Just What is Sin?
It has become my belief, that our self-centered nature, undisciplined, will have a divesting outcome, on that soon coming Day of Judgment! For I can only speak what I believe is truth, but only God through His Holy Spirit can give you that ah-hah moment when the light comes on and truth is settled in your heart.
Take serious notice that the apostle John wrote, that he who sins, has neither seen Him nor known the Lord. And the idea of one being able to live apart from sinning, is contraire to corporate church teachings, justifying that all sin, and no one can live without sin. So consider just what this next scripture is teaching.
1 John 3:6-9,17 NKJV Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him. [7] Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. [8] He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. [9] Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.
Also please take notice that, both Jesus, and His disciples gave commandment, “do not sin” and “sin no more”. And I do not believe Jesus would give us a commandment that we could not obey!
Examples of following commands given, to not sin:
John 5:14 NKJV Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, "See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you."
1 Corinthians 15:34 NKJV Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.
Romans 6:12 NKJVTherefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.
Therefore lets maintain this next verse in the forefront, for I see serious salvation significance in what this verse is teaching! This is an absolute verse that cannot be misunderstood!
1 John 3:6 NKJV Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.
So just what is sin? At this point, it might be good to get a better understanding just what is sin and lawlessness. For in scripture, sin and lawlessness go hand in hand. And to do that, we need to take a close look at the mindset of what got Lucifer cast out of the presence of God. If we pay close attention, we can clearly see that he developed a self-centered mindset that was apart from seeking the will of God. In his mind, in his thoughts, he declared independence from the will of God. Now take notice to all the “I will’s” that was found in the thoughts of Lucifer.
Isaiah 14:12-14 NKJV "How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations! [13] For you have said in your heart: 'I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north; [14] I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.'
Take notice, how Lucifer said in his heart five times, "I will", not Gods will be done, as was the will of Jesus, but Lucifer’s will be done. And that mindset is the mind of sin and lawlessness.
1 John 3:4 NKJV Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.
As Lucifer, had it in his heart, to be independent from the laws of God, which is the root of all sin, he desired to live independently from the will of God. For in this, it becomes clear, that sin and lawlessness is committed in the mind and heart, and the results of that sin and lawlessness is manifested in the self-centered choices, a sinner makes.
And that mindset is what all mankind inherited through the choices of Eve and then Adam. So let's see how that sin and lawlessness entered the heart of all mankind. For certain, this is very important to grasp. Let’s take a close look at the enticement that, that Serpent of Old presented to Eve and was accepted by both, deceived Eve and her “disobedient to God” husband Adam.
Genesis 3:4-5 NKJV Then the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die. [5] For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and "you will be like God," knowing good and evil."
Did you see it, clearly they were not enticed by the fruit, they were enticed by the same mindset as Lucifer "to be like God" and then they looked at the fruit to see if it were edible enough to eat so they could be like God. And at that point, since everything is created after it own kind, all mankind would be like a god, judging this and judging that. Even to the point where Cain, took on the role as god and killed his brother. And this was the beginning of independent living, apart from the will of God, by all mankind. And that independent living, is the sin and lawlessness of the self-centered living, in the flesh. All sin begins with our thoughts, just as it did with Lucifer, and then the outcome of sin and lawlessness is witnessed in the choices we’ve made, that are independent from seeking the will of God.
Bottom line, the majority of the things we do, without seeking, and making sure our choices and desires, falls within the will of God, is sin and lawlessness! For in the flesh we are doing it our way, and that is sin, because we are not seeking the will of the Lord, because our personal life is being lived independently from seeking and submitting to the will of God! In the flesh, it does not seem like sin, just common everyday living, but that is living by the flesh rather than living by the Spirit.
Romans 8:5-6 NKJV For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. [6] For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Romans 8:13-14 NKJV For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. [14] For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
Consider, every time we get mad, that extends from our self-centered will. Even having hurt feelings, is founded in our self-centeredness. Rushing to be first in line, and the undisciplined private thoughts we have, are based on our self-centeredness. Never observing the need of others, nor giving to others, when they’re in need, when we have the ability to do so. That is because of one’s self-centered heart. Always trying to get what is best for ourselves, or our family, the continual challenge of meeting the goals our own desires, without any or little regard to the needs of others, is sinning before God. And that list that manifests the sin which is deeply embedded in the heart, is endless. And every undisciplined thought, is sin and lawlessness. Consider our private thoughts, where we glorify ourselves, thoughts that we would never share with others. And that is what we all inherited from Lucifer through the self-centered desires of Eve and Adam, having accepted the same mindset as Lucifer, and that is, to be like God, but independent from His leading Holy Spirit. Not submissive to God but to be the god of our own everyday choices. In this next verse it is my discernment that Jesus is speaking to a preacher or pastor that is so secure in his faith, and take notice, he is actually defending his faith before the Lord, yet the outcome of his lawless self-centered living will have a devastating outcome. And think of all that followed him in his beliefs of faith. Notice how Jesus includes obedience to His Father vs. living in the lawlessness of independent living. Please discern in sincerity.
Clearly in what Jesus is saying, we see the basic requirement of submission to God the Father through Christ.
Matthew 7:21-23 NKJV “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. [22] Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ [23] And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
Also take notice that Jesus did not mention anything about grace, just depart from me, for I never knew you! For there is no grace for the disobedient in heart! Grace is only for those that have a willing heart to submit to God and His righteousness. And this sin and lawlessness, the very core of a self-centered heart, is found in our everyday living, living according to our own desires! Please discern what Jesus said about those that save their lives to be lived their way, vs. giving up their own desires and living according to the will of God, in all that they do.
Mark 8:35-37 NKJV For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. [36] For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? [37] Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
It is very clear that living our life, in the independence of our heart, has a very devastating outcome! And to overcome that self-centeredness, is also the greater works than Jesus did, but we cannot accomplish that as long as we are living in the flesh.
John 14:12 NKJV “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.
Consider this, the miracles that God accomplished through Jesus, did not save anyone. Jesus walking on water, very impressive but that miracle did not save anyone. Those He healed, still later had to taste death. But to those that believe, that was different. But Jesus said greater work and that is when we find victory over self, that will not only save our soul, at the end of our faith but also others that have the same desire to follow your example of obedience to the faith in God. The work itself, to discipline, which is the a choice for the strength and understanding come from God through Christ and those living in the flesh, do not have that resource.
Jesus did not have to fight the inherited will of the flesh, as we do, so to overcome our self-centered will, requires the power of the Holy Spirit of God that provided understanding, the backbone of strength to overcome. And with divine understanding, then we can choose to discipline and overcome our sinful nature, through Christ. This is why Jesus told His disciples to wait in Jerusalem till they were endued with power, power to be able to overcome the desires of the flesh. And this happened on that great Day of Pentecost! Which should be the highest holiday of all holidays, celebrating where God, fulfill His promised of pouring out of His Spirit on all flesh, that prepared place, prepared by the sacrifice of His Son Christ Jesus, so we could be reconciled to God, through Him.
Luke 24:49 NKJV Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”
And there is no power, strength nor understanding, to overcome, apart from the presence of God through His indwelling Holy Spirit! And that resource to salvation is simply not there, if one is not willing to submit to the righteousness of God.
Acts 5:32 NKJV And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.”
I should be obvious that to live in the flesh, in that independence, is sin and to live by the Spirit, one is no longer sinning for they are seeking the will of God, but because we still live in this body of the flesh, discipline is to be continually exercised. And when we are trying, that is where God’s grace comes in, coving the times that we fall short, recognize the short coming, and strive to do better.
1 John 3:6 NKJV Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.
Please take to heart, that Jesus said the first step towards salvations was to deny that self-centeredness of the flesh… then take up our cross, meaning to understand what the will of God is for us, then to follow in His example of total obedience, to the will of the Father, not our will but obey the will of God.
Matthew 16:24-25 NKJV Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. [25] For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
The very first action, to take is having a willing heart to submit to God for with that heart, repentance has already taken effect and then seek the will of God in all things. And you will indeed know what the will of God is for you. He will reveal that to you in His timing.
Ephesians 5:17 NKJV Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
And it will become your desire and He will provide you the means and the ability to follow through.
Philippians 2:13 NKJV for it is God who works in you both “to will” and “to do” for His good pleasure.
Please consider what I have shared but seek the Lord for His confirmation, through Christ!