The world in which we live has a distorted perception of sin. In our society, sin is mocked, disregarded, ignored, and even glorified. But the word of God presents a very different perspective. Sin is likened to darkness (John 3:19-20) and cancer (2 Timothy 2:17). Sin enslaves us (Romans 6:17,20). We are told very plainly that God hates sin (Proverbs 6:16-19).
If we do not appreciate what the Scriptures teach about sin, then it is not likely that we will want to give it up. One of the first steps to overcoming sin is realizing just how bad sin really is. To begin, we need to know what the Bible means when it talks about sin.
“Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness” (1 John 3:4).
Sin is a transgression of God’s law. The commandments given to us by God do not come from a malicious tyrant. God is full of mercy, grace, and love toward us. Notice what else John says about the God whose law we violate when we sin.
“See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God…” (1 John 3:1).
“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:7-10).
“We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him” (1 John 4:16).
The law of God is an extension of His love for us. He knows what is best for us and He is the source of every good thing (cf. James 1:17). Because He loves us, He tells us what sin is so we can avoid it.
The Consequences of Sin
God wants us to put away sin from our lives. But why? What is it about sin that makes it so terrible?
First, sin separates us from God. “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” (Isaiah 59:2). When sin was first introduced into the world in the Garden, part of the punishment was for Adam and Eve to be cast out of the place where they previously had direct fellowship with God (Genesis 3:8, 24). To this day, sin continues to sever the relationship between man and God.
Second, sin enslaves us. Paul warns the brethren in Rome, “Do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts” (Romans 6:12). He then asks, “Do you not know 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?” (Romans 6:16). If we continue in sin, we become entangled in it, making it more difficult to overcome temptations and to remove sin from our lives. The more we sin, the easier it is to remain in sin.
Third, sin will cause us to be lost eternally. Paul went on to tell the Romans, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). If we do not become a slave of righteousness (Romans 6:18), we cannot hope to receive the free gift of eternal life that God offers us through His grace. Instead, we will get what we deserve for our sin – eternal punishment.
Why does God tell us to avoid sin? It is not because He is a power-crazed ruler who derives satisfaction from being able to tell people what to do. He tells us to avoid sin because He loves us. He wants us to have fellowship with Him, but sin prohibits that fellowship. He wants us to be free from sin, but sin enslaves us. He wants us to be with Him in heaven for eternity, but sin will cause us to lose our souls. Because He loves us, He warns us about the destructive nature of sin.
Why Was Jesus Allowed to Go to the Cross?
His love has also been shown in His willingness to take the necessary actions to remedy the problem of sin. What had to be done? His Son had to die on the cross. Jesus told Nicodemus, “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up” (John 3:14).
The blood of Christ that was to be shed in His death was the essential element in God’s plan to atone for sins. The Hebrew writer noted that “without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Hebrews 9:22). “The blood of Christ” is able to “cleanse your conscience” (Hebrews 9:14). By His blood we have been redeemed (1 Peter 1:18-19).
In order to secure this atonement, Jesus came to the Earth and lived as a man. He endured anguish, rejection, torture, and ultimately death. This had to be done for our redemption. The horrible events of the crucifixion, the pain and agony that Christ suffered, remind us just how bad sin is to God.
“As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:14-16).
The consequences and punishment for sin are too great for God to simply allow us to suffer this fate without any hope of escape. As horrible as Jesus’ death on the cross was, we stand to face something far worse than crucifixion – an eternal separation from God in a place filled with agony and pain. This is what we are due for our sin.
Sin is not to be taken lightly. God knows how terrible the wages of sin are, so He was willing to watch His only begotten Son suffer. Jesus clearly understood the severity of sin in that He was willing to lay down His life for us. We must recognize what sin is and remove it from our lives.
Summary
Before you will be able to overcome sin, you must see it for what it is. Remember what the Bible says about sin:
- Sin is a transgression of God’s law.
- God has given His commands because of the terrible consequences of sin: separation from God, enslavement to sin, and eternal condemnation.
- The terrible death that Jesus died on the cross is not nearly as terrible as the punishment which you stand to face for sin.
This material is taken from the book, The Root of the Problem: Why We Sin & How We Can Overcome, published by Gospel Armory, © 2010.
