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2 Peter 2:4-10

[4] For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell,[a] putting them into gloomy dungeons[b] to be held for judgment; [5] if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others; [6] if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; [7] and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men [8] (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)- [9] if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their punishment.[c] [10] This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the sinful nature[d] and despise authority.

We are living in a sinful and lawless society much like what Lot experienced in his day.

The Bible says:

"The wages of sin is death…………………"

"The soul that sineth, it shall die…………….."

The Apostle Paul had a similar experience as Job as he toured Athens.

Acts 17:15-16

[15] And they that conducted Paul brought him unto Athens: and receiving a commandment unto Silas and Timotheus for to come to him with all speed, they departed.
[16] Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.

[16] While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. NIV

I want to answer two questions today:

1) Does the issues of sin distress us today?
2) Has the meaning of sin changed today from that of past defining of sin?

WHAT IS SIN:
1	a.	an offense against religious or moral law
	b.	an action that is or is felt to be highly reprehensible <it's a sin to waste food>
	c.	an often serious shortcoming
2	a.	transgression of the law of God
	b.	vitiated state of human nature in which the self is estranged from God
		So we know that sin is:
		1. an offense against right 2. an action that is repulsive 3. a transgression

That all sounds good in defining sin but: WHAT IS SIN?

When we begin to name names of sin we are actually naming the results of sin and not the reason.

Things such as:
Don't lie, Don't Cheat, Don't steal are really the RESULT of a bigger problem.

The question really is: WHO IS RUNNING YOUR LIFE?

In the garden of Eden God told Adam and Eve: Don't eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.

The problem was: The devil put doubt in their mind about what God said.
Adam and Eve sinned when they made the wrong decision.

Paul said in Romans, "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God…."

Sin is a result of choices.
The Penalty of sin brings eternal separation.

THE QUESTION IS:

Do you want to live for yourself?

OR

Do you want to live for God?

Modern Philosophy denies the existence of sin. The truth is: the Bible declares sin's existence and the human heart displays it. Sin is not a myth, it is not a figment of the mind; sin is a fact.

There is a difference between the way God describes and explains sin, on the one hand, and the way, on the other hand, that men describe and explain sin.

List of Hebrew and Greek words which describe sin.
In the Hebrew there are at least eight basic words for sin in the OT:
1)	ra, bad (Genesis 38:7);
2)	rasha, wickedness (Exodus 2:13);
3)	asham, guilt (Hosea 4:15);
4)	chata, sin (Exodus 20:20);
5)	avon, iniquity (I Samuel 3:13);
6)	shagag, err (Isaiah 28:7);
7)	taah, wander away (Ezekiel 48:11);
8)	pasha, rebel (I Kings 8:50).

The usage of these words leads to certain conclusions about the doctrine of sin in the Old Testament.

(1) Sin was conceived of as being fundamentally disobedient to God.

(2) While disobedience involved both positive and negative ideas, the bottom line is: sin was not simply missing the right mark, but it is hitting the wrong mark.

(3) Sin may take many forms, but the Israelite was aware of the particular form which his sin did take.

The New Testament uses twelve basic words to describe sin.
1)		kakos, bad (Romans 13:3);
2)		poneros, evil (Matthew5:45);
3)		asebes, godless (Romans 1:18);
4)		enochos, guilt (Matthew 5:21);
5)		hamartia, sin (I Corinthians 6:18);
6)		adikia, unrighteousness (I Corinthians 6:9);
7)		anomos, lawlessness (I Timothy 2:9);
8)		parabates, transgression (Romans 5:14);
9)		agnoein, to be ignorant (Romans 1:13);
10)		planan, to go astray (I Corinthians 6:9);
11)		paraptomai, to fall away (Galatians 6:1); and
12)		hupocrites, hypocrite (I Timothy 4:2).

From the uses of these words several conclusions may also be drawn.

(1) There is always a clear standard against which sin is committed.

(2) Ultimately all sin is a positive rebellion against God and a transgression of His standards.

(3) Evil may assume a variety of forms.

(4) Man's responsibility is definite and clearly understood.

The word that is used most frequently is hamartia, missing the mark. It is the most comprehensive term for explaining sin. Paul used the verb hamartano when he wrote, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" Romans 3:23).

God has a high and holy standard of what is right, and so long as man follows the Divine standard he will see himself as he truly exists in God's eyes. The flat statement of the Almighty is that all men have fallen far short of God's required standard. It is the popular and common practice of men to create their own standards; however, God has established His standard of perfection for entry into Heaven, and all men have "missed the mark" as an archer's bow would fall to the ground because it fell short of its target.

Let no man ever think that he comes anywhere near the standard set by God.
God has demanded absolute perfection, and no matter how one measures himself,
he falls far short.

Some men measure themselves
1)		on the basis of human intelligence,
2)		some by educational attainment,
3)		some by financial success,
4)		some by cultural environment, and others
5)		by religious performance.

But God refuses to accept man on any of these grounds. He has established His perfect standard, and by that standard He measures every man. The Divine verdict in every instance has been the same, "You have come short, you have missed the mark." And when the best of men have done their best, our Lord would challenge each with the words, "Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?" (Matthew 6:27).

However much the difference that is lacking, no man can by himself raise himself to meet God's moral standard, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). Yes, all without exception, for, says God, "We have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin" (Romans 3:9); that is, both Jew and Gentile have missed the mark.

The Book of Judges contains the record of 700 men in the Tribe of Benjamin, all left-handed, and "everyone could sling stones at an hair breadth, and not miss" (Judges 20:16). The word translated "miss" is chata, rendered "sin" in Exodus 20:20 and so translated about 200 times in our English Bible. The left-handed marksmen in the Tribe of Benjamin rarely if ever fell short of their target. They were known as men of the sling, with a deadly accuracy which never missed the bull's eye. On the other hand, the Bible contains no record of a man, save Jesus Christ, who never missed the moral standard of Almighty God.

Every man has failed to do what he ought, therefore the term is fittingly applied to sins of omission. Every man can be charged with the sin of the Pharisees whom our Lord charged with leaving undone the things they ought to have done (Matthew 23:23; Luke 11:42). The Bible says, "Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin" (James 4:17). You see, sinning is not limited to the doing and saying things that are wrong, but it extends to our failure to do what in God's standard is perfectly right, missing that mark, falling short of the honor and worth of Almighty God.

Another word that is used for sin is anomia, translated in the Authorized Version "iniquity" and in the Revised Version "lawlessness". Peter used the adjective anomos (lawless) when referring to the men of Sodom and Gomorrha and Lot's association with them, when he wrote, "For that righteous man (Lot) dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds" (II Peter 2:8). The thought here is not merely that of doing what is unlawful according to the standard of men, but of a flagrant defiance of the known law of God. Lot was distressed with sin!

This explanation of sin is given clearly by the Apostle John in the words, "sin is the transgression of the law" (I John 3:4). The Greek New Testament has the word anomia, and simply reads, "sin is lawlessness". It is a condition of being without law, contrary to law, the violation of law, the rejection of law, the refusal to submit to law. Ryrie says in his Biblical Theology of the New Testament, "It is the negation of that which is inherent in the very character of God Himself. Sin, then, is that which is contrary to God Himself." Any attitude or action that holds the law of God in contempt is sin. Jesus said that the approaching end of the age will be marked by the increase of lawlessness--"iniquity shall abound" (Matthew 24:12).

How easily we deceive ourselves and our friends! While we impress others with our righteousness, we are lawless in God's eyes. Our Lord said, "Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity" (Matthew 23:28). Our age will come to an end with the appearing of "that man of sin" (lawlessness) (II Thessalonians 2:3). Man by nature has a lawless heart, but we Christians can rejoice in Jesus Christ "Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity. . . ." (Titus 2:14).

Conclusion of the explanation of sin

Romans chapter 14, ". . . for whatsoever is not of faith is sin" (Romans 14:23).
The man who does not decide his actions on the basis of that which he knows is right is deserving of condemnation, because he did not act according to his conviction.

Romans 14:23 is an excellent guideline for all Christians who are faced with a decision when confronted with questionable amusements, dress or other practices. The decision of a growing or mature Christian is based upon his love for an obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ. The actions and attitudes which do not proceed from faith in Christ are accounted as sin. If one has doubts about a certain matter, he should abstain from it, but if he goes on to do it anyhow, he acts outside of faith, and such an action is sin. We commenced the Christian life by faith, and so we should proceed by faith. "As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord (by faith), so walk ye in Him" (Colossians 2:6). All our motives and actions should be prompted by our faith-union with Christ, "For we walk by faith, not by sight" (II Corinthians 5:7).

Are you wavering between two decisions, to eat or not to eat, to drink or not to drink, to go to a certain amusement or not to go, to say certain things or not say them, to conform to a style of dress or not to conform? If you do something despite strong scruples and convictions against that thing, this is sin which you must judge as sin, for surely God will judge it as sin. What is not done by faith cannot be done to the glory of God. "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God" (I Corinthians 10:31). Even though there is no law which says we may not do a certain thing, we may be fully persuaded that the thing is not right, and consequently by doing it we will offend God. In such a case we sin against God and self when we do it.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Sin is literally missing the mark. When most people think of sin, they think of the Ten Commandments. When most people think of sinners they think of murders, idolaters, and adulterers. There is a natural human tendency to think of the Hitler's and child molesters of the world as sinners, and ourselves as "perhaps not perfect" but certainly not in the same category. In his sermon on the mount, Jesus corrected this false self-righteous view of ourselves with these eye-opening words:

"You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, `Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, `Raca, ' is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, `You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell. Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift. Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still with him on the way, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. I tell you the truth, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny. You have heard that it was said, `Do not
commit adultery.' But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." (Matthew 5:21-28)

The bottom line is that there is absolutely no room for self-righteousness. There is absolutely no basis for a Santa Claus theology that promises toys and rewards for those who have been good. No one is good enough "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23 ) "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23)

Most people want a list of sins. There have many throughout the ages who have accommodated them by providing a list of sins at least in there definition of sin.

So, you want a list……………….HAND THEM THE BIBLE!

Instead of listing individual offenses, sin could just as easily be described as living a life apart from God, apart from truth and apart from reality. What the Bible calls sin can be described as the decisions a person has made in their life which have isolated them from the truth. Sin could be described as the turning of the head to not discover for oneself what is true. Because of man's desire to go his own way and create his own reality he has chosen to separate himself from God by living in false reality apart from God.

In the Apostle Paul's letter to the Romans he writes:
"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them, for since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse… for they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever."

Augustine of Hippo wrote,
"My sin was all the more incurable because I did not think myself a sinner."

Sin is the chosen madness that isolates us, pulling us away from a true and intimate relationship with the One who created us, and who knows every hair on our head. Sin is the rebellion against the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ extended to us which states we are loved for who we are. Sin is the rejection of believing that Jesus Christ died a horrific death on the cross for our fallen condition.

Sin is the ultimate rejection of God's greatest gift.

QUESTION #1 Does the issues of sin today distress us?

Are we equally as disturbed over the issues of sin in 2005 as the Apostle Paul
was in his day or as Lot was in his day, or as Job was in his day?

The short and simple answer is NO!
The long answer is long and more complex.

What are the issues of sin today? They are not really much if any different than they were in these men's days. What they were vexed with was homosexuality and idolatry among other things.

Today we are faced with the issues of:
1)		Homosexuality
2)		Same-Sex Marriages
3)		Abortion, early, late term and partial birth
4)		Deviant behavior
5)		Drug & Alcohol abuse
6)		Pornography
7)		Pedophilia
8)		Child Abuse
9)		Gambling
10)		Euthanasia
11)		Cults
12)		Crime
13)		Socialized Medicine
14)		Race Relations
15)		Cross-cultural elements
16)		Divorce & Remarriage
17)		Parental Rights
18)		Children's Rights
19)		Grandparent Rights
20)		Attitudes toward death - Terry Schivo
21)		Legal, medical and social implications in Aids epidemic
22)		Sexual Equality
23)		Religious & Ethnic discrimination
24)		Death Penalty
25)		10 Commandments, "In God We Trust", "One Nation Under God"

You have heard it said, "The issue is not the issue"! The truth is: the above mentioned modern day social issues boil down to the matter of sin and rebellion against God. If we were as upset with the issue of sin today we would probably do what they did in the book of Acts.

What did they do? I'm glad you asked. They had a book burning. We at RAC know what kind of ire that brings.

1. Acts 19:18-20
[18] And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds.
[19] Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.
[20] So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.

NIV:
[18] Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed their evil deeds. [19] A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas.[a] [20] In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.

Footnotes:
a. Acts 19:19 A drachma was a silver coin worth about a day's wages.

That would equal 50,000 days of wages! Think about that?

The Message Translation
[18] Many of those who thus believed came out of the closet and made a clean break with their secret sorceries. [19] All kinds of witches and warlocks came out of the woodwork with their books of spells and incantations and made a huge bonfire of them. Someone estimated their worth at fifty thousand silver coins. [20] In such ways it became evident that the Word of the Master was now sovereign and prevailed in Ephesus.

What else did they do?

2. Acts 16:16-23
Paul cast a spirit of divination out of a young girl who was being used by her
masters for gain in divination, soothsaying.

3. Acts 19:23-40
Paul was the topic of discussion at the local Chamber of Commerce meeting
because he was causing the merchants to lose sales of their idols of the goddess
Diana. In fact they had been exporting them all over Asia and now Paul had
interrupted their trade because he had "persuaded and turned away much people,
saying that there was no gods, which are made by hands: So that now our craft is
in danger to be set at nought……." (We are about to go out of business)

•	Does it not bother you to see all the gambling establishments that have opened up in Westover alone not counting all over Morgantown?
•	Does it not bother you to go into reputable businesses and see pornographic magazines? Isn't it time to raze a ruckus with our elected officials until something is done about these matters?
•	Do we want to allow riverboat gambling in our city?

O.K. I know. There are more pressing matters and nobody is going to pay attention to anybody about these issues. In fact, they will think they are just crazy.

I'm talking about getting upset about sin. Isn't that's what destroying marriages and creating single parent homes and all kind of psychological problems in children. Come on preacher, don't get too excited. I'm past excited, I'm distressed, I'm mad. You have heard about MADD(Mother's Against Drunk Drivers). We need some people against the devil. CAD(Churches Against Devil)

Is anyone distressed that:

•	4000 babies are aborted every day in America(1,460,000 annually) 40 million since 1973
•	Number of "Un-churched" Adults has doubled since 1991
•	61 % of Americans believe that gambling is "morally acceptable" (Barna)
•	60% of Americans believe that cohabitation is "morally acceptable" (Barna)
•	45% of Americans believe having an abortion is "morally acceptable" (Barna)
•	38% " pornography "morally acceptable" (Barna)
•	36% " profanity "morally acceptable" (Barna)

I could go on but I think the point is made

QUESTION #2 Has the meaning of sin today changed from that of the past
Defining of sin?

i.e. Has the definition of sin changed today from how sin was defined in the past?

Is sin still sin today?

•	Lying ……….is still sin
•	Stealing ……is still sin
•	Cheating……is still sin
•	Murder………is still sin

Bible list of sins:

Romans 1:28-32
[28] And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
[29] Being filled with all unrighteousness,

1)		fornication,
2)		wickedness,
3)		covetousness,
4)		maliciousness;
5)		full of envy,
6)		murder,
7)		debate,
8)		deceit,
9)		malignity;
10)		whisperers,
11)		[30] Backbiters,
12)		haters of God,
13)		despiteful,
14)		proud,
15)		boasters,
16)		inventors of evil things,
17)		disobedient to parents,
18)		[31] Without understanding,
19)		covenant-breakers,
20)		without natural affection,
21)		implacable,
22)		unmerciful:

[32] Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10
[9] Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither

1)		fornicators,
2)		nor idolaters,
3)		nor adulterers,
4)		nor effeminate,
5)		nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
6)		[10] Nor thieves,
7)		nor covetous,
8)		nor drunkards,
9)		nor revilers,
10)		nor extortioners,

shall inherit the kingdom of God.

Galatians 5:17-21
[17] For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
[18] But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
[19] Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these;

1)		Adultery,
2)		fornication,
3)		uncleanness,
4)		lasciviousness, (lustful, lewd)
5)		[20] Idolatry,
6)		witchcraft,
7)		hatred,
8)		variance, (dispute, discord, disscension)
9)		emulations, (jealous ambition)
10)		wrath,
11)		strife,
12)		seditions,
13)		heresies,
14)		[21] Envyings,
15)		murders,
16)		drunkenness,
17)		revellings,
18)		and such like: (in case I miss anything)

of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

2 Timothy 3:1-5
[1] This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

1)		[2] For men shall be lovers of their own selves,
2)		covetous,
3)		boasters,
4)		proud,
5)		blasphemers,
6)		disobedient to parents,
7)		unthankful,
8)		unholy,
9)		[3] Without natural affection,
10)		trucebreakers,
11)		false accusers,
12)		incontinent,
13)		fierce,
14)		despisers of those that are good,
15)		[4] Traitors,
16)		heady, (willful, violent, rash)
17)		high-minded,
18)		lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
19)		[5] Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof:

from such turn away.

I have just listed 69 sins………………how many more do we need to name?

Our problem today is not whether the definition of sin has changed but our problem today is we believe that people can still do these things and be saved. Our mentality is that a little won't hurt.

In the message from last week, "Will The Real Parents Please Stand Up" the
research from the Barna Research Group revealed some startling results:

Among the less common building blocks parents mentioned were:
•	having a sense of belonging or connection (9%),
•	being and feeling safe (8%), and
•	helping to establish appropriate moral values (4%).
•	45% said they teach that there are no such absolutes.
Of the ten moral behaviors evaluated, a majority of Americans believed that each of three activities were "morally acceptable." Those included:
•	gambling (61%),
•	co-habitation (60%), and
•	sexual fantasies (59%).
Nearly half of the adult population felt that two other behaviors were morally acceptable:
•	having an abortion (45%) and
•	having a sexual relationship with someone of the opposite sex other than their spouse (42%).
•	About one-third of the population gave the stamp of approval to pornography (38%),
•	profanity (36%),
•	drunkenness (35%) and
•	homosexual sex (30%).
•	The activity that garnered the least support was using non-prescription drugs (17%).

"The data trends indicate that the moral perspectives of Americans are likely to continue to deteriorate," predicted researcher George Barna. "Compared to surveys we conducted just two years ago, significantly more adults are depicting such behaviors as morally acceptable.

PASTOR: The problem today is not a change of the definition of sin but rather a change in the heart and attitude of man. We have re-written our own commandments and their number is more than 10.

We have been preached to for six to seven decades that sin is all about the outward lifestyle. We have developed in our minds what defines sin and if a person looks right outwardly they must be all right inwardly. However we have lived to realized it just ain't so.

BOTTOM LINE:

Sin is still sin no matter:

•	how you define it,
•	how you describe it
	how you decorate it
•	how you believe it

The wages of sin is still death

All have come short of the glory of God, we have missed the mark!

Sin will be forever judged in the day of judgment to come.

We are all sinners who need a Savior.
Jesus Christ became our Savior.

You have a decision to make:

1) You can quit the sin business and repent of your sins in the new birth process

OR

2) You can sit there and think I am talking to someone else, that your not as bad as the next person, deceive yourself as Adam and Eve did and end up separated eternally from God