ANOTHER CLOSER LOOK AT SIN

 Sin for carnal people is breaking the Ten Commandments but for the true church of GOD its breaking the two greatest of all commandments Jesus gave of loving GOD and neighbor. Mark 12:31 Romans 13:9   Whatever is not of GODS love is sin.   Anything that an elect of GOD allows or permits themselves to do must be rooted and grounded on these two commandments of love.

  The law of Moses contained other prohibitions that were considered by ancient Israel as sin.  In the new covenant the Apostles wrote a letter to the Gentiles informing them that they were no longer under the yoke of the Ten Commandments or law of Moses. Acts 15:10  Yes, Gentiles just like all people sin and sin is the transgression of the law. Romans 3:9  Circumcision was not required but to do so with spiritual intent was actually a denial of what Jesus accomplished for us as well as efforts to keep the Ten Commandments.  Galatians 5:4  The old covenant, the Ten Commandments could only address outward actions or speech, they could not address our thoughts and intents of the heart/human spirit.  In the new covenant it is the thoughts and intents of the human spirit that GOD will judge us by.  Hebrews 4:12  Proverbs 16:2   Jeremiah 17:10 

Sin we know begins with evil thoughts and intents that defile us and is worthy of death.  Matthew 15:11   Mark 7:20-23   The outward actions or speech is only the effect of how we think.  To grow as an elect of GOD our thoughts must be brought under control but we are not able to do this by our own efforts.  Proverbs 20:9  “Who can say, I have kept my heart (thoughts and intents) , pure; I am clean and without sin ?”  Solomon understood that sin begins in our thoughts and words and our deeds are only a manifestation of our thoughts. King David knew this too. Psalm 10:4 “GOD is not in all his thoughts.”  This agrees with the Apostle Paul, 2 Corinthians 10:5 “bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”  Our minds must be renewed our thinking patterns changed to test and approve what is pleasing  to GOD.  Then there is Jesus as the example, “let this MIND be in you that was also in Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 2:5  1 Corinthians 2:16  1 John 2:6 

An example would be the use of alcohol.  Jesus drank wine as did other true Christians and wine was used in the remembrance of the sacrifice of Jesus therefore drinking any alcoholic beverage is not a sin.  It is the misuse  of these to the point of drunkenness that is sin by habitual drinking.  The same is true in the use of tobacco. Tobacco use is not a sin but improper use of it is.  It is not showing love to blow smoke in someone’s face or light up in their home and it’s not love to be a drunkard either.  Deliberately offending people is not love therefore it is sin.  Even eating unclean food in the presence of an Orthodox Jew or a new convert should not be done.  In Acts 15:29 was not for the reason Jehovahs Witnesses say but because these things offended others and the Gentiles they were writing to practiced these things. The Gentile practices were of themselves not sin, except for sexual immorality, as long as they did not offend others.  If you want to drink a cup of blood, eat a pork chop, work on the Sabbath day it is not sin, but if you offend someone else by doing so it is sin.  Remember, nothing entering from the outside defiles you, it’s what comes out of you.

The Apostle Paul listed many things that if practiced would disinherit you from the kingdom of GOD , 1 Corinthians 6:9-10  Ephesians 5:5  Galatians 519-21 and also in Revelation 21:8 and 22:15   There are numerous scriptures by the Apostles that address sinful behavior but we must always remember what the true source of this behavior is, our human spirit.

When king David prayed in Psalm 51:10 “Create in me a clear heart O GOD.”  He was asking GOD to change his way of thinking so that he would not sin.  David had committed adultery and murder because he LUSTED in his mind for another man’s wife. The sin began there in his mind and his actions were driven by his lust. James 1:13-15  Jesus magnified the law to include the thoughts and intents of the heart.  Isaiah 42:21KJV  The tenth commandment is the only one in the law that could never be punished if broken because no human witness can know the thoughts and intents of another’s mind, but GOD does.  This is why we must partake of the divine nature of GOD as demonstrated to us by Jesus Christ.  2 Peter 1:4  We need more than just immortality we need a complete overhaul of how we think.  In the resurrection we will receive both immortality and impeccability.   GOD will not give everlasting life to sinners.  

While we are yet human we will still sin and to deny this is fooling ourselves and calling GOD a liar. GOD has provided the program of grace to cover these sins that DO NOT LEAD TO DEATH by the sacrifice of Christ. 1 John 5:17  Matthew 12:31-32 

While we wait for our change to come we obey GOD and Christ in all things and overcoming, as much as we are able, some of our sins to bear fruit to GOD.  If we truly yield ourselves to the working of GOD in us progress can be made.  None of us are spiritual giants we will always need grace.  Hebrews 12:1  Hebrews 4:16  Where sin abounds grace abounds much more. 

Thanks be to GOD through our lord and savior Jesus Christ that by abundant grace makes it so that it is no longer I that sin but sin that dwells in me. Romans 7:9-25    GOD knows our spirit and that we greatly desire to do HIS will but our flesh wars against our spirit and causes us to go against our own will ,  Matthew 26:41  Psalm 19:13 ,   that wants to do GODS will and GOD sees this, the true thoughts and intents of our spirit, and HE has mercy triumph over judgment and grace abound much more.