Originally published: 11/14/2014 Updated: 2/26/2020
Sin is terrible. It can cause a mother to kill her child (as in abortion) or a father to cause his children to suffer (as in desertion and abandonment). It can cause an entire nation to fall (which is what will happen to our country if we do not turn back to God) or an individual to abuse his own body to death (as in sexual perversions, smoking cigarettes or drug abuse.)
Question #1. What exactly is sin, and why does it have such firm control over human beings everywhere?
The Bible tells us that sin is the transgression of God’s Law. It is merely either doing what God tells us not to do or not doing what God tells us to do. It is saying, “No!” to God’s way and choosing another way. All disobedience is sin.
1 John 3:4 (KJV)
4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
1Samuel 15:22-23 (KJV)
22 And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.
23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.
Question #2. Where did sin come from?
Sin came from Lucifer, who was a created being, an anointed cherub. He was beautiful and highly exalted as a created being. Because of his beauty, pride arose in his heart, and he decided to attempt to exalt himself above God. The Scriptures describe him but also present God’s judgment against him.
Ezekiel 28:12-18 (KJV)
12 Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.
13 Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.
14 Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.
15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.
16 By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.
17 Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.
18 Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee.
1 John 3:8 (KJV)
8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning.
In a nutshell, Lucifer (Satan) deceived or tricked God’s man, Adam, and his woman, Eve, and they both disobeyed God. Because they disobeyed, every man and woman born after their fall became infected with the evil of sin, even until today. Babies don’t have to be taught to lie; it’s a part of their sinful nature.
Scenario: Three-year-old Baby John knocks a vase off the table, and it breaks. Mother: “Baby, John, did you break the vase?” Baby John: “No.” Who taught Baby John to lie? No one had to teach him. It came with the package.
Question #3. What are the consequences of sin?
Sin is utterly destructive. It separates us from God, it ushered in death, and it will ultimately send one’s very soul to Hell, a place of eternal pain and torment.
Question #4. If sin is so bad, why doesn’t a person just stop doing it?
Sin is a part of the nature of a person; he desires to sin. It would be easy to just not sin if not for the fact that it is woven into his DNA. We must remember that mankind has an enemy, the devil, who loves to see man sin. The devil hates us and wants us to die as a result of sin. It is only by the power of God that we are able to “just stop the sin business”. It’s like a man who has a 52-inch waist and 33-inch hips. He may pull his gut in for a few minutes, but before long, he will have to let it go back to its natural state. Only when that man loses the weight (girdles just give the illusion that the belly is gone) will he be free of a protruding belly. Other people just refuse even to try to stop sinning because they love sin.
Scenario: Poachers want to capture a group of monkeys in Africa to sell in the US. They can’t catch the monkeys because the monkeys reside in trees and escape when approached. The poachers, aware of the monkey’s love of bright and shiny baubles, lay a trap for the monkeys. They place a large brilliant red fake ruby inside a wooden cage. The cage has bars just large enough for the monkey’s hand to reach inside and grab it. The trouble is, the monkey cannot pull his hand out of the cage if he has a grip on the bauble. When the poachers approach, the monkey has only to open his hand, let go of the bauble and escape to safety. But, because he refuses to let go of the bauble, it causes him to be captured.
This scenario talks about a monkey, but the same is true for some individuals when it comes to sin. Some people love their lifestyle so much that they can’t let go of the bauble of sin, repent, and be saved. The comedian who loves his “trade” of lying and cussing may refuse to let go of his “work” because he loves it. He loves the fame and accolades that he receives as a celebrity and refuses to let go. Many even desire to be in a right relationship with God but refuse to let go of the sinful baubles. That individual has such a firm grip on sin that he can’t let it go.
On the other hand, there is the individual who wants to be set free from sin, but sin has a firm grip on him or her.
Scenario: A fast, flippant, and rebellious young teen girl goes against her parents’ rules and sneaks out of the house to meet a young man that she met on the internet. As it turns out, the “young man” is a 40-year old pimp. He grabs her, beats her, and forces her into a life of prostitution and drugs. Nightly she is forced to abuse her body and her soul. She does not want to do the things that she is forced to do, but sin has such a grip on her that she cannot get free.
In the above scenario, the individual cannot get free of sin because of the solid grip that sin has on her. What she needs is an outside force that is stronger than the grip of sin to intervene on her behalf.
In actuality, whether the individual has a grip on sin or if sin has a grip on the individual, the solution is the same. The individual needs a real relationship with Jesus Christ, our Lord, and Savior. The solution to every man or woman’s sin situation is Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ is the answer
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God who knew no sin, became sin so that we could be set free. The righteousness of God hates sin; His justice requires that it is punished. This meant that all men and women are destined for Hell as a punishment for sin. But Jesus Christ came to earth, died for our sins so that we do not have to die and is now in Heaven interceding for us.
A person who wants to be set free from the grip of sin has to want to be free. God will hear and see that person’s heartfelt desire to be free, and then set up situations in his life that can lead to his freedom. The Bible lets us know that every individual can be set free from the power of sin.
Titus 2:11-14 (KJV)
11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ;
14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
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The bottom line is this. Whether your sin problem is that you love the baubles of sin so much that you are holding onto something that will cause your ultimate destruction, or if sin has a firm grip on you, you can be free. You can be saved. This also includes the sinful pride of refusing to see yourself as a sinner. If you provide the “want-to”, God will provide the means for your salvation.
When God supplies the means for your salvation, then you have to act. God is not going to do everything for you; you have a role to play. You must run to safety when the door is opened. Could this Blog post be your open door? Remember, we are guaranteed one opportunity.
Some people may receive many, but some may only receive one. I encourage you when your door is opened, run to Jesus, repent of your sins, and hold onto Jesus with all of your strength. The blood of Jesus is strong enough to break every stronghold of sin, but you have to want to be set free. The Bible says that you must not harden your heart when you understand your need for salvation. Then ask Jesus to give you the Holy Ghost so that you can be kept.
Hebrews 3:15 (KJV)
15 While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your heart …
Salvation is straightforward because the hard work has been done for us
Salvation is merely stating to God that you are sorry, then accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. An example of some words that you might say are these:
“Father, forgive me for all of my sins. Save me and take me to Heaven when I die. Jesus, if you save me I will live for you. Fill me with the Holy Ghost so that I can have the power to live for you.”
If you say these words and mean them with all of your heart, He will hear you and save you. I can provide the words, but you must give a heartfelt meaning to the words.
Then, after you repent and are saved, you need the power of the Holy Ghost. Whether sin has a hold on you, or you are holding onto it, you need something more powerful than sin to become free from it. That power is the power of the Holy Ghost. (Read this post to get a clear understanding of the Holy Ghost that was promised to us by Jesus Christ. The Promise, Purpose, and Power of the Holy Ghost.)
I encourage you to find a Bible-believing Holiness church that functions under the power of the Holy Ghost. You need a deliverance church. I recommend Full Gospel Holy Temple Church in Dallas, TX, where I received deliverance nearly forty-five years ago. We also have other churches throughout the country. Find us on YouTube or our website at http://www.FGHT.org. I’m praying for you. God bless.