The Sins Of Omission And The Sins Of Commission…which Are The Worse?

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!