Our Secret Sins And What They Cause

Our Secret Sins And What They Cause

1 Kings 11:1-13

Prayer

Introduction

Two theological students were walking along a street in the White chapel district of London, a section where old and used clothing is sold. "What a fitting illustration all this makes!" said one of the students as he pointed to a suit of clothes hanging on a rack by a window. A sign on it read: SLIGHTLY SOILED -- GREATLY REDUCED IN PRICE.

"That’s it exactly," he continued. "We get soiled by gazing at a vulgar picture, reading a course book, or allowing ourselves a little indulgence in dishonest or lustful thoughts; and so when the time comes for our character to be appraised, we are greatly reduced in value. Our purity, our strength is gone. We are just part and parcel of the general, shopworn stock of the world." Yes, continual slight deviations from the path of right may greatly reduce our usefulness to God and to our fellowman. In fact, these little secret sins can weaken our character so that when we face a moral crisis, we cannot stand the test. As a result, we go down in spiritual defeat because we have been careless about little sins.

That is so very true. But it is not only us that go down in spiritual defeat because of our un-confessed sin in our life but it is also our nation. But how can my sin affect my nation. We are part of this nation and our morals, values, and ethics that we pass on to our children and they to their children spread out to encompass the nation as a whole. When the nation as a whole rejects God’s word and thereby God Himself the nation comes under Judgment just as the individual does. The moral downfall of the United States did not start out overnight but by one individual at a time. And if it is to reverse it must start with one individual at a time. This morning lets us examine what sin is and what it causes.

I. What is Sin?

a. Sin is the violation of God’s commandment.

i. Many people today don’t think that we live under the Law of Moses and we don’t. But I want to point out to us this morning that Jesus Himself. 1) Observed the law as did His apostles. 2) That He did not come to destroy the law but to fulfill it 3) that not one dot or line would disappear from the law 4) that all scripture was useful for instruction and correction. No we don’t live under the law we have a harder law to fulfill than the ancient Israelites. WE ARE TO LOVE GOD AND ONE ANOTHER. Which means that we are to serve Him and the law can be used as a guide to instruct us in where we are wrong?

ii. Sin can be big or small. From stealing a paper clip at work to murder in God’s eyes it is all the same.

1. Not paying taxes that we legally owe. Jesus said that were to give unto Caesar what is Caesar’s and unto God what is God’s.

2. speeding

3. lying

4. cheating

5. Stealing- be it money, time from work, time from family, time from God.

b. Sin is doing anything outside of God’s will.

i. We are commanded to study God’s word, not to occupy our time or to say that we have read it, but so we can know what we are to do as Christians.

ii. Under the New Covenant we have a harder law to follow than the Law of Moses.

1. our two great laws are to love God with all our hearts

2. Love one another. We are to love and pray for those who hurt and hate us.

a. Which is harder to do? To bring the appropriate lamb at the right time to sacrifice or to love our enemies.

c. When we refuse to do what God has called us to do in His Word we are sinning and we cut off that close personal relationship to God by our very own actions.

i. Sin blocks communication with our Heavenly Father.

ii. Without that relationship we are wondering blindly in this dark world.

iii. Our spiritual growth stops and may ever reverse because we are no longer depending on Him.

II. Why are we not to sin?

a. Sin will cause us to be hurt and as a church sins it becomes apostate and when the church in a nation becomes apostate the nation will be hurt, physically as well as spiritually.

i. As we individually and nationally become more worldly we choose more and more to disregard God’s word.

1. Our laws begin to go against God’s word.