The Sinfulness Of Sin - Preach The Word

The Sinfulness Of SinRalph Venningno great consequence, but will not put forth the power they have to prevent sin.Pilate seemed to witness against the Jews when they cried out for the crucifying ofChrist Jesus, and washed his hands to testify his innocence (Matthew 27.24). Yetbecause he did not put forth his power, he is reckoned among the number of themwho killed him (Acts 4.27).Consent may be given openly and notoriously by word of mouth. Saul, afterwardsPaul, gave his voice (Acts 26.10); his vote went with the rest, and he gave it with avoice, a loud voice. If anyone brings false doctrine, and a man bids him Godspeed,this man is partaker of his evil deeds (2 John 10,11). when men say, asJehoshaphat did to Ahab, 'I am as thou art, and my people as thy people; and wewill be with thee in the war' (2 Chronicles 18.3); when we thus give consent, it isnotorious.(3) Do not be accessory to other men's sins after they are committed. You may beguilty of this in many ways, but I shall name only four.(a) In not grieving for other men's sins. All sin is against God, and for that reasonhe who truly grieves for his own sin will grieve for other men's too. It was the greatcommendation of Lot that his righteous soul was vexed with the filthy conversationof the Sodomites; it was a torment, a kind of hell to him (2 Peter 2.7). David couldnot prevent men sinning and therefore he grieved for it, so much so that his eyesran down with rivers of tears (Psalm 119.136). And this made the prophetJeremiah wish his eyes fountains, that he might weep day and night. All thesepeople were remembered by the Lord in mercy, when others were rewarded withmisery. There is scarcely another way like this, to be kept from partaking in theruin of sinners. God will set a mark on his weeping and mourning people, and as forthe rest, they will be found as accessories if not principals in wickedness, andjudged accordingly (Ezekiel 9.4-6). Oh, that there were more crying persons, whenthere are so many crying sins! They who grieve not and mourn not are guilty, asthe apostle tells us (1 Corinthians 5.1,2); but by mourning they were cleared ofthis matter (2 Corinthians 7:11).(b) By concealing that which we ought to reveal and make known. This may beeasily proved from Scripture: 'If a soul sin, and hear a voice of swearing, and is awitness, whether he has seen or known of it; if he do not utter it, then he shallbear his iniquity' (Leviticus 5.1). 'whoso is partner with a thief hateth his own soul:he heareth cursing, and betrayeth it not', which he ought to do (Proverbs 29.24).Yet again, 'If thy brother, the son of thy mother or thy son, or thy daughter, or thewife of thy bosom, or thy friend, which is as thine own soul, entice thee secretly,saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which thou hast not known, thou, nor thyfathers . . . thou shalt not consent unto him' (Deuteronomy 13.6,8). Is thatenough? No! 'nor hearken unto him'. Is that enough? No! 'neither shall thine eyepity him'. Is that enough? No! 'neither shalt thou spare'. Is that enough? No!'neither shalt thou conceal him'. Is that enough? No 'thou shalt surely kill him (byrevealing him to the judges); thine hand shall be first upon him to put him todeath.' But you will say, is this not un-natural? what! betray a brother, one fromthe same womb, the son of my mother? Indeed more, my own soul Indeed more,my wife, and most of all, my friend! No matter! for all that, thou shalt not concealhim. To conceal such a sinner would be to partake of his sin (2 John 10.11). These156