The Great Malady Of Sin!

Sin is transgression of the law. In 1 John 3:4 we read "everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact sin is lawlessness". Now if that were a mere transgression of some abstract rule that God set forth for men to keep it would be bad enough, but we must rightly understand what the law is, more importantly who gives it, so that we may see the hideous nature of sin. The exceeding sinfulness of sin! Now the moral law of God, the commandments given to Israel on Sinai – the law which our consciences bear witness to - is not some arbitrary thing that God has created for us to live under – as if it were below him. Nor is it some higher overarching constraint above him which he himself must live up to. No, this law proceeds from the very being of God. It comes forth from the very character, the very nature of God. The law is what the law is because God is who God is. It is a tangible expression to us of his holy nature, his righteous character, his perfect will.

So when we say sin is transgression of the law we are saying that sin is disobedience to his perfect will, a disagreement with his divine character - a crime against God himself.

Sin is an affront to God. He distains it! It is a usurping of his will. It is a clench fisted, openly defiant rebellion against his rulership, his authority, his being. It is a joining with his enemies to tear him off the throne. It is evil intent and wicked practise.

Sin turned angels into devils, toppled our first parents in the garden of Eden and brought down a curse on all mankind. It brought down the great flood on Noah's generation, fire down on Sodom & Gomorrah, laid waste to a generation of Israelites in the wilderness, and will lay waste to us. As the scripture says, "the soul that sins shall die". Sin digs every grave!

Sin is the committal of the will to the principle and practise of pleasing self! I WILL DO WHAT I WANT TO DO! I will lie when I need to, steal what I want to, hate who I choose, lust for what I like, live how I please, get drunk when I want, sleep with whoever I will, spend what I get on my pleasures. It is the result of a heart that says "I will be the God of my own life. I will not bow down to you, Oh God, and I will certainly not do what you tell me to do!"

Sin has made its home in the heart of every man! We are not sinners because we sin; we sin because we are hell deserving sinners.

But Beware! God has promised that he will punish sin wherever it is found, and in whomever it is found. "Vengeance is mine, I will repay" says the Lord.