Our Reaction To Sin Series

Now I want you to notice something about these lists of sin. They don’t rank sin. They give no indication that some sins are worse than other sins. They tell us that God hates all sins equally. Sexual sin, selfish ambition and gossip are all equally hated by God. And those who are living in sin will equally not inherit the Kingdom of God. In other words, the gossip is just as guilty as the murderer. Those who cheat people are just as likely to go to hell as an adulterer.

And, let me add this, we need to be the same way. We need to see all sin as equally evil.

Hebrews 1:9 (NLT)

You love justice and hate evil. Therefore, O God, your God has anointed you, pouring out the oil of joy on you more than on anyone else.

We are to hate evil just as much as God does. We need to remember that because we are going to be attacked when we do just as Lot was attacked when he stood up against the evil of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Genesis 19:9 (NLT)

“Stand back!” they shouted. “This fellow came to town as an outsider, and now he’s acting like our judge! We’ll treat you far worse than those other men!” And they lunged toward Lot to break down the door.

When Lot tried to keep the men of Sodom from doing evil they yelled, “Who are you to judge?” Things haven’t changed. If you dare to stand on God’s side against sin, then the world is going to attack you.

I could not count the number of times someone has said to me, “Who are you to judge?” when I stood on the truth of God’s Word against sin. And they will say the same to you if you dare to stand on the truth of God’s Word.

II. God is Patient.

But just because God hates sin does not mean that he is quick to judge. In fact, just the opposite.

Genesis 18:20-21 (NLT)

So the LORD told Abraham, “I have heard a great outcry from Sodom and Gomorrah, because their sin is so flagrant. I am going down to see if their actions are as wicked as I have heard. If not, I want to know.”

Just like God did not flood the earth until the thoughts of man were only evil all the time, God did not judge the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah until their sins had become so great that He had no other choice. God gets no pleasure out of punishment. God does not want to judge anyone. There is a great passage of Scripture in 2 Peter that tells us of God’s desire not to judge sinners.

2 Peter 3:8-10 (NLT)

But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment.

God does not want to judge anyone. God does not want to send anyone to hell. God’s desire is that everyone would repent and be saved. And God will go an extra thousand years in the hopes of saving people from their sins. But the day will come when their sins become so great that God is forced to judge.