Sin.htm

SIN.

"If we make the statement: "We have no sin," we are misleading ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous so as to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:8,9).

WE MUST BE DEAD TO SIN AND ALIVE TO GOD.
"Shall we persist in sin, so that there may be all the more grace? No, no! We died to sin: how can we live in it any longer? Have you forgotten that when we were baptized into union with Christ Jesus we were baptized into his death? By baptism we were buried with him, and lay dead, in order that, as Christ was raised from the dead in the splendour of the Father, so also we might set our feet upon the new path of life." (Rom 6:1-4 NEB).

"We know that the man we once were has been (impaled) with Christ, for the destruction of the sinful self, so that we may no longer be the slaves of sin... you must regard yourselves as dead to sin and alive to God, in union with Christ Jesus. So sin must no longer reign in your mortal body, exacting obedience to the body's desires. You must no longer put its several parts at sin's disposal, as implements for doing wrong. No: put yourselves at the disposal of God, as dead men raised to life; yield your bodies to Him as implements for doing right; for sin shall no longer be your master, because you are no longer under Law, but under the grace of God." (From Rom 6:6 & 11 14 NEB).

"But God be thanked, you, who once were slaves of sin, have yielded whole-hearted obedience to the pattern of teaching to which you were made subject, and, emancipated from sin, have become slaves of righteousness". (Rom 6:17,18 NEB).

"Before Judgement comes, examine yourself, and you will find pardon in the hour of scrutiny. Before you fall ill, humble yourself; show your penitence as soon as you sin." (Eccus 18:20,21 NEB).

REQUEST FORGIVENESS AS SOON AS YOU SIN.
"Do not say, 'I sinned, yet nothing happened to me'; it is only that the Lord is very patient. Do not be so confident of pardon that you sin again and again. Do not say, 'His mercy is so great, He will pardon my sins, however many.'" "Come back to the Lord without delay; do not put it off from one day to the next, or suddenly the Lord's wrath will be upon you, and you will perish at the time of reckoning." (From Eccus 5:4-7 NEB).

'We need to know that our sins are forgiven. And how shall we know this? By feeling that we have peace with God, by feeling that we are able so to trust in the Divine compassion and infinite tenderness of our Father, as to arise and go to Him, whenever we commit sin, and say at once to Him, 'Father, I have sinned; forgive me.' To know that we are forgiven, it is only necessary to look at our Father's love till it sinks into our heart, to open our soul to Him till He shall pour His love into it; to wait on Him till we find peace, till our conscience no longer torments us, till the weight of responsibility ceases to be an oppressive burden to us, till we can feel that our sins, great as they are, cannot keep us away from our Heavenly Father.' (J. F. Clarke).

"Inquire of the Lord while He is present, call upon Him when He is close at hand. Let the wicked abandon their ways and evil men their thoughts: let them return to the Lord, who will have pity on them, return to our God, for He will freely forgive." (Isaiah 55:6,7 NEB).

"Temptation arises when a man is enticed and lured away by his own lust (desire. NWT); then lust conceives, and gives birth to sin; and sin full-grown breeds death." (James 1:14,15 NEB).

THE OUTCOME OF SINS INDULGED.
'It is astonishing how soon the whole conscience begins to unravel, if a single stitch drops; one little sin indulged makes a hole you could put your head through.' (C. Buxton).

'There are many things that appear trifles, which greatly tend to enervate (1) the soul, and hinder its progress in the path to virtue and glory. The habit of indulging in things which our judgement cannot thoroughly approve, grows stronger and stronger by every act of self gratification, and we are led on by degrees to an excess of luxury which must greatly weaken our hands in the spiritual warfare. If we do not endeavour to do that which is right in every particular circumstance, though trifling, we shall be in great danger of letting the same negligence take place in matters more essential.' (M. Woods).

'The dominion of any sinful habit will fearfully estrange us from His presence. A single consenting act of inward disobedience in thought or will is enough to let fall a cloud between Him and us, and to leave our hearts cheerless and dark.' (H. E. Manning).

"For if we wilfully persist in sin after receiving the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins remains: only a terrifying expectation of Judgement and a fierce fire which will consume God's enemies." (Heb 10:26,27 NEB).

SINS OF OUR BROTHERS IN THE FAITH.
"'If your brother wrongs you, reprove him; and if he repents, forgive him. Even if he wrongs you seven times in a day and comes back to you seven times saying, "I am sorry", you are to forgive him.'" (Luke 17:3,4 NEB).

"If a man should do ("is caught doing". Ftnote) something wrong, my brothers, on a sudden impulse, you who are endowed with the Spirit must set him right again very gently. Look to yourself, each one of you: you may be tempted too." (Gal 6:1 NEB).

"Brothers, even though a man takes some false step before he is aware of it, you who have spiritual qualifications try to readjust such a man in a spirit of mildness, as you keep an eye on yourself, for fear you also may be tempted." (Gal 6:1).

"If your brother commits a sin, go and take the matter up with him, strictly between yourselves, and if he listens to you, you have won your brother over. If he will not listen, take one or two others with you, so that all facts may be duly established on the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, report the matter to the congregation; and if he will not listen even to the congregation, you must then treat him as you would a pagan or a tax gatherer." (Matt 18:15 17 NEB).

"My brothers, if one of your number should stray from the truth and another succeed in bringing him back, be sure of this: any man who brings a sinner back from his crooked ways will be rescuing his soul from death and cancelling innumerable sins." (James 5:19,20 NEB).

(1) ENERVATE: To deprive of strength, to weaken.