Do you think that God treats you the EXACT same way He treats everyone else? Have you noticed people being bothered by different situations? Have you ever wondered why some people are not convicted in the same way you are?
Do we, as people, put people into the same category so that we can be the judge of what is right and what is wrong? Is the modern day church filled with people like that? If you are quick to find the sins of others and then get offended when someone does the same to you, my advice is to define SIN in a way that seeds of hypocrisy do not grow in you.
DOCTRINE #38: SIN
Sin is the cause that results in ANYTHING (whatsoever) that is done AGAINST what the individual believes (is persuasively supported) by their understanding and experience. All sin leads to death, however, not all sin is the same. Sin against each other affects reward. Sin against God affects salvation. The first cause (origin) of every sin is justification of self.
Question: Do you believe you are measuring what is a sin for others?
Next Doctrine: Doctrine #39
Table of Contents
If you need it, here is the support from the Word of God...
SCRIPTURE
"22 The faith which thou hast, have thou to thyself before God. Happy is he that judgeth not himself in that which he approveth.
23 But he that doubteth is condemned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith; and whatsoever is not of faith is sin." (Romans 14:22-23)
(The Bible defined sin as "whatsoever is not of faith". We learned the faith is built by experience and understanding. So, is it still sin if you don't have experience and understanding in an area?)
"17 To him therefore that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin." (James 4:17)
(If you don't have experience or understanding, then it isn't sin. This doesn't mean that the act is good. Think of a toddler who crosses the street without knowing cars are coming towards him. It isn't sin for the toddler, but it also isn't good.)
"9 The nakedness of thy sister, the daughter of thy father, or the daughter of thy mother, whether born at home, or born abroad, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover.
10 The nakedness of thy son's daughter, or of thy daughter's daughter, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover: for theirs is thine own nakedness.
11 The nakedness of thy father's wife's daughter, begotten of thy father, she is thy sister, thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.
12 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father's sister: she is thy father's near kinswoman.
13 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother's sister: for she is thy mother's near kinswoman.
14 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father's brother, thou shalt not approach to his wife: she is thine aunt.
15 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy daughter-in-law: she is thy son's wife; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.
16 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy brother's wife: it is thy brother's nakedness.
17 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her daughter; thou shalt not take her son's daughter, or her daughter's daughter, to uncover her nakedness; they are near kinswomen: it is wickedness.
18 And thou shalt not take a wife to her sister, to be a rival to her, to uncover her nakedness, besides the other in her life-time." (Leviticus 18:9-18)
(Some want to state "sin is sin" to mean that the acts themselves have ALWAYS been sin. Above was the Law. Notice, Abram violated verse 9 by marrying Sarai. Moses' dad violated verse 11 with his marriage. Judah violated verse 15 and the child is in the lineage of Christ. Jacob violated verse 18 which was the source of the twelve tribes of Israel. Do you think it was sin? The Bible didn't. The Law "turned the light on" so that we could see what was sin and what wasn't. Prior to the Law, people didn't know what was a sin until they felt guilt after they sinned.)
"1 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
2 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If any one shall sin unwittingly, in any of the things which Jehovah hath commanded not to be done, and shall do any one of them:
3 if the anointed priest shall sin so as to bring guilt on the people, then let him offer for his sin, which he hath sinned, a young bullock without blemish unto Jehovah for a sin-offering." (Leviticus 4:1-3)
(The Law stated the act was sinful even if the person wasn't aware. That was why the children of Isreal had to be intentional about learning the Law. They were a holy nation, and God required justice to be evened out, even if someone was unaware.)
"4 Concerning therefore the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that no idol is anything in the world, and that there is no God but one.
5 For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or on earth; as there are gods many, and lords many;
6 yet to us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we unto him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we through him.
7 Howbeit there is not in all men that knowledge: but some, being used until now to the idol, eat as of a thing sacrificed to an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.
8 But food will not commend us to God: neither, if we eat not, are we the worse; nor, if we eat, are we the better.
9 But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to the weak.
10 For if a man see thee who hast knowledge sitting at meat in an idol's temple, will not his conscience, if he is weak, be emboldened to eat things sacrificed to idols?
11 For through thy knowledge he that is weak perisheth, the brother for whose sake Christ died.
12 And thus, sinning against the brethren, and wounding their conscience when it is weak, ye sin against Christ.
13 Wherefore, if meat causeth my brother to stumble, I will eat no flesh for evermore, that I cause not my brother to stumble." (1 Corinthians 8:4-13)
(Eating meat sacrificed to idols was a sin according to the Law. Paul stated the act itself was no longer a sin, which was different than the Law. Jesus came to fulfill the Law. Now we have the ability to live by principles instead of the Law. Paul stated causing a believer who was weaker in the faith to stumble was the sin. This was contrastive, and could be potentially short term uncomfortable for the person who was stronger in the faith. Do people who are stronger in the faith adjust to people who are weaker than them, or do they expect people who are weaker to adjust to them? Think of your pastor...)
"23 All things are lawful; but not all things are expedient. All things are lawful; but not all things edify.
24 Let no man seek his own, but each his neighbor's good.
25 Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, eat, asking no question for conscience' sake,
26 for the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof.
27 If one of them that believe not biddeth you to a feast, and ye are disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience' sake.
28 But if any man say unto you, This hath been offered in sacrifice, eat not, for his sake that showed it, and for conscience sake:
29 conscience, I say, not thine own, but the other's; for why is my liberty judged by another conscience?
30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks?
31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
32 Give no occasions of stumbling, either to Jews, or to Greeks, or to the church of God:
33 even as I also please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of the many, that they may be saved." (1 Corinthians 10:23-33)
(We've seen this passage in Doctrine #34: Principle. Now, we see Paul said ALL THINGS (actions) were lawful, but not all of them create: help/edify others. Paul even said that we didn't have to ask any questions about the food we eat. The Law was very specific about the food the children of Israel were allowed to eat. The principle guiding all these actions was giving people the ultimate help: salvation!)
"6 But now hath he obtained a ministry the more excellent, by so much as he is also the mediator of a better covenant, which hath been enacted upon better promises.
7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then would no place have been sought for a second.
8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, That I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah;
9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers In the day that I took them by the hand to lead them forth out of the land of Egypt; For they continued not in my covenant, And I regarded them not, saith the Lord.
10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel After those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, And on their heart also will I write them: And I will be to them a God, And they shall be to me a people:
11 And they shall not teach every man his fellow-citizen, And every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: For all shall know me, From the least to the greatest of them." (Hebrews 8:6-11)
(The covenant of the Law had been done away with because it didn't result in people becoming good. We have a better covenant because of Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection. Now, instead of only the Jews knowing God, now we all can know God.)
"23 For the wages of sin is death; but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23)
(Every sin is destructive. However, Jesus provided a way to get our sins removed.)
"8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." (1 John 1:8-10)
(Confession of that sin cleanses us.)
"31 Therefore I say unto you, Every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men; but the blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven.
32 And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him; but whosoever shall speak against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, nor in that which is to come." (Matthew 12:31-32)
(However, not all sin is the same. Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is a sin that will never be forgiven.)
"12 All things are lawful for me; but not all things are expedient. All things are lawful for me; but I will not be brought under the power of any.
13 Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall bring to nought both it and them. But the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body:
14 and God both raised the Lord, and will raise up as through his power.
15 Know ye not that your bodies are members of Christ? shall I then take away the members of Christ, and make them members of a harlot? God forbid.
16 Or know ye not that he that is joined to a harlot is one body? for, The twain, saith he, shall become one flesh.
17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.
18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
19 Or know ye not that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have from God? and ye are not your own;
20 for ye were bought with a price: glorify God therefore in your body." (1 Corinthians 6:12-20)
(Here was another passage where Paul stated all things were lawful. However, notice that he said fornication was a different sin because the other sins were done outward-on other bodies. Fornication is done against your own body, which houses the Holy Spirit.)
"16 If any man see his brother sinning a sin not unto death, he shall ask, and God will give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: not concerning this do I say that he should make request.
17 All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.
18 We know that whosoever is begotten of God sinneth not; but he that was begotten of God keepeth himself, and the evil one toucheth him not." (1 John 5:16-18)
(John stated there were sins not unto death. This meant sins that don't result in loss of salvation. What other kind of penalty is there for sin?)
"11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat upon it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
12 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne; and books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according to their works.
13 And the sea gave up the dead that were in it; and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
14 And death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death, even the lake of fire.
15 And if any was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire." (Revelation 20:11-15)
(At the Final Judgment there are two judgments. One is a salvation judgment done according to one book: the book of life. The other judgment is a reward judgment done according to books that record everything we did to each other according to OUR works, OUR righteousness.)
"12 Therefore, as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin; and so death passed unto all men, for that all sinned:--
13 for until the law sin was in the world; but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the likeness of Adam's transgression, who is a figure of him that was to come." (Romans 5:12-14)
(The sin that caused us to need salvation entered the world through Adam.)
"20 But now hath Christ been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of them that are asleep.
21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive." (1 Corinthians 15:21-22)
(Adam did the sin that caused us to need salvation. What was this sin?)
"1 Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which Jehovah God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of any tree of the garden?
2 And the woman said unto the serpent, Of the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat:
3 but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
5 for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as God, knowing good and evil.
6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat; and she gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat.
7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig-leaves together, and made themselves aprons.
8 And they heard the voice of Jehovah God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of Jehovah God amongst the trees of the garden.
9 And Jehovah God called unto the man, and said unto him, Where art thou?
10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.
11 And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?
12 And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.
13 And Jehovah God said unto the woman, What is this thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat." (Genesis 3:1-13)
(Notice, Eve sinned first by eating the fruit. However, this was a sin against Adam. Adam was the first one to sin against God. Adam justified himself, which is the first cause of every sin. Notice, Adam and Eve experienced a "Final Judgment".)
"16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy pain and thy conception; in pain thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.
17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in toil shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
18 thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;
19 in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
20 And the man called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.
21 And Jehovah God made for Adam and for his wife coats of skins, and clothed them.
22 And Jehovah God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil; and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever-
23 therefore Jehovah God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.
24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden the Cherubim, and the flame of a sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life." (Genesis 3:16-24)
(Verses 16 through 19 were a reward judgment for what Adam and Eve did to each other. Verse 24 was a "salvation judgment" for justifying themselves to God. They were driven from paradise. This was the first conflict between God and humans. The second conflict between God and humans is presented in the ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE section.)
"1 Judge not, that ye be not judged." (Matthew 7:1)
(Jesus said we shouldn't judge BECAUSE we will be judged the same way. We will be telling God to judge us like men judge, without mercy, instead of like God judges: Right and Just.)
"1 Wherefore thou art without excuse, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judges another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest dost practise the same things.
2 And we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against them that practise such things.
3 And reckonest thou this, O man, who judgest them that practise such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?" (Romans 2:1-3)
(Paul showed that judging others makes us twice as bad because we also do the same effects AND we become a hypocrite by justifying ourselves.)
"10 But thou, why dost thou judge thy brother? or thou again, why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment-seat of God.
11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, to me every knee shall bow, And every tongue shall confess to God.
12 So then each one of us shall give account of himself to God.
13 Let us not therefor judge one another any more: but judge ye this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock in his brother's way, or an occasion of falling.
14 I know, and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean of itself: save that to him who accounteth anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean." (Romans 14:10-14)
(Paul stated the only thing we ought to judge is a believer putting a stumblingblock in the path of another believer. Do "believers" judge more than that?)
So, how do your respond when you feel convicted? You have the option of justifying yourself, which is man's way of thinking. It is your nature to justify yourself, and yet condemn others of the same sins which you commit. Self-justification is the path of a hypocrite, but you still have that option.
How would God want you to respond to being shown your sins? He would want you to first confess and then repent. In the next Doctrine, we will learn about confession.
Once again, for all you Doctrine junkies, here is some additional scripture...
ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE
The second conflict between God and a human was detailed in Genesis 4
"1 And the man knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man with the help of Jehovah.
2 And again she bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
3 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto Jehovah.
4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And Jehovah had respect unto Abel and to his offering:
5 but unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell."
(Cain gave to God. We saw in the HOW/WHY vs WHAT Doctrine with Matthew 6, giving is not a sin. However, Abel gave of the firstlings: the best. God justly gave respect back to Abel because Abel gave something more. Cain's focus wasn't on God, but on his brother. Cain was upset. Do you believe Cain sinned?)
"6 And Jehovah said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?
7 If thou doest well, shall it not be lifted up? and if thou doest not well, sin coucheth at the door: and unto thee shall be its desire, but do thou rule over it."
(God asked Cain three questions, then told Cain IF he didn't do well, sin would have rule over him because it was couched at the door. God didn't think Cain had sinned. God was trying to encourage Cain not to sin through understanding and go towards a benefit.)
"8 And Cain told Abel his brother. And it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him."
(Look at that verse again. Cain told Abel his brother. This meant, Cain told Abel about his conversation with God. Cain understood what God said well enough to explain it to his brother. There was a passage of time and then Cain killed Abel. It appeared Cain eventually let sin come in as a cause and the bad act occurred.)
"9 And Jehovah said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: am I my brother's keeper?"
(Just like God asked Adam and Eve a question that He knew the answer to so He could see their heart, God asked Cain a question. Cain responded by justifying himself, which was a sin against God. Will Cain also have two judgments: reward and salvation?)
"10 And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground.
11 And now cursed art thou from the ground, which hath opened its mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand;"
(Cursed ground was the reward judgment.)
"12 when thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee its strength; a fugitive and a wanderer shalt thou be in the earth."
(Wanderer away from God was the salvation judgment.)
"13 And Cain said unto Jehovah, My punishment is greater than I can bear.
14 Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the ground; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer in the earth; and it will come to pass, that whosoever findeth me will slay me.
15 And Jehovah said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And Jehovah appointed a sign for Cain, lest any finding him should smite him.
16 And Cain went out from the presence of Jehovah, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden." (Genesis 4:1-16)
(God put a mark on Cain to protect him because God wouldn't be there to protect him: he went out from the presence of God.)
"3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self.
4 For I know nothing against myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.
5 Wherefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and make manifest the counsels of the hearts; and then shall each man have his praise from God." (1 Corinthians 4:3-5)
(Paul stated we shouldn't judge anyone before Judgment Day.)
"7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore of sound mind, and be sober unto prayer:
8 above all things being fervent in your love among yourselves; for love covereth a multitude of sins:
9 using hospitality one to another without murmuring:
10 according as each hath received a gift, ministering it among yourselves, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God;
11 if any man speaketh, speaking as it were oracles of God; is any man ministereth, ministering as of the strength which God supplieth: that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, whose is the glory and the dominion for ever and ever. Amen." (1 Peter 4:7-11)
(Peter said love covers a multitude of sins. Love can cover the sins we do to each other. We will see HOW when we cover the Doctrine of love.)
"10 And he called to him the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand:
11 Not that which entereth into the mouth defileth the man; but that which proceedeth out of the mouth, this defileth the man.
12 Then came the disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, when they heard this saying?
13 But he answered and said, Every plant which my heavenly Father planted not, shall be rooted up.
14 Let them alone: they are blind guides. And if the blind guide the blind, both shall fall into a pit.
15 And Peter answered and said unto him, Declare unto us the parable.
16 And he said, Are ye also even yet without understanding?
17 Perceive ye not, that whatsoever goeth into the mouth passeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?
18 But the things which proceed out of the mouth come forth out of the heart; and they defile the man.
19 For out of the heart come forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, railings:
20 these are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not the man." (Matthew 15:10-20)
(Jesus said the action doesn't make us sinful. It is the heart (which is an effect of our thinking) that causes the actions. Remember your HOW/WHY are causes, and the effect is a WHAT. God cares more about your HOW/WHY.)
"20 And the law came in besides, that the trespass might abound; but where sin abounded, grace did abound more exceedingly:
21 that, as sin reigned in death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 5:20-21)
(Paul stated the Law was given so that sin would abound. What?)
"7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Howbeit, I had not known sin, except through the law: for I had not known coveting, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet:
8 but sin, finding occasion, wrought in me through the commandment all manner of coveting: for apart from the law sin is dead.
9 And I was alive apart from the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died;
10 and the commandment, which was unto life, this I found to be unto death:
11 for sin, finding occasion, through the commandment beguiled me, and through it slew me.
12 So that the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and righteous, and good.
13 Did then that which is good become death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might be shown to be sin, by working death to me through that which is good; --that through the commandment sin might become exceeding sinful." (Romans 7:7-13)
(Before the Law, people didn't know what was a sin until they felt the guilt or if they had previous experience/understanding of the sin. The Law was given so people would know what was sin without having to do the act and feel guilt. God meant this for good. However, humans choose to look at the Law and think how they can still do the act without being sinful (comparative). This causes us to sin more, which would cause us to realize more quickly we don't think like God Thinks.)
