Text: 1 John 1:8-10; James 4:17
Intro: It is not necessary to spend time discussing the question,
“Do believers sin?” These verses should settle this question once for all.
If sin should cause you to lose your salvation, how many would you have
to commit? Is there a certain number of sins you are allowed? This is a
question all teachers of apostasy should answer.
A. The denial of our sin not only deceives us, but
also reflects dishonor upon God.
B. It challenges his truthfulness.
1. God has abundantly testified
of, and against, the sin of the world. And the Lord said in his heart (determined
thus
with himself), I will not again curse the ground for man's sake; for the
imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth,
(Gen. 8:21).
2. Ignorance, prejudices,
and lusts, are Satan's strong-holds in the souls of some;
a. Vain imaginations, carnal reasonings, and high thoughts, or proud conceits,
are strongholds in others,
3. These strong-holds are
pulled down by the gospel through the grace and power of God (2 Cor 10:4-5).
(For the
weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling
down of strong holds;) Casting down
imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge
of God, and bringing into captivity every
thought to the obedience of Christ;
C. It is a very bad thing for a child of God to
sin, no one will deny that. But John says “if any man sin, we have an advocate
with the Father, Jesus
Christ the Righteous.”
1. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN BELIEVERS
SIN?
I. They Lose the Joy of Salvation. (Psalms 51:12)
A. David sinned and lost the joy of his salvation
1. There is no joy in feeling
and knowing the displeasure of God.
B. Loss of joy results in loss of vigor and vitality
in Christian service.
C. Some who lost their joy are so miserable they
really think they have lost their salvation.
II. Sin Causes the Believer to Lose Fellowship with Christ.
A. Relationship and fellowship are not the same.
1. Our relationship is that
of a child to a parent.
2. Our fellowship depends
on our conduct.
3. Fellowship is changeable,
while while relationship is not.
B. Fellowship can be restored by confession (1 John
1:9). If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive
us our
sins, and to cleanse us
from all unrighteousness.
III. Sin Brings Chastisement and Scourging from God (Heb. 12:6).
For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he
receiveth. Rev. 3:19 As many as I love I rebuke and chasten (Church
at Laodicea)
A. Unconfessed sin brings harsh judgment (1 Cor.
11:29-32).
1. David’s child died (2
Sam. 12)
2. Ananias and Sapphira
died (Acts 5:1-11).
B. Is this the way you want the Lord to deal with
you.
IV. Sin will keep Believers from Prayer and Make Their Prayers Ineffective.
A. God will not hear where unconfessed sin is present
(Psa. 66:18) Isa. 59:1-2 Behold, the LORD's hand is not
shortened, that it cannot
save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have
separated between you
and your God, and your sins
have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
V. Sin in a Believers life will be a Stumbling Block to Other Believers.
A. Paul’s attitude toward questionable things (1
Cor. 8:8-13) Romans 14:13-15 Let us not therefore judge one another any
more: but judge this rather,
that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's
way. ~ I know, and am
persuaded by the Lord Jesus,
that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any
thing to be unclean, to
him it is unclean. ~ But
if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably.
Destroy not him with thy
meat, for whom Christ died.
B. Sin of Achan caused defeat in all Israel (Josh.
7:2026).
C. Is your speech, recreation or hobby a stumbling
block to others?
Conclusion: Sins of believers cause some to stumble into hell.