Should We Debate Sin?

"Remember this:  Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way [unbelief and impenitence]  will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins"  (James 5:20).  This doesn't mean we go around pointing out our neighbor's sin, but to preach the gospel (our commission) and let God make the seed of the Word grow, leaving the results to God.

Looking back on previous posts, I noticed that several of them deal with whether some practice, such as gambling, smoking, Sabbath-breaking, sex during a woman's period, shaving sideburns, tattoos, etc.,  are sin.  "To his own master, he stands or falls...."   It is not our job to convict of sin, ("Preach the Word") but the sole responsibility and burden of the Holy Spirit--"He shall convict the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment" (cf. John 16:8).   If we faithfully preach the Word God, it will not come back void, but God will accomplish His divine purpose, according to Isa. 55:11.

"He flatters himself too much to detect or hate his sin"  (cf. Psa. 36:2).   "...He commits himself to a sinful course and does not reject what is wrong" (Psa. 36:4b).

Jesus came "not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance" (cf. Luke 19:1).  God wants us to admit our guilt and sinful nature, not that such and such is a sin.   "If you, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?" (cf. Psa. 130:3).

"You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence" (cf. Psa. 90:8).  Taking the beam out of our own eye, before trying to dislodge the speck in our brother's eye, as Jesus said.   We should be so busy being convicted of our own sins that we don't worry about our neighbor's sins and be like Paul who saw himself as the "chief of sinners."  Thank God, He doesn't treat us as our sins deserve, nor reward us according to our iniquities (cf. Psa. 103:10).

We can miss the point and concentrate on "sins" and not the root problem of "sin" (I mean the problem of the sin nature or tendency to sin inherent in us).   Paul exhorted the Romans to accept him who is weak in the faith, but let each be fully convinced in his own mind.  It is a spiritual fact that something may be a sin to you, and not to others.  Whatever is not of faith is sin, said Paul.  ("He that knows to do good, and does it not, sins"--James 4:17)   Christians have the Law written on their hearts and need no one to tell them right and wrong, for walking in the Spirit trumps all legalism.

Some believers strive to keep the letter of the Law but miss out on the spirit of it. "The Law of the Spirit has set us free from the law of sin and death"  (cf. Rom. 8:2).  In my opinion and experience, it is vain to debate whether something is a sin--we get nowhere fast, creating more heat than light!  What matters most to God, is where the heart is,  He looks at the motives, that we cannot judge or perceive.   Note that there are so-called gray areas that we shouldn't let someone judge us in.

To conclude, virtually anything in excess can be a sin; the vital issue is whether you control it or it controls you.  "...Sin is crouching at your door, it desires to have you, but you must master it"  (cf. Gen. 4:7).   "For a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him"  (cf. 2 Pet. 2:19b).   "'Everything is permissible for me--but not everything is beneficial.  Everything is permissible for me --but I will not be mastered by anything"  (cf. 1 Cor. 6:12).   Case in point:  C. H. Spurgeon said that he would quit smoking when it became a problem!   Psalm 119:133 says, "Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me...."  I have a good question:  Did  Rahab, the harlot of Jericho, sin, who lied to the officials?   Soli Deo Gloria!

Is There Real Freedom From the Law?

"Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes"  (Rom. 10:4, NIV).
"[B]y setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations..." (Eph. 2:15, NIV).


The Law does have a place in the believer's life to be a mirror that  shows us our sinfulness; however, we are not under the authority or tutelage of the Law (Rom. 6:14), which is only a shadow of the real thing--we walk in the Spirit and do the things against such there is no law (Heb. 10:1). I like the J. B. Phillips translation of Rom. 3:20 which reads realistically:  "It is the straightedge of the Law that shows us how crooked we really are."  "By the Law is the knowledge of sin," says Paul. We obey the spirit of the Law, and not necessarily the letter of it.  And we are not to rely on it for our justification nor sanctification because there is a curse on everyone who does (Gal. 3:10).  We don't have to become somewhat "Jewish" to be good Christians, says Chuck Swindoll--not good news to the new "Hebrew movement" sweeping Christendom.

The Law was made for "lawbreakers and rebels" (1 Tim. 1:9) and the unbeliever knows no law, while the believer needs no law. John Calvin said that the believer has the Law written on his heart.  This is part of the New Covenant mentioned in Jer. 31.  The Law should drive us to Christ for mercy and is our schoolmaster to brings us to a grace-oriented way of thinking ("For where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty").

Gal. 2:21 says, "For if justification were through the Law, Christ died for nothing."  The Law and the Old Covenant are now obsolete because Christ abolished it in His flesh "with its commandments and ordinances"  (Eph. 2:15).  Watchman Nee, who founded more than 200 churches in China before being imprisoned for the faith, said that the day he was delivered from the Law was a day of heaven on earth.

What basically is legalism, but adherence to the letter of the Law, without regard to its spirit, according to eminent theologian R. C. Sproul.  The Law (which is a revelation of a perfect code reflecting a perfect God) measures men, it doesn't save them.   When given the Law, Israel promised they would keep it, instead of asking for mercy, not realizing the vanity of it.

The first usage of the Law is to convict of sin and that is why Psalm 19 says the Law is perfect (note that it is God's job to do this--not ours), converting the soul--it is good as an evangelizing tool to show people they are sinners.  John Bunyan says, "The man who does not know the nature of the Law does not know the nature of sin.  The world at large is under the law until they are redeemed from its curse."

Paul warned Timothy in 1 Tim. 1:7 about those who want to be teachers of the Law.  The scribes were experts in the Law and Jesus warned of their "leaven."  "But avoid...arguments and quarrels about the Law" (Tit. 3:9).   The Law has no more authority over us than a deceased husband has over his living wife--death cancels all contracts.  "There is, therefore, no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, to those who are called according to His purpose"  (Rom. 8:1).

The Antinomians (literally against the law),  say: "Free from the Law, O blessed condition, now I can sin all I want and still have remission,"  think the Law has no purpose and is in effect a law unto themselves.  Grace doesn't give us the right to do whatever we think is right in our own eyes nor to do what Scripture condemns or what is plain wrong.  They misinterpret the Scripture that says, "All things are lawful [or permissible]..."  (1 Cor. 6:12; 10:13).

 The antidote to legalism and Antinomianism, according to Sproul is a serious and legitimate study of the Word.  The Moral Law, basically the Decalogue or the Ten Commandments, has not been rescinded, because, except for the Sabbath observance, they are reiterated in the New Testament.  What was moral then is moral now.  Many of the 613 commandments and prohibitions are merely elaborations of the Decalogue and common sense deductions.  Christ specifically voided the kosher laws, et al.

 Paul says the Law is good if one uses it righteously.  The Jews couldn't handle the yoke of the Law and the early church in Acts 15 decided not to burden them.  Obedience from the Christian should be a "want to" and not a "have to."  It is not an "in order to," but a "therefore." The Law is summed up in Gal. 5:14 where it says love is the fulfillment of the Law.  Jesus also said that the greatest commandments were to love God and our neighbor.  The Law adjudicates the sinner (points out his shortcomings and failures), but does not exculpate (free him from guilt) him!  The entire Law is summed up in the command:  "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."

The Formula of Concord (1577), the Lutheran confession of faith, established the so-called three-fold purpose of the Law:  To reveal sin; to establish decency in the society at large; and to provide a rule of life for the regenerated through faith in Christ, according to R. C. Sproul.   It does have a purpose because of all Scripture, according to 2 Tim. 3:16,  is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness.  Soli Deo Gloria!