was sin and sin alone that nailed Christ to the tree.

d.     1 Pet. 2:24; 3:18

C.    Shun it.

1.     Rom. 12:9 sums it up clearly.

2.     We are to abstain from evil [1 Thess. 5:22; 1 Pet. 2:11]

a.     "Abstain" means to "hold off from."

3.     Flee from evil [2 Tim 2:22; 1 Tim. 6:11; Ezek. 33:11]

a.     Run away!  Get as far away as we possibly can!

4.     Shunning sin means total effort to stay out of its path.

a.     Some see how close they can get to sin w/o actually sinning.

b.     When we are converted to Christ, we must be committed to totally to turning away from sin.

5.     When we shun sin - we do not make it easy & convenient to sin!

a.     If we are easily tempted to do something, don't make it easy to fall into the trap!

b.     Get as far away as possible!

c.     Someone has said, keeping away from the mire is better than washing off.

D.   Resist it.

1.     The Bible teaches us to resist evil & the evil one!

a.     Js. 4:7 - resist the devil & what?

b.     1 Pet. 5:8-9 - resist him, steadfast in the faith.

2.     Resist defined as to set oneself against.  How do we resist?  Back to Js. 4:7.

a.     Submit ourselves to God.

b.     Draw near to God.

c.     Lk. 22:54-62 - what happened to Peter?

1.     Got far off from the Lord - not able to resist the evil one, denied the Lord.

3.  Jesus resisted evil and the evil one.

a.     3 times in Mt. 4:1-11

b.     Mt. 16:23 - after predicting His death and resurrection.

4.  There is no room for compromise!

a.     1 Pet. 5:8-9

b.     Eph. 6:13

c.     The way some people say "get behind me Satan", you'd think they meant "get behind me and push!"

E.    Conquer it.

1.     We are to conquer sin, not commit sin, we are to conquer sin, not continue in sin.

a.     Rom. 6:1-2

2.     We must take drastic measures to conquer sin!

a.     Mk. 9:43-48

b.     Christ uses an exaggeration to emphasize the intense agonizing, strenuous, and drastic efforts we are to put forth to conquer sin.

c.     Are you willing to go out of your way to get a grip on the sin that effects you?

d.     Must strive against sin all the days of our life!

3.     Realize that we must conquer sin or it will conquer us!

a.     Ironic:  King Saul slain by an Amalkite - the very one He was to destroy!

b.     2 Sam. 1:1-16; 1 Sam. 15:1-22

c.     2 Pet. 2:14 - speaks of men who cannot cease from sin.

d.     Sin must be shown no mercy!

4.      The overcomers - not the overcome are promised the blessings of God.  [Rev. 2:7-11]

 

III.  Conclusion.

A.   What is your attitude toward sin?

1.     Like that of this AM or this exhibited tonight?

2.     Remember, we must admit sin, hate sin, shun sin, resist sin, and ultimately conquer sin.

3.     Which are you working toward?

a.     Can't afford to be lazy in the fight against sin!

b.     Sin destroys the soul!

B.    What is the state of your soul?

C.    I N V I T A T I O N