Warning About Deliberate Sin Series

Code Yellow Alert

Warning about Deliberate Sin

Hebrews 10:19-31

* One of the things which was drilled into me when I was in the “Primary” department in Sunday school (remember that department?) was that I was a sinner. In fact, we all were taught weekly that because of our sin nature we sinned daily, hourly, every minute, and for some, every second. Whether it was meant this way or not, I don’t know, but my personal perception was that I had no choice in the matter, because I was such a bad person, I just couldn’t help myself. And to reinforce this concept we had “Geraldine” (Flip Wilson’s alter ego) giving out the message, “The devil made me do it.” While the sketches may have been funny, the concept was deadly. As an aside, it would seem to appear that what is popular on the screen in one generation is popular in society for the next.

* Today, I understand that the teaching or thinking which says we sin and don’t know it or can’t control it is not entirely accurate. Truth is, we know when we sin, particularly if we are a born-again, spirit-filled Child of God. We know because every time we are tempted to sin, the Holy Spirit has our back, becomes our conscious, and attempts to get us to “yield not.”

* Do you remember what Romans 13:14 ended with this morning? The HCSB says, “Make no plans to satisfy the flesh” while the KJV translates it this way, “Make no provision for the flesh.” I wonder if we realize that when we make provisions or plans to satisfy those corrupt yearning of our corrupt nature that we walk opposed to God. And to walk opposed to God carries bad consequences. Do you realize that those plans are plans for deliberate, premeditated, & intentional sin? It is one thing to “slip and fall” into sin, but it is another thing to plan on it and even to enjoy it.

* Let’s look and our text and glean 4 thoughts will help us avoid this mistake.

1. The Reality of Deliberate Sin. – I have discovered an unusual truth; God rarely waste anything. He does not waste time, energy, power, or words. If God chooses to address a subject in His Holy Word, it is safe to assume there is a reason for it. So when He uses the word “deliberate” or “willful” sin in verse 26, He is saying, “Houston, we have a problem.” Because of this truth, another truth surfaces as we seem to see 2 classifications of sin. But it’s not classes like we think. Rather, it seems that sin is classified as Intentional or unintentional, deliberate or accidental, or planned or unplanned. It is that deliberate or intentional sin which we consider here.

* Psalms 78 and 106 are two extended chapters which chronicle the Hebrews exodus, the goodness of God toward them, and their propensity to willfully and deliberately sin by rebellion. But we don’t have to look in the Bible to find deliberate sin. Quite likely, we can look back over the last week and think of a time we had a choice, & chose sin.

* It could be that nasty little habit we cannot seem to break, that foul language which constantly leaks out, or a gossiping tongue which we make no effort to control. And it is not a onetime event; the text hints that this is a repetitive action. It is habitual. Truth is, quite likely every person here has at least one sin which, we have rationalized out, that God understands. It’s just the way we are put together. That is a dangerous belief. However, if this is the way you are put together? You might want to let Jesus come into your heart and rebuild it. That is what He is good at doing.

* Candidly, deliberate is something we all can, if honest, relate to.

2. The Risk in Deliberate Sin – Even though we can relate to it by admitting we have done it, we need to clearly understand the tremendous risk we face. We know that certain behavior invokes risk. For instance, if you choose to become a window washer on a skyscraper, you have a higher risk of getting killed on the job than say, a CPA. We know that Football player is more at risk than say a Computer tech. We know that people who are sexual immoral have a greater chance of picking up a life-long disease than the person who chooses to remain pure until marriage and then be faithful. Every action, vocation, and behavior carries with it a risk factor.

* Look with me at the last part of verse 26 and verse 27 and see what it says about a life of deliberate, habitual, and intentional sin. (READ) What a statement! Exactly what does this mean? I’m not sure I can tell you EVERYTHING it means, so let’s just consider a few connecting points.