The Sinfulness Of Sin - Preach The Word

The Sinfulness Of SinRalph Venningwe therefore gratify corruption and live as we list? No! 'Mortify therefore yourmembers which are upon the earth.' Though there are promises of forgiveness tohim who confesses his sin, a godly man dare not sin and buy repentance at so deara rate. After St. John had said that if we confess our sin, God is faithful and notonly merciful but just to forgive us our sin, and that the blood of Jesus Christ shallcleanse us from all sin, yet he adds, 'these things are written that you sin not' (1John 1.9 with 1 John 2.1). They dare not sin that good may come of it, nor tell a liethat the truth of God may thereby abound unto God's glory (Romans 3.7,8).(iv) They take care and use means to prevent sin.(a) They maintain a continual war against the Devil, world and the flesh becausethey would not sin. As much as they love peace they live in war. Indeed, they mustlive in war to preserve their peace, on which sin would make a breach. Godly menwould not hate the Devil except that he is a sinner and tempts them to sin. Theywould not hate their own flesh or father and mother except to prevent sinning. Youmay read of this war in Scripture (Galatians 5.17). They have to fight their way toheaven from day to day and duty to duty and are at great expense and pains tokeep this war on foot; and all this, that they might not sin.(b) They are always praying that they may not sin. 'Lead us not into temptation'they pray, 'but deliver us from evil.' Temptations are not sins but they are the wayto sins, and therefore they pray that if possible they might not be tempted. 'Let notany iniquity have dominion over me' said good king David (Psalm 119.133), andkeep me from presumption that I may be upright (Psalm 19.13). Indeed at thesame time they make this supplication: 'Thy will be done on earth as it is inheaven.'(c) They hide the word of God in their heart as an antidote that they might not sin(Psalm 119.11). When princes persecuted David without a cause, yet he dared notmediate revenge, but his heart stood in awe of the word which he had hid there(Psalm 119.161).(d) They abstain from the appearances and occasions of evil. Job made a covenantwith his eyes (Job 31.1). King David said that he would take heed to his ways thathe might not sin with his tongue (Psalm 39.1); that is to say, that he might beperfectly holy in the sense of the Apostle James: 'If any man offend not in word thesame is a perfect man and able also to bridle the whole body' (James 3.2); this isthe very expression used in the Psalm we have just quoted. When Joseph met witha tempting mistress, it is said of him that he hearkened not unto her, not only notto lie with her but not to be with her, and fled as from a plague or a devil (Genesis39.10,12).From all these things, to mention no more, it is quite dear that in these records ofgood men, sin is an exceedingly odious and pernicious thing. But I am aware thattwo objections will be made against the witness of these men. (1) From what maybe. Sin and sinners will say it is true these men reprove sin, condemn it in othersand endeavour to prevent it in themselves. But is this because of the ugliness of sinor of some inconvenience that might befall them? Is it because sin is sinful or forsome other reason? 2) From what is. You would make us believe that godly men64