Distinguishing Sin Series

Psalm 19 is a testimony to God’s two great witnesses of His existence and power:

1. Creation (v. 1-6)

• Nearest Galaxy (e:2206). The distance from our galaxy to the nearest one is 1.5 million light-years (light travels at 297,600 km per second).

2. The Bible (v. 7-11)

After explaining the amazing power & quality of the Bible, he asks this question: Who can understand his errors?

• The closer you get to the Word of God, the more cognizant you get of your own sinfulness and the more sin you discover, the more you realise how much more exists undetected.

These verses talk about the sin that exists in the life of a believer. But it goes further to explain different types of sin. Distinguishing Sin.

I. SECRET SINS

A. Secret Sins:

1. Not:

• Deeds committed but kept secret from others.

• poem by Hood called The Dream of Eugene Aram — Aram had murdered a man, and cast his body into the river—"a sluggish water, black as ink, the depth was so extreme." The next morning he visited the scene of his guilt—

"And sought the black accursed pool,

With a wild misgiving eye;

And he saw the dead in the river bed,

For the faithless stream was dry."

Next, he covered the corpse with heaps of leaves, but a mighty wind swept through the wood and left the secret bare before the sun—

He buries his victim in a cave and covers him with stones, but when years had run their weary round, the foul deed was discovered and the murderer put to death.

"Then down I cast me on my face,

And first began to weep,

For I knew my secret then was one

That earth refused to keep:

On land or sea though it should be

Ten thousand fathoms deep."

a) Heart sins – known only to you & God (pride & jealousy)

2. But sins are unknown to the one who committed them. Sins of ignorance.

• A Christian may live a good, holy & godly life in comparison to the unsaved and yet still have much secret sin.

B. Why some sins are secret:

1. Because of ignorance of the law:

a) “I not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.”

b) ILL. Driving at 100 in 60 zones through ignorance.

2. Because of the multitude of sins:

a) Thought life: who can keep track of all the thoughts of the mind?

b) Speech: in the multitude of words there wanteth not sin.

3. Because of limited understanding:

a) ILL. Paul before the High Priest.

b) ILL. Paul’s persecution of the church.

4. Because of our motives:

a) Jer 17:9

b) We cannot even judge our own or others’ motives (I Cor 4:3-5).

c) We may operate under partially good & partially bad motives.

5. Because they’re forgotten by us:

C. How they can be cleansed:

1. By Salvation – thank God salvation takes care of them:

a) Forgiven you all trespasses:

b) Blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin.

c) Calvary Covers it all!

d) Shows the absurdity of confessional salvation: In the Lateran Council of the Church of Rome, a decree was passed that every true believer must confess his sins, all of them, once a year to the priest, and they affixed to it this declaration, that there is no hope of pardon but in complying with that decree.

2. Be Searching & Confessing (Ps 139:23-24)

a) It is not enough to know that they are cleansed positionally, a Christian who loves God will want them cleansed practically.

b) God knows our thoughts & hearts:

(1) Psa 90:8, "Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance."

(2) He can bring them light in our life.

c) This is what brings growth & maturity.

II. PRESUMPTUOUS SINS

A. Presumptuous: Proud; committed with arrogance, full knowledge & a defiant attitude.

B. Presumptuous sins are worse sins:

1. All sin is evil, but presumptuous sin is worse.

2. Called the great transgression.

3. Impossible to be called upright while committing them.

C. Presumptuous sins are especially aggravating to God.

1. There was no atonement under the law, the person was to be cut off.

2. Israel was always held more accountable than the heathen nations.

3. To whom much is given...

4. Bethsaida, Capernaum.

5. The Pharisees

a) John 9:40-41 - Sin is not imputed where there is no law. If they were completely blind – with no knowledge of right from wrong, sin is not imputed where there is

(1) This is why children who die before an age of accountability, or are mentally incapable are not condemned. Sin is not imputed to their account.

(2) God has mercy on the ignorant: