Sin
Including overcoming & forgiveness.
Please also see:
‘Sexual Sin.’ ‘Satan.’ ‘Born Again.’ ‘Eternal life.’ ‘Redemption.’ ‘Salvation.’
Seek the Truth with all your heart.
The origin and start of sin took place in the Garden of Eden. after GOD – (through Himself in the person of Jesus - which sounds an amazing statement, but is true – a mysterious dimension that will only be understood and fully comprehended by all who are eventually in heaven) - had completed His perfect creation and told Adam and Eve that it was all theirs to lovingly care for, and that there was only one instruction to ‘not do something,’ and that was NOT to eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, otherwise death would become part of their reality. However Satan, in the form of a handsome upright serpent deceived Eve. Please see Genesis 3:1-19 below.
The serpent - Satan the devil - used the typical way of creating doubt, and this caused deception and the beginning of sin: When Satan (Lucifer who became the devil) deceptively convinced Adam and Eve that they could become ‘gods to themselves’ and have the knowledge of GOD; all the qualities GOD had created within them, Satan gave them the opposite.
GOD given qualities – fruit of the Spirit - are ‘love, joy, peace, patience (long suffering), kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness (meekness), and self-control (temperance).
Love became hate - faith became fear - peace became torment - etc. When you become ‘born again,’ you can experience having possession of the true fruit qualities of the Holy Spirit.
However it is only through Jesus and our future ‘Eternal Life’ that we will become fully restored, and regain spiritual purity with GOD. This is not an automatic ‘default’ process; each person has to make the choice. GOD did not create human beings to be spiritually sovereign, or to be spiritual robots programmed by HIM. We have freedom of choice; GOD was, is, and always will be, our sovereign GOD and FATHER and LORD.
The effects of the sinful fall of GOD’s creation on earth, affected the whole universe. Although other civilizations did not fall, they are waiting to see the outcome of Satan’s rebellious, destructive fight against GOD, and now his multi-levelled attacking of GOD’s people on planet earth. GOD allowed a period of 6,000 years for as many of humanity who will, to turn to HIM.
We know GOD will be one hundred percent victorious, and then the glories of GOD’s original creation of planet earth and the whole universe, will be restored to HIS glorious perfection, and sin will be gone forever; never ever to occur again.
Earth is the only planet with the highly destructive problem of sin, all because of a situation between Satan and GOD’s created children, Adam and Eve, which will never be repeated again, after this Earthly era is completed.
To receive GOD’s forgiveness we need to strongly and relationally believe that Jesus death and resurrection was payment for our sinful state, and that through this, Jesus redeemed us to GOD. This must be combined with our having absolute faith in Jesus and GOD together with obedience and faithful loving relationship. We need to forgive absolutely everyone for anything and everything. GOD’s forgiving us is conditional on this.
If we want GOD to forgive us for every wrong thing we have ever done, and have confessed it to HIM, HE cannot possibly forgive us unless we do the same for others – by forgiving everyone.
Confess your sins, and know and believe that the Word of GOD cannot fail. We must have faith in GOD’s faithfulness to do exactly as HE has promised to do in HIS word; to pardon all your transgressions. We can know without any doubt that the Lord is our sin-pardoning and forgiving Redeemer. To doubt this, is dishonouring GOD. (And that would be sinful.)
An idol is anything you put before GOD, and putting anything at all above GOD is sin.
Sin is a corrupter and destroyer at every level of life.
Psalm 104:35 ‘But may sinners vanish from the Earth and the wicked be no more.
Praise the LORD, my soul.
Praise the LORD.’
The origin of Sin is recorded as follows:
Genesis 3:1-19 ‘Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD GOD had made. The serpent said to the woman, “Did GOD really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden?” The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but GOD did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’ ” “You will not surely die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For GOD knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like GOD, knowing good and evil.” (This was the deceptive way of casting doubt in Eve’s mind, and tragically she fell for the trick.) When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD GOD as He was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD GOD among the trees of the garden. But the LORD GOD called to the man, “Where are you?” (GOD knows everything, so of course He knew where Adam was; He just wanted Adam to be open and honest with Him about where they were and what they had done.)
‘He answered, “I heard You in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.” And GOD said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” The man said, “The woman you put here with me; she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.” Then the LORD GOD said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”
So the LORD GOD said to the serpent: “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all the livestock and all wild animals. You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; He (Jesus) will crush your head, and you will strike His heel.” (which took place 4000 years later.) To the woman, GOD said, “I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.” To Adam GOD said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat of it,’ Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat of the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.”
The key to this awakening was their eyes becoming aware of guilt, shame, and embarrassment, which allowed sin in all of its variations to become part of their lives, bringing with it decay and death. Prior to this they were living, as GOD created them to be, in the purity of sin free living. They now became shut-off from the magnificent, unlimited dimensions of what GOD intended for them.
Prior to this they were living in GOD-created purity.
Sin had entered humanity, which led to GOD’s incredible rescue plan, through Jesus, to create an open way for humans to be able to qualify and be enabled to choose to return to HIS kingdom of eternal life in absolute perfection.
Psalm 34:15-16 ‘The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous and HIS ears are attentive to their cry; the face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the Earth.’
Psalm 37:37-38 ‘Consider the blameless, observe the upright; a future awaits those who seek peace. But all sinners will be destroyed; there will be no future for the wicked.’
Psalm 66:18-20 If I had cherished sin in my heart, the LORD would not have listened; but GOD has surely listened and has heard my prayer. Praise be to GOD, WHO has not rejected my prayer or withheld HIS love from me.’
Psalm 90:8 ‘YOU (GOD) have set our iniquities before YOU, our secret sins in the light of YOUR presence.’
Proverbs 5:21-22 ‘For a person’s ways are in full view of the LORD, and HE examines all their paths. The evil deeds of a wicked person ensnare them; the cords of their sin hold them fast.’
Isaiah 14:12-15 ‘How you (Lucifer - Satan) have fallen from heaven, O morning star (angel), son of the dawn. You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations. You said in your heart, “I will ascend to heaven, I will raise my throne above the stars (angels) of GOD; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.” But you are brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit.’
2 Corinthians 4:4 ‘The ‘god’ of this age (Satan – the devil) has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of GOD.’
Revelation 12:9 ‘The great dragon (Satan) was hurled down; that ancient serpent called devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.’
The Fall = The Entry of Sin
All people on Earth have been influenced and affected because of Satan’s deceiving Adam and Eve. This evil being, Satan, has introduced all the evil of sin into this world, which has caused all of humanity to be vulnerable to him and his fallen angels. These angels exert tremendous influence over people, who absorb that same rebellious spirit. Satan and his demonic fallen angels have power over nations and human beings, which causes a myriad of problems, including wars. Thank YOU ALMIGHTY GOD that YOU have given us THE WAY through Jesus to return to relationship with YOU.
Genesis 1:16-17 ‘And the LORD GOD commanded the man (Adam), “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden, but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.”
1 Timothy 2:14 ‘And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner.’
Adam chose to disobey GOD and follow what Eve did, so that he could be at one with her; even though he was fully aware that it would mean separation from GOD. They believed a lie and accepted the deceit of Satan - the fallen angel Lucifer.
That day in the Garden of Eden, first Eve, then Adam changed allegiance from GOD to Satan. Their sin nature from Satan, took possession of their once righteous spirits and they immediately inherited spiritual death. The very nature of mankind was changed from one of righteousness and eternal life, into one of temporary life followed by death - from the nature of GOD to the nature of Satan - so from that day onwards death became inevitable.
Romans 5:12 ‘Therefore just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned.’
GOD sees humanity in the light of our inheritance. It is only through Jesus that we can gain a new GOD-given inheritance, and then GOD sees our inheritance of Jesus.
Adam and Eve were the parents of all human life so we have all inherited their nature of sin; having done the one thing which GOD told them not to do, they died spiritually which also brought in physical death. If they had not done this, death would not exist for humanity, and life on this Earth would be incredibly and magnificently superior. It is not punishment from GOD that has alienated us from HIS original plans and being equal with all of His heavenly family; it is our sin nature with which we are born.
Matthew 7:13-14 ‘Jesus said “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”
Matthew 25:41 ‘Jesus said “Then HE (GOD) will say to those on HIS left, ‘Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal (burning until burnt out) fire prepared for the devil and his angels.”
Hell was created for Satan and his fallen angels, not humanity; but Satan is drawing people to himself and taking as many people there with him to hellfire destruction as he possibly can. So all who keep Christ and GOD out of their lives here on earth cannot be accepted for inclusion and companionship with Christ and GOD in heaven. This is the very reason that Jesus - GOD in human form - came to earth, to die for us, rise from the dead and re-open, for us through Himself, the gateway to heaven and eternal life.
Satan, with his selfish nature, never dreamed that GOD would suffer at His own hand to get mankind back, to retrieve them, to redeem them, to free them. Satan could not comprehend the love of GOD.
I Corinthians 15:21-22 ‘Just as death came into the world through a man (Adam), the resurrection of the dead has been achieved through a man (Jesus). For as through Adam everyone dies, so everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new eternal life.’
1 John 3:4-10 ‘Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. But you know that He appeared so that He might take away our sins. And in Him is no sin. No one who lives in Him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen Him or known Him.
Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. Whoever does what is right is righteous, just as He is righteous. Whoever does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of GOD appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. No one who is born of GOD will continue to sin, because GOD’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of GOD. This is how we know who the children of GOD are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of GOD; nor is anyone who does not love their brother or sister.’
Ephesians 6:12-18 ‘For our struggle is not against flesh and blood (meaning people), but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armour of GOD, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of GOD. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.’
Wilful - intentional - sin separates us from GOD.
Sin appeared through rebellious disobedience, humanity became fallen subjects of Satan. Through acceptance of and belief in Christ Jesus sacrifice and victory over death, everyone from Adam and Eve through the ages, may inherit GOD’s future planned perfection of life in every aspect, which will be at a level of perfection beyond our imagination.
Satan is ruler (not owner) of this world, and his ways are the ways of this world. That is why Jesus pointed out that although we are in the world, we are not to be of the world. Avoid Satan’s influence. Being born again - spiritually - should separate us from being involved in worldly sinful ways.
Many human beings would mostly rather do almost anything else than surrender to GOD. Human nature detests the thought of submitting to GOD’s law. This is why people have substituted their own laws and traditions in place of GOD’s commandments, thinking they can still receive salvation by merely believing in Christ as their Saviour.
Pray for the welfare of, and blessings on, people you may even hate. You will be pleasantly surprised at the relief of stress that you will experience. Do not waste energy in carrying negativity, hate, and revenge. And, of course, forgive them.
John 8:34-36 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.’
John 8;42-47 Jesus said to them, “If GOD were your Father, you would love Me, for I came from GOD and now am here. I have not come on My own, but HE sent Me. Why is My language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Yet because I tell you the truth, you do not believe Me. Can any of you prove Me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe Me? Whoever belongs to GOD hears what GOD says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to GOD.”
Eternal life or eternal death are decided by people’s choices, GOD has already laid down the conditions and opened the way, through Jesus.
John 11:25 Jesus said “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies.”
(Death from this temporary life – then inheriting an eternal life.)
John 14:6 Jesus said “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.”
Romans 12:19-21 ‘Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for GOD’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed them, if they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on their head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.’
Trust that GOD will avenge or ultimately punish the unrepentant wrongdoer - the wicked - and the evil ones.
Isaiah 5:20-23 ‘Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.
Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight.
Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine and champions at mixing drinks, who acquit the guilty for a bribe, but deny justice to the innocent.’
This very wrongful twisting of the meaning of words reverses the meaning and twists the intent into blatant contradiction.
Alcoholic drinks cause many health and relationship problems, and have been said by doctors to be the most widely used ‘drug’ in the world because of the sheer numbers of people who are addicted to, and affected by it, with very sad results for themselves, and friends, and family members.
Isaiah 13:9 ‘See, the day of the LORD is coming, a cruel day, with wrath and fierce anger, to make the land desolate and destroy the sinners within it.’
GOD and Jesus loves everyone and want them all saved; however those who are rebellious, disobedient, or just plainly detached from GOD; and not in a devoted, loving relationship with HIM; will attract the consequences.
Isaiah 43:25 ‘I, - GOD - even I, am HE who blots out your transgressions, for MY OWN sake, and remembers your sins no more.’
Isaiah 57:15-21 ‘For this is what the high and lofty ONE says: “He who lives forever, whose name is holy: “I live in a high and holy place, but also with the person who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite. I will not accuse forever, nor will I always be angry, for then the spirit of mankind (humankind) would grow faint before me, the breath of mankind that I have created. I was enraged by their sinful greed; I punished them, and hid My face in anger, and yet they kept on in their wilful ways. I have seen their ways, but I will heal them; I will guide them and restore comfort to them, creating praise on the lips of the mourners in Israel. Peace, peace, to those far and near,” says the LORD. “And I will heal them.” But the wicked are like the tossing sea, which cannot rest, whose waves cast up mire and mud. “There is no peace,” says my GOD, “for the wicked.”
Isaiah 59:1-2 ‘Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor HIS ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your GOD; your sins have hidden His face from you, so that HE will not hear.’
Isaiah 64:6 ‘All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.’
Deuteronomy 8:19-20 ‘If you ever forget the LORD your GOD and follow other gods and worship and how down to them, I testify against you today that you will surely be destroyed. Like the nations the LORD destroyed before you, so you will be destroyed for not obeying the LORD your GOD.’
Mark 7:6-9 “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: ‘These people honour Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. They worship Me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by people.’ You have let go of the commands of GOD and are holding on to the traditions of people.” And He said to them: “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of GOD in order to observe your own traditions.”
Mark 7:20-23 ‘Jesus went on: “What comes out of a person is what makes them ‘unclean.’ For from within, out of people’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy slander, arrogance, and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a person ‘unclean.’ ”
1 John 2:22-23 ‘Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the ‘anti-christ;’ they deny the FATHER and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the FATHER; whoever acknowledges the Son has the FATHER also.’
Overcoming sin.
Christ Jesus was the instrument through whom GOD poured out His infinite compassion and love upon a fallen world. GOD did not plan or decree that sin should exist, but from an immeasurable time ago He foresaw its existence and made provision to deal with the terrible situation of sin filled mortality. GOD and Christ knew, from eternal ages, of the apostasy of Satan causing their perfect creation which included a perfect man and woman in a perfect environment on a perfect earth, to become fallen and deteriorated. Infinite love drove the FATHER in the body of HIS Son, to sacrifice Himself in order to redeem humanity and defeat death. That magnificent gift is available to every person who comes to HIM in belief and faith, through Jesus.
Mark 1:15 “The kingdom of GOD is near. Repent and believe the gospel.”
Romans 4:7 ‘”Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the person whose sin the Lord will never count against them.”
Romans 5:20-21 to 6:1-14 & 23 ‘The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.’
‘What shall we say then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the FATHER, we too may live a new life.
For if we have been united with Him in a death like this, we will certainly also be united with Him in a resurrection like His. For we know that our old self was crucified with Him (Jesus) so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin; because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.
Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, He cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over Him. The death He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life He lives, He lives to GOD.
In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to GOD in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to GOD, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to Him as instruments of righteousness. For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.’
Verse 23 ‘For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of GOD is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.’
Romans 8:1-11 ‘Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, GOD did by sending HIS own Son in the likeness of sinful mankind to be a sin offering. And so HE condemned sin in sinful mankind, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.
Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful mankind is death, but he mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to GOD. It does not submit to GOD’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please GOD.
You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of GOD lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.
But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of HIM Who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, HE Who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through HIS Spirit, who lives in you.’
Romans 10:9 ‘That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that GOD raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.’
The Bible’s formula for becoming a true Christian: Repent from sin, believe in Jesus
Christ’s death, burial and resurrection, and His gospel message; and get baptised, which symbolizes and declares belief and faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.
Ephesians 6:10-18 ‘Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the whole armour of GOD so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood (our physical self), but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armour of GOD, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of GOD. And pray in the spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints (the LORD’s people - fellow Christians).’
Colossians 1:13-14 ‘He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in Whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.’
James 1:13 - 18 ‘When tempted, no one should say, “GOD is tempting me.” For GOD cannot be tempted by evil, nor does HE tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is fully grown, gives birth to death.
Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the FATHER of the heavenly lights, WHO does not change like shifting shadows. HE chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first-fruits of all HE created.’
James 4:7-8 ‘Submit yourselves, therefore, to GOD. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to GOD and He will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.’
Verse 10 ‘Humble yourselves before the LORD, and HE will lift you up.’
James 4:17 ‘Anyone who knows the good they ought to do, and doesn’t do it, sins.’
1 John 1:8-10 ‘If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His word is not in us.’
1 John 3:8-10 ‘The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of GOD appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. No one who is born of GOD will continue to sin, because GOD’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning because they have been born of GOD. This is how we know who the children of GOD are and who the children of the devil are. Anyone who does not do what is right is not GOD’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister.’
1 John 5:18-19 ‘We know that GOD’s children do not continue to sin, for GOD’s Son holds them securely, and the evil one cannot touch them. We know that we are children of GOD, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.’
Psalm 65:3-4 ‘When we were overwhelmed by sins, YOU forgave our transgressions. Blessed are those YOU choose and bring near to live in YOUR courts. We are filled with the good things of YOUR house, of YOUR holy temple.’
Psalm 66:18 ‘If I had cherished sin in my heart, the LORD would not have listened.’
Psalms 139:23-24 ‘Search me O GOD, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.’
Whatever sin GOD reveals to you, or brings back to your memory, confess it immediately, and by faith receive HIS forgiveness and cleansing. Then you will be able to stand victorious, as an overcomer before your enemies - your problems - and before GOD.
Temptation.
James 1:12-15 ‘Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
When tempted, no one should say, “GOD is tempting me.” For GOD cannot be tempted by evil, nor does HE tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is fully-grown, gives birth to death.’
Matthew 5:20 ‘Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.’
This is not excruciatingly difficult to do, it is a matter of avoiding a ‘holier than thou’ attitude and unnecessary legalism, and to just be in an honest, heartfelt relationship with GOD. The Pharisees created a burden of false legalism by adding many man-made laws, requirements, and conditions, to the Ten Commandments. (Please see ‘The Commandments,’ to see the added burden of 613 laws added by the Pharisees, who were troublesome counsellors.)
GOD does not want us to act with legalistic ‘box ticking’ righteous obedience, He wants us to have a surrendered, passionate, obedient, heartfelt, righteous, Jesus-loving relationship with HIM.
Ezekiel 33:12 ‘Son of man, give your people this message: The righteous behaviour of righteous people will not save them IF they turn to sin, nor will the wicked behaviour of wicked people destroy them IF they repent and turn from their sins (sinful ways, sinful living.)’
Ezekiel 33:18-19 ‘For again I say, when righteous people turn away from their righteous behaviour and turn to evil, they will die. But if wicked people turn from their wickedness and do what is just and right, they will live.’
Matthew 6:15 ‘If you do not forgive others their sins, your FATHER will not forgive your sins.’
Matthew 15:18-19 ‘Jesus said “The things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a person ‘unclean.’ For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.”
Matthew 18:7 “Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to sin. Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come.”
Matthew 26:41 ‘Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.’
Ephesians 5:18 ‘Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit - GOD’s Holy Spirit.’
Serious warnings.
Matthew 12:31-32 ‘So I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.’
Mark 3:28-29 ‘Truly I tell you, people can be forgiven all their sins and every slander they utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin.’
Hebrews 6:4-6 ‘It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of GOD and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of GOD all over again and subjecting Him to public disgrace.’
Hebrews 10:15-18 ‘The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First He says: “This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put My laws in their hearts and I will write them on their minds.” The he adds: “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.” And where these have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin.’
Hebrews 10: 26-27 ‘If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgement and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of GOD.’
1John 1:9-10 ‘If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His word has no place in our lives.’
We sometimes forgive everyone else in our lives but neglect to forgive ourselves, otherwise we continue to carry a burden, even subconsciously. It is purposeless for us to make out we are not sinners. We need to be completely open and honest with GOD; if we think we can deny or hide things we are deceiving ourselves, GOD knows absolutely everything; so we just need to be open and honest. Just one doubtful - questionable - thought is a sin.
Only perfection can enter Heaven; and we can never be good enough within our own efforts, to enter Heaven, it is impossible for us to be perfect, and anyway, apart from that, every human being is born into an inherited state of sinfulness in this fallen world of sin; so we are imprinted with it from day one. Adam and Eve, by being fooled by Satan and believing his lie of suggesting that GOD was not really saying that their disobedience would introduce death, became disobedient in the one and only thing which GOD had told them not to do.
They broke their original relationship with GOD, their very Creator, so we have automatically inherited the consequences. This is all explained in the first part of the book of Genesis in the Bible, the record is there.
This is why Jesus came to be that perfect doorway - gateway, so that only through Him can we qualify for heaven and eternal life, after He personally paid our penalty of death, and then defeated death on our behalf. This was to open for all humanity the qualification for entry into Heaven, and eternal life in new, perfect, immortal bodies, for all those who call on Him to be Lord of their life, and who love Jesus and GOD, and in all their ways come into a loving, obedient relationship with GOD through Jesus.
The death of all who love Him, is not permanent, Jesus will return to resurrect them all, in new perfect bodies.
When the brilliance of GOD’s light bursts into our lives, we seek a fresh start by confessing our sins to HIM, and rejoice in the assurance that GOD faithfully forgives our sins and cleanses us from all unrighteousness and, as Christ promised, we begin to experience life ‘more abundantly.’
John 10:10 ‘The thief (Satan) comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.’
1 John 1:8-10 ‘If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, HE is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make HIM out to be a liar and HIS Word is not in us.’
GOD blesses HIS people when they are obedient to HIM and HIS Word.
2 Corinthians 4:4 ‘The ‘god’ of this age (Satan) has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel (the truth) of the glory of Christ, who is the image of GOD.’
Romans 5:12 ‘Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned.’
As descendants of Adam and Eve, we have all inherited the state and condition of sin; we are born into it. Adam and Eve’s disobedience allowed sin to enter the world, and so everyone born after them, unavoidably inherited what had come into their lives.
Romans 5:19 - 6:5 ‘For just as through the disobedience of the one man (Adam) the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man (Jesus) the many will be made righteous. The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But when sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means. We died to sin, how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptised into Christ Jesus were baptised into His death? We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.’
Romans 5:8 ‘GOD demonstrated His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, HE sent Christ who died for us.’
2 Corinthians 5:21 ‘GOD made Him (Jesus) who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him (the ultimate sin offering on our behalf) we might become the righteousness of GOD.’
Titus 2:14 ‘Jesus Christ gave Himself up for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good.
Romans 6:23 ‘For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of GOD is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.’
Psalm 119:118-120 ‘You (GOD) reject all who stray from Your decrees, for their deceitfulness is in vain. All the wicked of the earth You discard like dross; therefore I love your statutes. My flesh trembles in fear of You; I stand in awe of Your laws.’
Jeremiah 17:9-10 ‘The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.’
Romans 8:6-8 & 9b-11 ‘The mind of sinful people is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace, the sinful mind is hostile to GOD. It does not submit to GOD’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please GOD. Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ, does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your body is ‘dead’ because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, HE who raised Christ from the dead will also give life (eternal) to your mortal bodies through HIS Spirit, Who lives in you.’
1 Corinthians 15:21 ‘For since death came through one man (Adam), the resurrection of the dead comes also through one man (Jesus).’
There is no other way; Jesus opened the door for everyone to be reconciled to GOD’s family in HIS kingdom. In fact He is that door; and you can only be reconciled to GOD, by and through Jesus.
Revelation 22:14-15 ‘Blessed are those who wash their robes (cleanse themselves by confessing their sins,) that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city (GOD’s kingdom.)’ Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolators, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.’
Romans 3:23 ‘All have sinned, and fall short of the Glory of GOD’.
Romans 5:12-13 ‘Just as sin entered the world through one man (Adam), and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned, for before the law was given, sin was in the world. But sin is not taken into account when there is no law.’
‘The perfection of GOD, of course, is impossible for us to achieve in our present human form and state. That is why Jesus paid the penalty for humanity; BUT you need to believe and accept what He has done for us all. Make Jesus Lord of your life, and live in relationship with Him.
Sin is like a cancer which GOD has had to remove by bringing about extreme events, such as the worldwide flood of Noah’s time, and the complete destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah by fire. These events highlight the evil of sin, and the extreme importance to GOD, of removing sin from HIS Creation.
Sin separates us from GOD. Even if we think we do not sin, we still do anyway in very subtle ways of thinking or speaking, we were born into an inherited state of sin, a life ending in death, like being born onto death row; death is inevitable. We were born into fallen humanity in this fallen, sinful world, we did not ask for it, we did not earn it, even though we do continue to deserve it, even in the tiniest ways. We unavoidably inherited it, and we cannot escape our inheritance, because of the unfortunate error of disobedience of our original parents, Adam and Eve, who disobeyed GOD’s loving instruction.
GOD made us in His image and likeness, never to die. Death was not designed or meant to be part of our reality, GOD made us to be eternal beings.
Immortality can only be restored through personal relationship with GOD through Jesus.
Galatians 5:16-24 ‘So I say walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. If you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness; orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of GOD.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance (patience), kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.’
Speaks clearly of the condition of sinfulness, and the wonderful fruit of the spirit which result from our becoming filled with and led by The Holy Spirit; the Spirit of GOD available to us on earth.
The consequence of not turning away from sin is written in similar wording in:
1 Corinthians 6:9-10. Galatians 5:19-21. Ephesians 5:5-7. Colossians 3:5-6.
Revelation 21:8 & 22:14-15.
‘All those who participate in, and who practice: fornication, homosexuality, idolatry, impurity, covetousness, cowardliness, unbelief, sorcery, anger, greed, malice, murder, lying, wickedness, sexually immorality, adultery, prostitution, theft, drunkenness, slander, swindling, debauchery, witchcraft, hate, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, factions, envy, orgies, magical arts; shall neither see nor inherit (enter) the Kingdom of Christ and of GOD; and upon all of these comes the wrath of GOD in the lake of fire and brimstone, the second death.’
The second death is permanent, it is as if you had never existed.
It is not GOD’s wish that this should happen; it is the inevitable outcome as the result of people’s own choices. Every choice has a consequence, and wilfully transgressing GOD’s eternal, unchangeable laws and standards, attracts the consequence.
1 Corinthians 15:54-58 ‘When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks to GOD. HE gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore my dear brethren, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain.’
Proverbs 11:7 ‘When a wicked person dies, their hope perishes; all they expected from their power comes to nothing.’
Proverbs 13:20 ‘Whoever walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed.’
Proverbs 28:5 ‘Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the Lord understand it fully.’
Proverbs 28;13 ‘Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.’
Guide your life so that you are mixing with good wholesome people who take the Bible seriously. Choose your friends carefully, and be influenced by people who are clean, wholesome, positive, and encouraging.
Stick to GOD and HIS Word.
Be very aware of Satan and his evil angels. Do not expose or immerse yourself in any of his demonic propaganda - in books - films - television programmes - video games - websites about demonic subjects - consulting with mediums, spiritists or other occultic practices.
Satan is a false, powerful, and persuasive angel, who leads a spiritual war at many levels to keep people away from GOD, and deprive HIM of as many family members as possible.
James 4:7-8a ‘Submit yourselves, then, to GOD. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to GOD and HE will come near to you.’
Build a strong relationship with GOD.
1 Peter 2:9 ‘Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.’
2 Peter 2:20-21 ‘If they (you) have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them.’
2 Chronicles 7:14 ‘If MY people, who are called by MY Name, will humble themselves and pray and seek MY face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.’
Philippians 4:8 “Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy; meditate on these things.”
Romans 12:2 ‘Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what GOD’s will is; His good, pleasing and perfect will.’
Acts 3:19-21 ‘Repent, then, and turn to GOD, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that He may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you, Jesus the appointed Messiah. He must remain in heaven until the time comes for GOD to restore everything, as He promised long ago through His holy prophets.’
2 Corinthians 4:4 ‘The ‘god’ (Satan) of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of GOD.’
Luke 17:26-31 “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all. It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulphur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed. On that day no one who is on the roof (doing things outside) of their house, with their goods inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field (workplace) should go back for anything.”
This means that on the day Christ returns, it is too late to collect anything of yours, nothing of which will be required anyway; whatever situation you are in at that moment, just answer to the leading, directions and demands of Christ Jesus. Forget your own affairs completely; do not even think about looking back.
Sexual immorality:
1 Corinthians 6:9-10 ‘Do you not know that the un-righteous (wicked) shall not inherit the kingdom of GOD.? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, shall inherit the Kingdom of GOD.’
1 Corinthians 6:18 ‘Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body.’
If you are a born again Christian, the following applies to you:
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 ‘Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from GOD? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honour GOD with your body.’
1 Corinthians 10:13 ‘No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And GOD is faithful; HE will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, HE will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.’
Galatians 6:7-8 ‘Do not be deceived: GOD cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.’
1 Timothy 1:12-17 ‘I (Paul) thank Christ Jesus our Lord, Who has given me strength, that He considered me trustworthy, appointing me to His service. Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners – of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display His immense patience as an example for those who would believe in Him and receive eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only GOD, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.’
1 Timothy 5:24-25 ‘The sins of some people are obvious, reaching the place of judgement ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind. But in the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even those that are not, cannot be hidden.’
Hebrews 5:14 ‘Solid food (deeper understanding of GOD and the Bible) is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.’
Hebrews 10:26-29 ‘If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgement and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of GOD. Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of GOD under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace.’
James 5:19-20 ‘My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.’
Which means that GOD will forgive all the past sins of that person who has been brought back into relationship with HIM.
Ephesians 3:20 ‘Now to HIM Who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to HIS power that is at work within us.’
The above two scriptures show that GOD is on our side. Through HIM we have the power to overcome temptation and sin; we just need to call on GOD and put it into action.
1 John 3:9 ‘No one who is born of GOD will continue to sin, because GOD’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of GOD.’
1 John 5:11-12 ‘And this is the testimony: GOD has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of GOD does not have life.’
There is infinite difference between eternal death, and eternal life. Eternal death is a state of permanent non-existence, whereas eternal life is never ending existence.
Revelation 22:14-15 “Blessed are those who wash their robes (keep His commandments), that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs, sorcerers (those who practice magical arts), the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie (falsehood).”
Video: ‘Go and sin no more.’ Jesus forgives Mary Magdalene of her sins.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgLehjvgyOQ 6 minutes