Sin

	There are so many deadly diseases in our world, today.  We constantly hope that we don't have one of them.  We are so relieved when we find that we don't.  But one condition is the most deadly of all.  What's more, we all have it.  It's called "sin."  You see, physical diseases threaten our physical bodies.  But this spiritual disease threatens our souls.  The world may deny its existence, but it is here just the same.
	What is sin?
	"Do not love the world, nor the things in the world," 1 John 2:15-16 warns.  "If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world."
	Sin results from loving the world instead of loving God.  It involves the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life.
	"Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness," 1 John 3:4 notes, "and sin is lawlessness."
	Sin is disobedience to the will of God.
	"All unrighteousness is sin," we find in the first part of 1 John 5:17.
	Sin is unrighteousness.  It is doing that which is not right, or not doing that which is right.
	"But he who doubts is condemned if he eats," Paul instructs in Romans 14:23, "because {his eating is} not from faith; and whatever is not from faith is sin."
	That which is not from faith is sin.
	Looking a little more closely, we realize that there are two categories of sin.  We might sin by doing something which is wrong.  This is called a sin of commission.
	"And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer," Paul writes in Romans 1:28-32, "God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; {they are} gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; and, although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them."
	We sin when we do something against God's will, or when we approve of others who do.  But we also sin when we fail to do that which is right.  This is known as a sin of omission.
	"Therefore, to one who knows {the} right thing to do, and does not do it, to him it is sin," James 4:17 points out.
	Sin results from loving the world instead of loving God.  It involves the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life.  Sin is disobedience to the will of God.  Sin is unrighteousness.  That which is not from faith is sin. Sin is doing that which is not right, or not doing that which is right. We are guilty of a sin of commission when we do that which is wrong.  We are guilty of a sin of omission when we fail to do that which is right.
	Where did sin come from?
	"Little children, let no one deceive you," 1 John 3:7-8 cautions, "the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning."
	"Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin," Romans 5:12 says of Adam, "and so death spread to all men, because all sinned."
	Sin is from the devil.  He brought it into the world through Adam and Eve.
	What is the result of sin?
	"Behold," we read in Isaiah 59:1-2, "the Lord's hand is not so short that it cannot save; neither is His ear so dull that it cannot hear.  But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden {His} face from you, so that He does not hear."
	Sin separates us from God.
	"Truly, truly, I say to you," Jesus preaches  in John 8:34, "everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin."
	Sin enslaves us.
	"Do you not know," Paul asks in Romans 6:16, "that when you present yourselves to someone {as} slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?"
	"For the wages of sin is death," Romans 6:23 notes, "but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
	Sin results in spiritual death.
	Sin results from loving the world instead of loving God.  It involves the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life.  Sin is disobedience to the will of God.  Sin is unrighteousness.  That which is not from faith is sin. Sin is doing that which is not right, or not doing that which is right. We are guilty of a sin of commission when we do that which is wrong.  We are guilty of a sin of omission when we fail to do that which is right.  Sin is from the devil.  He brought it into the world through Adam and Eve.  Sin separates us from God.  Sin enslaves us.  And sin results in spiritual death.

	What process is involved in sinning?
	"But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust," we learn from James 1:14-15.  "Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death."
	Sin results when we allow our own lusts to give in to temptations.
	Sin is bad.  But are we sure that we have it?
	"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," Paul states simply in Romans 3:23.
	"If we say that we have not sinned," 1 John 1:10 reveals, "we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us."
	We all have sin.  Can we afford to keep it?
	"If we say that we have no sin," we find in 1 John 1:8-10, "we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us."
	"Little children, let no one deceive you," 1 John 3:7-9 adds, "the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, that He might destroy the works of the devil.  No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God."
	We all have sin.  We cannot afford to keep it.  So, what can we do about it?
	"But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us," Paul writes in Ephesians 2:4-5, "even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)."
	We can have our sins removed through the love, mercy and grace of God.  How does this grace work?
	"In Him we have redemption through His blood," Ephesians 1:7 promises, "the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace."
	The grace of God works through the blood of Jesus to forgive our sins.  How do we come in contact with this blood?
	"And now why do you delay?" we read in Acts 22:16. "Arise, and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name."
	We contact the blood of Jesus through baptism.
	Sin results from loving the world instead of loving God.  It involves the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life.  Sin is disobedience to the will of God.  Sin is unrighteousness.  That which is not from faith is sin. Sin is doing that which is not right, or not doing that which is right. We are guilty of a sin of commission when we do that which is wrong.  We are guilty of a sin of omission when we fail to do that which is right.  Sin is from the devil.  He brought it into the world through Adam and Eve.  Sin separates us from God.  Sin enslaves us.  And sin results in spiritual death.  Sin results when we allow our own lusts to give in to temptations.  We all have sin.  We cannot afford to keep it.  We can have our sins removed through the love, mercy and grace of God.  The grace of God works through the blood of Jesus to forgive our sins.  We contact the blood of Jesus through baptism.
	The world tries to tell us that sin does not exist.  It tries to convince us that, if it does exist, it cannot hurt us.  The world lies.  Let's listen to the truth so that we may be set free.

Unless otherwise noted, "Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE(R), (C) Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977. Used by permission."