One of my strong desires is to encourage Christians to see sin in much broader and more all-encompassing ways than it has traditionally been seen.
Consider the following verses for formulating a more accurate picture of sin:
James 4:17 So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.
Rom. 5:12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— ...
Rom. 7:17 So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.
Rom. 14:23 But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.
I have included a VERY abbreviated list of verses. Romans 3-7, especially 3 and 5 teach us very clearly that sin is not merely external actions, but a nature of reality within us. We have all sinned 'in Adam,' the first man. Sin is more than individual actions we commit, it is a nature inside of us because of the Fall.
Also note Romans 14:23 and James 4:17; they paint a picture of sin far beyond the concept of individual actions. It paints a picture of sin being ANYTHING and EVERYTHING that is not done out of faith. Therefore, if you feed the hungry, clothe the poor, and care for the widowed, but do not do it out of faith in God (and ultimately do it for God's glory, 1 Cor 10:31), it is sin.
Yes, I believe that biblically, we learn that anyone who is outside of God cannot please God, but only sins continually. I mean that fully to the extent that they cannot do anything but sin.
Heb. 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
So, attending and giving money to the church and attending prayer meetings, if not done out of faith in God and done with the conviction that he exists and is a rewarder of those who seek him, it is sin! What a powerful, life-altering statement.
No matter how many times I remind myself of this truth, it still never seems to truly sink in. I still revert to thinking of sin in terms of individual bad actions.
So, James shows us inaction is sin, Paul makes clear that sin dwells in us and that anything we do that isn't out of faith is sin. The writer of Hebrews makes clear that we have no chance whatsoever of pleasing God without faith.
What a huge concept of sin, and so contrary to popular notions! I would love to hear comments about how this truth has affected you, or how you have struggled to teach this truth to others, or even of how you disagree with what I have presented here.
Consider the following verses for formulating a more accurate picture of sin:
James 4:17 So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.
Rom. 5:12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— ...
Rom. 7:17 So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.
Rom. 14:23 But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.
I have included a VERY abbreviated list of verses. Romans 3-7, especially 3 and 5 teach us very clearly that sin is not merely external actions, but a nature of reality within us. We have all sinned 'in Adam,' the first man. Sin is more than individual actions we commit, it is a nature inside of us because of the Fall.
Also note Romans 14:23 and James 4:17; they paint a picture of sin far beyond the concept of individual actions. It paints a picture of sin being ANYTHING and EVERYTHING that is not done out of faith. Therefore, if you feed the hungry, clothe the poor, and care for the widowed, but do not do it out of faith in God (and ultimately do it for God's glory, 1 Cor 10:31), it is sin.
Yes, I believe that biblically, we learn that anyone who is outside of God cannot please God, but only sins continually. I mean that fully to the extent that they cannot do anything but sin.
Heb. 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
So, attending and giving money to the church and attending prayer meetings, if not done out of faith in God and done with the conviction that he exists and is a rewarder of those who seek him, it is sin! What a powerful, life-altering statement.
No matter how many times I remind myself of this truth, it still never seems to truly sink in. I still revert to thinking of sin in terms of individual bad actions.
So, James shows us inaction is sin, Paul makes clear that sin dwells in us and that anything we do that isn't out of faith is sin. The writer of Hebrews makes clear that we have no chance whatsoever of pleasing God without faith.
What a huge concept of sin, and so contrary to popular notions! I would love to hear comments about how this truth has affected you, or how you have struggled to teach this truth to others, or even of how you disagree with what I have presented here.
