Respectable Sins Series; Lesson 1: Chapters 1-2

As saints, our conduct must not be unbecoming of a saint but becoming of God.

All sin is reprehensible before God!

Lesson 1, Part 1: Understanding Who We Are

The identification and purpose the saint. 2 Corinthians 1:1; 1 Corinthians 1:2

Over the years the word “saint” has changed from NT times.

Roman Catholic Tradition

Today, outside Catholic and Orthodox tradition the word saint is seldom used.

If it is used, it is used to identify the godly senior citizens in the church.

Saint defined: refers to a state of being not one’s character; it comes from the Greek word hagios(%agioV). Literally, it means “separated unto God.”

In this sense both the most ordinary or the most immature are saints. The word we get sanctified from is the same Greek word family that saint comes from.

So for whom are is the saint separated? For God!

The Origin of the Saint Titus 2:14; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 help in understanding the biblical meaning of saint.

“It is someone whom Christ bought with His own blood on the cross and has separated unto himself to be His own possession.”

“Sainthood is not a state of achievement and character but a state of being—an entirely new condition of life brought about by the Spirit of God

We are not made saints by our actions but by the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit.

2 Corinthians 5:17

Ezekiel 36:26 – a dead, unresponsive heart to a living, responsive heart

Struggle and Disconnect between what God’s promise of living and fruitful life with daily experience.

Galatians 5:17

1 Peter 2:11

The change of 2 Corinthians 5:17 is progressive.

The Life and Responsibility of the Saint. Daily, separated living

“Be what you are” – behave like the state of being you are in—separated for God! (1 Corinthians)

Military Expression – “conduct unbecoming an officer”

Covers everything from minor to major

Inconsistent action and behavior that is expected of a military officer.

God’s Military Expression: “conduct unbecoming a saint”; Does my life become the gospel of Christ? – Philippians 1:27

Summarizing Thoughts Our Problems

“We neither think of ourselves as saints—with our new state’s concurrent responsibility to live as saints—nor do we think of such actions as our gossip and impatience as sin.”

We think that sin is what the people outside our Christian community does.

We readily identify sin in the lives of people around us and society at large but never in the “acceptable sins of the saints.”

WE LIVE IN DENIAL OF OUR SIN!!!

Lesson 1, Part 2: Man’s View of Sin vs God’s View of Sin

General Societal Proof of Sin’s Vanishing Act Karl Menninger: “The very word, “sin,” which seems to have disappeared, was once a proud word. It was once a strong word, ominous and serious word…But the word went away. It has almost disappeared – the word, along with the notion. Why? Doesn’t anyone sin anymore? Doesn’t anyone believe in sin?

Karl Menninger stated in an article titled “What! Me? A Sinner?” –

In twentieth century England, C.S. Lewis noted that, “The barrier I have met is the almost total absence from the minds of my audience of any sense of sin.” And in 2001, New Testament scholar D.A. Carson commented that the most frustrating aspect of doing evangelism in universities is the fact that students generally have no idea of sin. “They know how to sin well enough, but they have no idea of what constitutes sin.”

The whole idea of sin has virtually disappeared from our culture and society.

The idea of sin is leaving our churches today as well.

47 Taped messages on Prodigal Son

Marsha Witten’s Observations – “In this context, talk about sin appears more to be setting implicit boundaries to separate insiders who are beyond reach of evaluation from outsiders who are targets for it, than to be articulating theological insights into the depravity of human nature.”

It has disappeared and been softened to accommodate modern thinking and sensibility.

Conservative Evangelical Churches (churches that accurately preach the gospel)

It has not disappeared but has been deflected to those outside the church who commit flagrant sins.

The deflecting manifests through prayer. i.e. example of deacon praying, pg 19.

We look down on the “sinners” in society.

Definitive Explanation of Sin James 2:10 – Failing to keep one point of the law

“God’s law is seamless.” God’s law is a single whole.

What is sin? All sin without distinction is lawlessness – 1 John 3:4

“All sin, even sin that seems so minor in our eyes, is lawlessness.

It is not just breaking a single command. It is breaking of the whole law. It is disregarding God’s law.

“A deliberate rejection of His moral law in favor of fulfilling one’s own desires.”

Sin defined:

Greek culture it meant to “miss the mark.”

Usually “our sinful desires stem not from a failure to achieve but from the inner urge to fulfill our own desires.

James 1:14

Sin is Sin! The sins we tolerate are serious in God’s eyes.

Religious pride

Critical attitudes

Unkind speech about others

Impatience

Anger

Anxiety (Philippians 4:6)

Paul stressed the need for justification from sin – Galatians 3:10

Paul assures us of Christ’s redemption – Galatians 3:13

Sad reality is that the concept of sin among many conservative Christians has been essentially redefined to cover only the gross sins of our society.

Mental and Physical Response of Christians and Sin

Morally upright believers have allowed the societal norm regarding sin to affect their consciences.

Both the sins we tolerate and the flagrant sins of society have not disappeared before God. All sin God hates it! It is reprehensible!

All sin deserves the curse of God.

The irony is those whose lives best reflect the fruit of the spirit are the ones most aware of and are saddened by the so-called acceptable sins in their own lives.

Some are largely judgmental toward the larger more gross sins of society and are arrogantly unaware of their own personal sin.

Whether we are aware of our sin or not it is just as reprehensible to God and deserves his judgment!

As saints, our conduct must not be unbecoming of a saint but becoming of God.

All sin is reprehensible before God!