These are the notes from the sermon preached last night at Core. I hope you are sobered and humbled by your sin so you may in return be amazed by God’s grace demonstrated in the sin bearing death of His Son Jesus Christ.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR US TO KNOW ABOUT OUR SIN?
1. The Bible speaks plainly of it.
2. To have truth that meets our experience.
3. To realize and acknowledge that sin in me is the source of my problems and pain. A true diagnosis.
4. To truly understand and appreciate the cross of Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:24; Is. 53:5)
WHAT IS SIN?
J. G. Machen wisely observes, “What is Sin? It is a question that we cannot ignore. False answers to this question have brought about untold disaster to mankind and the church. On the other hand, the right answer to this question paves for us the beginning of the pathway of salvation.”
Definition: Sin is any failure to conform to God’s moral law in action, attitude or nature.
WHAT IS THE ORIGIN OF SIN?
Satan – John 8:44
Angels – Jude 6
Man – Genesis 3
SideNote: How was it Possible to Sin?
Adam and Eve were God’s very good creation, how then did they come to sin?
- No reason in God’s very good creation
- No reason in God (James 1;14)
- A mystery and riddle that we cannot fully know, but we most definitely know what the answer is not.
WHY DID GOD LET SIN HAPPEN?
Bad Answers:
It is necessary for good to exist – No! “I do not think we ought to adopt any answer which will involve making evil a necessary means to the production of good. That would be a very deadly error indeed; for if evil is necessary that there should be good, then evil would in some sort cease to be evil and would become itself a kind of good. Indeed, in that case – if evil is necessary to good – evil must be thought of as having a place in the life of God Himself before the creation of the world; and that is the abyss of blasphemy.” J.G. Machen
God was tricked
God was overpowered
God lost control
God created sin (James 1:14)
The Bible’s Answer: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28
God permitted sin to enter the world for His ultimate glory and the ultimate and eternal good of His
people.
Sin Was Against His Will, Yet Not Without His Will
“The works of the Lord are great, well-considered in all His acts of will – that in a strange and
inexpressible fashion even that which is done against His will is not done without His will.” Augustine
WHAT ARE THE RESULTS OF SIN?
Immediate Results (Genesis 3:1-24)
All God’s creation began as very good (Gen. 1:31); Sin is not true humanity (Gen. 2:25)
Shame (Genesis 3:7)
Fear (Gen. 3:10)
Evasion of Responsibilities (3:10)
Death (Genesis 3:19b; Eph. 2:1; Matthew 25:41; Physical, Spiritual, Eternal)
Sin’s Major Affect on Man (Romans 3:9-18)
1. Corruption (Original Sin)
2. Guilt (Imputed Sin; Dave will handle this next week)
The Corruption of Sin Affects…
All People (Universal) – Romans 3:9
All Aspects of All People – Romans 3:10-18; Genesis 6:5; Jeremiah 17:9
All of Our Will and Desire; Enslaves Us (cf. Romans 6)
WHAT DOES GOD DO WITH SIN?
God responds to sin in wrath (intense hatred), “We were by nature objects of wrath.”
Ephesians 2:3
Though God righteously responds to sin in anger because He is holy, He casts love onto His corrupted people and send Jesus to atone for their sin. God sends Jesus as the sacrifice that pays the penalty for sin (Romans 8:1-4; 1 John 4:10)
But, O unutterable grace!
The Son of God takes Adam’s place;
Down to our world the Savior flies,
Stretches His arms, and bleeds, and dies.
Jesus….
Covers our shame for good by taking it on Himself (1 Peter 2:24).
Replaces our fear with of God with the love of the Father (Colossians 1:21-23; Galatians 3:26) by enduring His wrath against our sin.
Takes our responsibility for our sin on the cross (Isaiah 53:5).
Reconciles us to the Father and to each other (Colossians 1:22).
Changes our hearts by the Spirit from their corrupt, hardened evil to become hearts that love Him (Ezekiel 36:26-27; John 3:3; Titus 3:3-8))
Who will save this wretched man that I am? Jesus Christ the Lord of Glory, crucified for sinners to redeem for God…
Other Gospel verse that speak of our problem and His solution in Jesus (Romans 3:19-22; Psalm 130:3-4; Romans 7:24-25; Galatians 3:22; Ephesians 2:1-10; Colossians 1:21-23; Romans 5:6-8)
Amen
