We continue our series of messages surrounding the truth from Romans 3:23 which states “All have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God”! Again, this is a truth we need to deal with, especially as we anticipate the return of Jesus Christ to earth. Each one of us sins and the whole world around us sins, which leads us to all sorts of problems and frustrations which seems to be growing everyday! We have to ask ourselves, how are we going to handle this problem of sin?
We have to look at examples of sins in Scriptures and answer many questions which surrounds Romans 3:23. Here are the questions again which we should know the answers to: What is sin? How does it happen? What results from sin? How does God respond to sin? Why does God allow sin?
Today we will look at the sin of the of the whole world even before the Israelites were called to be God’s people. Open your Bibles to the very beginning again to Genesis 1.
We noted last week, God created everything including people and the first people sinned against God by disobeying God’s instructions. The first people became ungodly because of sin and they had to be separated from God, face all the bad consequences, and eventually face death. But because of God’s love and Promise, Adam and Eve did not die right away but had many children; but very quickly, one of their children sinned, not only with a stubborn heart for God but he murdered his own brother!
We can note in Genesis 4-5, the quick multiplication of people! Read along with me now Genesis 6:5-14…..
And so, because all people in the world during Noah’s time sinned, God decided to wipe out all people, EXCEPT God found favor in Noah. Do you know what this favor in Noah means? Look again at v11….
Just like what Romans 3:23 tells us, all people on earth was and is corrupt in God’s sight, including Noah and his family! You can do further study on Noah and his family to see the sin in their hearts.
Here’s the point, Noah and his family were sinners like all people but God found favor in them; the word favor in the original Hebrew is “khane”, which means grace = an undeserved gift or blessing! If we look for a similar word in the New Testament, we would find the Greek word “charis” which means grace! We’ll put the 2 together even more in our applications later.
But turn now to Genesis 7:11-8:5….
And so because of sin, except for Noah and his family and all the other creatures in the ark, God wiped out all living creatures including all people by a flood!
Now turn to Genesis 8:15-19….
And so, God again called on man to populate the earth!
Now read along with me Genesis 9:8-13…
And so, God made a covenant (a contract) with Noah and his descendants that God would never again destroy the earth and people with a flood and God made a rainbow as a reminder of His Promise!
Let connect all of this with Romans 3:23. What is sin? We noted from Genesis 6:5 “The Lord saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time.”
Sin is thoughts of the ungodly in one’s heart! The heart is where a person’s life starts. Because every person is stained with sin from the first man and woman, all hearts of people are ungodly!
How does sin happen? Unless a person can wipe out the ungodliness of one’s heart, sin will happen and sin causes all sorts of problems along with God’s judgment. Earth, we have a problem!
What resulted from sin during Noah’s time? Sin is detestable to God and so during Noah’s time, God wiped out all human beings except for Noah and his family! The result of sin is the same as for Adam and Eve, but this time God brought death quickly to all except for 8 people.
How does God respond to sin?
God has to judge sin and separate Himself from sin and so, God destroyed all people quickly except for 8! Why did He keep 8 alive?
God kept Noah and his family alive because God promised a Messiah/Savior to destroy sin once and for all! If God destroyed all people including Noah and his family, God would be sinning by not fulfilling a promise He made back in Genesis 3:15 - God said to the devil “And I will put enmity between you and the woman (Eve), and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel." How did God respond to sin during Noah’s time?
God judged sin quickly but kept His promise which needed to be fulfilled through Noah and family.
Why does God allow sin? In this case with the flood and Noah, God allowed sin to show His power over all creation but also to demonstrate that God is a Promise Keeper!
What needs to be our thought for today? All people sin and fall short of the glory of God and God can judge sin very quickly BUT God will always keep His promises!
Do we truly understand that God can judge all of our sins?
God is Creator; we are the created and God can do whatever He wants with us!
Do we truly know God’s Promises to deal with our sins? What is God telling us from Scriptures about His Promises and His judgments?
Now, because the Messiah/Savior had already come 2000 years ago, God’s promise can be summed up in John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
God gave a favor to Noah but since the Messiah/Savior hadn’t come yet, Noah had to live by faith. We read in Hebrews 11:7 “By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith.”
Because the Messiah/Savior has already come, God now gives a favor (grace) to everyone who believes in Jesus Christ; but for those who do not believe, all will perish along with Satan and all the demons! Remember, God keeps all His promises!
You and I are sinners! How do you see God right now in relation to your sins?
How should we treat others who do not know Jesus Christ?
Take a moment to ponder on these things and pray and give thanks to a gracious God…..
