The Sinfulness Of Sin - Preach The Word

The Sinfulness Of SinRalph VenningTo him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is a sin, a great sin, aheinous sin, sin with a witness. It may be sin to another who does not know to dogood, but not so great a sin as it is to him who knows. Therefore he who did notknow his master's will was beaten with only a few stripes, but he who knew it anddid not do it was beaten with many (Luke I2.47,48). The Jews were accustomed toabate one of the forty stripes which the law allowed; this they did even to St. Paul,much as they hated him, for of them twice he received forty stripes save one (2Corinthians 11.24). But the man who knows his master's will and does not do it,nor prepares himself, shall be beaten with many stripes, with the full numberwithout abatement or mitigation; the total sum required by the law shall beinflicted on him.(f) Sins of omission, if done in the sight of others, are bad examples, just as sins ofcommission are. A man may do a great deal of harm by not doing good We arecommanded to let our good works shine before others (Matthew 5.16), and to beexamples of faith and charity to others, to be presidents of good works (Titus 3.8),for that is what the word signifies in that text. The world is led by the eye as much,if not more than by the ear. Men are as much prevailed with by examples as theyare by precepts. They are, on the other hand, most inclined to think that they maydo what others, especially their betters, do. If rich men give but little, others whoare not so rich and yet able to give, think they may be excused if they give nothingto the poor. If parents neglect prayer, the children scarcely think it their duty topray.It is indeed an excellent thing to be an exemplary Christian; it shows that religionis practicable, for it draws men on. It is a listless hack which will not follow andstrive to keep pace when another mettled horse leads the way. Similarly, it is sadto be an exemplary sinner; for such an one has more sins to answer for than hisown, even those of other men which were committed through his example. It is acommon plea, Such and such learned and educated men do so and so, and whymay not I? O, do not follow a multitude, however wise and mighty it is, to do evil!Let us therefore provoke one another to love and good works by our example. Letus not only show, but lead the way.(g) Consider that sins of omission are sins which God has severely judged men forin this world, and for which He will judge men in the great day. It is observablehow severe God has been to men who have omitted what he commanded them todo, though they have claimed to do it for God's sake. We have an instance of thisin Saul (1 Samuel 15). God sent Saul to destroy Amalek, root and branch, king andpeople, from head to foot, from throne to threshold, and not to leave one personalive; man, woman, infant and suckling, all must die; oxen and sheep and so on,none must escape. But Saul spared Agag and the best of the sheep and oxen, andwould not utterly destroy them. The result was that the Lord repented of having setup Saul to be king (verse 11). Though Saul pretended that it was done for asacrifice to God (verses 15,22) yet it is charged against him as rebellion andwitchcraft (verse 23); and his not obeying the voice of the Lord is called doing evilin God's sight (verse 19). So he who omits a good, commits an evil; the omissionof good is the commission of evil, and is judged accordingly. How dearly this sin ofomission cost Saul!141