fredlott63

How not to sin

Sin is misunderstood. We think of sin as something outside of ourselves and not a poor choice of activity. We don’t know what activities are and are not sins. We think smoking is a sin but abortion is legal. Even though the bible says that God hates the shedding of innocent blood. It doesn’t address smoking at all. Mark 7:15 quotes Jesus as saying, ”there is nothing from outside a man that entering into him can defile him.“ Who does sin really hurt? Does my sin hurt anyone else? Why does the bible say we are all sinners? Sin mainly hurts the sinner. Secondarily those that depend on him. If God forbids it, doing it would be a sin. Let’s take stealing for example: People that don’t work have to steal, (or sell drugs). But If you steal, they are not looking for me. God came to this planet and wrote with His finger in stone not to steal. Anyone that steals is eventually going to ruin their life. But if you haven’t stolen anything, anyone trying to accuse you of stealing will be wasting their time. Why does the bible say we are all sinners? Everybody has done something. But while we are all sinners, we are not thieves or murderers. We should not look for sin in others. The only sin we should concern ourselves with is our own. Sin is a poor choice. But anyone’s sin has a negative effect on their lives. God is not mad at you and frankly, it’s no one’s business. Drinking and smoking are not sins. It is not a sin to masturbate. Making babies and not taking care of them is. If God is disgusted by it or says we shouldn’t do it, then doing it would be a sin. The easiest way not to sin is to avoid situations where sin can occur. You must have enough discipline not to do something that will effect your life negatively. We can choose our actions but not our consequences. We should consider the consequences before we act.

Theo Loc: Within 1000 miles of Tampa, Florida

While I think I recognize generalities in your remarks, to make a point, I feel I must respond, yet hesitate because I do not want to take away anything from your post. I agree with the spirit of what you have said.

However, I also feel compelled to respond because some readers may not know where your post states things that can be misconstrued, through ignorance. So I will try to address a couple of issues I see - I don't think "Sin is misunderstood" in this nation; I think it is "embraced."

Too many people take umbrage when some overzealous person gets in their face for things better off left to religious surroundings. In other words, the church does NOT have the right to try to compel non-churched individuals to live by church contrived standards.

Jesus was well aware that some churches would attempt to control those who are not interested in salvation or anything that would tend to curtail their sinfilled lives with anything resembling righteousness.

Paul said - "I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:10 Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. 11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. 12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?"(I Cor 5:9-12)

Paul reminds us we are limited in scope, to correcting the behavior of the Christians, not the world around us.



That is the question. If I am a drunkard, spending food money for my habit, and my children go hungry, forced to steal to provide food, have I hurt them by my careless disregard, or are they just criminals looking for a place to happen? Of course my sin hurts others; every time others are forced to vary their natural course, to accommodate my habit, I am hurting them. Every time the observe my careless disregard for my own soul, they learn to question God. I am hurting them.



Sin is an attack upon the Universe, because sin carries universal consequences. "And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;"(Gen 3:17)

"[color-blue]Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof. 2 And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the taker of usury, so with the giver of usury to him.[color] 3 The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the LORD hath spoken this word. 4 The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish. 5 The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. 6 Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.(Isa 24:1-6)

And men continue in their evil and in their ignorance because sin "feels so good" it blinds their eyes of their hearts. "Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:15 Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;"(II Pet 2:14-15)



God says if there is sin in the congregation, put the sinner out of the church; If there are more sinners than righteous,
"get you out from among them and be ye separate" - in other words, we have a responsibility to discriminate, not capitulate.

Every time someone, especially in the name of religion or religious practice, cries "NO DESCRIMINATION" they are directly opposed to what God says we are to do, and continue to watch to be vigilant to do. "DESCRIMINATE!"

To fail to DISCRIMINATE is to fail to "watch lest ye also sin." "Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware[/color [color=blue]lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness."(II Pet 3:17)



"Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault[/color, [color=red]ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
"(Gal 6:10)

We are to look out for each other, not commanding and demanding, but in a spirit of humility, lest we make a problem worse by our attitude.



Drunkenness is! And that comes from drinking beyond one's ability to discern probability of over indulgence.



I think over all, you have presented much to consider. We must learn the proper meaning of "Discrimination" or we wind up thinking more highly of "self" than is proper, and begin to judge another who, while sinning, may be more righteous than I who points out his sin.

Thank you for making me think.

fredlott63

The word of God should be followed, not policed. We shouldn't condemn others because we don't know what is a sin and what is not.

Dummy Boy Loc: Michigan

I'm not really sure what you're saying. Would you mind rephrasing your remark?

fiatlux

"The easiest way not to sin is to avoid situations where sin can occur. You must have enough discipline not to do something that will effect your life negatively." This advice goes directly against Christ's teaching.

fredlott63

Stop reading.

fredlott63

We should not look for sin outside of ourselves. The only sin we should concern ourselves with is our own. We can only control ourselves.

Dummy Boy Loc: Michigan

Wow, it's as if you never actually received Christ:

1. Evangelism is not about pointing out sin in others, it is about presenting the opportunity of God's saving grace.

2. Do you think telling people that by reading the word of God and that you made because of his word, that that isn't telling someone passive/aggressively that the reason they are a piece of shit, is because they don't read the word.

3. You have not surrendered yourself fully to Christ's grace, therefore by your last remark you are going to Hell.

fredlott63

I think you don't know what you are talking about. Your salvation makes you useless. Jeremiah 23:16

Dummy Boy Loc: Michigan

I assume you read my comment already but I'll repeat...your salvation is like having a box a nails and no hammer...quote the bible all you want...it doesn't mean anything.

fredlott63

So stop reading.