Turning From Sin Part 2

Introduction

Good morning. If you’ll open your Bibles to James chapter one. First chapter in the book of James. James chapter one. If you have a marker, you’ll want to leave it there. That is the basis for the lesson this morning. In James chapter one, beginning in verse thirteen, James writes, Let no one say when he is tempted, I am being tempted by God. For God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. We find ourselves in verse fourteen and fifteen, the idea of the series that Adam began this morning, that I am continuing this very hour, and that Adam, Lord willing, will continue even into next Sunday this idea of sin. Note how sin develops, beginning in verse 14. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.

Then desire, when it has conceived, gives birth to sin. And sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. Now this morning at the nine o’clock hour, Adam mentioned, if you picture this lust being conceived, this desire being conceived, and giving birth to sin. And he mentioned that would be quite the baby, wouldn’t it? Let me tell you, that would be an ugly child. And we see if we don’t turn from sin, what’s the last part of verse 15? Sin will conceive. When we sin, we are sowing what we will reap, and that is death. And so it is on the basis of sin literally being a poison to us. It will result in our death, that it is so important for us to understand where temptation comes from and how I can stop losing that battle.

If you’ll turn with me to Acts chapter five, I think this is a great example of a mindset that would help us in our battle with sin, in our decision to turn from sin. Find me in Acts chapter 5, beginning in verse 1. But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property. And with his wife’s knowledge, he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostle’s feet. But Peter said, Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal?

Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man, but to God. When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. Now look with me in verse 7. After an interval of about three hours, his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. And Peter said to her, Tell me whether you sold the land for so much. And she said, Yes, for so much. But Peter said to her, How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out. What happened, verse 10? Immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last.

When the young men came in, they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. And I could make a lot of points from this about sin. We could talk about how Ananias and Sapphira were in control of the proceeds of the sale. They didn’t have to lie. I could talk about how Peter mentions in verse 3 that Ananias had lied to the Holy Spirit. And yet in verse 5, it’s referenced that he had not lied to man, excuse me, verse 4, but to God, equating the Holy Spirit and God in that equation. But what I’d like to focus on is where I left off with the reading at the end of verse 5. And then in verse 11. So Ananias has lied.

Peter has called him out for his lie. He has been struck down dead. And what happened? And great fear came upon all who heard of it. Now we know that one person who didn’t hear of it in verse 7, his wife came in. What does verse 7 say? Not knowing what had happened. And guess what happens with that part of the story? Sapphira comes in and does the same thing. She succumbs to the same temptation. It seems that her and her husband had conspired to do this. And note with me, verse 11. And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things. And I want to recount this for you. Ananias lied. He was struck down dead. Sapphira lied, and she was struck down dead.

And great fear came upon all those who heard it. No kidding, right? No kidding. If someone lied and you saw them struck down by God immediately upon the sentence being given, and Peter exposing the sin, that would cause a great fright. Nod your heads up and down. Yes, it would.

Remembering that my sin is what put Jesus on the cross. And I thought to myself, I wonder if each sin is kind of one of the nails that went in Jesus’ hands, or one of the bruises he had. But that’s not true at all, is it? Because when I sin, even the ones, Jesus didn’t just have to bleed. He didn’t just have to be beaten. He needed to die. Why? Because the wages of sin is death. We know that Romans chapter 6 passage. We know the wages of sin are death. But the question is, do we consider that? Because after all, the people involved in verse 11 who had that great fear had, might I say, a great reason to be fearful. They would no doubt be watching what they had to say.

Don’t you think that would discourage lying, at least in the short term? By about a thousand percent? We need to realize that our sin leads to that same outcome. That is death. Did you see it back in James chapter 1? Look with me at Hebrews chapter 10. I want to underscore this one more time. In Hebrews chapter 10. And you consider, well, I’m a Christian. I am with Christ, but we still must turn from the temptations of and succumbing to sin. Why? Hebrews chapter 10 and verse 26. For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment. And a fury, a fire that will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses, how much worse punishment do you think will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified and has outraged the spirit of grace?

I need to realize this morning, and perhaps you should reach this realization with me that if I am sinning, particularly if I’m living in a style of sin, a habit of sin. I have done what in verse 29. Do you see it? Not just deserve this worst punishment that’s going to be described. I’ve trampled underfoot the Son of God. I have profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified. I have outraged the Spirit of Grace. Verse 34, we know him who said, Vengeance is mine, I will repay. And again, the Lord will judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall in the hands of the living God. It is a wonderful thing to be with God forever. Amen. But it certainly is a fearful thing to fall in the hands of the living God if we if I am going about sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of truth.

Sin carries a high weight. It is a terrible cost that we need to count. And so this morning I want to look at stopping sin at every level. Turn back with me to James chapter 1. Turn back in your Bibles to James chapter 1. And this morning Adam presented a formula. It’s almost like we had the same source material to work from. We do. Hopefully you’re looking at it in James chapter 1. And you see this idea, some thoughts from Brother Mark Copeland. In a mathematical equation, temptation is comprised of what two elements? Well, look with me in verse 14. We see that it’s going to be comprised of both desire and opportunity. But each person is tempted when he is Lord and enticed by his own desire.

1. Stopping the Desire: Crucify Fleshly Desires

Now here’s a question. Whose desire is it that tempts me? Is it God’s? No. Verse 13 says, Let no one say when he is tempted, I am being tempted by God, for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. So whose desire is it? My desire. Whose opportunity is it? My opportunity. To do what? To act on that desire. When I sin, it is my fault. It is my sin from my desires to my opportunity to my lack of self-control. It’s about me. And when it’s about me, brothers and sisters, and we’ve sinned. It is a fearful thing to fall in the hands of the living God. So how can we stop this? I want to talk first about stopping the desire.

That’s why it’s underlined. We need to crucify our fleshly desires. Well, you look with me in Galatians chapter 5. In Galatians chapter 5, we need to curb our desire. In Galatians chapter 5, beginning actually in verse 16, Paul writes, But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit. And the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other to keep you from doing the things you want to do. What type of desires are undoubtedly on display here in Galatians chapter 5? I’ve suggested you the same desires on display in the pathway towards sin in James chapter 1. Do you see that? Look at Galatians chapter 5, verse 17 again.

The desires of the flesh are against the spirit. When I have these desires that are going to lead me to sin, the first step is not to treat the symptom, but to treat the problem, treat the illness. So we see how how are we supposed to do that? Note with me in verse 25. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. So what have I done if I am a follower of Christ? I have told myself, this man of sin is no more. At the time of baptism, when I’ve had my sins forgiven, who have I put to death? The old man. Which old man? The man of sin. Sin has no place in the life of a Christian.

And so I need to curb my desires. Now, I thought of a really good way to do this. Not that I do it well myself, but an application that I think would reach many of us. I’m going to ask for a nod of heads, not a show of hands. How many here have been on or given serious thought to a diet? Yeah? Maybe some of you seriously thought about it and decided, no way. When you think about a diet, and you think about how I am going to eat better, what’s the first decision? Well, it’s either what I should be eating or what I should not be eating, right? We get a food list. What can I eat? What can’t I eat? We’re going to talk about that as the points continue on the screen behind you.

But think about if I’m going to crucify the flesh’s desires, just like with the diet, I need to stop craving those bad things. Isn’t it a lot easier to eat healthy things if you like them? How about this? Isn’t it a lot easier to stop eating bad things if we recognize what they do to us? Romans chapter 6 and verse 23, we already talked about. For the wages of sin is death. We know the high cost of sin. What we must see is when I sin, whatever it is, however long I benefit from it, however short term I enjoy it, it will lead to death. We need to see that on the sign. You don’t read that a lot on products. This product will lead to diabetes.

This product leads to cancer. What do you think the sales would be like if they said that? If plastered across one of my favorite drinks, Coca-Cola, it said diabetes alert in one liter. How many people are buying that? Only those of us who are hooked on it, right? That’s not good. That’s not good advertising. That’s not good marketing. Because what we want, we want to buy, we want any reason we can to get it. And that’s the way sin is. I want it, I can have it. We’re going to talk about opportunity in just a moment. And so I need to stop that train of thought and realize this isn’t good. Not because I won’t enjoy it, but because it is not the will of God.

I am a Christian. I’m a follower of Christ, and my life is so molded and transformed, to use Paul’s words in Romans chapter 12, verses 1 and 2, that I no longer want those things. And so not only do we need to detach from evil, but we need to be attaching to what is good. Look with me in 2 Timothy chapter 2. I want to show you the flee and pursue. We see it twice. In 2 Timothy chapter 2. You may know this one more than the second reference we’ll look at. The book is 2 Timothy chapter 2, and how wonderful is this? Chapter 2 and verse 22. 2 Timothy chapter 2 and verse 22. You can make your own tongue twister from that. So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.

What two verbs are there? Flee and pursue. We need to not only detach from evil, we need to not only flee, but we need to pursue those good things. We need to pursue righteousness. But look at 1 Timothy chapter 6. That same thought is there once again. 1 Timothy chapter 6 in verse 10, we might know for the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many things. But no verse 11. But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Do you see that we need to not only flee the wrong, we need to attach to the right.

We need to pursue righteousness. Go back to that food idea with me. When is danger time? Danger time is when I have snacks in the pantry and my stomach is empty. That’s the danger zone, isn’t it? Because now I want something. I need something. Something’s going there, whether it’s good or not for me. That’s the danger zone. What we need to be doing is not only putting away those bad things, but we need to be proactively filled with righteousness, with faith, with hope, with love. If we’re pursuing the good, we’re no longer on the path to sin. And I’ll tell you what else happens. When we study the word of God, when we are pursuing righteousness, we have that vision that tells us what sin is.

Then all of a sudden, when everyone’s laughing at a profane mark and a television show, that’s not funny. We realize that is vile. We realize that is sinful. And of course that all comes back to transgressing the will of God and the death that’s attached to it. The mature Christian grows past even desiring some of those things. Now let me stop there. Along with desire and opportunity. These will never be fully eliminated. Otherwise, we could just tell Satan, oh, you know what? I have no need to be tempted anymore, because if there’s no opportunity for sin, and I have no desire to sin, what does that mean for sin? It count is down to zero. But just because we have desires, just because there is opportunity, does not make it okay.

2. Opportunity: We May Need to Literally Flee

We need to realize sin at what it is. We need to curb our desires, proactively choosing the good, proactively fleeing from evil. But secondly, I want to look at the idea of opportunity. We may need to literally flee. I want to talk about the diet example. Turn with me to Genesis chapter 39 while I talk to you about this a little bit. I can tell you, 100% of the time that I eat Girl Scout cookies and drink coke in my apartment. It’s when I have them in my apartment. What’s the best way to not eat bad? Don’t be around the bad sugary food. And by, I don’t want to hurt the sugary food’s feelings. I love it. The bad in terms of being good for you.

Right? In Genesis chapter 39, Joseph fleed. It wasn’t enough just to be away from it, just to not do it. He wanted to be distanced from it because the situation called for it. My desire might be so strong that the opportunity is what I need to cut at. You say, Well, I can’t control my desires. You can control a lot of the opportunity. Do you see that with me in Genesis chapter 39? Beginning in verse 1, where does he find himself? Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt, and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, had bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there. The Lord was with Joseph. And he became a successful man. And he was in the house of his Egyptian master.

His master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord caused all that he did to succeed in his hands. So Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him. And he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had. You see the last part of verse 6? Uh-oh. Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance. And after a time his master’s wife cast her eyes on Joseph and said, Lie with me. But he refused and said to his master’s wife, Behold, because of me my master has no concern about anything in the house, and he has put everything that he has in my charge. Good job, Joseph. No sin. Verse 9. He is not greater in this house than I, nor has he kept back anything from me except you because you are his wife.

How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God? What did he do? He realized the cost of his sin. What would sleeping with her do? It would violate his trust, and most importantly, it would be a sin against God. So he was working against that desire. But note, the opportunity was still there. He still had to deal with it. But one day, verse 11. When he went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the house was there in the house, smells like opportunity, doesn’t it? No one’s around. She caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me. But he left his garment in her hand and fled and got out of the house. And I’d like to tell you the story ends happily ever after, but that’s not how it goes, is it?

What does she have? She has his garment. Because he had to flee. Fleeing sin, getting away from these situations, may not be comfortable. It may not leave us great consequences in the workplace or at school. But it must be done. What did Joseph say in verse 9? How then can I do this? Great wickedness and sin against God. That’s curbing our desire because we realize we’re serving God, not ourselves. But the opportunity may still be there. And whether he had the desire or not, I need to consider myself. If I have this desire for sin, and I haven’t worked that down to nothing yet, I better cut at the knees of opportunity. I need to make a commitment. I need to realize that I’m serving God.

That I won’t put anything before my eyes that is to my detriment. Didn’t Jesus pray about this sort of thing? Look with me in Matthew chapter 6. Turn with me to the book of Matthew. I want to look at two instances where Jesus prays. Notice what he prays for. Certainly we can learn from his example. Matthew chapter 6 and verse 13. Jesus says, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Look with me in chapter 26 and verse 41. These are the words of Jesus the Christ. Matthew chapter 26 and verse 41. Jesus is praying in the garden. And what does he say? Disciples were found sleeping, verse 40, and he said to Peter, So could you not wash with me one hour, verse 41?

Watch and pray. That what? That you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. I want to underscore something. James chapter 1, Matthew chapter 26, Galatians chapter 5. Whose flesh is weak? Whose sinful desires are they? You think, was it sinful or not for Peter to sleep? The point is, what we need to consider is am I giving in to the Spirit or into my flesh? Am I doing what this body wants? Am I doing what Jesus, the head of the church, Jesus who has all authority in heaven on earth, wants? Because that is who I please. That is my focus, and that’s why Jesus is praised. Pray that you do not enter into temptation. This needs to be on our minds.

We need to be focused on this because temptation happens. Look at me in Psalm chapter 101. Psalm chapter 101. Note David’s commitment. David is a man after God’s own heart. In Psalm chapter 101. Look with me in verse 2. Psalm chapter 101, verse 2. I will ponder the way that is blameless. Oh, when will you come to me? I will walk with integrity of heart within my house. He’s making a commitment. He’s going to please the Lord. What’s part of that commitment, verse 3? Do you see it? I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless. I hate the work of those who fall away, it shall not cling to me. A perverse heart shall be far from me. I will know nothing of evil.

Whoever slanders his neighbor secretly, I will destroy. Whoever has a haughty look and an arrogant heart, I will not endure. I will look with favor on the faithful in the land that they may dwell with me. He who walks in the way that is blameless shall minister to me. No one who practices deceit shall dwell in my house. No one who utter lies shall continue before my eyes. And do you see it? David not only committed to walking ways of integrity, to walk in the ways of the Lord, but there was going to be nothing evil before or around him as far as he could control. And that’s what I wonder about. I mentioned before that both desire and opportunity will likely always be there in some form, and maybe we can curb some desires and cut some opportunities out of our life, and what a wonderful thing that would be.

But when it comes down to it, I need to be setting myself a goal. And not just some sort of nice thing to write on the refrigerator that I can check off. But a true commitment to God that I will know nothing of evil. I won’t be around it. I know what my desires are. I know when the opportunity window is, and I will cut it out. You hear preachers all the time talk about what? Get the computer out of the bedroom. Right? You worry about cheating at school. What do you do? Get away from the kids who are doing that. Remember Joseph? Those results were not always great for him. The physical consequences of him leaving the garment in the hand of Potiphar’s wife was not tremendous.

3. It Comes Down to Action

But boy, wasn’t it wonderful and amazing that he was found pleasing to God no matter the opportunity and the desire that he could have succumbed to. We need to learn from Joseph. We need to learn from David. But finally, the truth is, it comes down to action. Whether we have the sinful desire or not, whether we have the opportunity to act on it, there still is a major barrier to this sin. And whether that desire has turned lustful thought that Jesus condemns explicitly in Matthew chapter 5 or not, we have the choice to deny those thoughts, right? Whether it’s action or thought.

And that comes back to the idea we’ve been talking about. Sin is our doing. Look at 1 Corinthians chapter 10. This is encouraging, but it also points the onus back to me for my sin. In 1 Corinthians chapter 10 and verse 13. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation, he will also provide the way of escape that you may be able to endure it. God is faithful. What will he not do? Tempt me in a way that I cannot escape. I find that interesting. He will also provide the way of escape. It doesn’t tell you what that way of escape is going to be.

Maybe it’s cutting out the desire. Maybe it’s limiting the opportunity. But truthfully, sin is a choice. I don’t know what sin you struggle with. I don’t know what sin the person sitting next to you struggles with. I do know mine. And that’s sufficient for me. Because it’s my sin that determines my eternity. And it is me that gives in to my flesh.

I need to trust that God is faithful. I need to know that no temptation is overtaken you that is not common to man. I need to know that the way of escape is there, and I must take it. But it’s my choice. It’s my sin. It must exercise self control. In Proverbs chapter 25, it references a man without self control is like a city without walls. How great is that going to be in an attack? A city without walls. Can you imagine? Back at the time of the Israelites, if they came upon a city, say they came upon Jericho. They’re going to attack it and they found no walls. How easy is that going to be of a conquest? Unless there’s some sort of massive setup and elaborate plan.

It’s going to end and it’s going to end fast. Why? The walls are meant for defense. We must exercise self-control. Why? Like Joseph, we know our sin is against God. Why? We know sin leads to death. Do you see that? Look back in James chapter 1 with me. In James chapter 1 and verse 14, not only did James write, but each person is tempted when he is Lord and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin. Whose desire? Whose sin? Mine. Ours. Yours. We need to choose life, not death. Because the problem is, when sin has been born, and when sin is fully grown, brings forth death. This morning we need to examine that it’s my desires. My ceasing to do God’s will.

Conclusion

My sin that separates me from my loving Savior. I need to realize that Hebrews chapter 10 and verse 26 talks about if I go on sinning what? Deliberately, when? After receiving the knowledge of the truth. You know, the challenge for many Christians today, at least in this country, is not knowing what to do. It’s what James writes right here. But Greg is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire, when it seemed gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death, might I add to Greg. Sin is real. It will separate us from the love of God. We need to make a commitment. We need to make a commitment to not just flee our lusts, but to pursue righteousness.

We need to not just say that we’re going to cut down our desires. We need to eliminate opportunities for sin. And frankly, when it comes down to it, being a Christian is all about self-control, isn’t it? Having the self-control to be disciplined to do the will of the Lord. Nothing in here promises that it’s easy, but 1 Corinthians chapter 10 and verse 13 sure gives us hope that God is faithful. We can do it, but we must stop the sin. We must not give in. We need to check the warning labels on those decisions that we make and read and decide carefully. There may be those of you here this morning who have lived lives of sin and have enjoyed it, but didn’t look at the side effects on the back of the jar and seen that this will lead to eternal spiritual death.

You know, we focus on Acts chapter 5 in Ananias and Sapphira and how they were struck down dead, and that truly is awful. But what certainly is far worse than that is an eternity away from my heavenly Father, being dead for all eternity, away from God, away from his angels, and away from Christians. Will you be a Christian this morning? If you have been wrapped up in sin, we can pray for you. We can help you to watch that we don’t enter into temptation, that we can overcome it. And if you’ve never escaped your sins, realize that is real. The consequences are there. You can be baptized, though, and have all your sins forgiven. You can put away that old man of sin and how wonderful a blessing that is.

Amen. We would love to have someone turn their life over to Christ this morning. If you wish to do that now, don’t delay. Come now as we stand and sing the invitation song.