Posts Tagged ‘sin’
Officers, But Not Gentlemen
by Floyd Chappelear via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 21 No. 3, September 1995 When God had finished his creative work with the fashioning of man, he declared that it was “very good” (Genesis 1:31). This was because Satan had not entered the earthly scene to confound man and confuse him. Afterward, when the Devil did appear, man…
Read MoreThe Disease of Sin and Its Cures
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/The-Disease-of-Sin-and-Its-Cure.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Ezra 9:5-15 I. Ever since Adam and Eve partook of the forbidden fruit, sin has been a big problem for mankind. A. We just can’t seem to get away from it. You could almost look at it as a disease — a spiritual disease of the heart. B. Like any disease,…
Read MoreWhat Should We Preach?
by Mike Schmidt via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 21 No. 2, June 1995 Much has been said and written lately about preaching and teaching. Some see a “new apostasy” underway, with this departure being fueled by a change in what is being preached. Some have taken lists of topics from meeting announcements and complained that there was…
Read MoreSeparated from Uncleanness
by Zeke Flores “Thus you shall keep the sons of Israel separated from their uncleanness, so that they will not die in their uncleanness by their defiling My tabernacle that is among them” (Leviticus 15:31). Leviticus 15 deals with bodily discharges, which is uncomfortable reading for most of us. But the point is clear: God was…
Read MorePut to Death What is Earthly In You
by Edwin Crozier Having explained his own work in ministering the gospel (Colossians 1:24-2:5) and then expounded the need to maintain a stable and steadfast faith (Colossians 2:6-3:4), Paul moves to the third leg of this letter laid out back in Colossians 1:21-23. He describes the need to move from hostility to holiness (Colossians 3:5-4:6).…
Read MoreUnintentional Sin
by Zeke Flores “If anyone of the common people sins unintentionally … then he shall bring for his offering a goat, a female without defect, for his sin which he has committed” (Leviticus 4:27-28). Leviticus 4 deals with unintentional sin. Not rebellion, not defiance, just the stuff we do without thinking. The careless words. The…
Read MoreThe Sins that Crucified the Savior
by Terry Wane Benton The fact that the Bible says we can “crucify afresh” the Son of God (Hebrews 6:6) and “put Him to an open shame” is something that ought to weigh on our consciences. When we see how Jesus was mishandled and mistreated, it is easy to dismiss our own part in the…
Read MoreWas It Any of Lot’s Business?
by Terry Wane Benton I got a note from someone telling me that the LGBTQ causes do not and should not concern me. That is like saying, what they are promoting in schools and through political causes does not concern me. Well, it does! You see, sin is a spiritual disease that spreads by people…
Read MoreThe ABCs of Sin
by David Gibson A—The Attraction of Sin: Pleasure. There is pleasure in gossip, pornography, fornication, alcohol, drugs, etc. Isn’t that why sin is so tempting? Satan really knows how to bait a hook! He doesn’t want us to know that sin is deceptive (Hebrews 3:13), its pleasures are passing (Hebrews 11:25), and its momentary pleasures…
Read MoreThe Advantages of Preventing Sin
by David Gibson As wonderful as forgiveness is, isn’t it far better not to sin in the first place? Preventing sin helps us avoid being hardened by sin (Ephesians 4:19; I Timothy 4:2; Hebrews 3:13). Habitual sin desensitizes. A hardened sinner is a sad spectacle indeed! Preventing sin helps keep our influence positive. If others…
Read MoreDon’t Be Overcome
by Edwin Crozier As we continue our walk through II Peter, we will do something a little out of the ordinary. We will begin by commenting on the end of the chapter. We do this because we need to know where Peter is going and what is at stake in all he writes. In II…
Read MoreWere Sins “Rolled Forward”?
by Ney Rieber via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 20 No. 2, June 1994 Was there forgiveness of sins for those under the Old Testament? This question is frequently answered in the negative. It is stated that their sins were not forgiven, but were “rolled forward” year by year. The primary passage used to support this idea is…
Read MoreSin Leveling
by Gardner Hall What is “sin leveling”? I recently heard this term, and the more I think about it, the more I think it describes a great evil. “Sin leveling” is giving the same weight to depraved or predatory acts that we give to the involuntary shortcomings that all disciples battle. But aren’t all sins…
Read MoreCan someone be born with a sin that cannot be forgiven?
Question: Hello, First, I would like to thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. I do appreciate your knowledge. I have an interesting question about the topic of “saveability” (not an actual word). Does God allow for someone to be born with sin that they cannot be forgiven of? I know the…
Read MoreBorderline Christians
by B. C. Goodpasture There is a story of a county Superintendent of Education who received three applications for one vacancy among the school bus drivers. He devised this scheme for selecting the proper man. The superintendent took the first applicant to a sharp curve on a steep grade along the road and asked, “How…
Read MoreThe Old Law, Unintentional Sins, and the Christian
by Timothy D. Stringer via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 19 No. 3, September 1993 In Leviticus 4:1-6:7, God, through Moses, gives the Israelite nation provisions for the forgiveness of sins. The priest, the congregation, the leaders, and the common people are given different sacrifices and rituals to perform to receive forgiveness for unintentional sin. (Leviticus 4) For…
Read MoreSerpent Voice
by Terry Wane Benton It is surprising that the adversary of God and man, Satan, could use a serpent and project words through such a creature, but he had such power to trick Eve (Genesis 3). She was not discerning enough to know that evil was at work, undermining the character of God and the…
Read MorePutting Adam Back Together
by Joshua Creel via Biblical Insights, Vol. 15 No. 2, February 2015 Adam was broken; he was in pieces. Now, before you worry too much, allow me to explain that Adam is a statue – a very valuable statue. The Italian Renaissance master Lombardo crafted him from marble in the late 1400s. The statue has been…
Read MoreConfusion and Transgression
by Sewell Hall via Seeking Things Above Have you ever heard anyone say, as an explanation for some sinful action, “I have become so confused I don’t know what is right anymore”? As a rule, the person who says such a thing has had clear convictions but has acted, or is about to act, contrary…
Read MoreWhat is the difference between intentional and unintentional sins?
Question: Please explain the difference between intentional sin and unintentional sin. I would also like to understand whether God judges us for unintentional sins. Wouldn’t it be unjust for Him to punish someone for something they weren’t even aware of? Answer: “‘But the person who does anything defiantly, whether he is native or an alien,…
Read MoreWhy Remain a Christian When Christians Sin?
by Doy Moyer Why do we stay faithful to Jesus when so many churches and people do so much wrong? It’s a common complaint. Here is an elder, a deacon, or a preacher who fell from grace in some way or abused other members. Here is a church that is worldly and selfish, turning a…
Read MoreHalf of Americans no longer see traditional sins as wrong
Source: Chris Eyte, “Half of Americans no longer view most traditional sins as wrong, Barna study finds,” Christian Daily International, 23 October 2025. “… most Americans now say that they only consider half of 12 specific behaviors presented to them and traditionally considered sinful, as actually sinful.” “Some behaviors, such as drinking, gambling, and working on…
Read MoreWhen Your Brother Is Overtaken in a Sin
by Heath Rogers The Parable of the Good Samaritan tells of a man who is ambushed, stripped, beaten, and left for dead (Luke 10:30-37). The first people to find him are his own countrymen, but they pass him by. It is the foreigner, a Samaritan, who stops and helps. We are ready to judge the…
Read MoreIs worship acceptable if the one leading it is a hidden sinner?
Question: Dear sir, I hope this email finds you well. In reference to Romans 6:1-2 and I Timothy 2:8: If someone is leading any of the acts of worship and, unknown to the church, the person is in sin but continues to lead the service, does it hinder the church in any way? Do your…
Read MoreI Struggle with Sin. Am I a Bad Christian?
by Mark McCrary Every honest Christian knows this question: “I’m struggling with sin. Does that make me a bad Christian?” The Bible doesn’t brush this concern aside. In fact, it describes exactly that tension between God’s call to holiness and our ongoing battle with sin. On one hand, God says, “Be holy, for I am…
Read MoreDigging Through the Wall
by Cleve Stafford Some of the most uncomfortable parts of Scripture are the ones that feel a little too close to home. One of those moments shows up in the book of Ezekiel, in a vision that doesn’t get preached on very often, but maybe should. Ezekiel 8:7-12, “And he brought me to the entrance…
Read MoreCan you be forgiven if you intentionally sin?
Question: Hello, I was told by my parents (who are a deacon and a deaconess in a church) that if someone sins intentionally (meaning that they know what they’re doing is a sin), God would not forgive them. Is that true? Answer: I assume your parents are thinking of: “For if we go on sinning…
Read MoreSome “Old Stains”
by Dennis Ross The other day, while washing dishes, I came upon a small pot that had been scorched during its use. Even though I had soaked it for quite a while, in hot water and soap, I still had a great deal of difficulty removing all the stains from the bottom of the pot.…
Read MoreShall We Sin? The Real Point of Romans 6
by Randy Blackaby Virtually any survey of Bible teaching on the importance of baptism includes an examination of Romans 6:3-4, which demonstrates how baptism connects the believer with Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. This passage illustrates how baptism imitates and is, in fact, a pattern of our Lord’s sacrifice. However, while these two verses certainly…
Read MoreHow Long, O Lord?
by Doy Moyer After yesterday, here’s what I’m feeling… “The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5). We are a lost world. That’s not even up for debate. And “we” won’t fix it. We…
Read MoreWhat is the difference between a mistake and a sin?
Question: How do we discern if a mistake is sinful or not? For example, if someone (not a characteristically prideful person) fails to listen to wisdom and makes a poor choice, believing they’re using good judgment, is that sin? Does the Bible talk about mistakes, or give examples of mistakes, or is it all sin…
Read MoreWhat Kind of People Confess Their Sins?
by Steve Klein via Biblical Insights, Vol. 15 No. 2, February 2015 “Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16). There used to be a site on the Internet called DailyConfession that advertised itself as “the…
Read MoreIs there a difference between original sin and actual sin?
Question: Dear Jeffrey I am combing through reading material around the subject of Original Sin. I am critiquing a book written by a popular proponent of this doctrine, “Original Sin: Illuminating the Riddle” by French theologian Henri Blocher. Amongst his discussions, there are two arguments he made to support his doctrine, which I have some…
Read MoreSin Is Never Pretty
by Zeke Flores Sin in the church is never pretty. It’s usually always a holdout from a way of life that should have been left behind. But sin is stubborn, and so are we, and we can tend to cling to it despite our best intentions. So, Paul reminds us that there is a new…
Read MoreWillfully Sinning
by Ed Smith via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 17 No. 3, 30 September 1991 Experience told me the cause of the old building’s demise as I looked over the sagging eaves: it was the result of a series of events that had progressed to this point. A leaky gutter allowed water to saturate the timber framing; damp…
Read MoreI Protest
by Terry Wane Benton I protest sin. It corrupts hearts and destroys love and peace. It breaks our relationship with God and makes people lawless. It blinds people to their own faults and makes them super critical of others. Sin corrupts hearts so that they hate people without knowing them based upon external features that…
Read MoreThe Process of Sin
by Dennis Strickland We all have faced “iniquity” in our lives because the Bible clearly states it in Romans 3:23. The Spirit had Paul remind them: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” Iniquity and sin are one and the same, but many are confused as to how these occur.…
Read MoreSodom Within
by Clay Gentry In our daily lives, especially this month, we’re immersed in a charged and polarizing cultural conversation over sexuality. We see headlines, scroll social media, and encounter perspectives that challenge, provoke, and sometimes anger us. It’s “Pride Month,” and for many Christians, this time often brings an understandable impulse: to declare biblical truths…
Read MoreIs it repentance if I sin just this once and never do it again?
Question: There is an assignment that I was supposed to complete, and I had ample time to do it, but I didn’t, which I admit was wrong of me. I look to change this attitude in the future. The root cause is social media. I know I must repent of that and not spend too…
Read MoreSin as a Practice
by Terry Wane Benton “We know that no one who is born of God sins; but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him. We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one” (I John 5:18-19).…
Read More