Why Do Christians Sin?
Introduction
1. Speaking of man generally, the Scriptures state the following fact:
"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" (Romans 3:23)
"For there is not a righteous man on earth, that does good continually, and never sins." (Ecclesiastes 7:20)
2. Speaking of Christians, John says…
"If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us." (1 John 1:8-10)
3. If all every person sins then everyone will die:
"For the wages of sin is death…" (Romans 6:23)
"Then when lust has conceived, it brings forth sin; and sin, when it is accomplished, brings forth death." (James 1:15)
4. But God, in His mercy, sent the Son to save us (Cp. Romans 7:24) from our sins:
a. Jesus is the Savior.
"And she shall bring forth a son, and you shall call His name JESUS: for He shall save His people from their sins." (Matthew 1:21)
"And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world." (1 John 4:14)
b. Jesus was made sin for us.
"Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." (1 John 4:10)
"For He has made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." (2 Corinthians 5:21)
“For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh” (Romans 8:3)
c. Jesus suffered the consequences of our sin.
"For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:" (1 Peter 3:18)
"But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man." (Hebrews 2:9)
d. We have then been saved through His death.
"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life." (Romans 5:8-10)
5. In view of the fact that we have been “justified by His blood” and “saved from wrath”, how is it that we still sin? For it is evident that Christians do sin…
"If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." (1 John 1:8)
[We sin because we have a tendency to…]
I. Underestimate The Allure Of Sin
A. The promise of wisdom (Genesis 3:5).
B. The pleasure that is derived in sinning (Job 20:5; 1 Timothy 5:6; Hebrews 11:24-25).
C. The ability to avoid difficulties and solve problems:
1. What was David’s “quick-fix” solution after he had gotten the wife of Uriah pregnant? (2 Samuel 11:1-15). Murder.
2. What id Peter do when he was being exposed as a follower of Jesus? (Matthew 26:69-75). Lied.
II. Overestimate Our Power To Resist (On Our Own)
A. The Scriptures admonitions to resist sin necessarily imply that we have a choice (Romans 6:11-13).
B. We sin, then, by choice because we do not exercise self-control (James 1:14-15).
III. Underestimate The Power Of Sin
A. } Christian who continues to indulge in will eventually find that his conscience becomes “seared with a hot iron” (1 Timothy 4:2) or to become “past feeling” (Ephesians 4:19).
B. Once the conscience is cauterized it is highly likely that such a person will give themselves over to all manner of uncleanness (Ephesians 4:19; cp. Romans 1:20-32).
[We shall now consider what we can do, in relation to the above points, to avoid sin]
IV. What Can We Do?
A. Our part:
1. It is essential that we do not try to cover up our sin. Rather, we should confess our sin to God (1 John 1:8-9) and to one another (James 5:16).
"For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us." (Psalms 103:11-12)
2. Know your enemy. Paul says of Satan, “We are not ignorant of his devices” (2 Corinthians 2:11). One commentator says, “We know his plans, his thoughts, his cunning, his skill. We are not ignorant of the great number of stratagems which he is constantly using to injure us, and to destroy the souls of people” (Barnes). Someone has said, “Our ignorance of Satan’s stratagems gives him the edge” (Quotes & Things, Commentary, D. Collins).
3. Put on the armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-13).
4. Study the Scriptures and memorize as much of it as you can (Psalms 119:11).
B. God’s part:
1. God promises that we cannot be tempted above that which we are able to bear (1 Corinthians 10:13a).
2. God promises to show us a way of escape (1 Corinthians 10:13b).
3. God promises that the Devil will flee if we resist him (James 4:7).
Conclusion
1. As Christians we do not walk in sin (i.e., sinning is not a dominant feature in our lifestyle) but in the path of righteousness.
2. However, there are occasions when we do sin. This is because…
a. We have a tendency to underestimate the deceitfulness of sin.
b. We have a tendency to overestimate our own power to resist temptation.
c. We have a tendency to underestimate the power of sin to totally corrupt.
3. If we do our part in resisting temptation and lean on the promises God, we will be less likely to sin.
"He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother." (1 John 3:8-10)
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