If I were to say the word “sin” what would come to your mind?
You might think adultery, fornication, perversion or another form of sexual misconduct. This area of sin seems to be one of the first thought of and mentioned amongst believers.
You may think of drunkenness or drug addiction. They would be big sins too, right?
Others could include gambling, murder, stealing, or witchcraft.
Sometimes, but less often, you may hear some such as hatred, strife, jealousy, or unforgiveness. And the list can go on and on.
Now lets think back to Adam: Adam didn’t have an affair with another woman, he didn’t take drugs or drink. But his sin was so serious it brought all creation into captivity and bondage.
When we define sin, we must consider Adam. Not that we are taking away from the “big” sins, but we must consider what sin truly is, to understand the weight of it. We need to look at the core meaning of what sin is.
Lets consider another example. From a child’s perspective, what is sickness? A cough, sneezing, a fever? When someone has an illness like cancer, it is not visible. It is harder for a young child to understand the illness when it’s not visible.
They, in a sense, have a limited understanding. All they know of sickness is what is visible. As they get older, the understanding becomes larger and clearer. And a new way of determining illness is used.
It is very similar in relation to sin and how its viewed in the church. Many times we miss the core of what sin really is.
The Bible says, in 1 John 3:4, that sin is lawlessness. The Greek word for “lawlessness” is anomia. Thayer’s Greek dictionary defines this word: “the condition of [being] without law, because of ignorance of it or because of violating it.”
Simply put, lawlessness means not to submit to the authority of God. Or, put another way, taking the law of God and substituting it for the will of self. Choosing to ignore God’s ways to follow your own desires.
Looking at one of Jesus’ parables we can see this. In Luke 14:15, Jesus was at a banquet and “One of those at the table with Jesus heard these things and said to him, “Happy are the people who will share in the meal in God’s kingdom.”
Jesus used this to comment on who would eat at the marriage supper of the Lamb.
In verses 16 and 17 it says, “…. A man gave a big banquet and invited many people. When it was time to eat, the man sent his servant to tell the guests ‘come. Everything is ready’”
In this story… God is the person giving the party and Jesus represents the servant. The announcement for the people to come is directed at those who have been invited. Which would be the believers.
In this story, what happens? The people began to make excuses as to why they couldn’t come.
The first person said to the servant, “I have just bought a field, and I must go look at it. Please excuse me.”
Is buying a piece of land or a house a sin? No, of course not.
Buying land is not a sin, but when interest in possessions becomes more important than immediate submission to the word of God, it falls under the core definition of sin. It is not submitting to the authority of God.
The next person said, “I have just bought five pairs of oxen; I must go and try them, Please excuse me.”
Was buying the oxen a sin? No, to buy those things that are needed for our survival is not a sin.
But if our job or our business takes a position that it is more important then instant obedience to God, it becomes sin. Adam’s sin wasn’t a big, obvious, in-your-face sin. He simply did not submit to what God said.
The last person said, “I just got married; I can’t come”
Again, getting married isn’t a sin. If it was, most of us would be in trouble. But if a desire to please a mate becomes more important then submitting to the will of God, it is a sin.
Lets go back to the sin in the garden. Eve was deceived, but for Adam it was different. As far as Adam’s sin the scriptures says in Rom 5:19, “One man disobeyed God, and many became sinners…”
Adam disobeyed because his wife had already eaten, and she wanted him to do the same. He chose her over submission to God. Because of Adam’s sin, many became sinners. Or reworded, you could say, Many became lawless or disobedient to God’s authority.
That is the core of sin. Adam chose Eve over obedience.
Back to the story of the banquet. This is what Jesus said to those who made excuses, and said they couldn’t come. Luke 14:24, “I tell you, none of those whom I invited first will eat with me.”
They were basically uninvited. Not because of a big sin such as stealing or murder, but because they wouldn’t go when they were called. Simple disobedience.
Isn’t it interesting that there is no mention of drug addicts, prostitutes, pimps, alcoholics, murderers or thieves? Or was there?
Luke 14:23, “The master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes, and urge the people there to come so my house will be full.’”
This scripture makes reference to the drug addicts, prostitutes, pimps, alcoholics, murderers, and thieves. Only they aren’t the ones being turned away!
The Lord knows that many will realize the empty lives they are leading, and when they hear the call of the Master, they will instantly go.
But those who have invitations, those who are attending churches and considering themselves Godly people, who obey God when its convenient or when it doesn’t interfere with their plans or wants, will find themselves shut out of God’s presence.
In the story of the banquet, sin showed its true definition. Jesus showed us this in another one of his stories.
Jesus spoke of a man with two sons. The father went to his first son and told him to go and work in the vineyard. The son said, “no, I won’t”, but later changed his mind and stopped what he was doing and went and did what his father asked.
Then the father went to the second son and asked the same thing of him. The second son said, “Yes, I will go.” He sounded good and obedient and respectful. Yet he did not go and do what his father asked.
Then Jesus asked, “which of the two did what his father wanted?” Simply question really. The people said, the first of course.
Then Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you.” (Matt 21:28-31)
Although the first son started off as though he was being disrespectful and such to the father, the end result was obedience. What was it that mattered most to the Father? The obedience.
Now what about lying, getting drunk, committing adultery, stealing, or murder? Aren’t these sins too? Of course.
Eph 4:24-25, “let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor”
Eph 5:18, “ Do not be drunk with wine”
1 Cor. 6:18, “Flee sexual immorality”
Eph 4:28, “If you are a thief, stop stealing”
1 John 3:15, “Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him”
Truth is all sin destroys, not just the “big ones.”
When the disciples asked Jesus about the end of the age, he shared one of the conditions. Matt 24:12-13, “Because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved”
Many would agree that this is applicable to today’s society, but Jesus wasn’t describing the world’s society in those verses. He was talking about the church. Two phrases in these verses show that he was talking about the church.
The first is the key phrase “the love of many will grow cold.” The Greek word for “love” is agape. W.E. Vine, who is an expert in Greek words, writes that agape is used “by the Spirit of revelation… to express ideas previously unknown.”
Remember, Jesus said, “a new commandment I give to you, that you love [agapao, the verb form of the noun agape] one another; as I have loved you”, John 13:34.
This love had not been previously known to mankind; He was the very One who introduced it. He defined it with the phrase “as I have loved you.”
Vine goes on to say, “This love expresses the deep and constant ‘love’ and interest of a perfect Being towards entirely unworthy objects.”
In essence, it speaks of the unconditional love of God, the love poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus said, “the world cannot receive”, Romans 5:5; John 14:17.
In essence this love can be found only in those who have received Jesus Christ as their savior.
In Jesus’ statement, “Because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold,” the Greek word used for “love” is agape. Jesus was not directing this statement to society; rather, he was speaking to the church. He was saying that lawlessness is going to abound in the church in the last days.
Here is another scripture, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” (Matt 7:21)
We have taught and believed that all you have to do is confess a “sinner’s prayer,” and you are ensured a secure place in heaven. We have neglected or placed no emphasis on keeping His commands.
This counterfeit grace leads many astray, causing them to make light of obedience. Jesus said those who will be in heaven are those who confess and do the will of God, thus keeping the commands of God.
True grace has been given to empower us to obey what God demands of us.
Heb 12:28, “Let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably”
Jesus went on to say, “ Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, an done many wonders in Your name?’” (Matt 7:22)
Not a few, but many. Remember the word many in His previous statement? “The love of many will grow cold.”
Can an unbeliever cast out demons?
Acts 19:13-17, “But some people also were traveling around and making evil spirits go out of people. They tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus to force the evil spirits out.
They would say, “By the same Jesus that Paul talks about, I order you to come out! Seven sons of Sceva, a leading priest, were doing this. But one time an evil spirit said to them, “I know Jesus, and I know about Paul, but who are you?”
Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them. Because he was so much stronger than all of them, they ran away from the house naked and hurt.
All the people in Ephesus – Jew and Greek – learned about this and were filled with fear and gave great honor to the Lord Jesus.
So reconfirmation of the fact that he is talking to the believers.
He will say to professing Christians: “Depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” (Matt 7:23) Notice what they practice. They have developed a pattern of placing their agenda, pleasure, or plans before the commands of the Master. Simply put, they do not live out their confession of submission to His lordship.
They obey what fits into their plans. They are unaware of their lawlessness. And too many today are in this very place.
The second phrase that tells us that He is speaking to the church is, “but he who endures to the end shall be saved.” To endure a race, you must have begun it. Unbelievers have yet to begin the race.
So many are deceived because the misapprehension of the core meaning of sin.
God is looking for children whose hearts yearn to walk in obedience.
No matter what area of life it may touch, we as believers should delight in doing His will. At the close of life filled with success from obedience and hardship from disobedience, Solomon breathed wisdom to stand for all time, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all” (Eccl. 12:13)
Content gleaned from Under Cover by: John Bevere http://johnbevere.com/