Proper Attitudes Toward Sin
Categories: Sermon Outlines, Topical Sermon Outlines Tags: Sermons on Attitudes, Sermons on SinINTRODUCTION:
A. In our series of lessons on “Studying Sin Seriously” we have so far discussed:
2. What Sin Is
3. Kinds of Sin
5. Improper Attitudes Toward Sin
B. In this lesson, it is only natural that we now study “Proper Attitudes Toward Sin”
C. We must remember how important our attitudes are in regard to our actions
1. Proverbs 4:23
2. Proverbs 23:7
D. Calvin Coolidge was known as a man of few words. Returning from worship services one day, his wife asked him what did the preacher preach on. “Sin,” he replied. “Well, what did he say about it,” she continued. “He was agin it!” Coolidge answered.
1. Surely this is the correct attitude toward sin
2. However, let us be a bit more thorough in our study of the subject.
DISCUSSION: Proper attitudes toward sin would have us:
A. ADMIT SIN
1. First, we must admit that we are guilty of sin
a. Psalm 32:5
b. 1 John 1:8-10
2. Secondly, we must admit that we are personally responsible for our sins.
a. Ever since Adam, man has tried to escape individual responsibility for his sin
1) Genesis 3:9-13 – the age old problem of “passing the buck”
2) Exodus 32:21-24 – Aaron blames the people for the golden calf
3) 1 Samuel 15:13-15, 24 – Saul blames the people
b. Today, for example, we hear, “When I was a little boy my parents made me to go to church all the time, and I vowed when I got old enough I would quit”
c. Such reasoning blames the parents for the responsibility of one’s absenteeism
d. Lets not blame insanity, the environment, defective social arrangements, bad luck, society, hypocrites, or friends for our transgressions
B. HATE SIN
1. We avoid things we hate
a. No one keeps a barrel of rattlesnakes in his home
b. We don’t usually eat food we dislike
c. Accordingly, an intense hatred of sin constitutes a safeguard against sin
2. God hates sin
a. Proverbs 6:16-19
b. Proverbs 8:13
3. Sin stirred Jesus’ soul with righteous indignation
a. In Mark 3:5 we see that Jesus was moved with anger against the hardened heart of the Pharisees
b. Jesus hates iniquity (Heb. 1:9)
4. All the world loves a lover; but God loves a hater of sin
a. Psalm 97:10
b. Amos 5:15
c. Let us not lose our capacity to hate, for some say, “we must not be too fast to condemn,” or “we do not want to cause any trouble”
5. We must hate the sin, but love the sinner.
a. Psalm 101:3
b. The cross preaches this lesson very clearly (John 3:16)
C. SHUN SIN
1. We are to “abstain” from all evil (1 The. 5:22)
2. We are to “flee” from evil (2 Tim. 2:22)
3. We must pray not to be led into temptation (Mat. 6:13)
a. Now, to pray not to be tempted, and then to rush into occasions of temptations, is like thrusting your finger into the fire, and then praying not to be burned.
b. We must pray and do our part
4. In shunning sin we will NOT play with sin, seeing how close we can get to it without overly sinning
5. In shunning sin we will not make provision for it.
a. Romans 13:14
b. In other words, do not put yourself in a place where sin can easily get at you.
6. Further, proper attitudes toward sin would have us to:
D. RESIST SIN
1. 1 Peter 5:8-9
2. James 4:7
3. Jesus resisted evil and the evil one
a. Matthew 4:1-11
b. How? Through the word of God
4. In resisting evil and the evil one we cannot give an inch!
E. EXPOSE SIN
1. God condemned sin
a. Romans 8:3
b. God condemned sin by sending His Son in the flesh
2. Jesus exposed sin
a. Jesus rebuked the Pharisees and scribes of His day
b. Mark 7:9-13
3. The Holy Spirit reproved sin
a. Jesus promised this in John 16:7-8
b. It happened on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2
4. John the Baptist condemned sin (Mk. 6:18)
5. The apostles denounced sin
a. Paul did (Acts 13:6-10; Gal. 2:11-12)
b. Peter did (Acts 2:22-23; 5:1-11)
6. Gospel preachers are also to rebuke sin
a. 2 Timothy 4:1-2
b. Titus 1:13
c. Sin must be condemned from the pulpit
1) Many in the religious world never mention sin from their pulpits
2) As a result our nation’s morals are on a rapid decline
7. All Christians are to reprove sin
a. Ephesians 5:11
1) The majority of Christians may obey the first part of this command, but few obey the second part
2) Are we to be involved in cafeteria styled religion, where we pick and choose what want and don’t want to do? NO!
b. To illustrate:
1) You may refrain from the sin of purchasing pornography, but why not actively protest such to the business owner?
2) You may abstain from illegal or unauthorized use of drugs, but do you actively oppose their use?
3) We refrain from teaching and endorsing false doctrine; but such must also be refuted and denied.
7. Finally, proper attitudes toward sin would have us to:
F. CONQUER SIN
1. We are to conquer, not commit, sin; we are to conquer, and not continue in, sin.
a. Romans 6:1-7
b. We are to crucify sin!
2. Drastic measures are to be taken to conquer sin
a. Mark 9:43-48
b. This is an hyperbole – exaggeration to make a point
3. We must conquer sin or it will conquer us
a. King Saul was ultimately slain by an Amalekite, of the nation he was commanded to utterly destroy…
b. Sin will destroy us if we do not destroy it first
CONCLUSION:
A. What will help us to have the proper attitudes toward sin?
1. Remember that sin caused the death of Christ.
2. Sin is the only thing that will keep us out of heaven
3. Remember that sin is a hard taskmaster in this world.
4. See sin as God sees it.
B. Invitation
*Gleaned from Wendell Winkler