SIN
Why Do We Do It?
Why Would We Cause Others To Do So?
Sin is serious business, and when man sinned in the Garden, the vertical relationship between God and man was broken, as explained in the Bible, ‘when Adam sinned, sinned entered into the world, and brought death, so that death spread to everyone, for everyone has sinned. (1)
Sin – this is the root problem, and the Sins that we commit are the fruit problem that comes out of that root problem of Sin.
The good news is that when God sent His Son into the world 2,000 years ago, is that He never succumbed to the temptations of and the pressure to sin. He thwarted the ‘devil’s’ attempts as he walked in the power of the Spirit of God that had descended upon Him at John the Baptist’s baptism and used the Word of God as a response to the ‘tempter’s’ very real temptations.
But that was not all. On the Cross the Lord Jesus would not only pay for ours sins that we might be forgiven of our indebtedness as He ‘bore our sins in His own body on the Cross. (2) but He was treated by God as if He were the ‘sin’ problem and judged for it. ‘God made Christ, who knew no sin, to be Sin, that you and I might be made the Righteousness of God in Him. (3)
Now that we have been made the Righteousness of God in Christ (which can never change) and have been forgiven of the Sins we have committed because He paid for them, we should recognize that it would be a horrible thing for us or others to cause a Little One (a New or Young Christian) to commit a sin against God. It is such a great sin that Jesus says, ‘if anyone causes one of these Little Ones who trusts in Me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depth of the sea. (4)
To become a Christian, we all must become like a ‘little child’’, that is, in lieu of what I think about myself, I recognize and agree with God what He says about me and my needy condition because of my Sins. Then I agree with Him about who His Son is and the enormous Cross work He accomplished to satisfy God as to the Sin question and my Sins, so that I could be brought into relationship with Him. Then I receive Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, ‘for everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved. (5)
Now as Christians we are responsible not to stumble newer or weaker Christians. There may be areas where we are free to do or allow things in our lives, but that may very well be a problem in the life of a New or Younger Believer. Paul says that it is terribly wrong to cause another believer to stumble, (6) because of our insensitivity to their ‘weaker conscience’, when they see us do or allow something that they feel or believe would be wrong in their own lives.
So, what is the solution? Sometimes believers allow sin or carelessness in our lives, and it clouds our thinking as to the ‘holiness of God’ and dulls on our sensitivity as to where Newer Believers might be in their relationship with Him. The Bible says that ‘if we confess our sins (agree with the Lord’s assessment of our carelessness or sin issues and take personal responsibility for them) He is faithful to forgive us of these sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness, (7) which once again will give us His clear thoughts as to our responsibility and privilege in regards to our relationship with New Believers, so that they will not stumble or even have their lives (not their souls) destroyed. Let’s be quick to give Jesus His position of Lord in our lives, confess our sins to Him when we do wrong, as it results in a clean conscience and a decision to know God’s Will instead of my own, so we do not stumble other Christians
(1) Romans 5:12
(2) 1 Peter 2:24
(3) 2 Corinthians 5:21
(4) Matthew 18:6
(5) Romans 10:13
(6) 1 Corinthians 8:9-13
(7) 1 John 1:9
Author: Sid Osborn
Why Do We Do It?
Why Would We Cause Others To Do So?
Sin is serious business, and when man sinned in the Garden, the vertical relationship between God and man was broken, as explained in the Bible, ‘when Adam sinned, sinned entered into the world, and brought death, so that death spread to everyone, for everyone has sinned. (1)
Sin – this is the root problem, and the Sins that we commit are the fruit problem that comes out of that root problem of Sin.
The good news is that when God sent His Son into the world 2,000 years ago, is that He never succumbed to the temptations of and the pressure to sin. He thwarted the ‘devil’s’ attempts as he walked in the power of the Spirit of God that had descended upon Him at John the Baptist’s baptism and used the Word of God as a response to the ‘tempter’s’ very real temptations.
But that was not all. On the Cross the Lord Jesus would not only pay for ours sins that we might be forgiven of our indebtedness as He ‘bore our sins in His own body on the Cross. (2) but He was treated by God as if He were the ‘sin’ problem and judged for it. ‘God made Christ, who knew no sin, to be Sin, that you and I might be made the Righteousness of God in Him. (3)
Now that we have been made the Righteousness of God in Christ (which can never change) and have been forgiven of the Sins we have committed because He paid for them, we should recognize that it would be a horrible thing for us or others to cause a Little One (a New or Young Christian) to commit a sin against God. It is such a great sin that Jesus says, ‘if anyone causes one of these Little Ones who trusts in Me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depth of the sea. (4)
To become a Christian, we all must become like a ‘little child’’, that is, in lieu of what I think about myself, I recognize and agree with God what He says about me and my needy condition because of my Sins. Then I agree with Him about who His Son is and the enormous Cross work He accomplished to satisfy God as to the Sin question and my Sins, so that I could be brought into relationship with Him. Then I receive Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, ‘for everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved. (5)
Now as Christians we are responsible not to stumble newer or weaker Christians. There may be areas where we are free to do or allow things in our lives, but that may very well be a problem in the life of a New or Younger Believer. Paul says that it is terribly wrong to cause another believer to stumble, (6) because of our insensitivity to their ‘weaker conscience’, when they see us do or allow something that they feel or believe would be wrong in their own lives.
So, what is the solution? Sometimes believers allow sin or carelessness in our lives, and it clouds our thinking as to the ‘holiness of God’ and dulls on our sensitivity as to where Newer Believers might be in their relationship with Him. The Bible says that ‘if we confess our sins (agree with the Lord’s assessment of our carelessness or sin issues and take personal responsibility for them) He is faithful to forgive us of these sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness, (7) which once again will give us His clear thoughts as to our responsibility and privilege in regards to our relationship with New Believers, so that they will not stumble or even have their lives (not their souls) destroyed. Let’s be quick to give Jesus His position of Lord in our lives, confess our sins to Him when we do wrong, as it results in a clean conscience and a decision to know God’s Will instead of my own, so we do not stumble other Christians
(1) Romans 5:12
(2) 1 Peter 2:24
(3) 2 Corinthians 5:21
(4) Matthew 18:6
(5) Romans 10:13
(6) 1 Corinthians 8:9-13
(7) 1 John 1:9
Author: Sid Osborn