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Improper Attitudes Toward Sin

INTRODUCTION:

A. In our series on “sin” we have so far discussed: The Origin of Sin – What Sin Is – Kinds of Sin – What Sin Will Do To You

B. In the lesson of this hour we will be discussing “Improper Attitudes Toward Sin”

1. This is an important study because attitudes determine our actions

2. Proverbs 4:23

a. The “heart” (the mind) is from where all our actions originate

b. If we obey God, it is because we have a mind of obedience, by way of illustration … “a mind to work” (Neh. 4:6)

c. The attitude that we hold toward sin will greatly influence us in regard to how we react to the sin in our lives and in the lives of others

3. “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Pro. 23:7)

4. Matthew 15:18-20

a. Jesus said, evil originates in the heart

b. What type of heart condition do you have?

c. What is your attitude toward sin?

C. In the lesson of this hour we will explore five basic improper attitudes that many hold toward sin, and show why these attitudes ought not to be a part of our thinking

DISCUSSION:

A. SOME DENY THAT SIN EXISTS

1. Unbelievers of varying stripes, including modernist, give evidence of denying the reality of sin by their speech

a. Some say that sin is nothing but an invention of the clergy, so as to keep them in business, or to keep the people from having a good time

b. Some say it is nothing but mental agitation

2. Some religions deny the reality of sin

a. For example, there is the Christian Scientist religion

b. From one of their books is written, “The notion that both evil and good are real is a delusion of material sense, which Science annihilates. Evil is nothing, no thing, mind, nor power.”

c. With writings such as this there is no wonder by the United States is in the moral shape that it is!

3. The Bible says sin IS real

a. The Bible makes this affirmation, “Sin is …” (1 Jn. 3:4)

b. Other passages also emphasizes that sin exists

1) Romans 14:23

2) James 4:17

3) 1 John 5:17

c. The Bible has no less than 21 cataloged lists of sin (e.g. Gal. 5:19-21; 2 Tim. 3:1-5)

d. The Bible affirms that sin is a universal ailment.

1) “There is no man that sinneth not” (2 Chr. 6:36)

2) Ecclesiastes 7:20

3) 1 John 1:8-10

4. The Cross says sin is real

a. If there had been no sin there would have been no need for Christs death on the cross

b. Romans 4:25

c. Hebrews 9:28

5. The present condition of society says sin is real

a. A serious crime is committed every 6½ seconds

b. The nation’s crime clock as computed by the FBI also reveals that a burglary is committed every 16 seconds, a car is stole every 36 seconds, a robbery is committed every 2 minutes, a rape is committed every 14 minutes, an aggravated assault every 2 minutes, and a murder every 36 minutes.

c. Locks, tickets, judicial courts, jails and the police all attest to the fact that SIN IS!

B. SOME MOCK SIN

1. Fools mock sin

a. “Fools make a mock at sin” (Pro. 14:9)

b. Proverbs 10:23

2. To make sin a joke, something funny, something that is fun, is to mock at it.

a. There is nothing wrong with good humor and a hearty, healthy laugh (Pro. 17:22)

b. But, to laugh at, joke at, and make fun of sin is blasphemous.

c. Consider the following excerpt from a newspaper article concerning finding sin hilarious: “Babylon saw it that way, and hand writing came on the wall. At Rome they saw it that was and faded from power. France followed suit and moral decay became a cancer. Now America laughs at sin – laughs hilariously. There is an absence of heartfelt sorry for sin in our country. We need real recognition of sin, genuine sorrow for it, and an honest turning away from it – if we are to survive! What is so funny? Are drinking leaders, shady business deals, open gambling, filthy stories and immorality cause for hilarity? Are atomic bombs, broken bodies and full sanitariums funny? Why laugh when the moral fiber of a nation is wrenched apart by godlessness?”

3. An observation of the grave consequences resulting from sin will cause us to mourn rather than mock

a. How can anybody laugh at mangled bodies in a car wreck caused by a drunk driver?

b. How can anybody chuckle at the death of a young boy as a result of drugs

c. How can anybody laugh at sin when so many will not see heaven as a result?

C. SOME LOVE SIN

1. The Bible has a great deal to say about the love of sin.

a. 2 Peter 2:15

b. Psalm 52:3-4

2. You see, Men have pleasure in that which they love

a. Men who love to fish and athletics find pleasure in them

b. Correspondingly, those who love sin find “pleasure in unrighteousness” (2 The. 2:10-12)

c. Some are “lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God” (2 Tim. 3:4)

d. As long as anyone loves sin it will appear alluring.

e. To overcome sin we must learn to HATE sin!

3. In loving sin, one loves the very instrument that killed Jesus

a. How would you react to a father cherishing, caressing, polishing, and caring for the gun that killed his son?

b. We would cringe at such a thought

c. Why then love and cherish that which killed Jesus?

D. SOME TRY TO MINIMIZE SIN

1. We minimize sin whenever we do not call it what it is – SIN!

a. We are told by many liberals that sin sounds too harsh, and too offending

b. Thus sin is called everything under the sun, except what it is – SIN!

2. We minimize sin when we make it inconsequential

a. Such was the character of Ahab, who though it was a light thing to walk in sin (1 Kgs. 16:31)

b. Proverbs 17:15

3. We minimize sin when we try to rationalize it – “He just couldn’t help it,” or “I had no other choice”

4. We must stop treating sin lightly, for to do so is to treat the cross of Christ lightly.

E. SOME DISMISS IT

1. This is what Felix did (Acts 24:25)

2. This is what some of the Athenians did (Acts 17:32)

3. This is a very foolish attitude. Would we just dismiss from our minds that we have cancer, or would we try to do something about it?

4. This is a very dangerous attitude

a. The longer one refuses to come to grips with his sin, the longer and more effectively can his sin operate – ultimately making it impossible to develop the proper attitude toward sin

b. Also, during this time of dismissing sin the Lord could come or we could die, and then, it would be too late

5. I hope that this day we will smite our chest and say, “God be merciful to me a sinner” (Lk. 18:13)

CONCLUSION:

*Gleaned from Wendell Winkler