One of the ministers at my church recently preached a sermon with the title “The Man In The Mirror” The point of the sermon was the main problem with our sin isn’t the situation that caused it, or the person that caused it, but the person that committed it. The first place we should look is like Michael Jackson said at “the man or woman in the mirror”.
The main character in her message was David. When David saw and wanted Bathsheba the result was adultery. What started out as adultery, moved quickly to murder, but it didn’t just end there.
When the Prophet Nathan confronted David he confessed, and acknowledged that he had sinned. He said, although his sin affected others, that it was really against God that he had sinned. He took a good look at himself “in the mirror”.
Nathan told him that God had forgiven him, but there would be consequences.
2 Samuel 12:13-14 NIV Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord .” Nathan replied, “The Lord has taken away your sin. You are not going to die. But because by doing this you have shown utter contempt for the Lord , the son born to you will die.”
But that’s not all;
2 Samuel 12:10-12 NIV Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.’ “This is what the Lord says: ‘Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity on you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will sleep with your wives in broad daylight. You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.’ ”
I’m sure that many of you have heard or used this quote, “Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay. –”
Since we’ve established that sin, while it affects us and others, is rebellion, disobedience and against God the question then, is are some sins worse than others? Here’s Dr. Charles Stanley take.
The main character in her message was David. When David saw and wanted Bathsheba the result was adultery. What started out as adultery, moved quickly to murder, but it didn’t just end there.
When the Prophet Nathan confronted David he confessed, and acknowledged that he had sinned. He said, although his sin affected others, that it was really against God that he had sinned. He took a good look at himself “in the mirror”.
Nathan told him that God had forgiven him, but there would be consequences.
2 Samuel 12:13-14 NIV Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord .” Nathan replied, “The Lord has taken away your sin. You are not going to die. But because by doing this you have shown utter contempt for the Lord , the son born to you will die.”
But that’s not all;
2 Samuel 12:10-12 NIV Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.’ “This is what the Lord says: ‘Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity on you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will sleep with your wives in broad daylight. You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.’ ”
I’m sure that many of you have heard or used this quote, “Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay. –”
Since we’ve established that sin, while it affects us and others, is rebellion, disobedience and against God the question then, is are some sins worse than others? Here’s Dr. Charles Stanley take.
Are Some Sins Worse Than Others?
Christians tend to categorize sins, rating some as small and inconsequential, but others as huge and far-reaching in the damage they cause. In reality, no one sins in isolation. Each disobedience to God affects not only the sinner but also countless others in both the present and the future.
If we were to separate Adam and Eve's sin from its context, few of us would convict them of great transgression. All they did was swallow some fruit from a tree with a "do not eat" sign. Today people think nothing of ignoring commands - even biblical ones.
But God has a totally different view of our sins. Each one is followed by negative consequences. Adam and Eve's disobedience led to pain and frustration in two basic areas of fulfillment - relationships and meaningful work. The whole earth fell under sin's curse, and every person born since then has entered the world with a sin nature that alienates each one from the Lord.
That first rebellion plunged humanity into a terrible condition. Civilization is now plagued by countless ramifications of the innumerable sins committed by human beings throughout the ages. Is it any wonder the world is in such sad shape? Sin not only causes suffering; it robs us of God's best. The Garden of Eden is closed and locked to sinful mankind.
The good news of Christ's grace and forgiveness is our only real hope in this fallen world. Though unpleasant, focusing on sin's consequences is necessary at times to remind us of the greatness of our salvation and to move us to obey God, even in the small things. Each obedience is huge to Him.
Taken from "The Consequences of Sin" by In Touch Ministries (used by permission).
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