Download The Messiah - the Gloriavale Christian Community

Sin?
What’s that?
-1THE PROBLEM OF SIN
Where have all the Church members gone? Surveys in New
Zealand show that membership in denominational churches is
dropping year by year. Today, only about half of the country’s
population believe in some sort of higher deity. The rest are
atheistic in their approach to life.
One of the answers to our question is this: people no longer
understand sin, nor fear its consequences.
Despite what humanism may teach, the nature of mankind is not
to do good, but to do evil. All people are born with the natural
inclination to sin. We live in an age when the teachings of
evolution and humanism have taken away most people's
understanding of sin, and new editions of the dictionary do not
even list the word. Let's see God's view on the subject.
The scripture gives us three excellent definitions of sin:
Whatsoever is not of faith is sin.
- Romans 14:23
To him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
- James 4:17
Sin is the transgression of the law.
- I John 3:4
We may add that sin is any disobedience of God's commands
under the New Testament. While many people quote the Ten
Commandments from the days of Moses as examples of laws that
people commonly disobey, Jesus also expects us to be strict with
our thoughts and the attitudes of our hearts. In the Sermon on the
Mount, he quotes several times "Ye have heard that it hath been
said, . . . But I say unto you, . . ." Jesus refined several laws of the
Old Testament, proclaiming that while the act of adultery itself is
sin, even looking with lust after a woman who is not your wife is
sin. The only difference between someone who would like to do
-2evil, if he could get away with it, and the person who does do
evil, is that one had the opportunity and the other one did not.
Murder is undoubtedly a sin, but under the New Testament, we
face judgment for hateful attitudes such as getting angry with
people without just cause.
The main problem with sin today is that most people do not
recognise it, or even understand what it is because they have no
standard of right and wrong. The moral standards of western
society once reflected Biblical principles, like the Ten
Commandments, but they no longer do so. Western society now
excuses many things that the Bible says are worthy of death.
People have exchanged God's absolute truth for a man-made
standard that gets lower with each succeeding generation. People
therefore have little desire to become truly converted, because
they do not see themselves as sinners. If you have no
consciousness of your sin and uncleanness, you will have no
inclination to get rid of it. But the Bible says that All have sinned
and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).
The 16th Century English reformer and Bible translator, William
Tyndale, penned this vivid description of man's sinful nature in
his book, A Pathway to the Holy Scripture:
By nature through the fall of Adam we are the children of wrath,
heirs of the vengeance of God by birth, yea and from our
conception. And we have our fellowship with the damned devils,
under the power of darkness and rule of Satan, while we are yet
in our mother's wombs, and though we show not forth the fruits of
sin as soon as we are born, yet are we full of the natural poison,
whereof all sinful deeds spring ... the fall of Adam hath made us
heirs of the vengeance and wrath of God and heirs of eternal
damnation, and hath brought us into captivity and bondage under
the devil. And the devil is our lord and our ruler, our head, our
governor, our prince, yea and our god. And our will is locked and
knit faster unto the will of the devil than could an hundred
thousand chains bind a man unto a post. Unto the devil's will
consent we with all our hearts, with all our minds, with all our
-3might, power, strength, will and lusts: so that the law and will of
the devil is written as well in our hearts as in our members and
we run headlong after the devil with full zeal and the whole swing
of all the power we have ... With what poison, deadly and
venemous hate hateth a man his enemy. With how great malice of
mind inwardly do we slay and murder. With what violence and
rage, yea and with how fervent lust commit we adultery,
fornication and such like uncleanness. With what pleasure and
delectation, inwardly, serveth a glutton his belly. With what
diligence deceive we. How busily we seek the things of this world.
Whatsoever we do, think or imagine, is abominable in the sight of
God.
What would Tyndale say of this generation? And what, indeed,
does God think of today's unbelief, pride, self-will and
selfishness, which are really the cornerstones of man's sin? Are
you foolish enough to "wait and see"?
THE COMING JUDGMENT
The second major problem with sin today is that people do not
see sin as being a problem, but God does.
God does not accept sin or accept excuses for it: He hates sin and
is angry with the wicked every day. (Psalm 7:11) God judged the
people of this world for their sin once before in the days of Noah,
when he destroyed the whole world with a flood, and the Bible
says that He will destroy this world once more with eternal fire.
In that day every person who has ever been born will stand before
God and be judged according to how the life each has lived.
The Bible says, The soul that sinneth, it shall die (Ezekiel 18:20),
and that The wages of sin is death. (Romans 6:23). It says that
Christ will one day judge this world and everyone in it,
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that
every one may receive the things done in his body, according to
-4that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore
the terror of the Lord, we persuade men.
- 2 Corinthians 5:10-11
REPENTANCE IS NECESSARY
The third major problem with sin today is that God commands us
to repent of (turn away from) our sin, but most people do not see
repentance as necessary. There was a 400 year gap between the
last prophet of the Old Testament and the arrival of John the
Baptist, who heralded the coming of Christ the Messiah. The first
message John the Baptist brought was - REPENT! (Matthew 3:2)
From the beginning of his earthly ministry, Jesus commanded
people to "Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
(Matthew 4:17), and "Repent ye, and believe the gospel." (Mark
1:15) The apostles Peter and Paul preached repentance: "Repent
ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted
out." (Acts 3:19) "God now commandeth all men everywhere to
repent." (Acts 17:30)
Those who choose to obey Christ and follow Him, do not
continue living a life of sin, as the apostle John explains:
"Whosoever abideth in Him sinneth not" ... and "whosoever is
born of God doth not commit sin." (I John 3: 6,9), and
"Whosoever is born of God sinneth not". (1 John 5:18) In the end,
however, it is not what people think about repentance that counts,
but what God thinks, and God demands that we stop doing what
is wrong and do whatever is good and right. For example, "Let
him that stole steal no more." (Ephesians 4:28). This is true
repentance.
THERE CAN BE FORGIVENESS
The fourth issue with sin is that we need to be made clean from
our sin. Repenting of sin is one thing, but we also need cleansing
from our sinful nature, and forgiveness for the sins we have
already committed. We can never atone for our own sin: we are
not good enough. (You can't make anything clean by wiping it
-5with a dirty rag.) Only the sacrifice of a pure and innocent victim
can take away sin, for "without shedding of blood is no remission
[of sins]". (Hebrews 9:22) The Bible says that Jesus Christ, the
only begotten son of God, died in our place, that our sins might
be forgiven, and that we might become the sons of God. As Isaiah
says,
All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every one to
his own way, and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
- Isaiah 53:6
John the Baptist introduced Jesus with the words:
Behold the lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world
- John 1:29
The apostle John explained that
He came unto His own, and His own received Him not. But as
many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the
sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.
- John 1:11-12
and that
God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that
whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have
everlasting life."
- John 3:16
In order for this forgiveness to be ours, we must believe in Jesus
with all of our heart: who He is, what He did, and what He will
do for us if we follow Him. To believe is to trust and obey, and
that is the attitude of a true believer. When we truly believe we
will repent and obey the gospel, and God will grant us
forgiveness.
-6THE POWER OF BAPTISM
He that believeth and is baptised shall be saved. Mark 16:16
Baptism (immersion in water) is an essential part of God's plan
for salvation. Romans chapter six teaches that in baptism we die
unto sin, and our old man (our natural inclination to sin and
rebellion) is crucified with Christ. We are buried under the water
"in the likeness of His death", "that the body of sin might be
destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin." Then, just as
Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, so
we also are raised up in the likeness of his resurrection to walk in
newness of life in Him. As we obey this commandment from the
heart, He frees us from sin, and gives us His new nature:
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old
things are passed away; behold all things are become new.
-2 Corinthians 5:17
As new creatures, with the mind of Christ and the ability to
overcome the temptations of Satan, true Christians are free from
sin and heirs to God’s promises.
There may be exceptional circumstances where people cannot be
baptised, such as the thief on the cross or converts in prison. And
what need of baptism did the thief have? He had only a few hours
to live, whereas the normal situation is for a Christian to continue
living for an unknown length of time, facing a wide range of
temptations and problems. The spiritual blessing that God gives
in baptism is an essential weapon in the Christian’s fight against
the world, the flesh, and the devil.
In any case, a true convert to Christ will have the heart to obey all
His commandments, and if they have not initially been baptised,
they will be baptised as God gives the opportunity to do so. (see
Acts 19:1-6)
-7BEING BORN AGAIN
The Christian life is about following Christ. Jesus taught people
to forsake their own life and to follow Him instead.
If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up
his cross, and follow me.
- Matthew 16:24
Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he
cannot be my disciple.
- Luke 14:33
This involves putting Christ before our reputation, our family
members, and our friends. It involves giving up our own plans,
our desires, our possessions, our opinions and our career. It
involves giving up our selfishness, our pride and our self-will.
Converts must count the cost of giving up all and forsaking
anything that will hinder them in doing the will of God. We give
up our own life, and take on the new life that Christ offers us. The
apostle Paul's testimony was:
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live: yet not I, but
Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live
by the faith of the son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for
me.
- Galatians 2:20
Instead of pleasing himself, a Christian strives to please God,
accepting Him as Father and taking a place as a son who is born
not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man,
but of God.
- John 1:13
In giving up our own life and taking on the new life that Christ
offers us, we become born again. The spirit of God comes into
our hearts and makes us His sons, changes our lives and makes us
new people who now love to please God and do what is right. We
become a completely new person.
-8Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old
things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
- 2 Corinthians 5:17
DISCIPLESHIP
The normal Christian life for a person who has truly been born
again is that he walks each day without sin.
We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that
is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth
him not.
- I John 5:18
If sin does arise, it must be confessed, repented of, and forgiven.
A Christian is a person who follows Christ, and that entails doing
the will of God. In the gospels, Jesus set this example for us on
the night before He went to the cross, He prayed to His father:
Not my will, but thine, be done.
- Luke 22:42
Paul also stated:
I beseech you therefore brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye
present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God,
which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this
world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that
ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will
of God.
- Romans 12:1,2
Many Christians are confused about finding the will of God on
many issues in their lives, because they are trying to be like the
people of this world. Yet finding God's will is not difficult when
our thinking has been transformed and moulded by the Bible, and
we are willing to submit to the guidance of godly, sacrificial
leaders in the Church, who live and teach according to the Word
of God.
-9Sadly, however, judgment day will come as a shock even to many
professing Christians.
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. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have
we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out
devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then
will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye
that work iniquity.
- Matthew 7:21-23
There are many who want the benefits of serving God, but they
do not want to obey Him. Self-will has no place in the true
Christian life. We must be diligent to see that we keep the faith
that has been delivered by the apostles and do not fall into the
trap of 'greasy grace' that offers salvation without commitment.
- 10 -
For more information, please contact
The Church at Gloriavale
Private Bag 611
Greymouth 7840
New Zealand
Phone +64 3 738 0257
Fax +64 3 738 0212
[email protected]
If you wish to visit, please contact us first. You’ll find us at
Gloriavale Christian Community
189 Heaphy Road
Lake Haupiri
Westland
New Zealand
This tract and other information about
practical Christian living is available at
www.gloriavale.org.nz
wwbsummary_11.2014.doc