Lets Cut to the Chase...The Sinfulness of Sin

American Christianity loves preaching a "feel good" message in every way possible. From the sermons that consistently teach us about how much Jesus loves us to the sermons that teach us that being a Christian is merely asking him into your heart, the Gospel message has been twisted, perverted, and watered down to being nothing more than a lie. The Truth no longer is preached in churches across America and what is even more disheartening is much of the people who proclaim to be "Christians" today are nothing more than fakes. Why?? Because they have missed the message of the Gospel... they have failed to realize what the Gospel message is and what Christ is saving us from. They have failed to humble themselves and get honest with their problem...SIN! And we all have it.

Today at Compass, Pastor Mike brought a convicting message and a reminder for us all of the Gospel message and of the sinfulness of sin from Romans 1:1-3.
"You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. Now we know that God's judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God's judgment?"

As humanity we are good at making excuses. In fact from the time we are young children we learn how to manipulate circumstances and scenarios in order to make ourselves look or feel good. But here is the deal...with sin there is NO excuse. If you don't admit you have a problem then there is no way for you to reach the solution.

1. NOTE YOUR APTITUDE FOR IDENTIFYING SIN (1a)
"You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things."
Isn't it interesting that we are so quick to pick out the sin in those around us? It is easy to identify sin in others. Now although Scripture clearly teaches that we are to judge others (don't forget that), we need to make sure that we don't become like the hypocritical pharisees and fail to turn that judging on ourselves. In 2 Samuel we read the story of David and the prophet Nathan...a great example for us of how hypocritcal we can become, or how numb to our own sinfulness we are.

2. TURN OBJECTIVE APPRAISAL INWARD (v1b-2)
"Now we know that God's judgment against those who do such things is based on truth."
You are guilty! Let us cut to the chase with that one. Everyone is guilty...Genesis 3 teaches us that with the fall and Adam and Eve. Although in your eyes you may have never committed the degree of sin that some other person may have committed you do not stand unashamed and free from charge. You need to start identifying sin in your own life and getting mad at that sin. Matthew 7:1 is often misquoted and misinterpreted by non-believers and believers alike as the "don't judge" verse. The problem isn't that you are judging but rather that you are not judging YOURSELF first. We get mad at people for doing the very things we do or the kinds of things we do. Don't be hypocrites...read on in the verses to follow in Matthew 7 and you will see how easily that is the case. The way you judge is how you too will be judged. But do not forget that it is BIBLICAL to judge others, the problem lies again in hypocrisy. You see what is the deal then? Well we can solve it one of two ways...1. Don't say anything to people in regards to their sin 2.Fix your own life and then call others out. Option 2 is the Biblical one. Discern errors in your own life and then in others. But why then don't we notice the sin in our lives as easily as in others? Because you're used to it...you must get outside yourself and identify it and mortify it by 1. Relying on the Holy Spirit's conviction (John 16:8) and 2. Gaining a God-ward, Psalm 139 perspective.

3. CALL SIN "SINFUL" WITHOUT EXCUSES (v3)
"So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God's judgment?"
You plead full blameworthy culpability for YOUR sin. The first step in the Gospel process is admitting your sin, admitting you are utterly depraved and separated from a Holy God by your sin and repenting of that. You can never repent of something you don't confess or agree is wrong. Identify sin as a problem and fully own it. Luke 18:10-14 shows us that HUMILITY is the key. Mortify your sin, don't listen to satan's lies that your sin might not be as bad as the person's next to you...SIN IS SIN.


So what then does this all boil down to? Well let us cut to the chase...If you don't recognize sin before a holy God, you can't have fellowship with Him. So humble yourself and realize you have fallen short and lean on Him for the saving power of the Gospel. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—" -Ephesians 2:8