Sin
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Searching the Scriptures
David A. Bass, Rockford Church of Christ
We all have problems in life that must be dealt with. Some have financial problems, while others might have problems with marriage, their family, business, health, or other matters. But there is one problem that we all have in common – sin!
“For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). The reason that sin is man’s greatest problem is because of the consequences of sin. Paul wrote, “For the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23).
Paul is not simply talking about the separation of the body and the spirit, but he is talking about spiritual (eternal) death. Sin separates man from God (Isaiah 59:1,2).
Before we can properly deal with man’s greatest problem we must understand what sin is. When we open the Bible we find several passages that define sin. For example, “Whosoever committeth sin
transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law” (I John 3:4); “All unrighteousness is sin” (I John 5:17); “And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith; for whatsoever is not of faith is sin” (Romans 14:23).
In these verses the Bible teaches that sin is 1) a transgression of the law, 2) unrighteousness and 3) whatsoever is not of faith. We often label these types of sins as the “sins of commission.”
A second classification of sin that we find in the Bible we call “sins of omission.” In James 4:17 we read, “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good and doeth it not, to him it is sin.”
Thanks be to God that He has provided a solution to man’s greatest problem. In 2 Peter 3:9 we read, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to usward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
John 3:16 reads, “For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten son…”
Paul wrote, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him” (Romans 5:8-9).
Jesus Christ is God’s solution to the problem of sin. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). If we will obey Jesus, He will save us from our sins.
We read in Hebrews 5:8-9, “Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.”
Jesus said, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21).
God has provided man with the solution to his greatest problem – sin! We must now make the decision to obey His will and be saved or reject His will and be lost eternally because of sin. Paul said, “And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power” (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9).
God has provided the solution to man’s greatest problem, but it is up to us to obey His will and be saved from sin. The New Testament teaches how we may be saved from our sins. For example, in Acts 2 after Peter preached and condemned the Jews for crucifying Jesus, we read in verse 37, “Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their hearts, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?”
In verse 38 Peter replied, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”
These people were told what they must do in order to be saved; to repent and be baptized. Other examples of people being saved may be found throughout the book of Acts (chapters 8, 10, 16). Today, we must do the same thing in order to be saved from sin that those people were told to do in the first century. Obedience to God’s will is our solution to sin. Jesus said, “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me” (John 5:39).
Send your questions or comments to: Dabass1962@bellsouth.net.
Visit with us at the Rockford Church of Christ each Sunday at 9:00 for Bible study and 10:00 for worship. We are located on U.S. Highway 231 near Dollar General.
