Before I get through with this sermon I think you will be able to answer that question.
Many are not aware the Bible talks about two kinds of sins.
(1) THE SINS OF COMMISSION.
Illus: Can you remember as a child you did something bad and your dad or mom said, “Wait till I get you home!!!” And you dreaded getting home because you knew what was going to take place.
Now this is why many lost people are afraid of death, because they know all these years of sin have been stacking and they are horrified knowing they are going to have to face God their Creator, and give account for everyone sin.
Illus: Years ago Dr. Odell Belger was called early one Sunday morning. As soon as he answered the phone he knew it was something terrible that had happened. This female voice was crying and the only thing she said was preacher, “This is ____________, please come to our house” and she hung up!
He arrived at her home and the yard was full of cars and a number of police cars.
He walked to the house and just as he saw the lady that had called him she came running to him crying.
After a little while she settled down and he asked her what happened.
She told him that her husband had committed suicide. No one knew why he had done such a thing.
A few days later they found out. He and his supervisor worked for the State of South Carolina and they together had been stealing. He found out Friday when he left work that his supervisor was going to place all the blame on him on the following Monday morning.
All day Saturday his wife said he was quiet and she did not know what was wrong with him. Sunday morning he got up and committed suicide.
He could not bear the thought that Monday morning he would have to give account for his wrong doings and face the embarrassment and perhaps jail time.
It was more than he could handle!
Yes, I can see why sinners want to stay drunk and doped up. Many know they are only one heartbeat away from giving account to God for their SINS OF COMMISSION and hearing those horrible words, “DEPART FROM ME INTO EVERLASTING FIRE!”
Some might be asking, “Why doesn’t God forget about holding people accountable for their sins and allow everyone go to heaven?
The holy God heaven cannot do that for two reasons.
(1) First, God is a holy God.
Illus: What would you think of a judge that had a brutal killer before him who would just say, “Just forget about it, let’s all go home and act like this man has never done a thing!”
We all would conclude, “That is a crooked judge and he does not care the first thing about justice.” And that would be correct!!!
God the Creator is a holy God and He will judge all people for their sins they have committed. God could not be a holy God and not judge sin.
Some terrible things have been done and they might have gotten away with murder with mankind, but not with the HOLY GOD OF HEAVEN.
(2) Secondly, if God was willing to excuse sin and allow everyone to go to heaven, heaven would not be a holy place.
Make no mistake about it - God will judge every one of us for the good and the bad!
Look at Ecclesiastes 12:14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
The lost man has to live with the fact that every day he is only one heartbeat away from standing before God their Creator and give account of every SIN OF COMMISSION AND EVERY SIN OF OMISSION.
What a horrible way to live!!!
The sinners are just waiting for their eternal damnation.
Hebrews 9:27 says, “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.”
No purgatory after life…JUDGEMENT.
These are the SINS OF COMMISSION that people are going to have to give account for to God Almighty!!!
But every one of us are going to give account of the sins of OMISSION also.
(2) WHAT ARE THE SINS OF OMISSION?
Illus: A Sunday school teacher asked her class, "Does anyone here know what we mean by sins of omission?"
A small girl replied: "Aren't those the sins we should have committed, but didn't?"
Let’s clarify this issue so nobody has that kind of understanding.
• It is a sin to lie, but it is also a sin not to tell the truth when you should. That’s the sin of omission!
• It is a sin to steal from another, but it is also a sin not to give to another when it is in your power to do so for their good. That’s the sin of omission!
Prov. 3:27 says, "Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act." If you can do good and don't, it is a sin.
In other words, the sin of omission can be the major cause for the sin of commission.
Illus: Because you did not see that a man had food and shelter for his family, he had to rob and steal for these provisions to survive.
The Golden Rule is, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."
Illus: It is not enough to not do wrong. You must do right to be right with God.
Illus: Sin is like the speed limit laws. You can break the law by going over the legal limit, but you can also break the law by going under the minimum limit.
Let me give you a Bible definition of the SIN OF OMISSION.
The Bible tells us in James 4:17, “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, TO HIM IT IS SIN.”
It is not the sin of DOING SOMETHING - it is the sin of NOT DOING SOMETHING GOD HAS TOLD US TO DO!
While we all aware of the known sins in our life (Sins of Commission) I would like to talk to you about the sins of OMISSION that we Christians are going to give account to God for.
WHAT KIND OF SIN IS THE SIN OF OMISSION?
It is a-
I. DECEIVING SIN.
When we think of sin, most of us think of sins of commission - things that we do.
We have the idea if we do not do these SINS OF COMMISSION we are o.k.
Often we seem to forget that there are SINS OF COMMISSION and there are SINS OF OMISSION!
That is, we are going to give account to God for WHAT WE DO and also for WHAT WE KNOW WE SHOULD HAVE DONE!
THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE A HAPPY TIME IN HEAVEN FOR SOME FOLKS!
Why? The Bible talks about in heaven He will have to wipe away all tears from the eyes of Christians. The fact He has to wipe tears from our eyes lets us know there will be tears, and I can assure you we all are going to have some of those tears!!!
Revelation 21:4 says, “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”
The Judgment Seat of Christ, believers will have their work tested. Look at 1 Corinthians 3:13–15…"Each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire"
Those believers whose work is consumed by the fire will experience loss and shed tears.
Heaven is described as a place of complete peace, rest, comfort, praise, and joy. But there will be some weeping when we get to heaven.
Why? Because Christians are going to see all the opportunities they had to do something for the Lord but they did not take advantage of those opportunities.
That is:
? Some are going to give account for the fact they could have been wonderful Sunday school teachers, but they would not!
? Some could have been singing in the choir for the Lord but they would not!
? Some could have been used of God financially but they would not!
? Some could have been faithful in their church attendance but they would not!
? Some could have been faithful in their giving but they would not!
? Some could have used their God given talents for the Lord but they would not!
? Some could have been faithful in their witnessing but they would not!
? Some could have been faithful in their duties but they would not!
They know they could have taken advantage of these opportunities but they walked away from them every time and now friends and family members who might have been saved if they had done these things will be lost forever!!!
There are so many things that could be done for the Lord if people would take advantage of the opportunities.
Illus: You can drive by many churches today and they have wonderful vans and buses parked on their parking lots. Those buses and vans could be used every week to pick up lost folks but there is not a person in those churches, who are burdened for the lost, to drive those buses and vans.
Illus: Some churches have empty Sunday school class rooms but they do not have people who profess to love the Lord to fill those classes with boys and girls.
Oh yes, there is going to be a lot of weeping in heaven because many Christians today may not commit the SINS OF COMMISSION but they commit daily the SIN OF OMISSION!!!
God’s Word says, “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin!”
Now answer the question I asked you a few minutes ago. Which is worse, the SIN OF COMISSION or the SIN OF OMISSION?
The sin of OMISSION is far worse than the SIN OF COMISSION.
LET ME EXPLAIN!!!
Because all sin comes from knowing we should do something and we do not do it.
Look at James 4:17. We read, “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, TO HIM IT IS SIN.”
The sin of omission it’s a greater sin!
Why? Because if you’re doing what you ought to do, you can’t be doing what you ought not do. You won’t have time.
Illus: You ever go to bed at night and try to put your mind in neutral? IT IS IMPOSSIBLE!
This is why the Bible says in Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
That is, if you want to stop thinking bad thoughts, God’s Word says FILL YOUR MIND WITH GOOD THOUGHTS.
Think on good thoughts.
• That is, if we think the right thoughts it is impossible for us to think the wrong thoughts because we can only think one thought at a time.
• And if you are doing what YOU OUGHT TO DO you will not be doing what YOU OUGHT NOT DO!
The book of James not only tells us about the sin of omission it also gives us an illustration of how it works.
(1)Even a tree can commit the “sin” of omission.
Illus: The person who does not do what he knows he should is like the fig tree Jesus cursed. (Matt. 21:19-21)
One day Jesus and His disciples were walking along the road and Jesus was hungry. He saw a fig tree. It had leaves, which indicated figs should be there, but there were no figs on that tree. It was barren and Jesus cursed that fig tree.
Why did Jesus curse it?
1) Because it bore poison fruit? No.
2) Because it bore no fruit even though the leaves indicated there should be figs there.
Let me give you another example of the sin of Omission.
(2) Remember the parable of the talents in Matt. 25:14-30 where a man went away and he gave to his servants various talents.
• And, some of the servants invested the talents and received revenue for their master.
• But one took his talent and buried it in the ground. When his master returned, he called him a “wicked and a slothful servant.”
Had he…
? Wasted the money?
? Had he squandered the money?
? Had he stolen the money?
No. He simply did nothing with it. And, for that reason, his Lord condemned him. It was the sin of omission.
The Bible gives us another example of the sin of Omission.
(3)Jesus gave a parable about the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:30-37…
Do you remember the story of the man who was going from Jerusalem down to Jericho and he fell among thieves?
And, Jesus told the story of how a priest and Levite passed him by.
? Now, did the priest and Levite rob that man? No.
? Did they beat that man? No.
? They just simply passed him by.
All of these things illustrate what I’m trying to say to you. It is the sin of omission which is such a deceiving sin.
God’s Word says, “To him that knoweth to do good and doeth it not, to him it is sin.”
I’ll tell you something else about the sin of omission.
Not only is it a deceiving sin, but it’s such a
II. RESPECTABLE SIN.
That is, our churches are full of people who do not kill, steal, lie, and cheat. They are respectable Christians.
Yet they commit the RESPECTABLE SIN OF OMISSION that no one can see.
Most of the time people do not see what a person should be doing - all they see is what they are doing!
They have been living the Christian life and committing the SIN OF OMISSION for years! It is not what they are doing it is what they are not doing!
Do you know why we have Christians in God’s church the Holy Spirit no longer talks to them anymore?
Do you know why? BECAUSE HE KNOWS IT IS A WASTE OF TIME!
For example:
? God has spoken to them about witnessing for years. BUT THEY WON’T!
? God has spoken to them about tithing and giving. BUT THEY WON’T!
? God has spoken to them for years about Christian service. BUT THEY WON’T SERVE!
No longer does God speak to them! Why? Because it is a waste of time.
They believe since they do not steal, kill, lie and cheat that they are alright!!!
Their sin is not what they are doing. It is what you are not doing!
The sin of omission is not only a:
? Deceiving sin.
? Respectable sin.
But also it is a-
III. DESTRUCTIVE SIN.
Look at James 4: 15-16 we read, “For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.”
Why is it so destructive?
Well, let’s just think for a moment. Why are men and women, boys and girls lost and going to hell?
Is it because of the sin of omission or the sin of commission?
Well, let’s get technical.
? People go to hell because they are born sinners; their sin condemns them to hell.
? They miss Heaven because of what they have not done.
Now, you say, “WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?”
Look at John chapter 3:18: “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
The sinner who commits the sin of omission whether he knows it or not will find out at the Great White Throne judgment that he has been sentenced to hell.
The Bible says, “He that believeth not is condemned already.”
Illus: The sinner is like the man that is waiting in prison on death row for his sentence to be carried out.
But the sinner can do something – the Lord will pardon any sinner who will come to Him for salvation.
The sin that condemns a man today to hell today is not the sin of commission; it is the sin of omission. HE/SHE IS LOST BECAUSE THEY WILL NOT COME TO CHRIST KNOWING THEY SHOULD COME!!!
The Bible says, “He that believes is not condemned, but he that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed…”
He knows he/she should, but keeps putting it off.
Hell will be full of people who attended church and who planned to get saved but they never got around to it.
Now, that tells me that no matter how outwardly righteous you may be today if you have not believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, you are lost because of what you failed to do.
Illus: I heard about a man whose employer said to him, “You’re fired!”
• He said, “Why? I didn’t do anything.”
• He said, “That’s why you’re fired.”
“Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.”
The SINS OF OMISSION are destructive.
Illus: Somebody wrote these words, “Everyday in Africa, every morning, a gazelle wakes up.
• And, that gazelle knows if he can’t outrun the fastest lion, he’s going to die.
• Every morning in Africa a lion wakes up. And, that lion knows if he can’t outrun the slowest gazelle, he’s going to starve.
And, so whether you’re a lion or whether you’re a gazelle, you wake up running. Because, if you don’t, you’re not going to make it.”
Now, my dear friend, let me tell you something. Your life is like that. You can’t just sit around.
YOU NEED TO DO WHAT YOU KNOW YOU SHOULD DO AND ACCEPT THE LORD AS YOUR SAVIOR.
Conclusion:
The sin of Omission is a horrible sin!!!
Some of you may remember this terrible incident reported so long ago that took place in New York city.
Kitty Genovese had driven home from her job working as a bar manager early in the morning of March 13, 1964. Arriving home at about 3:15 am she parked about 100 feet (30 m) from her apartment's door, located in an alley at the rear of the building. As she walked towards the building she was approached by Winston Moseley. Frightened, Genovese began to run across the parking lot and towards the front of her building located on Austin Street trying to make it up to the corner towards the major thoroughfare of Lefferts Boulevard. Moseley ran after her, quickly overtook her and stabbed her twice in the back. Genovese screamed, "Oh my God, he stabbed me! Help me!" We are told her cry was heard by thirty-eighty neighbors but, on a cold night with the windows closed, only a few of them recognized the sound as a cry for help. When Robert Mozer, one of the neighbors, shouted at the attacker, "Let that girl alone!" Moseley ran away and Genovese slowly made her way toward the rear entrance of her apartment building.
The attacker left the scene but returned later raped her and killed her.
As a nation we were upset when we heard the report that so many heard her cry and did not do anything to help her.
But the point I want to make in closing is this.
We have lost people here today
• Who know hell is real and hell is hot.
• And they know if you were to die today they would go there and they want do anything about it.
• And they know their loved ones and friends will spend eternity in this dreadful place call hell they won’t open their mouth to try to lead them to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.
We have looked at the sin of omission. It is not only a:
I. Deceiving sin
II. Respectable sin.
III. Destructive sin.
