“SIN”
-There Are Consequences When We Sin-
-There Are Consequences Even in This Life-
-There Are Consequences In The Next
-If Those Sins Are Not Forgiven!
But All Sins Are Not The Same!
The terribleness of sin may be seen early
in human history. consequences always follow sin and many times
those consequences not only do much harm to the one guilty of
the actual sin, but to generations yet unborn who must bear the
consequences. Consider the consequences of the sin of Adam and
Eve for a prime example. Women’s pain in child bearing as
well as submission to the husband are a consequence passed down
upon all women. Man must earn his living by the sweat of his
brow among thorns and thistles to plague his efforts. Work was
commanded before the fall and work is fulfilling but a curse
was put on the ground and we all must suffer those consequences
even though we are innocent of the sins of Adam and Eve (Genesis
3; 1 Timothy 2:11-15). See (Ezekiel 18:20). I have not the slightest
doubt since mother Eve was “deceived” by Satan that
he convinced her that she would actually reap good benefits by
disobeying
God ( 2 Corinthians 11:2-3).. Satan still has those capabilities
and is called “the god of this world” (2 Corinthians
4:2-3).
King David was forgiven of his adultery, yet
he suffered consequenes the rest of his life for the sin he committed
concerning Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite, and for
murdering Uriah, his son’s life was taken among other things
(2 Samuel chapters eleven and twelve). In similar fashion, one
can contract sexual disease that will be hurtful as long as
one lives, to one’s self and to one’s mate and offspring.
Alcoholics, can get forgiveness, but the problem will plague
them all their life; other drug addiction does the same. Various
consequences are not taken away when one is forgiven. Paul could
and did look back at his history (Acts 26:9-10; 1 Tim. 1:13-15).
(Cf. Acts 9:26ff) Saul’s past life of persecuting Christ
by killing and imprisoning Christians haunted him all the days
of his life. Unwise decisions we make that aren’t sinful
in and of themselves can carry consequences to other generations.
My “mammy” Thomas was married to the wrong man as I
now look back at it. She was converted to Christ but he never
was. She had a difficult time attending faithfully and it was
difficult for her to get any money to give to support the cause
of Christ, for he resented any amount that she gave.
We must always remember also that ANY unforgiven
sin will keep one from heaven (Rev. 21:27, 8). At times this
seems to be overlooked. Any sin can be forgiven IF and ONLY IF
God’s condition of pardon is met (Acts 8:18-24; 1 John 1:9).
Yet, being forgiven will not keep the consequences or the “fruits”
of one’s action from following. Therefore, we need to warn
people that sin has it’s wages, and DON’T get involved
in something that will haunt one the rest of his/her life. Therefore,
in that sense, there are no “little” sins, even though
we’d like to THINK that there are!
Men are made righteous through forgiveness,
and not through our performance. Man invariably ends up estranged
from God through the sins of both omission and commission. No
people have ever lived up to the light they were given: Hence,
God has concluded that “there is none righteous, no not
one” (in or of ourselves ket) and because of the guilt of
our sins whether we see them as “little” or “large”
cause all mankind to need a Savior, for our sins have separated
us from our creator (Romans 3:10-25; 6:23; Isaiah 49:1-2; 1 Peter
3:12; John 9:31; Ezekiel 18:20).
Having said the above, let us consider another
aspect of this important subject. I believe that some sins are
lesser in magnitude than others and they cannot all be lumped
into the same category. Let me ask you some pointed questions.
Let us say that you are about to get a new neighbor next door
and the city is going to give you the right to choose which neighbor
will be allowed to live there. Your answers to these situations
will show that you do indeed make a distinction in the nature
of sin involved. Here’s the illustration:
Candidate #1 is a God fearing man. He is a
praying man. He is entrusted with a position of power and authority.
He has a sterling reputation. He gives alms to the poor as opportunity
and needs arise. This man reminds us of Cornelius of whom we
read in Acts chapters ten and eleven.
Candidate #2 is a bum. He rides the rails
and has been suspected of murder and rape. He has no job and
wouldn’t keep one if he did. Often he is found in shelters
for the homeless. He drinks alcohol and smokes “pot”
whenever he is able to get it. Your wife and children will be
left at home alone when you are at work with one the of these
fellows living right next door.
Candidate #3 is a seemingly nice fellow, but
the reason for his being a prospective neighbor is because he
is getting released from prison for child molestation. He has
“paid his debt to society” in serving the prison term;
Should you not accept him as having all of the same rights that
any other citizen has? If the nature of one’s transgressions
are not to be considered, surely you should. If sin is sin and
there is no difference between one “kind of sin” and
another, surely it would be inconsistent to expect or demand
different treatment for this fellow than you would the others!
Candidate #4, you are told, is a faithful
Christian. You can trust him with your life and he will also
be helpful in the salvation of your soul and the souls of your
family due to his good influence etc. Oh no, he isn’t perfect!
He has his “feet of clay” and from time to time says,
thinks, and even does things that a Christian ought not to do.
One thing you must
say about him, however, is that when he realizes he has “messed
up,” he is always filled with godly sorrow that leads him
to repent and as necessary make restitution for any problems
his mistake has caused others (1 John 1:1-10).
Question: Which man will you tell the city
that you wish to have as your neighbor?
Why such a choice? The person who isn’t
living as he should, but is a good moral person, isn’t nearly
as bad as the fellow who is riding the rails killing folks, now
is he? Of course, the child of God who dies with unforgiven sins
will suffer the same spiritual fate as the impenitent murdering
bum, yet we have demonstrated that some sins have a greater
immediate impact on the person committing them and upon others,
than do other sins.
Examples From
God’s Word:
1. Sin unto death and sin not unto death (1
John 5:16-19). Such a distinction could not and would not be
made if all sins were identical.
“THE
SIN UNTO DEATH...”
(1 John 5:14-17)
I have studied this passage over and over
and have considered it from every angle, searching for the best
explanation of these passages. The passage reads: (16) “If
anyone sees a brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death,
he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin
not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not
say that he should pray about that.
(17) All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading
to death.”
Here are some
questions:
1. What is sin NOT leading to death?
2. Is this death literal, spiritual, or the 2nd death?
3. Is the brother who sinned repentant and another brother is
praying for him?
4. What does it mean: “He (God) will give him (the sinner)
life”?
5. Why not pray for sin leading to death?
I believe the following will answer all of
these questions concerning 1 John 5:14-17. I think the key is
found in understanding Ezekiel 18 & 33, which John would
have been well familiar with and likewise his readers. I believe
much of the difficulty we have with this text is not seeing it
with the same understanding.
The simple answer to the the question “What
is a sin unto death?” is: a sin of which one will not repent.
(And likewise, a sin not unto death, is a sin of which one does
repent.)
The source of my interpretation of this text
is the rest of the scripture. The best way to understand one
text is to understand it’s immediate context and then look
at the rest of the scriptures. The immediate context does not
define a “sin unto death.” John is discussing intercessory
prayer and assumes his reader knows what he means. So we must
go to the rest of the scriptures.
The subject of 1 John 5:14-17 is prayer (see,
vss. 14-15). The subject of verses sixteen and seventeen is praying
for a brother in sin. One is to pray (a pray of intercession)
for a brother who sins “a sin not unto death” and God
will “give him life.” If a brother sins a “sin
unto death,” John says “I do not say that he shall
pray for it.” John is not promising prayer for a brother’s
“sin unto death” will “give him life.”
What makes the difference in God answering
my prayer on behalf of my brother in sin? The attitude of my
brother in sin. God will not forgive my brother’s sin without
his repentance. This is exactly what James says, “Brethren,
if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns
him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error
of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude
of sins” (Jas. 5:19-20). The word “repent” simply
means “to turn.”
John's warning about not interceding
in prayer for those in “sin unto death” is also found
in the prophets: “Therefore pray not thou for this people,
neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession
to me: for I will not hear thee” (Jer. 7:16). “Then
said the Lord unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me,
yet my mind could not be
toward this people: cast them out of my sight, and let them go
forth” (Jer. 15:1). God had called his people to repentance
and they refused. Thus, he tells his prophet that intercessory
prayer will not bring forgiveness to these people. (See also
Isaiah 59:1-2; 1 Peter 3:12).
The scriptures teach that the consequence
of sin is “death,” that is separation from God (Rom.
6:23; Eph. 2:1; 1 Tim. 5:6). When one repents in “godly
sorrow,” he “turns from” his sin and comes out
of “death,” and into life. “Now I rejoice, not
that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance.
For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer
loss from us in nothing. For godly sorrow produces repentance
to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world
produces death” (2 Cor. 7:9-10).
The best passage to illustrate that a “sin
unto death” is a sin one will not repent of is Ezekiel 18
and 33.
“Behold, all souls are Mine; the soul
of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine; the soul
who sins shall die” (Ezk. 18:4).
“Therefore you, O son of man, say
to the children of your people: `The righteousness of the righteous
man shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression; as
for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall because of
it in the day that he turns
from his wickedness; nor shall the righteous be able to live
because of his righteousness in the day that he sins.’ When
I say to the righteous that he shall surely live, but he trusts
in his own righteousness and commits iniquity, none of his righteous
works shall be remembered; but because of the iniquity that he
has committed, he shall die. Again, when I say to the wicked,
`You
shall surely die,’ if he turns from his sin and does what
is lawful and right, if the wicked restores the pledge, gives
back what
he has stolen, and walks in the statutes of life without committing
iniquity, he shall surely live; he shall not die. None of his
sins which he has committed shall be remembered against him;
he has done what is lawful and right; he shall surely live” (Ezk. 33:12-16).
I believe one can see a “sin unto death”
and a “sin not unto death” herein without any uninspired
man’s commentary being needed.
2. The one who delivered Christ to Pilate
had the “greater sin” said Jesus in (John 19:11). Jesus
means that they have more to answer for than did Pilate.
3. Jesus said of a certain scribe who told
him of his righteous life and his understanding of the teaching
of the law of Moses, “..you are not far from the kingdom
of God” (Mark 12:28-34). If such understanding and actions
placed him nearer to the kingdom of God than others who did not
so conduct themselves, then the Lord made a distinction between
those a long way from the kingdom and those near, based on godliness
as opposed to those in ungodliness.
4. Inspiration shows that “a difference
is to be made among brethren” as regards either the nature
of their sins or their attitudes . “Keep yourselves in the
love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto
eternal life. And of some have compassion, making a difference:
And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating
even the garment spotted by the flesh. Unto Him who is able to
present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding
joy, To the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion
and power, both now and ever.” (Jude 21-25) A-men.
5. Accidental killing is spoken of in (Deuteronomy)
as well as murder. For the former, a different rule applied ,
cities of refuge were to be prepared so justice could be meted
out in Israel. “...one who kills his neighbor unintentionally,
without malice...” For instance, a man may go into the forest
with his neighbor to cut wood, and as he swings his ax to fell
a tree,
the head may fly off and hit his neighbor and kill him. That
man may flee to one of these cities and save his life. Otherwise,
the avenger of blood might pursue him in a rage, overtake him
if the distance is too great, and kill him even though he is
not deserving of death, since he did it to his neighbor without
malice aforethought, This is why I command you to set aside for
yourselves three cities (Deuteronomy 19:1-13).
6. Murder as opposed to manslaughter recognizes
a difference as regards intent. Accidental killing is called
manslaughter but it isn’t murder. Taking life under law
is not murder (Romans 13:1-4). The person killed is just as dead
either way, but both God and man look upon the two differently
and the punishment even in the human courts is lesser for one
than the other. Through all three dispensations of God’s
dealings with mankind, God has demanded that “if man sheds
blood, by man shall his blood be shed” (Genesis 9:6). That
God makes a difference in the immediate punishment may be seen
in several Old Testament instances: 1. Cities of refuge were
set up so the one who killed someone accidentally could flee
to one of these cities and await trial. If he was caught outside
the city the “avenger of blood” could take his life
with impunity. I understand that the “avenger of blood”
was the next of kin (Numbers 35:9-34).
7. “There are six things the Lord hates,
seven that are detestable to Him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes,
feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours
out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers”
(Proverbs 6:16-19). Among these seven sins that are detestable
to our Lord is listed the “shedding of innocent blood”
V-17. Abortion would certainly be included in this category,
yet even on this subject we find teaching that distinguishes
penalties for an action, depending upon the outcome of the
action. Exodus 21:22-23 says, “If men who are fighting hit
a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely but there is
no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman’s
husband demands and the court allows. But if there is serous
injury, you are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for
tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for
wound, bruise for bruise” (Exodus 21:22). Note that the
offender's actions in the first scenario resulted in the child
"coming forth," that is being born "prematurely,"
yet the child was alive, and suffered no ill-affects from the
premature birth. In such cases, the offender who struck the woman
was to be appropriately fined. However, the 2nd part of the verse
does address a miscarriage - that is - if the offender hit the
woman in such a way that her child was injured or killed, then
the civil law penalty that matched the crime was to be envoked.
In cases where the child died from the man's actions, the death
penalty was to be enforced.
The Bible teaches that “all liars”
will have their part in the lake of fire and brimstone along
with others who live ungodly lifestyles (Revelation 21:8). Still,
is there not some distinction between the medical doctor or the
nurse, who in order to give some ray of hope to one who has a
terminal illness, says something like “you’re going
to be alright” and the person who tells a malicious lie
intended to do harm to the reputation of the one about whom he/she
is lying? Do you look at the doctor and nurse who lied to give
hope in the same light as the malicious slanderer? I dare say
you don’t.
Understand, I am not attempting to “justify” the doctor
or the nurse who is less than honest with their patient, but
“intent” has always played a large role in how God
views infractions of His perfect will! Wrong is wrong let me
remind you but does not James say “ He shall have judgment
without mercy, that has showed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth
against judgment” (James 2:13). This means something! What
does it mean? I suggest that it is saying that if we demand absolute
perfection of others without being willing to “judge righteous
judgment” (John 7:24), taking extenuating circumstances
into account, we can expect God to show us no mercy and judge
us the same way. If He does, we are without hope for we each
need mercy and not absolute justice. God gave the deceiver and
the deceived some time to
apply that which they were taught before cutting them off (Revelation
2:20-22).
The candlestick (identity) of local churches
wasn’t immediately removed when they were involved in errors
needing correction. If said correction was not forthcoming in
a reasonable space of time (whatever God’s space may be
He knows I do not) they would lose their identity which is spoken
of as “removing their candlestick” (Revelation 2:5).
We stand before the Lord, not because of our
perfect law keeping abilities. We stand because we are made perfect
through forgiveness in the blood of the sinless Son of God almighty.
This is true initially by obedience to the first principles of
the gospel of Christ (Acts 2:22-38; Romans 6:3-6' 16-18; Romans
1:16-17; Phil. 2:12), and it is then true as we “walk in
the light of divine revelation” imperfectly admittedly,
but we have constant access to the shed blood of Christ through
repentance, confession, and prayer (1 John 1:1-10; Acts 8:22).
Fornication unfortunately is a common sin.
It has been through the ages. This sin is given special significance
above others by the Lord Himself. Should I say it is no worse
than any other sin when the Lord says it is? I would think not!
I might not (and do not) know all that is involved in what Paul
said of this sin in writing to the Corinthians, but I know what
he said. He said, “Flee fornication. Every sin that a man
doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication
sinneth against his own body. What? don’t you know that
your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit which
you have of God, and you are not your own? For you are bought
with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your
spirit, which are God’s” (1 Corinthians 6:18-20). Earlier
in this chapter Paul wrote “Don’t you know that your
bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of
Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. What?
Don’t you know that he which is joined to an harlot is one
body? For two, saith He, shall be one flesh.”(1 Corinthians
6:15-16). The “one flesh” aspect here is one of the
ingredients which is reserved for the marriage bed. See (Genesis
2:24; Hebrews 13:4).
You may not love me as you should. In fact
you may hate me and become guilty of murder in the eyes of God
(1 John 3:15). Is the sin “as bad as” the actual act
of murder? Insofar as your soul is concerned it may well be,
but insofar as I am concerned it isn’t for I am still alive
and well. By the same token, you may lust after a woman or man
and be guilty of
committing adultery in your heart as Jesus plainly stated in
(Matthew 5:28). Is this sin (and it is a sin) “as bad as”
if you had actually committed adultery with another person? Insofar
as your soul is concerned, yes! Insofar as the other person is
concerned, no! For they did not become involved.
Are all of God’s laws of equal importance?
The answer is both yes and no! Jesus Christ our blessed Lord
and Master recognized a difference in the laws given to Moses
for Israel and so stated in His condemnation of the self righteous
scribes and Pharisees in the following language. “Woe unto
you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you pay tithe of mint
and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters
of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought you to have
done, and not leave the other undone” (Matthew 23:23). I
am aware that He said they should have done all that the law
required in the above statement but keep in mind the distinction
made when He said that there were some matters in the law that
were “weightier” than others. I recognize too that
James said--”For whoever shall keep the whole law, yet offend
in one point. he is guilty of all” (James 2:10). James is
saying one does not have to break every law in the
book to become a lawbreaker, one is sufficient, because the
same God gave them all. Still, that does not negate my point
that just as some laws are weightier than others, likewise some
sins are worse than others because of their very nature.
Under the Old Testament law system God made
a distinc-tion in the kinds of sins by virtue of the fact that
different instructions were given concerning these sacrifices
For example there were “Burnt offerings” -”Grain
offerings” - “The fellowship offerings” -”Sin
offering” -”Guilt offering” (Leviticus chapters
1-6). They were to offer sacrifices for
“unintentional” things the people had done and instructions
given for the same. They were still sin, but my point is that
God made a distinction between “intentional” and “unintentional”
sins. Comparing this to statements in the new Testament two particular
passages come to mind. (1). “For if we sin wilfully after
that we have received a knowledge of the truth, there remaineth
no more sacrifice for sin, But a fearful looking for of judgment
and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversary”
(Hebrews 10:26-27). (2). “For if after they have escaped
the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and
overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
For it had been better for them not to have known the way of
righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the
holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto
them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his
own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing
in the mire” (2 Peter 2:20-22). Question: Does this leave
you with the impression that to know and then turn away is
worse than never having known the way of righteousness as God
views it? I may not (and do not) know what all is involved in
how it may be worse for such but that it is cannot be denied
for scripture (which is God speaking) plainly says it is. Even
though I cannot fully explain these passages I must accept the
principle stated by faith, without equivocation.
Human responsibility is predicated partially
on man’s ability and opportunity to have known the will
of the Almighty as we attempt to serve Him. We must remember
that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”
and that “all men are in need of the Savior” hence,
the “great or worldwide commission” of (Matthew 28:18-20;
Mark 16:15-16; Luke
24:45-29; Acts 17:30-31).
After folks come into the kingdom, accountability
varies according to Jesus’ teachings about the two men one
of whom was “beaten with many stripes” because he knew
his master’s will and did not do it. The other was “beaten
with few stripes” because although he did not do the master’s
will it was because he did not know it . In this context Jesus
is speaking of the judgment to come at His return. Let us read
it: “And that servant, which knew his lord’s will,
and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will,
shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not, and
did
commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes.
For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall much be required:
and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the
more” (Luke 12:47-48).
In the church of our Lord we are instructed
to deal differently with the weaker brethren than we are with
the more mature. Paul isn’t saying we should overlook sin
in any of its forms, but that since God makes such distinctions
as regarding how he judges such folks, so should we (Read Romans
chapters 14-15). The Hebrew writer speaks of “milk drinkers”
and “meat eaters,” each figures of speech depicting
the ability or lack of the same to accept the weightier or more
difficult teaching of Christ’s word. He wants us to become
“meat eaters” and not remain as “milk drinkers”
of
course and said so in so many words in (Hebrews 5:12-14; 2 Peter
3:18).
While we must emphasize how terrible sin is,
in any form we may consider; I fear that many folks have been
caused to give up trying to please the Lord and make heaven their
eternal home due to our failure to properly instruct babes in
Christ about the matters under consideration in this study. Many
have fallen by the wayside for lack of hope and confidence in
the possibility of living a life with which the Lord is pleased,
due to the doctrine of “perfectionism” that looks at
the slightest infraction of the law of the Lord in the same light
as they do the most dastardly deeds of one who
has hardened his heart and lives in opposition to the will of
God. Paul said that we should “rejoice in the Lord always:
and again I say, rejoice” (Philippians 4:4). Paul wrote
of how he lived “in hope of eternal life...” (Titus
1:2; Romans 8:24). This great man cautioned against getting overconfident
and falling into the devil’s snare as a result in (1 Corinthians
10:12), in the next verse gave hope by the fact that God will
not allow us to be tempted beyond our ability and that a way
of escape is there if we will look for it (V-13). Consequently
he could write to Timothy as an old soldier
of the cross of Christ whose armor bore the scars of many battles
for Christ: “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time
of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have
finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is
laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the
righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only,
but unto all them also that love His appearing” (2 Timothy
4:6-8).
In conclusion we should read what the apostle
Peter wrote about the hope and assurance that can be ours, even
with our weaknesses and in our faltering attempts to live up
to the perfect standard . As we attempt to walk in the steps
of Him who did no sin, we often falter and stumble, but since
we have access to the cleansing blood of the crucified, resurrected,
and exalted Messiah through repentance, confession and prayer
(1 John 1:6-9), keeping our eyes on the goal, and “leaning
on the everlasting arms” of our Lord and Savior , Jesus
Christ, we hope to reach the shores of that eternal
city where we can bask in the sunshine of His love forever and
ever.
“According as His divine power hath
given unto us all things that pertain to life and godliness,
through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and
virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding and precious promises:
that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having
escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And
besides this,
giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue
knowledge; And to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience;
and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness;
and to brotherly kindness charity (love). For if these things
be in you and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be
barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar
off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling
and election sure: for if you do these things, you shall never
fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly
into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:3-11).
If sin has you separated from God, take advantage
of His provisions for you to obey the gospel of Christ. If you
are an erring Christian you need to repent confess your sins
and pray for forgivness so heaven can be your eternal home at
last.
Kenneth E. Thomas
1519 West Shore Dr.
Pekin, Il 61554 1 (309) 347-5645
Church's Home Page
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Oracle/7017/pekin_ch.html