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“Has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful.” (Romans 7:13 NKJV)
The issue of sin is not peculiar to gender, color, tribe, or race; it is common to all men. No one can evade sin, for we all were born with a sinful nature and thus were perpetual slaves to sin from birth.
Sin is not just what we do but also who we are. The source, the root, or the principle of sin is in our hearts. The Scripture states that we are all “carnal, sold under sin.” (Romans. 7:14 NKJV).
Your battle against sin is a lost one from the start, for you were defeated and enslaved by sin in the womb before you could ever have a chance to fight (Psalm . 51:5). You were born with a sinful nature (natural inclination, tendency, or propensity to sin), making you a sinner even before your first act of disobedience against God.
It is not our sins that made us sinners, but the sin of the first man, Adam. The Scripture states, “By one man’s disobedience many were made sinners…” (Romans. 5:19 NKJV).
As Adam’s descendants, we inherited his sinful, depraved, or corrupt nature through natural birth. Therefore, no man can stand up on his feet to contend against and overcome sin until he has got rid of his inherited sinful nature.
No religion, education, or rehabilitation can eliminate your inherited sinful nature; only the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, can do that when you surrender your heart to Him by believing in Him and confessing Him as your Lord and Saviour.
In Part 1 of this piece, we began to examine some scriptural truths about sin. Let us recap these truths.
First, Satan is the father, the author, and the originator of sin.
Sin is the nature of Satan, and yielding to sin is surrendering to Satan (John 8:44, 1 John 3:8, Romans. 6:16).
Second, sin entered the human race through the disobedience of Adam.
When Adam yielded to sin, he surrendered to Satan and became a partaker of his sinful nature (Romans 5:12, 19).
Third, sin is not imputed when there is no law.
God does not impute sin to any man’s account until the person can be held accountable for his actions.
Although you were born a sinner, God does not deal with you as such until you are mature enough to know God’s law and decide whether to accept or reject God’s gift of salvation to you in and through Jesus Christ (Romans. 5:13).
Let us now proceed to consider more scriptural truths about sin.
Fourth, the Scripture teaches that the strength or power of sin is the law.
1 Corinthians 15:56 – NKJV
56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.
The law was given not to strengthen man in his struggle against sin but to strengthen sin against man. What a shocking truth!
Sin has already defeated us in and through Adam, but we are too proud to admit that. So, God gave us the law not to save us from sin but to expose our sinfulness and wretchedness, humble us, and show us our need for the Saviour, Jesus Christ (Romans. 7:7-9, Gal. 3:24). The sin in us took advantage of the law God gave us to show us that we are its slaves.
Although the law God gave man through Moses was holy and good, it could not save any man because that was not its purpose. The purpose of the Mosaic law is not to take away our sins or help us overcome sins but to expose our sinfulness, humble us, and make us guilty before God.
The Scripture amply reveals this truth.
Romans 5:20 – NKJV
20 Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more.
Romans 4:15 – NKJV
15 Because the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression.
Was it then the law that brought sin? Certainly not!
The law only revived, exposed, or strengthened the sin already in man!
Paul aptly explains this truth.
Romans 7:5; 9 – NKJV
5 For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death.
9 I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died.
Fifth, the Scripture teaches and warns that sin always produces or results in death.
Sin and death are inseparable!
You cannot yield to sin and shun death (Romans. 6:16).
The Scripture warns that sin “when it is full-grown, brings forth death.” (Jam. 1:15 NKJV).
Therefore, yielding to sin is embracing death!
Romans 6:16 – NKJV
16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?
Ezekiel 18:4 – NKJV
4 The soul who sins shall die.
Romans 6:23 – NKJV
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The ultimate fruit of sin is the second death (eternal separation from God in hell fire)!
Revelations 21:8 – NKJV
8 But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.
We inherited sinful nature from Adam and all the evils that sin brought, including spiritual and physical death (1 Cor. 15:21-22).
Lastly, the Scripture teaches that Jesus Christ has fully paid for the sin of the whole world by His sacrificial death on the Cross.
Although the Lord Jesus Christ died for the sins of the whole world, only those who believe in Christ will enjoy the benefits of His substitutionary death on the cross.
John the Baptist bears witness to Jesus, saying, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29 NKJV).
Apostle John also testifies, “And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.” (1 John 2:2 NKJV).
Friend, Christ has fully paid for your sins (past, present, and future) by His death on the cross. Therefore, if you believe in and confess Christ today as your personal Lord and Saviour, you will freely receive forgiveness, deliverance from the dominion of sin, and the gift of everlasting life.
Ephesians 1:7-8 – NKJV
7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace
8 which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence.
John 3:36 – NKJV
36 He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.
Prayer:
My Dear Heavenly Father, I quit trying to overcome sin in my wisdom and strength. I humbly and wholeheartedly surrender to the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who You have sent to save me from my sin and its effects, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Our mandate is to preserve the faith of the Apostolic Generation.
Eniyekpemi Fidelis Oyinpreyebi.
AWH, Blogs.
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