The Seven Deadly Sins

Well, today we begin the series a new series on the seven deadly sins of four generations sin was has been very much the forefront of discussion not only in religious contacts but in conversation, generally. But today, at least in our society sin. This seems to be an old-fashioned, negative, judgmental term is something which would be relegated to the past and generally speaking, sin in our society has been defined domesticated and in many cases even discarded. Sin has become a word of fun I would.

We smirked about people talk about the sin of the eating too much chocolate cake or too much ice cream.

Many churches rarely mention Satan some so-called pastors boast that they don't talk about sin. Sin is so negative, so passé so judgmental so much. Her grandfather's church is no place for it were told in the contemporary church where everything has to be read is got to be jolly is not to be loud is got to be triumphal.

Where were more concerned not about sin.

Once a downward sin, but rather our own self-esteem that we need to have more self belief and so the kind of preaching that this kind of motivational to get us to believe in our selves and send is relegated also. Even those who talk about certain everything about it use you notice user-friendly terminology. For example we talk about people who, who sleep together who have affairs. Having affair that was nice.

My given the good in some circumstances were told is it's very exciting is very nice terms on so it's hard on the fair. The biblical terms of fornication and adultery and drunkenness while they signed two hearts only to ugly to judgmental to destructive.

So let's get rid of sin, so we live in a therapeutic society instead of talking about sin than transgression and rebellion. We talk about disorders, dysfunctions, disease dependencies years ago Chuck Colson wrote to Smith that mankind is basically good dilutes people into thinking that there are also victims, never villains always deprived never depraved. It diminishes responsibility as the teaching of a darker age and can excuse any crime because it can always blame something else. A sickness of our society or a sickness of the mind, but we didn't ask you this.

Whatever you believers today and that perhaps another follower of Christ were delighted that you're here, let me ask you this. You look around the world. Generally, not only in our own city not only not on nation but in the world. We watch world news when I realized without technology that we can know what's happening around the world, not just run the corner. There seems something out of whack in the world. If there is no sin wipes wiser so much heart why so many tears why so much frustration on the anxiety one with all of the violence and the wars in the prejudice of the conflict in the divorce and the abuse in the crime and the decedent in the manipulation of people and even the murder of people it telling of people can really be true that we as human beings are evolving that were getting better that we are improving our is there some fatal flaw within us today were going to see in the series. Not only does sin exist. It does is a huge problem for you and for me is a great problem and a correct understanding of sin is essential for a true for a mature understanding of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Charles Spurgeon said he that think slightly of sin things lightly of the Savior. Think about that.

If you have a weak view of Satan. You are very weak view of the Savior and of grace and of forgiveness know the Scripture teaches us is working to find out that all sin, not just the so-called deadly sins. All sin leads to death. So we must take sin seriously. You as an individual.

Whatever your belief system is you must take sin seriously and from a biblical perspective, we must individually acknowledge our personal sin not just pointing the finger at others.

What we must acknowledge out on personal sinfulness and then we embrace as women singing the matchless grace and forgiveness of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and regular small to open your Bibles to Romans good to read very three very familiar versus versus week. We teach our children align us on the school that you may take you home and I trust that you have memorize them and if not, may do so in Romans, Paul is giving the exposition of the gospel and the ferry talks about the grace of God talks about our sinfulness out basic dilemma is one of sin. Romans three, then verse 23 Paul is coming to a kind of climax in his argument in the book of Romans. He's dealt with religious people.

Jewish people model people pagans is not result of summarizing his view on the sin.

He told us that God's wrath is against all sin and the Romans one verse 18 and here he says here. Romans 323 for all have sinned, that includes you and me for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God the Lord. Sin is a missing of the mark. You've missed the target you've come short is not that just is not just that you have fallen short ones. The point is, if sinned, and you continue to fall short of the glory of God that would be singing about and we open with the holiness of God and you and I continually time time and time again. Of the glory of God and then chapter 5 verse 12 Paul says here something very important.

Good learn much more of this in the minute. Romans five verse 12. Therefore, just as sin came into the world.

Paul is clear that sin is in the world. On the night you're deluding yourself if you don't think the sin in the world, just as sin came into the world through one man, we learn that is and dad through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sin. Sin entered the world through one man, and then in chapter 6 of Romans Romans six verse 23 wonderful verse which presents in one sense the gospel in a nutshell. For the wages of sin is that but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Sin is in the world. Sin is in your heart and mind, but I think that the so-called seven deadly sins in Scripture, the 10 Commandments although the seven so-called seven deadly sins are individually listed in Scripture as will see during the series is not listed together as a group. It seems that somewhat about the fourth and fifth century this time of seven deadly sins arose and been codified by the medieval church. Dante is a rewrite is, Dave. He wrote on the seven deadly sins a great length and the consequences of them. Thomas Aquinas called the seven deadly sins the Cardinal sins. So we have in our language.

This expression, the seven deadly sins.

The sins are destructive and they are deadly on first welding quickly go through the list in the following weeks were going to think of them one by one.

First of all primates. Augustine said pride is the beginning of sin I think is right.

Pride is the beginning of sin by that Augustine meant that in a sense, all sin flows from the sin of pride. It was this in the sin of pride, which brought down the enemy Satan. Remember from the glory of heaven with the results that he will be in the lake of fire, eternally. What was it sin, pride. Pride comes does in the in the thousand disguises 10,000 disguises comes from the utter arrogance and hubris of individuals of any obvious pride but it manifests itself with all kinds of disguises false modesty and so on. In program six that are seven sins stated as things the Lord hates number one party's United probably wouldn't regard to the top of the list, but I don't proverb says things the Lord hates the Lord hates haughty eyes, the Lord hates pride, Peter says in first Peter five verse five that God opposes the proud but gives grace to them. Join God to oppose you join God to be against you surely know, but God is oppose the pride. It is a deadly sin.

It's a serious sin, but gives grace to the humble pride, secondly, envy.

If you learn the 10 Commandments, you know, the 10th commandment. This shall not covet, and me is a very malicious sin begins by designing something that belongs to someone else, but goes further and that leads to envy when were envious of someone with very resentful of the we may slander them. We may scheme against them. We may dislike them.

We may even hit them and then obey rather than focusing on the gifts and the blessings and the talents that God in his grace gives you steadily thankful for that. You focus on what you don't have what someone else it's that leads to an and then they secretly loves it when the person we envy fails, the true human felt that so not me. Yes, you and the second deadly sin. The third one is anger, ennui, and angry people United States, we see anger and politics, politicians can speak to each other without being angry with angry homes. We have the rage aware of someone else's office for smart way.

Don't argue with them my tendency that was brought up your flashing lights of the individual, but I stop doing that. You never know this guy going to stop be giving the finger here coming to church when someone didn't like the way I was driving someone so pretty one of anger is another tremendous anger anger and social media's full of angry and vitriolic comments again the save your father of Jesus Christ, please, please do not get involved in that kind of communication does not achieve anything.

No one is really interested in your opinion. Let's face it, there interested in getting their opinion possible.

Jim says like every person be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

Men, particularly our angry letter angry men of angry young men member Jesus taught that anyone who is angry with his brother committed murder is a deadly sin of anger is the fourth one sauce was an actual animal, coleslaw, sloth, publishing a picture of it for me do with sloth.

Not the most beautiful animal and sloth manifests itself in many ways limiting assault with a particularly of just a lazy person, someone who doesn't do this since there may be 29 living in their parents basement playing video games and they just don't want to do anything and I suddenly saw but there's more to it. There's procrastination individually never deals with issues the person who's just apathetic, lethargic, and they allow things to spiral out of control in their lives that there they suffer from boredom. They feel there's no real point to life, they have a who cares added to their favorite word is whatever how many views that whatever Scripture warns against the slugger. Not a nice word sluggard to the slug.

It's a slothful lazy and slow first one is gluttony and forth about one I've never had anyone preach him gluttony. Maybe this because as a preacher this once and you can get away with. I don't know they they do say that the difference between a bishop and an Archbishop is the arch.

So when you see the when you see the Anglicans, no bishops or archbishops at Salomon Presbyterian we get we could promote, but in England there's a lot of bishops and then there's the arch Bishop but gluttony actual fact he's pretty thin so he could hide what he does bluntly also includes drunkenness. The one that comes the Calvary would have a problem with the really diction drugs, overindulgence, eating and drinking too much, but this gluttony includes being obsessed with something obsessed with it United States is meant to be the obesity capital of the world used today in our society.

How many people are obsessed with food sins that when I do anything too much or too little wear either stuffing ourselves or the all-you-can-eat buffet over boring people without ugliness, diets, or how many vitamins we take as if anyone cares is nothing worse is there, your right to enjoy a meal and someone starts talking about dying than when I don't eat this and I that you owe. This is a form of gluttony is in the session with food, God gives us food to enjoy not to be obsessed over. I hear people say when I went to such and such a restaurant and serve the pork chop, how I could die for that porkchops he really couldn't pay for a pork chop, gluttony, obsession with food well is to convicting. Let's move on.

I mean, I realize that I realize as I began the series I'm going to offend every single person here right some of you are already mad at me but it gets worse. There's a 61 reads the moderate desire for more and more things to bring person this morning was signed up. And so I've never been greedy all rights was in those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction know the sin is not being rich is this inordinate desire to be rich is agreed, you never satisfied with what you have.

You want more and more and more great. Some of you remember Gordon gecko in the movie Wall Street. He says this. The point is, ladies and gentlemen that grades for lack of a better word, is good. We just write words and codifies katsu and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit greeted all of its forms. For life for money for love. Knowledge is market research of mankind.

It is good to say don't stop is a deadly sin is the last one lost. Lust comes in all forms is not primarily think of it in the sexual realm, lust takes takes takes takes is really the opposite of love, because love gives and gives and gives. Lust is selfish lust is demanding, lust is urgent. I must have this now.

Lust doesn't care about the interests of the other person.

Love does love is always concerned with the other person. Lust is selfish, self-indulgent, self gratifying Bill of Rights. First Peter 211 beloved IR Jupiter as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions, the lust of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Cut it out. It said lust will destroy your very soul like all sins is deadly. This sin, lust will kill you as a deadly sin and quickly summarize the seven deadly sins, but I want to say something much important than the seven than the particulars of the seven deadly sins. I want us to think of the root of sin, we could say that the seven deadly sins are examples of the fruits of sin.

But let's look at the root on the think of sin is deadly consequences. Something that we open our Bibles to the first book Genesis and to chapter 3 we do that with me. This is such an important section of Scripture. One of the most important chapters in the Bible.

And this is what I'm going to say is very very important.

Genesis 3 verse one know this happens, was more crafty notice that is crafty, you need to understand the serpent was more crafty than any other feast.

Sorry than any other beast of the field, but the Lord God had made.

He said to the woman that God actually say you shall not eat of any tree in the garden and the woman said to the serpent, we may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden.

But God said, you shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die for the serpent said, you shall not surely die for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened and will be like God, knowing good and evil. So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes that the tree was to be desired to make one wise sheet to convince fruit and ate. And she also gave some to her husband was with her and he ate in the eyes of both of them were opened and they knew they were naked and they sewed fig trees together and made themselves line quotes the crafty temptation of sin. Every single one of us here is tempted to sit when all tempted the same way, but whoever you are, your tempted to send is very very important that we understand the anatomy of temptation and how it comes on her crafty enemy is. Paul says in the New Testament that were not to be ignorant of his strategies of his devices is a very intelligent enemy. And remember, he's an enemy and designed to destroy would you do here.

First of all, Satan questions God's work. They do this that he said to the woman that God actually say yes, eat of any tree in the garden as one of his favorite questions in the dots is I believe the Bible is true. You really believe that this was a very skillful question is the devil comes was he doing is creating a dynamics in the mind of the and he's trying and succeeding to draw you into a dialogue. But if you are an enemy to kill you direct your life.

You don't enter the conversation with a person do you get away from the person Don entered into a dialogue with the devil is crafty he is to be resisted.

The Scripture says you flee from him, and temptation to sin as it is illustrated here in Genesis 3, often comes at the point of restraint or limitation did not actually seek you can taste of that tree you because the thing I currently take the fruit of that tree. Think about think of the lavish generosity and grace of God, to Adam and Eve, living in a perfect garden with Becca chapter 2 Genesis 2 verse eight, the Lord God planted a garden in Eden in the east and then he put the man whom he had formed. Verse nine very important to the guidelines.

The Lord made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the site and good for food.

Master trees were in the garden of Eden think 1000s of thousands 10,000 we don't know, but the Lord made every tree to spring up, and every tree. The Bible says was pleasant to the science and good for food, so you likely have been to botanical gardens and many many trees seated the gorgeous flowers in the tree you see the fruits someone produce herbs or spices and magnificent doesn't even a fallen world, thinking of all of the trees, but notice what the devil does the devil once Eve to focus on the one thing that God commands them not to do. You got 10,000 trees while you concerned with that one God said don't touch that one supposing it is pure fantasy in my apartment supposing there's a billionaire here and you think I know John likes fast cars and I got photos I won a thousand of the best cars in the world, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Austin Martin portrait, you name it, that there the best cut in the showroom and he says to me, John. I just love you this is fantasy, of course, John huge such a great pastor. I know you like to ride different cars every single week you can drive a different car just let me know up with mall not just you just text and say which one you want and I'll have it delivered to your door will be fully guys will be insured to wash it is a driver for week put it back and then take another one that is a fantastic idea but he says this card when you confront that one and then one of you, perhaps with a little envy or jealousy. Not one of the pastors there above that someone else comes and says John are you to drive fact, here is your friend.

Can a miserable person. Is he a main brace selfish. His name was going on. The seed is planted in this what happens. Listen, think of how God has blessed you think. Think of the blessings that God has given you. If you're married and on your family. I know you don't live in a perfect world, another disappointment. There's hardship and all of us but think of the way that God has blessed you and notice how the temptation comes in step with the devil instead of one thing you to be thankful and to praise God for all that in the grace he is giving you. He comes and came to the very point of limitation and restraint is not why don't you do that why don't you take this new experience instead of loving God said of thinking thanking God that will begin to wonder why would a loving God limit me. Why would a loving God restrict me to the devil has set a strategy dilute is created and is mine.

He questions God's word secondly contradicts God's work verse four. The serpent said to the woman you shall not surely die. Chapter 2 verse 17 for the day that you eat of it you shall surely die literally dying. You shall not make no mistake about it at them and even if you would think eventually you shall surely die. No, says the devil.

If you take that you shall not surely die.

He begins by planting a diluting Eve's mind and now comes an attack on the word of God in their mind you, my dear brothers and sisters with the devil is the father of lies. Joe was lives. He's a deceiver. He's the accusers. So when it comes to your tempted.

Remember that this is this is lies. Is this is false. This is not the way to go is the right liar. You shall not surely die. That common lie. Surely one of the most deceptive and blackest of all lies.

Good and send you a skip its consequences are different.

Know the rules don't really apply to you. You desire. In fact, you can get away with it and no one will actually know about this. You shall not surely die, throw off all of her restraints and be free.

How many lives have been wrecked.

How many homes have been destroyed, how many tears have been shed. How many souls are in hell because that line has been believed.

Go ahead and will be all right considering this number ever listen to the Taft.

He's the father of lies. He questions God's word secondly contradicts God's word.

Thirdly, he questions God's character. When you get this.

This is so important.

He is questioning the very character of God.

Verse five.

Notice what the devil says for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil, you know, it's the infill line is that no God really loved you he would restrict you and God really loves you. He would limit you from the lies and that we had over and over and over again be like God you could want. You can be anything you want to be nothing but as you you you you you as you said to be the best version of you don't have any restraints just go ahead, follow your heart. Satan is causing Eve to question the goodness of God given question the goodness of God we wait.

We hear this line from what I said only if God really loves me. If God really is good.

He would let this happen to me or he will let me do what I want to do. After all, he he made me like this and understand after all, God loves me, he was the very best for me. He wants me to be happy. This is the lies of our society that nothing else really matters in my life apart from my personal happens. Some of his bond that line. What matters in life is your personal happiness. And so it makes you happy.

You go ahead but notice what Satan has done this is key.

He is separated the commands of God from the character of God does God love you S's got some kind of cosmic killjoy trying to destroy your happiness absolutely God is 100% good for those of us who are following Jesus Christ. We know that all things work together for good. Why, because God is good God is sovereign God always always is the best interests of you at heart, but Satan does not need to believe that I don't believe a lie that because you want to do something, and because it feels good and because it feels so wonderful that it must be right, absolutely not.

Look at verse six of this what it says about Eve, recorded here, so when the woman saw that the tree was good. Of course it was good. There's nothing wrong with the tree was made by God. It was good for food, and it was a delight to the eyes. Nothing wrong with that. It was made for that Eve and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and eggs, but look back again at chapter 2 verse nine out of the ground the Lord God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food every tree look good. The fruit in every tree. This could and so areata course and looks good to the deadly sin is not believing God not believing in the goodness of God and the love of God. That's why Olson is against you think God is there to make your life miserable doing God's commandments are given to me like difficult for absolute not quite the reverse. If you follow God's will in your life is a life of blessing. Think of the deadly consequences of sin.

Adam and Eve were created obviously human beings.

They have the capacity for each choice and she chooses even though happens into this perfect world the garden of Eden is perfect into this conflict garden where God is King that enters know another kingdom. The kingdom of evil, a kingdom of darkness.

The kingdom of Satan, a kingdom of death and is really the Bible from Genesis to Revelation.

This is the story that there are two kingdoms there's the kingdom of God. There's a kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ is the kingdom of lights is the kingdom of eternal life is a kingdom of darkness kingdom – a kingdom of sin and the kingdom of ultimate eternal destruction look at Genesis 3 verse 15 it is conflict.

Jerusalem and Babylon's were told in different ways to write Scripture. I will put verse 15 of Genesis 6 the word of God to the devil. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring.

He will bruise your head, the Messiah is going to brute bruise that head of the serpent and you shall bruise his heel. This is the first indication is word of the gospel was the remedy is God going to leave us the garden in darkness and sin and dad know that it's coming Messiah are the believer going to be expelled from the garden expelled from the perfect environment because when we sin, we have deleted from God. Sin dehumanizes us here. We are created an image of God to find their fulfillment in God and in one another. But as we pursue these sins loss and greed and envy, envy and pride we are waging war against her own. So were destroying ourselves and we have to ask yourself where do these sins leads separation from God.

The seat covered up. You know that you sin you in the coveted opulent in the night you wanted blame someone else covered up destroys your home your life.

Perhaps your business. Think of lust. For example, focusing so much on self so much on self gratification that wrote that relationships of of love and intimacy are sometimes never experienced. Think of envy at least two alienation, bitterness, anger, hatred, fracturing relationships, because you and me. That person you can't stand that person. If you pursue these deadly sins will end up isolated struggling to have healthy relationships overwhelmed with guilt and shame. And of course all of these sins leads ultimately to that proverb says is a way that seems right to a man by the end off is the way of that. The day you eat of it you will surely die.

Don't think you can commit sin, and it doesn't have any impact on you your waging war against your soul sins promise pleasure jaw a satisfaction you either through that initially tastes quite good and one another bites and you want another drink, another drug another affair. So it goes on but the fruit may be good to begin with, but it soon becomes better than the ends that Paul got it right.

Romans 623 for the wages of sin is that but is the gospel, but the gift of God. The free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord left to ourselves and we sang about this, we could never save ourselves. You can rescue yourself. Yes, you may modify your behavior. You may clean up your act. You may try religion you may do good things. That's true, but the only way for your heart to be clients, and the only way for the greater power to be in you than the power of sin and the devil is the gospel of Jesus Christ goes into this dark world of sin and darkness. God in his grace sends the Messiah, the one who is going to come and to bruise the head of the devil. John says in first John three that the son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. And as you have the living Christ in you with is power you have that power to resist the enemy to live a life to the glory of God.

With your sin, you will be good to have committed most if not all of these deadly sins really messed up yesterday so of course there's old John says the blood of Jesus his son cleanses us from Olson when you're certain to be clients. Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow because our Lord Jesus Christ comes and takes these nasty deadly sins on his own body on the tree pays the price goes into dad conquers our enemy rises from the dead triumphantly and says no I'm offering you a free gift gracious gift, the gift of salvation. You turn from your sin and trusted me will be saved to be victorious. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved and pray and ask him as I pray you be getting right with God you have never trusted Christ when you do that may be a true believer, but these nasty sins of coming we are pent-up father is a tough message for us as we confronted with her own personal sin is so easy for us to point to other people, but we ask that your spirit will convict each of us said that will turn forth from it and embrace the Savior Lussier was on here who have never yet come to Christ thank you that there here under the sound of the gospel.

Maybe trust the Savior. Not guide us and bless us in Christ