The Sinfulness Of Sin - Preach The Word

The Sinfulness Of SinRalph Venningcome short of the glory of God (Romans 3. 23), and death came upon all, inasmuchas all had sinned (Romans 5.12). All men have died of this plague; indeed our Lordand Saviour would not have died if he had not been made sin for us. Moreover, thisleprosy has not only spread itself on mankind as a whole, but on the whole of man;every part of man is infected. It has made flesh and spirit filthy (2 Corinthians 7.1).From the crown of the head to the sole of the foot, there is not one sound part inhim, for all his members are servants to sin. It is no better within, for his heart isevil; the thoughts of his heart are evil; the imaginations of the thoughts of hisheart are evil; the very thoughts of his thoughts are evil. Indeed every creature ofthe heart is evil (Genesis 6.5). I showed above how the understanding is darkenedand depraved. That the heart is desperately wicked and deceitful beyond anyknowledge but God's the prophet assures us from God himself (Jeremiah 17.9).The mind and conscience is defiled (Titus 1.15,16). The world has become perverseand stubborn; and worse, it is wilful and mad, set upon sin and Hell (Ecclesiastes8.11). The affections which are lustful are inordinate, and the passions which areirascible, are unruly. Man is more headstrong than the horse which rushes into thebattle. Sin has made some men so restless that they cannot sleep unless or untilthey have done mischief (Proverbs 4.16).Sin spreads its infection by defiling man's duties and holy things. It defiles hisnatural and civil actions so that the ploughing of the wicked is sin (Proverbs 21.4).Man should do everything from the highest to the lowest duty to the glory of God,but which of his deeds is not ill-done and to the dishonour of God? Sin infectsmen's prayers. The prayers of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord (Proverbs28.9), even though offered up with incense to perfume them (Isaiah 1.13). Underthe law, Aaron was to bear the iniquity of the holy things (Exodus 28.38). Israelbrought God many a present, but sin, like a dead fly in a box of ointment, spoilteverything (Isaiah 11.11,16).Sin also infects all that belongs to man. When man was created, God furnished hishouse for him, gave him the world and the fulness thereof. It was good then, butalas, how it has changed, for sin has made everything that belongs to man vanity,that is, empty and unprofitable (Ecclesiastes 1). The fulness of the creature cannotfill a man: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear with hearing, for all isvanity. The gloss and beauty, the pleasure and profit of creature enjoyments havebecome vanity; indeed, what is more, sin has made them vexation too. Sin hasembittered man's enjoyments. Man, among his comforts, lives but a vexatious life.In the fulness of his sufficiency he is in straits, and likewise, in the fulness of hiscomforts he is in sorrow, and in the midst of laughter his heart is sad. Man'senjoyments are disappointments; they fail his expectations and so are not to hiscontentment, but to his vexation. Neither the length nor the comfort of his life is inthe abundance of these things (Luke 12.15). What is even worse, his sin has notonly made things very vexatious, but a snare and temptation to man; they are sin'sbaits by which it catches men. What are honours, pleasures and riches but snaresto the children of men (Proverbs 30.8,9).(ii) How suddenly sin infects, increases and multiplies! Sin is not barren, but all toofruitful to beget and bring forth more; it is not lazy but gains ground continually.How great a fire hath a spark kindled! Adam's posterity has not been so numerousas his sins. A little cloud, no bigger than a man's hand--so it seems at first--grows90