Take Sin Seriously Series

How sad is it, that supposed Christians act as though we are in some kind of competition against other believers.

> 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may [i]obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

Paul says, “I am not competing against others. I am competing against myself. When we compete against ourselves, we can all win, becoming a bit better each day, beginning a bit more like Christ each day.”

Don’t tell me how you are doing compared to your neighbor who has been walking with the Lord longer than you. Tell me how you are doing compared to how you walked with the Lord a year ago, 2 years ago, 10 years ago.

You cannot measure your success, your Christian walk by comparing yourself to the sins of others.

3. It means we cannot minimize our own sins.

- Read James 2:10

We cannot minimize our own sin. We do try to do that don’t we? Well, I might gossip a little. I might not be forgiving, I might be angry, I may keep a bitter spirit, but at least I don’t whatever.

- 1 Peter 2:1-3 Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

It does mean we cannot minimize our own sins. They are all rebellion against God. What is God’s standard? Be ye therefore perfect even as your Father in Heaven is perfect.

What is God’s standard? It’s not being better than someone else. It’s not being better than my parents my brothers, my neighbors or my friends. The standard against which I’m judged is my heavenly Father, and of Him Jesus says, “Be ye therefore perfect even as your Father in heaven is perfect.”

After his great sins, David cried to God, “Against Thee, Thee only have I sinned.” I imagine Bathsheba and Uriah would have argued about that. But in that passage David is acknowledging that all sin is ultimately against God. All sin is me, is you saying, “I know better than You do God, or, My way is better than Your’s is God; or, I don’t care what you want Lord, this is what I want to do, or, I don’t care what Jesus did for me, what sacrifice He made for me, I still want it my way.”

Listen, We cannot minimize our own sins.

4. It means we show mercy to others

- Read Acts 2:12-13

Oh, how often do we judge others, how often do we put down others and point out their failures in order to feel better about ourselves.

James says, “You walk around here like your armpits don’t stink. You’re judging others. Your sin is just like their’s. They all sent Jesus to the cross.

It means if you want mercy, you had better acknowledge that you’re sins stink too, and show other people mercy.