The Disease of Sin and Its Cures
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, it has characteristics which allow us to recognize the problem. Let us consider five of them.
II. Some Characteristics of Sin
A. A Love to Sin
1. Most people do not like being sick. As soon as they start having serious symptoms, it is off to the doctor to find a cure.
2. Sin is not like that. Many people who have sin don’t see it as a problem; in fact, they enjoy their wickedness. - II Thessalonians 2:9-12
a. Notice the source of the enjoyment: their choice to believe lies; they do not love the truth.
b. The love of sin is rooted in a problem of unbelief.
3. Some people love sin so much, they are not satisfied with leaving it alone. They have to drag it behind them. - Isaiah 5:18
4. The Israelites loved to wander from God. - Jeremiah 14:10
a. They did not control themselves; not that they couldn’t help themselves, but they didn’t want to resist sin.
b. Even the leaders of Israel loved evil and hated good - Micah 3:1-2
5. However, God provided a remedy for the love of sin. Remember the source of the problem is choosing to believe the wrong things.
a. Psalms 52:1-4 - Some love evil more than good. They prefer lying. They enjoy causing harm with their words.
(1) Psalms 52:7 - Why? They trust their own selves and their riches. There is that idea of a misplaced belief again.
(2) Psalms 52:8 - The cure for a love of sin is a love of God.
b. Proverbs 2:12-15 - The wicked enjoy evil. They delight in the perverse deeds of others.
(1) The cure? Proverbs 2:10-11 - The wisdom, knowledge, and understanding from the Lord
6. When people put their trust in God., when they believe He exists, when they believe they must answer to Him for the deeds they do, then there is no longer a delight in mischief.
a. People love evil because they think they can get away with it.
B. Which brings us to the next symptom. Sin is practiced by the wicked.
1. Matthew 7:15-20 - You know them by their fruits, by the things they practice and the results of their deeds.
2. There is a cure for this disease as well. We call it repentance.
a. As the early Christians were taught - Acts 26:20
b. Through repentance, our sins are removed - Acts 3:19
c. Isaiah 1:16-17 - Purify self. Put away evil. Cease to do evil.
d. Romans 6:12-13 - Do not let sin reign in your bodies
e. I Corinthians 15:34 - Awake to righteousness and do not sin.
f. Only if the wicked will forsake his way will he live - Ezekiel 18:21
C. You see, God views sin as a state of being. It is where you choose to live.
1. There is a way out of this state — baptism.
2. Acts 2:38 - Baptized for the forgiveness of sin
3. Acts 22:16 - Baptism washes away (removes) sin
4. Romans 6:4 - Baptism takes us out of our life of sin and puts us into a new life.
5. In fact, Paul goes on to say that baptism frees us from the bondage of sin - Romans 6:5-7
D. This leads us to another characteristic of sin. When people see the sin in their lives, it brings to them a heavy burden of guilt.
1. Psalms 40:11-12 - David found his sins too heavy to bear, so he begged mercy from God.
2. Therein is the cure for the guilt of sin — God’s merciful pardon.
3. Ezra 9:5-15 - Ezra saw that Israel’s sins caused their bondage (Ezra 9:9, 13). Not just a physical bondage, but also a spiritual one, which could only be release by God’s mercy (Ezra 9:9)
4. Have you ever heard someone say, “I can’t be a Christian. I could never be as good as them.” That is the chains of guilt speaking! They see their sins, but it has them bound.
5. But God promised in the new covenant to give mercy - Hebrews 8:12
6. Ephesians 2:1-8 - God’s grace has saved us from our sins.
7. Isaiah 43:25 - God can remove our sins.
8. Micah 7:18-20 - Who is like our God, who willingly pardons our iniquities?
E. Sin, uncured, leads surely to death - James 1:14-15
1. Romans 6:23 - The wages of sin is death, but God has provided a cure — his gift of eternal life.
2. Romans 5:12-21 - All sin and so all die, but through Christ all may have life.
3. I Corinthians 15:21-26 - Christ will destroy death that we may rise and live with him.
4. II Timothy 1:8-10 - It is so sure, it is spoken of in the past tense. Christ has abolished death, and has brought life and immorality to light through the gospel.
III. Sin is a subtle and fatal disease. It kills and those who have it don’t even realize they are dying!
A. But God has provided a cure. Like any medicine, it will not help you if you don’t partake of it.
