The Sinfulness Of Sin - Preach The Word

The Sinfulness Of SinRalph Venning(b) In the day of judgment. Even if sinners do not awake and repent before, yet inthe great and terrible day of the Lord they will be ashamed. They who now run toall excess of riot will not be able to stand then. The wicked shall not stand injudgment; they will then quake and tremble, for horror will take hold of and arrestthem. They will not stand to justify themselves nor to be justified by anyone else.They will be found speechless, without a word to say for themselves or their sins,like the man who came to the wedding feast without a wedding garment. If therighteous be scarcely saved, or with difficulty, where shall the sinners and ungodlyappear (1 Peter 4.18)? See how they run away and would fain hide themselves(Revelation 6.15).(c) In the day of eternity. In that long, everlasting day when they are in hell theywill confess the sinfulness of sin. The place of torment will extort the confession ofsin as it did from Dives (Luke I6). Where is the rustling of silk and satin now!Where are the dainty bits, the generous wines, and all the deceitful pleasures of sinnow! Alas, although they have no pity shown them they will pity others, and wishthat none might come into that place of torment. Then they will cry out, O sinfulsin! O devilish and hellish sin!This must suffice to show the sinfulness of sin from the confession of wicked menand I now proceed to call other witnesses.4. THE WHOLE CREATION WITNESSES AGAINST SINThere is not one creature in heaven or earth or under the earth, whether animateor inanimate, but proclaim the sinfulness of sin. And not only the sensible, butinsensible creatures also can find a tongue and language to speak against sin. Theydo this with respect to themselves, and with respect to God and man.(1) The whole creation witnesses against sin as having done it a great deal ofwrong and injuryIt witnesses that sin has deprived it of its privilege, so that it is not now as when itcame out of God's hand and was made by him. When God looked on all that he hadmade, behold it was very good (Genesis I.31). But how are things altered since sincame into the world! The angels he has charged with folly (Job 4.18). The heavensare not clean in his sight (Job 15.15). Man in his best estate is altogether vanity(Psalm 39.5). The earth is under a curse (Genesis 3.17,18). Indeed the wholecreation groans (Romans 8.21,22). By the whole creation the learned Grotiusunderstands the whole universe, as do many others. The apostle had three timesspoken of the creature (verses 19,20,21) and yet now speaks more fully in verse22: the whole creation, or every creature, is subject to vanity and under thebondage of corruption, which makes it groan and puts it to pain as a woman intravail. It is as if it cried out, O sinful sin! I was freeborn and though underdominion, yet not under bondage. Once I served man freely but now from fear(Genesis 9.2). Every creature which is under the power of man may say to him, Idid nothing of myself to make me liable to bondage, but being your goods andchattels, I suffer a part of the penalty of your treason. If you had not sinned, Iwould not have suffered. But now I groan and wait to be delivered from thebondage of your corruption. O sinful sin!74