This is good news.
Let’s begin this post about the wonderful promises of God. But first let’s review the effects of sin.
I.. The Results of Sin
A. We are responsible.
Ezekiel 18:10-18 says that we ourselves are responsible for our sins, not our fathers. Yes, by virtue of being humans, we inherit our sin nature from our ancestors, but each one is responsible for his evil actions. His father will die for his own sins, and the son will die for his own sins.
10 “Suppose he has a violent son, who sheds blood or does any of these other things 11 (though the father has done none of them):
“He eats at the mountain shrines.
He defiles his neighbor’s wife.
12 He oppresses the poor and needy.
He commits robbery.
He does not return what he took in pledge.
He looks to the idols.
He does detestable things.
13 He lends at interest and takes a profit.
Will such a man live? He will not! Because he has done all these detestable things, he is to be put to death; his blood will be on his own head.
14 “But suppose this son has a son who sees all the sins his father commits, and though he sees them, he does not do such things:
15 “He does not eat at the mountain shrines
or look to the idols of Israel.
He does not defile his neighbor’s wife.
16 He does not oppress anyone
or require a pledge for a loan.
He does not commit robbery
but gives his food to the hungry
and provides clothing for the naked.
17 He withholds his hand from mistreating the poor
and takes no interest or profit from them.
He keeps my laws and follows my decrees.
He will not die for his father’s sin; he will surely live. 18 But his father will die for his own sin, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother and did what was wrong among his people. (Ezek. 18:10-18)
B. We are held accountable.
Jeremiah 17:10 says that the LORD himself searches the hearts and rewards each one according to their conduct and what their deeds deserve.
10 “I the Lord search the heart
and examine the mind,
to reward each person according to their conduct,
according to what their deeds deserve.” (Jer. 17:10)
2 Corinthians 5:10 says that we will all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so we can receive from him what is our due, by the things done while living here in our earthly bodies. Now the believer in Jesus will not be at the judgment of those outside of faith in Christ, with the unbelievers. But both will go through judgment for their works at different judgments. The unproductive believers will have their “wood, straw, and stubble” burn away but admitted into heaven, while the unbelievers will be judged for a different eternal destiny.
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. (2 Cor. 5:10)
C. We die because of sin.
In Genesis 2:17, in the beginning, Mankind (Adam) was told that if he ate of the knowledge of the tree of good and evil (a symbol of moral law), he would die. He ate, and he died many years later.
17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” (Gen. 2:17)
Romans 6:23 says that the wages of sin is death. We die because we sin, and we sin by virtue of our connection to Humankind.
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom. 6:23)
James 1:15 presents a progression of sin. We have desires, and some of them are bad. The bad desires give birth to sin and sinful conduct. When sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death.
14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. (James 1:14-15)
D. We cannot atone for our own sins.
Psalm 49:7-8 teaches a stark truth. No one can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for him, because human life is so costly that no payment is ever enough; he cannot through a ransom live on forever without seeing decay. Then along came Jesus, the God-Man; he was qualified to pay the ransom.
7 No one can redeem the life of another
or give to God a ransom for them—
8 the ransom for a life is costly,
no payment is ever enough—
9 so that they should live on forever
and not see decay. (Ps. 49:7-9)
In Matthew 16:26, Jesus says if a man gains the whole world, he risks forfeiting his soul. He cannot give anything in exchange for his own soul.
26 What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? (Matt. 16:26)
II. God’s Salvation
A. Atoning death of Christ
Some Christians teach that the atoning death of Christ was needless and even unscriptural (!). All they have to do is ask for forgiveness of their sins. No need for Christ’s blood! However, they overlook the biblical truth that Christ paid for those sins that they so breezily confess, and the only reason they can stand in God’s presence to ask for forgiveness is through Christ’s bloody sacrifice. That is God’s way. But where does this way come from?
In the New Testament Christ fulfilled that sacrificial system. He was our substitute and took our penalty. He absorbed our sins. Our sins are atoned for through him, once and for all, and our consciences have been sprinkled with his blood, and our bodies have been washed with pure water (Heb. 9:11-28; Heb. 10:22)
More Scriptures supporting Christ’s atoning, sacrificial work:
7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. (Eph. 1:7-8)
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)
2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. (1 John 2:2)
29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29)
24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26 he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. (Rom. 3:24-26)
B. Old Testament background
In the Old Testament, animals stood in for the human offering it as a sacrifice (Lev. 1-16). It was the human’s substitute. It took on human sin, or the sin was transferred to the animal. The blood was necessary because life is in it. Then the person walked away forgiven because his sins were atoned and forgiven (“atone” can mean “wipe away” or “blot out).
III. Our Repentance, His Forgiveness
A. We must and need to repent.
Acts 3:19-20 says that when Peter was preaching before the crowd of Jews in Jerusalem, since God worked a miracle through him, he proclaimed that they should repent so that their sins would be blotted out (note the meaning of atonement in the previous point, III). That’s why God sent the Messiah, says Peter.
19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, 20 and that he may send the Messiah, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus. (Acts 3:19-20)
In Acts 20:21, Paul told the Ephesian elders that that everyone—Jews and Gentiles—must turn to God in repentance and have faith in Jesus Christ. That’s the essential gospel: Repent for the forgiveness of sins and believe in Jesus.
21 I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus. (Acts 20:21)
Yes, we should repent, but we also need to repent.
B. We must and need to confess our sins.
In Psalm 32:1-5, a great psalm, the psalmist says it is a blessing when a man’s sins are not counted against him. Before he confessed his sin but kept silent, he was wasting away. When he did confess, he was forgiven.
1 Blessed is the one
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
2 Blessed is the one
whose sin the Lord does not count against them
and in whose spirit is no deceit.
3 When I kept silent,
my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
4 For day and night
your hand was heavy on me;
my strength was sapped
as in the heat of summer.
5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you
and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, “I will confess
my transgressions to the Lord.”
And you forgave
the guilt of my sin. (Ps. 32:1-5)
Proverbs 28:13 reminds us that when we conceal our sins, we don’t prosper, but when we confess and renounce them, we find mercy.
13 Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper,
but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy. (Prov. 28:13)
First John 1:9 teaches us that when we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse of all unrighteousness—all. Some teach that this verse is directed at proto-Gnostics (mystical unbelievers who denied Christ came in the flesh), but this verse is directed at everyone.
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)
C. We must and need to turn from sin.
Psalm 34:14 teaches straightforwardly that we must turn from evil and do good.
14 Turn from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it. (Ps. 34:14)
Isaiah 1:16 says that we must wash ourselves and make ourselves clean. Evil deeds must be removed from God’s sight; the people must stop doing wrong.
16 Wash and make yourselves clean.
Take your evil deeds out of my sight;
stop doing wrong. (Is. 1:15)
Then the next verse says we are called to do good works:
17 Learn to do right; seek justice.
Defend the oppressed.
Take up the cause of the fatherless;
plead the case of the widow. (Is. 1:17)
Next, 3 John 11 says that we must not imitate what is evil, but what is good.
11 Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God. (3 John 11)
Repentance means a complete, 180 degrees turnaround, spirit, soul and body.
D. We must and need to hate sin.
Psalm 97:10 says that if we love the Lord, we must hate evil. It’s that simple.
10 Let those who love the Lord hate evil,
for he guards the lives of his faithful ones
and delivers them from the hand of the wicked. (Ps. 97:10)
Amos 5:14-15 says to seek good, not evil, and to hate evil and love good.
14 Seek good, not evil,
that you may live.
Then the Lord God Almighty will be with you,
just as you say he is.
15 Hate evil, love good;
maintain justice in the courts.
Perhaps the Lord God Almighty will have mercy
on the remnant of Joseph. (Amos 5:14-15)
God hates evil (Deut. 12:31; 16:22; Prov. 6:16), because it hurts people. Paul in Romans 12:9, quoting Prov. 6:16, says that we believers must hate what is evil.
9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. (Rom. 12:9)
E.. We must and need to throw off sin.
Hebrews 12:1 says that everything that hinders us and the sin that entangles us so easily—we must throw it off of us, like dirty clothes. But this does not mean that we are saved after we throw off our sins. This is the sanctification process–or the process of making us holy. Salvation first, sanctification second.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us (Heb. 12:1)
F.. We must and need to fight against sin.
Ephesians 6:12-13 say we are in a fight against spiritual rulers and powers and spiritual forces of wickedness in high places—evil spirit beings that tempt us to sin.
12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. (Eph. 6:12-13)
Hebrews 12:4 says we have to make every effort to be and live holy. This verse is important because some Bible teachers today say that all we have to do is sit on the deck chairs on a cruise ship and “chill” in our Christian walk. However, our rest in grace does not mean passivity and laziness. We have to fight.
4 In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. (Heb. 13:4)
IV. Application
A. Brief intro.
Let’s know God better through His assessment of our sin nature
B. The presence of sin
It permeates humankind’s entire being. Jesus’s redemption and salvation cannot completely deliver you from the presence of sin, because you live in mortal bodies. We will never achieve sinless perfection in our current state.
C. The penalty of sin
It brings a guilty verdict before a thrice-holy God (Is. 6:3), and it brings death (Rom. 6:23). However, Jesus’s substitutionary sacrifice on the cross can remove the penalty of sin, particularly when you stand before God at judgment. You deserved death, but Jesus died in your place and took away this penalty.
D. The power of sin
It is sin that plagues you specifically, like porn or drugs or unrighteous anger. However, the best news of all in the here and now: Jesus can set you free from the power of sin, so that it no longer has dominion over you (Rom. 6:14).
E. Practical steps towards victory
Here are some practical steps to see the power of sin broken in you.
1. Go to a Spirit-filled, Bible-teaching church.
2. Go to a small group that can help with your personal needs. They can pray for you.
3. How Jesus overcame temptations
During his temptation Jesus overcame Satan by quoting Scripture (Matt. 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13). If Scripture was good enough for him, it ought to be good enough for us. And for me it is. Every day I pray Ephesians 6:16, which says to lift up a shield of faith, which quenches the fiery arrows of the enemy. “Lord, I lift up over my mind a shield of faith that quenches the fiery arrows of the enemy.” I have in mind my specific weakness, and it has diminished down to almost nothing.
4. Go on a partial fast for thirty days or more days.
Skip a meal three or four times a week, and pray specifically for your sin, during that time.
5. If you have your prayer language, use it.
It builds up your spirit (1 Cor. 14:4). If you don’t have it, ask God for it and he will give you the Holy Spirit in his fullness and not a counterfeit spirit (Luke 11:11-12). From this fullness can come your prayer language. Then you can pray in it quietly throughout the day, particularly when you fast.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
At that link, look for the NIV Study Bible.
Dr. Jim's Essential Bible Teaching 