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Public vs. Private Sins

Public vs. Private Sins. QUESTIONS: What is sin? Are there private sins? When does a private sin become public? How should we seek forgiveness for a private sin?. WHAT IS SIN?. WHAT IS SIN?. Breaking God’s law is sin. Crossing the limits which God set is sin.

zephania-benson
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Public vs. Private Sins

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  1. Public vs. Private Sins QUESTIONS: What is sin? Are there private sins? When does a private sin become public? How should we seek forgiveness for a private sin?

  2. WHAT IS SIN?

  3. WHAT IS SIN? • Breaking God’s law is sin. • Crossing the limits which God set is sin. • Falling short of God’s requirements is sin. • Most descriptions of sin include “action” – murder, adultery, stealing, lying • But – There are sins of the heart – internal – in our mind.

  4. SINS OF THE HEART • Proverbs 4:23 – Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. • Matthew 12:34-35 34 Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.

  5. SINS OF THE HEART • Matthew 15:17-20 17 Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? 18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. 20 These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man."

  6. THE BIBLICAL “HEART” • The Biblical “heart” refers to our: • WILL – What I want or decide to do – “Love God with all your heart” • INTELLECT – What I learn or know – “heart waxed gross, closed eyes, stopped ears” • REASON – What I think and analyze – “As a man thinks in his heart” • PASSION – My emotions – Lust – adultery in the heart

  7. SINS OF THE HEART • UNJUST ANGER • Ephesians 4:32 – be angry, but don’t sin • Matthew 5:21-22 21 "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.' 22 But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire.

  8. SINS OF THE HEART • PARTIALITY • We must treat everyone with respect – James 2:1-10 • God is not partial • We must not show partiality to power, position, wealth, beauty, fame, race, gender • Acts 10:34-35 34 Then Peter opened his mouth and said: "In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. 35 But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.

  9. SINS OF THE HEART • ENVY OR JEALOUSY • Envy is the feeling of displeasure at the advantage or prosperity of others • Jealousy is the desire to have or keep the same things for ourselves • Envy wants what others have. • The sin of jealousy is jealous to the extreme.

  10. SINS OF THE HEART • PREJUDICE • Judging is wrong – Matthew 7:1 • Judging according it appearance is wrong • Wrong judgments involve: • Motives – intent • Eternal destiny • Prejudice is the making of judgments before we have sought to collect all the facts

  11. SINS OF THE HEART • INGRATITUDE, THANKLESSNESS • An ungrateful heart is a step to apostasy – Romans 1:21-32 • When one is not grateful – their life turns to: • Cynicism • Grumbling • Complaining • Bitterness

  12. SINS OF THE HEART • PRIDE, ARROGANCE • Arrogance is the attitude of exalting oneself so that he is better than others • We call it a “holier-than-thou” attidude • God hates pride – Proverbs 6:16 • Pride often leads to destruction – Proverbs 16:18 • God will humble the proud – James 4:6 • Luke 18:9-14 – Pharisee and publican • This is Jesus’ “sneakiest parable”

  13. SINS OF THE HEART • SELFISH AMBITION • A contentious struggle for personal profit or power • Selfish ambition battles others for immediate gains and empty honors, which have no eternal value. • The church can accomplish much if we don’t care who gets the credit

  14. SINS OF THE HEART • BITTERNESS, REVENGE • Bitterness describes a twisted way we respond to pain, trauma, or disappointment • Revenge is the paying back of evil for evil – Matthew 5:38-48 • Vengeance belongs to God – Romans 12:11-21 • Revenge harms others; Bitterness destroys us

  15. SINS OF THE HEART • GREED • 1 Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. • We can not serve God and money at the same time – Matthew 6:19-24 • Greed = covetousness • Covetousness = idolatry – Colossians 3:5

  16. SINS OF THE HEART • HATRED • Hatred is the result of anger at a person, rather than their actions • We must hate the sin, but love the sinner • When that anger becomes deep seated – it becomes hatred • 1 John 3:15 Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

  17. SINS OF THE HEART • LUST • Lust is the forbidden or unlawful desire in our heart • Lust is most often thought of in connection with sexual sins • When we seek, dream, or desire, that which is forbidden – we begin to seek ways to make our desire become a reality

  18. PRIVATE SINS – BECOME PUBLIC • What begins in the heart soon finds expression in our actions • We tell others about our thoughts • They can see our body language • We act on our sinful thoughts • When others become aware of our heart, thoughts, desires – our private sin has become “public”

  19. SEEKING FORGIVENESSPublic Sins • Repent – Realize the wrong, decide to make the necessary changes in our thoughts and actions so that sin is not repeated • Pray – Ask God for forgiveness • Confess to those you hurt, wronged, sinned against • Inform the church of your changes and seek their prayer for support and strength

  20. SEEKING FORGIVENESSPublic Sins • A couple of side notes here: • Note #1 – Preachers or elders do not have the power to forgive sins. Only God (Deity) has that power. Our forgiveness of each other will not “hold it over their head.” • Note #2 – Do not turn the front pew into a “confessional” The command in James 5:16 is to confess “to one another” – not a one-way street.

  21. SEEKING FORGIVENESSPrivate Sins • Repent – Realize the wrong, decide to make the necessary changes in our thoughts and actions so that sin is not repeated • Pray – Ask God for forgiveness – Acts 8:22-24 22 Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. 23 For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity." 24 Then Simon answered and said, "Pray to the Lord for me, that none of the things which you have spoken may come upon me." • Inform the church of your changes and seek their prayer for support and strength

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