A Greater Sickness IV: Against God
Our focus is on the greatest plague: sin. Today we’ll look at how the Bible describes sin in action.
Ralph Venning wrote The Sinfulness of Sin four years after the great plague in London. “As to the sinfulness of sin, I have indeed handled it most fully, as it is against man’s good and happiness.”
What is sin?
“Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.” (1 John 3:4)
R.C. Trench, Archbishop in the Anglican Church 1807-1886 (130 years ago), wrote 8 Synonyms for Sin:
Missing the Mark
A faulty aim. God has place a target and we miss the target again and again.Transgression
God has given us a line saying, “This far and no further.” When we cross, we sin.Disobedience to His Voice
Every act of disobedience to the voice of God as found in the Bible is sin.Failure to Stand
We ought to stand against sin.Ignorance
We’re ignorant of what one should have known.Withholding that which should have been given in full measure
Not following God fully in all areas of life is sin.Iniquity or Lawlessness
We fail to observe the law.Sin is Discord in the harmonies of nature
Sin brings discord between us and others and between us and God.
How does sin show itself?
Sin is against God. Living for yourself is living against God. Sin actively opposes man. Sin promises so much happiness, but only comes to steal, kill, destroy.
Sin is against God’s rule and rules.
If not, you may be worshipping a god of your own imagination. We have no right to argue against God’s rules. When I live for myself, I am actively opposing the rule of God.
Sin is against God’s promises and warnings.
Sin turns us against the promises and warnings of the One Person who can help us.
Apart from the work of the Spirit, we hear the promises and warnings of God and remained unmoved. “I have spread out My hands all day long to a rebellious people, Who walk in the way which is not good, following their own thoughts, A people who continually provoke Me to My face” (Isaiah 65:2-3).
Sin is against God’s character.
Sin opposes a God who is infinitely good and kind. He hates everything that is evil and loves everything that is good. He is omniscient, immutable, infinite. When we sin, we’re really saying God isn’t enough.
Sin is against God’s existence.
Sin is against the existence of the one infinitely perfect, infinitely holy Being. Ps 14.1 “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’” It can be open denial of God—or it can be doubt that God is not the way He described Himself.
Ralph Venning writes, “Sin desires to un-god God!” But there is hope for enemies!
“For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life” (Romans 5:10).
“Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor 5:20-21).
Christ became all of that, treated as if He had opposed His Father’s rule, promises, character, threats, and existence—so that we might not be.
Lord of all power and might, soften and break this hard heart. Give me a contrite spirit.
There is mercy with You.
There is forgiveness with You.
Oh may Your great mercy be displayed towards me, in pardoning all my sins, and in renewing my soul.
Give me penitence, faith, and self-denial.
Bestow on my the graces of sincerity, humility, and love.
May the love of Christ be more known and felt by me; and let it constrain me to live not to myself, but to Him that died for me.
Grant me Your Holy Spirit, teaching those thing of Christ to show them unto me, and daily sanctifying my heart. Amen.
(Isaac Watts)
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Show Notes
Podcast Resources
The Sinfulness of Sin, Ralph Venning