Lesson #12
Why Do People Sin?
We are free moral agents. God could have made us as robots and programmed us not to sin, but He didn’t. I am glad He didn’t, because I would not want to be a robot. We have a choice in the matter. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). There are several reasons why people sin.
People sin because, "There is no fear of God before their eyes" (Romans 3:18). They have no respect for God, our Creator. But the "whole duty of man" is to "fear God and keep His commandments" (Ecclesiastes 12:13). Before we can keep God’s commandments we must know what they are. But God says, "My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge" (Hosea 4:6). We must study God’s word because, "Your word, I have hidden in my heart that I might not sin against You" (Psalms 119:11). We must develop an awesome respect for God and His word so we will not sin against Him.
People sin because we are deceived by sin. We are to, "Exhort one another daily, while it is called today, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin" (Hebrews 3:13). We will sin after we become a Christian, although this is not an excuse to sin. The apostle John in writing to Christians who had already been baptized for the forgiveness of their past sins says, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us" (1 John 1:8). We can even deceive ourselves by denying we have sinned. Because of the deceitfulness of sin, we are to, "Beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked" (2 Peter 3:17). We are warned, "Let no man deceive you with vain words" (Ephesians 5:6). Yes, sin is deceiving.
People sin because there is temporary pleasure in sin. Moses chose "rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season" (Hebrews 11:25). Because of the pleasures of sin, we are tempted and enticed. "But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust has conceived, it brings forth sin, and sin when it is finished, brings forth death" (James 1:14-15). "For the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). This is spiritual death which is being eternally separated from God by being cast into the eternal fires of Hell (Matthew 13:41-42) and punished forever and ever (Revelation 20:10, 15).
People sin because, "The soul of the wicked desires evil" (Proverbs 21:10). Jesus asks, "Why do you think evil in your hearts?" (Matthew 9:4). People sin because they "love evil more than good, lying rather than speaking righteousness" (Psalms 52:3). And because of this they "call evil good and good evil" (Isaiah 5:20).
People sin because they are deceived by false doctrine. "If anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed" (Galatians 1:9). If one wanders away into the sin of denominationalism, he will be lost. "Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God" (2 John 9). We must be faithful to God and His word.
People sin because of the influence of the people with whom they associate. "Do not be deceived; evil company corrupts good habits" (1 Corinthians 15:33). We must carefully choose our associates. To protect ourselves from sin we must, "Abstain from all appearance of evil" (1 Thessalonians 5:22).
We also sin when we willfully do not do the things required of us. "Therefore, to him that knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin" (James 4:17). Failing to comply with the commandments God has given us, makes one just as sinful as doing what God commands us not to do. One of the most common examples of someone not obeying what one is required to do, is failing to assemble with fellow brethren for worship. We are not to "forsake the assembling of ourselves together as is the manner of some…for if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sin" (Hebrews 10:25-26). If we continue willfully in our sin and don’t repent, we will die in our sins and be lost (John 8:24). Let us not be deceived by sin, because the wages of sin is spiritual death in Hell forever (Romans 6:23).
What is sin? "Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness" (1 John 3:4). Sin is breaking God’s laws and commandments. Man tries to categorize sins as being small and large, there is no difference. God's commandments in the bible clearly show us different; 1 John 5:17 says, "All unrighteousness is sin". There is no difference. Homosexuality and adultery (1 Corinthians 6:9-11), murder and lying (Revelation 21:8), or prejudice (James 2:9) are all sins that will cause us to be lost. But these and any other sins which are not forgiven will cause us to be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone along with Satan and "tormented day and night forever and ever" (Revelation 20:10, 15). Also, we dare not try to justify anyone else in their sin because, "He that justifies the wicked and he that condemns the just, even they both are an abomination to the Lord" (Proverbs 17:15).
So we can go to Heaven when this life is over, "Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts" (Romans 6:12). When we do sin, we must repent. Jesus says, "Unless you repent you will all likewise perish" (Luke 13:3). Let’s make going to Heaven our number one priority in this life.
Questions Lesson #12
Why Do People Sin?
(Click on the button of the answer of your choice)
1) (Romans 3:23) How many accountable people have sinned?
Only bad people.
All accountable people.
Only some accountable people.
2) (Romans 3:18) People continue in sin because they do not fear God.
3) (Psalms 119:11) How do we keep from sinning?
We can do it on our own without God's help.
There is no way to try and stop sinning.
By hiding God's word in our heart.
4) (Hebrews 3:13) We cannot be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
5) (1 John 1:8) If we say we don't sin
We are telling the truth.
The truth is not in us.
Only God knows when we sin.
6) (Ephesians 5:6) We can be deceived by the words of men.
7) (Psalms 52:3) People who don't care if they sin
Should not be concerned.
Love evil more than good.
Cannot do better.
8) (Isaiah 5:20) There are people who call evil good and good evil.
9) (Galatians 1:9) If one does not abide in the doctrine of Christ
He does not have God.
God will overlook his fault.
It is alright if he is sincere.
10) (James 4:17) If we know to do good and don't do it, it is sin.
11) (Hebrews 10:25-26) If we forsake the worship assembly
It is a willful sin.
It is alright if we have something better to do.
It is alright if we don't do it too often.
12) (1 John 5:17) All unrighteousness is sin.
13) (Proverbs 17:15) If we try to justify the wicked
We become an abomination to the Lord.
It is alright to justify the wicked.
We should only try to justify our friends and relatives when they sin.
14) (Luke 13:3) We will be eternally lost if we don't repent.