What is Sin? Is there a Penalty? Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death: but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

SIN AND ITS PENALTY

Sin cannot happen without the I in the middle.

SIN is one word among many which has become vague in its real meaning through casual usage. Man has always tended to be lenient toward himself with relation to God’s unrelenting abhorrence of sin, seen clearly in His unwavering sentence—the death penalty! Despite the force­fulness with which the Scriptures speak, man is prone to argue the LOVE of God against the WRATH of God. Both are seen in Christ’s death on Calvary, where He shed His blood to save us, and took our due wrath upon Himself in making satisfaction for our guilt. In this study, we will “bring up that which is behind” on the side of the AWFULNESS OF SIN-- how terrible it is; how reprehensible; how despicable! God’s unfathomable LOVE does not mean that He ever has, does now, or ever shall “wink at,” or excuse SIN!

“The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God” (Psalm 9:17).

1 John 3:4

4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

1 John 5:17

17 All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.

I. WHAT IS SIN? (1 John 3:4; 1 John 5:17)

Most Bible expositors have tried to define “sin,” but it is difficult to de­fine in a few words. The Apostle John’s two statements above broadly define it. Taken together, they offer a good conclusion. “The law” refers to God’s Word in its never-changing principles rather than to the ceremonial statutes, ordinances, and judgments which were fulfilled and done away in Christ “Unrighteousness” is disobedience to God’s just requirements. So “SIN” is disobedience to God’s holy Word. This seems simplistic, but God is alto­gether just and good. His requirements are made in love. To disobey the One who truly loves us is to doubt or re­ject Him as God. And UNBELIEF is the cardinal sin.

Romans 5:12, 19

12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedi­ence of one shall many be made righteous.

II. WHY DO MEN SIN? (Romans 5:12, 19)

First of all, men sin because there is a devil who continually tempts and deceives. Again, unbelief in God’s Word, and choosing to believe the deceiver, is the cause of most sins. All men are “free moral agents.” But Romans 5:12-19 gets to the root of the problem of sin. All mankind in­herited Adam’s sinful nature result­ing from “the fall.” This is referred to variously as: original sin, inbred sin, indwelling sin, universal sin, or in­herited sin.

Some have asked, “Why should God make all men accountable for Adam’s sin?” There is no better an­swer than that God is sovereign and can do whatever He will; and what He wills is always right, even if we do not know His reasons. But it is clear that Adam was made man’s representative head, or covenant head. Bible expositors see God’s ini­tial dealings with Adam as a cov­enant—the Edenic Covenant for what is called “The Dispensation of Inno­cence.” That covenant was actually a “covenant of life.” God endowed man with life and entrusted him with faithfulness to the covenant. If Adam had proven faithful, he would have experienced eternal life; no death penalty would ever have been needed. Of course, he failed as man’s representative and sinned. Because mankind inclusive was under the covenant, all sinned in Adam. This is what Paul meant in saying, “in Adam all die.” The good news is that “in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Cor. 15:22). Christ is man’s faithful representative. He will not fail!

Hebrews 10:26-29

26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,

27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

28 He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:

29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who bath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenath, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

Romans 1:18

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

III. THE AWFULNESS OF SIN (Hebrews 10:26-29; Romans 1:18)

Let us use an analogy from Israel and the law covenant: Paul says that the law made sin to “become ex­ceeding sinful” (Rom. 7:13). In other words, the “holy, and just, and good” commandments (Rom. 7:12) ampli­fied the awfulness of sin. It was like the blackness of darkness contrasted with effulgent light.

Sin, especially that of the back­-slidden, is likened to crucifying the Son of God all over again (Heb. 6:4-6). The willful sinner under the grace dispensation is due even greater pun­ishment than were those under Moses’ law, because of the gross dis­respect they show toward God’s love in giving His only begotten Son to shed His blood for the remission of their sins, It is despising the Spirit of grace.

Romans 6:23

23 For the wages of sin is death: but

the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

2 Peter 2:13

13 And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time...

IV. SIN’S WAGES AND REWARD (Romans 6:23; 2 Peter 2:13)

Since the ultimate reward for obe­dience is eternal spiritual life, it is only fair and equitable that the “re­ward of unrighteousness” should be eternal spiritual death. Life is free--“by grace through faith.” On the op­posite hand, sin demands a lifetime in its service, with eternal death as its awful wages!

The choice still belongs to man, as it did to Adam. We will always be “free moral agents.” God wants will­ing service and free grace. A fair ex­change indeed!

 Good works apart from belief and trust in God’s work FOR US in Christ will not be accounted as saving merit. We must serve and obey out of a grateful heart for His gracious redemption. In fact, our own works, done in expectation of earning ever­lasting life, are an affront to God’s mercy and love. They amount only to the evaluation of “filthy rags” (Isa. 64:6). Indeed, they become sin in the sight of God. They are hypocritical. Like the serpent in Eden, who only appeared to be doing Eve a favor, so is every hypocrite in God’s estima­tion. Jesus said to the hypocrites of His day on earth, “Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of Hell?” (Matthew 23:33).

For some listings of sins and sin­ful practices, see the following scrip­tures: Matthew 15:19,20; Galatians 5:19-21; Revelation 21:8; and Rev­elation 22:15.

If you have never accepted Jesus Christ here are three steps you need to take to be saved:

You must admit you are a sinner, confess your sin to Jesus, repent (turn from all you know is wrong), ask Jesus to come in your heart, and begin to follow Jesus by reading and obeying his word and go to a bible believing church that teaches his word. May God through Christ bless you!

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