Preaching about sin is becoming a rare occurrence in our society. Most religious folks would rather hear preaching about the Lord’s grace, love, and mercy. Sin is often viewed as a negative topic that doesn’t edify. And yet, a failure to consider the Bible’s teaching on the subject doesn’t make the problem disappear.

No matter how much we try to ignore the topic of sin, the harsh realities remain. Consider four difficult and unavoidable realities of sin.

Sin is lawlessness.

  • We sin when we disobey and break God’s standard for our lives (James 4:17; 1 John 3:4).
  • The new covenant established by Jesus is the standard by which God judges our lives (James 1:25; John 12:48).
  • This reality reminds us that God has expectations for how we live each day. We can’t live however we desire and expect to please God.
  • Instead of attempting to justify our sins, we must acknowledge and turn from them!

Sin has been committed by all people.

  • Solomon teaches that there is no person who has not sinned (1 Kings 8:46; Ecclesiastes 7:20).
  • Sin is one of the great equalizers in life (Romans 3:9, 23). The only person of an accountable age to never sin is Jesus Christ (1 Peter 2:21-22).
  • This is not a pleasant thing to realize. This reality reminds us that comparing our “goodness” to others and believing God will tolerate our sins is foolish.
  • If our own “goodness could save us,” then why did Jesus have to die?

Sin has devasting consequences.

  • Sin cuts us off from God (Isaiah 59:1-2; Romans 6:23). It serves as a barrier between God and us. It kills our relationship and fellowship with God.
  • Sin brings about the judgment of God (Matthew 25:46; Luke 16:19-31).
  • Sinners deserve to suffer for eternity in the horrors of hell (Matthew 23:27-33).
  • This reality reminds us that sin is serious business! It is so serious that Jesus had to die for us to be redeemed from it and appease the wrath of God (Romans 5:6-11).

Sin must be eliminated from our lives.

  • Christians must always avoid sin (Colossians 3:5-6; Romans 6:1-7).
  • Eliminating sin sometimes requires radical action (Matthew 5:27-30). We cannot expect to be fellowship and relationship with God with sin present in our lives.
  • This reality reminds us of how truly awful it is to persist in sin.

Conclusion:

When we avoid discussing sin, we minimize it and the significance of Jesus’ death. We fail to truly appreciate what makes the gospel “good news” (Mark 16:15-16)!