When A Christian Sins

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A CHRISTIAN SINS 6/30/02

TEXT: ROMANS 8:1 - 13

INTRO:

AS I BEGAN PREPARING FOR THIS MESSAGE, IN MY MIND, I THOUGHT OF THE THOUSANDS OF SERMONS THAT HAVE BEEN PREACHED AGAINST SIN. AND LET ME JUST SAY THAT WITH ALL THE SERMONS THAT HAVE BEEN PREACHED, IT STILL SEEMS AS THOUGH SATAN IS STILL WINNING THE BATTLE IN THE LIVES OF BORN AGAIN BELIEVERS.

WHAT IS MOST AMAZING ABOUT THE DEVIL, TEMPTATION AND SIN IS THE FACT THAT SATAN HAS USED THE SAME 3 METHODS OF TEMPTATION AGAINST CHRISTIANS DOWN THROUGH THE AGES AND HE SEEMS TO WHIP US EVERY TIME.

WHAT ARE THE 3 METHODS HE USES?

1. THE LUST OF THE FLESH

2. THE LUST OF THE EYES

3. THE PRIDE OF LIFE

AND SATAN USES EACH OF THESE 3 METHODS TO TEMPT YOU AND I TO SIN. AND PAUL WRITES HERE IN CHAPTERS 6,7,8 OF THE STRUGGLE WITH SIN IN THE HEART OF EVERY SAINT.

CHPATER 6 PAUL REVEALS THE WAGES OF SIN

For the wages of sin is death

WHEN A PERSON PERSISTENTLY CONTINUES TO LIVE IN SIN – THE END RESULT WILL BE DEATH.

CHAPTER 7 PAUL REVEALS HIS STRUGGLE WITH SIN

For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.

CHAPTER 8 PAUL REVEALS THE SOLUTION FOR SIN

But if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

WHAT IS PAUL SAYING? PAUL IS SIMPLY SAYING IF YOU AND I WILL CHOOSE TO BE FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD – THERE CAN BE VICTORY OVER SIN. THANK GOD THERE’S A SOLUTION!

NOW BEFORE WE GET INTO THE MESSAGE, LET ME GIVE YOU SOME 5 DIFFERENT THOUGHTS ON THE WITNESS OF THE UNIVERSIALITY OF SIN.

1. WITNESS OF HISTORY

THEY TELL ME THAT FROM THE TIME OF ADAM THERE HAS BEEN MORE THAN 40 BILLION PEOPLE WHO HAVE LIVED ON THE EARTH.

· 1/3 OF THOSE HAVE BEEN KILLED BY MAN

· 1/3 OF THOSE PEOPLE WERE MURDERED.

ILL. THINGS HAVE NOT CHANGED! WE STILL IN AMERICA ARE BUTCHERING

1.5 MILLION BABIES IN THE NAME OF ABORTION TODAY.

ILL. I WAS LISTENING TO CHRISTIAN RADIO THE OTHER DAY AND THEY WERE DICUSSING THE ISSUE OF ABORTION. THEY HAD A WOMAN POSE AS A 13 YEAR OLD GIRL WITH A 22 YEAR OLD BOY FRIEND. AND OUT OF THE 800 ABORTION CLINICS SHE CALLED EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM WERE WILLING TO CONCEAL HER BOYFRIENDS AGE, HIDE THEIR SIN AND MAKE A WAY SO SHE WOULD NOT HAVE TO NOTIFY HER PARENTS! THAT’S THE KIND OF WORLD WE ARE LIVING IN TODAY!

SIN IS EVER SO PREVALENT TODAY! AND IT IS HIGH TIME WE CHRISTIANS QUIT LIVING IN IT AND START FIGHTING AGAINST IT WITH ALL OUR MIGHT.

2. WITNESS OF CONSCIENCE

YOU KNOW WHY SO MANY TODAY ARE COMMITTING SUICIDE? THEY HAVE A GUILTY CONSCIENCE AND THEY DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT.

ILL. LAS VEGAS

THEY TELL ME THAT LAS VEGAS HAS THE HIGHEST SUICIDE RATE IN THE WORLD – WHY? IT IS BECAUSE THE PEOPLE THAT GO OUT THERE LIVE THEIR LIVES IN –

· SEXUAL IMMORALITY

· DRINKING THEMSELVES DRUNK

· THROWING ALL THEIR MONEY DOWN THE DRAIN

AND WHEN THEIR FLING IN SIN IS FINISHED – THEY HAVE NOTHING ELSE TO LIVE FOR!

3. WITNESS OF RELIGION

YOU GO TO AFRICA AND ASIA AND THE MID EAST AND YOU CAN FIND THAT EVEN AMONG THE HEATHEN OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF NO WHERE - FAR AWAY FROM MODERN CIVILIZATION, THE TRIBAL PEOPLE SACRIFICE TO APPEASE THE gOD’S FOR THEIR SIN.

4. WITNESS OF SCRIPTURES

ROMANS - FOR ALL HAVE SINNNED, THERE IS NONE RIGHT....

JEREMIAH - HEART IS DESPERATELY WICKED

I JOHN 1:8 - IF ANY MAN SAYS HE IS WITHOUT SIN HE IS A LIAR

5. WITNESS OF CHILDREN

ISN’T IT FUNNY THAT YOU DON’T HAVE TO TEACH A CHILD TO –

· LIE

· STEAL FROM THE COOKIE JAR

· HAVE A REBELLIOUS SPIRIT, WHY ? IT IS IN THEIR NATURE TO DO THOSE THINGS.

AND EVEN THOUGH YOU AND I HAVE BEEN BORN AGAIN, WE STILL HAVE TO BATTLE AND FIGHT AGAINST THE TEMPTATION TO SIN. AND THERE ARE SOME SEVERE CONSEQUENCES GOD WILL ALLOW TO HAPPEN WHEN YOU AND I AS CHRISTIANS CONTINUE TO LIVE IN SIN.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A CHRISTIAN SINS?

WELL LET ME SAY FIRST OF ALL WHAT DOESN’T HAPPEN.

1. YOU DON’T LOSE YOUR SALVATION

I AM AMAZED AT SOME OF THE BAPTIST DENOMINATIONS TODAY THAT BELIEVE YOU CAN LOSE YOUR SALVATION.

· I DON’T KNOW HOW THEY CAN SLEEP AT NIGHT

· I DON’T KNOW HOW THEY HAVE ANY PEACE OF MIND

· I DON’T KNOW HOW THEY CAN HAVE ANY JOY!

· IF YOU CAN LOSE YOUR SALVATION 1 SINGLE SOLITARY SIN HAS THE POWER TO SEND YOU TO HELL!