Many people are not reading their Bibles!
Romans 6:23 states “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Many in the Church today when reading this scripture focus on the gift of God – Jesus Christ! And God’s gift to us is wonderful! Oh how glorious it is to have your sins washed away by the blood of Jesus! Old things are passed away – all things have become new! (2 Corinthians 5:17) Truly this is an unspeakable gift! Worthy is the Lamb – unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to HIM be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen! (Revelation 1:4-6)
Forgive me – it is easy to get distracted when speaking His wonderful name!
Back to the issue … the wages of sin is death! When one gets born again (John 3:3), not only are they forgiven of their sins, they are loosed from the power of it so that they don’t have to obey sin any more (Romans 6:12-14).
Further more, 1 John 3:5-10 states, “And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. Whosoever abides in him sins not: whosoever sins has not seen him, neither known him. Little children, let no man deceive you: he that does righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that commits sin is of the devil; for the devil sins from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remains in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever does not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loves not his brother.”
Sinners will sin more or less every day – it is what they do! Saints, however, are not to practice or continue in sin at all. (Romans 6:1-3, 2 Timothy 2:19)
Remember what Jesus said to the impotent man at the pool of Bethesda after healing him (John 5), “Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.”
So what is sin to the person who is born again? Sin is death! It always has been and always will be! It is the same for every man or woman, boy or girl – for both the sinner and the Christian – God is no respect of persons! (Read Ezekiel 18).
- Sin is to be confessed to God – Psalm 32:5, Proverbs 28:13, 1 John 1:9
- Sin is to be repented of – Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19, Acts 17:30, John 8, Revelation 3, Revelation 4
- Sin and ungodliness is to be departed from and denied – 2 Timothy 2:19, Titus 2:11-13
- Sin is to be resisted – James 4:7
The wages of sin is death. Adam was righteous, but in the day that he sinned – he died. (Genesis 3)
Ananias & Sapphira sinned and they died. (Acts 5)
Repentance for dead works (sin) is a foundational doctrine of the Church (Hebrews 6:1)
Paul rebuked the Church in Corinth for allowing one that called himself a brother living in fornication to fellowship in the Church ( 1 Corinthians 5).
Know the word of God, and get a made up mind! David said, “Thy Word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee” Psalm 119:11. How much more are we now empowered to walk with God having received the Holy Spirit that leads us and guides us into all truth. The Holy Spirit will never led us into sin!
Galatians 5:19-24 states “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.”
Yes, the God who loves, hates sin and iniquity. (Read Proverbs 6:16-19) He stands in the midst of His church and commands those in sin to repent. (Revelation 3, Revelation 4)
Remember what Paul said in Romans 8:18, “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”
Be diligent in prayer – and pray that you enter not into temptation (Luke 22:40-46)
Remember 1 Corinthians 10:13, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”
Jesus is a faithful high priest – Hebrews 2:17-18
Blessed is the man that endures temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempts he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it brings forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, brings forth death. Do not err, my beloved brethren. (James 1:12-16)
Be penitent before God … if you sin, confess it to God (1 John 1:9). He will wash the sin away. And then repent of it – turn away from the sin you committed and don’t do it again! Sin is never justified – God hates it and will never justify it. He demands repentance.