The Consequences of Sin

Temple Baptist Church - 7-19-2015

James 1:13-16

 

Introduction:

 

A.  I want to deal with the possibility, propensity, and product of sin this morning. Verse 14 tells us that every man (which includes women) is tempted to sin. 

 

1.  The Book of James is a very direct book in that James deals very directly with sin and its consequences.  The key to the Book of James is a salvation that produces good works but there is also much said about sinfulness and warnings concerning its consequences. 

 

2.  Verse 16 gives an admonition to all of us: “Do not err, my beloved brethren!”  I fear that too many of us get involved in sinfulness with little or no regard to its discovery and consequences until it is too late.

 

B.  Temptation to sin is almost as old as humanity.  We find both the tempter and temptation in the Garden of Eden where the first human sin was committed.  Sin found it’s beginning in the heart of Lucifer and, before long, made its way into the heart of man.  Satan tempted Eve and Adam sinned, so here we are!

 

C.  Don’t be too hard on old Adam and Eve though.  They lasted a lot longer in innocence than you or I would have lasted.  Because of our old sinful flesh, Adamic nature, and the mounting number of areas in which we are tempted today, the battle against the lust of the flesh rages.

 

D.  If and when we do sin, we need to take full responsibility for it:

 

1.  God didn’t make you do it!

 

2.  The Devil didn’t make you do it!

 

3.  People didn’t make you do it!

 

4.  You cannot blame your circumstances for it!

 

5.  YOU MAKE S A WILFULL CHOICE TO SIN!

 

E.  We can choose how we want to live.  God has made us “free moral agents” and has given to us the privilege to choose right.  He has not given to us the right to choose wrong.

 

1.  We can control our ACTIONS but not the RESULTS.

 

2.  We can make our own CHOICES but we cannot avoid their CONSEQUENCES.

 

F.  When we learn to recognize both the COURSE and the SOURCE of sin, it will help us when temptation does come.  Temptation to sin can be minimized through obedience to the Holy Spirit and the Bible.

 

1.  We can minimize sinfulness through abstaining from all appearance of evil.  Abstain from all appearance of evil means that at the first inkling that something is going to turn “south,” LEAVE!

 

2.  We can minimize sinfulness through guarding our eyes and ears.  “Seeing and hearing” got Lot into a “lot” of trouble.  We normally know what we will see or hear before we go to certain places.

 

3.  We can minimize sinfulness through watching who we associate with.  Walking together brings about agreement either vocally or through compromise to remain silent on certain issues.

 

4.  We can minimize sinfulness through a close relationship with the Lord through prayer and Scripture.  Prayer and Bible study will help to keep us from areas of sin.  Hide God’s Word in your heart that you might not “sin against God.”

 

5.  We can minimize sinfulness through realization of personal weakness and deceitfulness of heart.  No, I cannot handle sin and neither can you.  When sin begins, we feel that we are in control but subtly things begin to change.  Without our recognition, sin soon becomes the MASTER while we become the SLAVE.

 

G.  The Bible sets forth several things in these verses pertaining to temptation and sin. 

 

1.  EXCLUSION – vs. 14 “Every man”  There are no exclusions!

 

a.  Inward temptations because of the sinfulness of our flesh.  Paul said that there was nothing good about the flesh in Romans 7.  It cannot be trusted!  We see the failures of others that we love and should fear our weaknesses of the flesh.

 

2.  Outward temptations because of the sinfulness of this present, evil world.  There is little in our world that we live in that is godly or righteous.  I have lived 67 years and have never seen as much immorality and wickedness as we see today.  “Change and decay all around I see” was certainly prophetic of our day.

 

2.  ENTICEMENT – vs. 12-13 “when he is tempted”

a.  Tempted can mean to be "Offered a bait"  or "lured by a bait".  “Every man is tempted!”

 

b.  Tempted by evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, blasphemy, pride, and foolishness.

 

c.  You will be tempted by self, someone, or something!

 

1)  Tempted By Satan - Ephesians 6:16  Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

 

2) Tempted By Sin - Romans 7:11  For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.

 

3)  Tempted By Self - James 1:14  But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

 

d.  “Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us”

 

3.  ENTRAPMENT - vs. 15 “lust hath conceived”

 

a.  Surrender can mean "drawn away" or "snared in a trap."

 

b.  “Lust” is desire!  An “inside job.”

 

c.  God has given to us certain normal desires while the world creates abnormal ones.

 

d.  The word is used 22x - never in a good sense!

 

Romans 6:12  Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.

 

Romans 13:14  But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

 

4.  ENDORSEMENT – vs. 15 “bringeth forth sin”

 

a.  We are drawn away and enticed which is not sin to “Lust hath conceived” which means that we now are willingly committed to that particular sin.  Conception is a conscious act carried out.

 

Romans 7:16  If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.

 

b.  Someone once asked, “Are you pro-choice or pro-life?”  The man answered, “Both!  Pro-choice is before sex and pro-life is after conception!”

 

Proverbs 7:22  He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks;

 

5.  ENSLAVEMENT – vs. 15  “and sin, when it is finished”

 

a.  Now the MASTER has become the SLAVE!

 

2 Peter 2:19  While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.

 

b.  “Mighty oaks from little acorns grow!”

 

2 Timothy 2:26  And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

 

c.  There will be a “finishing” when sin takes over.  It will bring you down and destroy you.

 

6.  EXPENSE - vs. 15-16  “death…do not err!”

 

a.  The wages of sin has never changed.  It is untouched by inflation or devaluation.  The wages of sin is still death!  Sin will STILL take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay!

 

b.  The deception of sin has never changed.  We feel that we can sow and sow to iniquity without paying the price.

 

Galatians 6:7-8  Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.  8  For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

 

7.  EXHORTATION – vs. 16 – “do not err, my beloved brethren!”

 

a.  We err when we fail to realize the sinful potential of our flesh.

 

b.  We err when we fail to abstain from all appearance of sin.

 

c.  We err when we think that we can handle our sin.

 

d.  We err when we think that we can escape the consequences of our sin.