The Wages Of Sin Or The Gift Of God

The Wages of Sin or the Gift of God

Scripture Reference: Romans 3:21-26, 6:23, & 5:8

Preached at Mount Zion Baptist Church on February 3, 2019

Delivered by John Daniel Johnson

Opening—

Every day of this life we are presented a series of choices. We have the choice of waking up, or staying in the bed. We have the choice to bathe or stink to high heaven all day. We have the choice to put on clothes or walk around in our birthday suit. However, every choice we make has a corresponding consequence. If we choose to stay in the bed instead of waking up, we could lose our job. If we choose to not bathe, we may lose our friends. If we choose not to put on clothes, we may lose our freedom (because we’d be arrested).

With those thoughts in mind, this morning I want to present to you two choices that outweigh all the choices that will ever matter in this life. Those two choices are eternal choices. My goal this morning is for us to make choice—Whether we will Choose the Wages of Sin or Choose the Gift of God. And maybe you’re here this morning thinking, “I’ve already made that choice.” I accepted the Gift of God years ago.” Well, I rejoice with you, but my goal is two-fold. If you have chosen the Gift of God, today we’re going to learn how to know God better.

Read Scripture—

Most everyone is willing to agree, there’s sin in the world. The daily news makes this obvious. Here are but a few examples of news items this week from World News, Alabama News, and Pike County News:

• New York – A new law was established that allows not only doctors, but nurse practitioners, physicians assistants and licensed midwives to perform abortion (aka. Murder) to children in the third trimester.

• Louisiana – the Supreme Court has blocked Louisiana’s regulations on abortion practices.

• Washington, DC – White House press secretary, Sarah Sanders, was criticized by liberals for stating, “I think God calls all of us to fill different roles at different times and I think that God wanted Donald Trump to become president.”

• Houston, TX – 5 police officers are shot while serving a warrant on a drug house.

• Washington, DC – Under the new Democratic House majority, it’s “yes” to taxpayer funding for abortion, “no” to a border wall, and “no” to God. They also drafted a plan to omit any use of the word “God” from oaths that are sworn before congress or court.

• Our Country is still facing another government shut down because our President wants to re-enforce our border and protect our borders, but many Democrats are pushing back stating that walls are immoral.

• In the month of January 2019, ten law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty. Of those ten, four of them were murdered. Of those four, two of them were right here in Alabama. SGT Carter from Birmingham PD and Officer Tudor from Mobile PD. It is getting way to close to home.

• Troy, AL – This past week, we had a murder/suicide just 30 minutes from us in Troy.

Just this past week, I received this message from a friend of our church—“If you want God to bless America Stop Legalizing Sin.”

I don’t think there is a person in this room today who can argue with the fact that there is sin in this world! However, that is not what the Scripture is saying. Scripture is not saying, "There’s sin in the world", but rather, "All Have Sinned!" It seems that all of us have this same need to point the finger at someone else.

Romans 3:23 — “For all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God.”

Romans 6:23 — “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Romans 5:8— “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Where Sin Began

1. Sin began in Heaven with the rebellion of Satan.

2. Sin began in the world with the rebellion of Adam and Eve.

- Romans 8:12, "Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned."

Definition of Sin

The word “sin” literally means “to miss the mark.” There are three types of sins that everyone in this building today has committed.

1. Inherited sins—sins that were passed through every descendant of Adam (which is everyone). We all have a sin nature.

2. Imputed sins—actions that we do that are violations of God’s commands.

3. Personal sins—immoral choices that are done that God would not approve of. These range from “white lies” to “murder.”