Sin*

      The first mention of sin in the Bible gives us a picture of sin as a beast, waiting to devour as the LORD told Cain: "And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth (rabas - to crouch stretched out like an animal, to lurk) at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire (tesuqa - longing, craving, of a beast to devour), and thou shalt rule (masal - rule, have dominion, reign, power) over him." (Gen. 4:6-7).

     As was the dominion that was given to Adam, the same was given to Cain to have dominion over the crouching beast of sin that was lying in wait to devour him.

     Scripture makes it very clear that all have sinned, yet we don't want to admit it or declare it when we see it: "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one. There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: their feet are swift to shed blood: destruction and misery are in their ways...For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." (Rom. 3:10-16, 23, see also Eccl. 7:20, Gal. 3:19-22). The sin of man, even under the Law, continued until the promised Seed came: "But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believeth."

     Isaiah wrote that even though God can save and hear us, these same sins mentioned above have separated us from God, causing Him to turn His face away. (Isa. 59:1-4). This Word was directed to Israel, but the same Word is speaking to the Church today.

     John's epistle to us exposes our reluctance to admit our own sin: "...God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." (1 Jn. 1:5-7). Lies, to ourselves and others, play a big part in sin. John continued: "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." (v. 8-10). If we admit and confess our sins to God, He forgives us and cleanses us by the blood of Jesus Christ. Not only will God forgive us of our sin, but He will no longer remember that we had sinned at all. This is His covenant promise. He also promised to put His Word in our minds and write them in our hearts to change us. When this change by His Word is in our lives, we know Him as our God, and He knows us as His people. (see also Heb. 8:10-12).  

     This is the same promise fulfilled that was made to the prophet Jeremiah: "But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people...for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them...for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more." (Jer. 31:33-34, see also Isa. 43:25).

     While man has coined the phrase, "The Seven Deadly Sins," God's Word does tell us about the seven abominations in the eyes of God: "These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, a false witness that soweth discord among brethren." (Prov. 6:16-19).

    The Book of Revelation tells us that liars will have no place in the Kingdom of God. While hands may shed innocent blood, so do the evil words of our tongues. Those same tongues spread discord, rumors and innuendos in churches and create real problems. The wicked imaginations of our hearts become hurtful words and destructive deeds. Jeremiah wrote this about the hearts of man: "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings." (Jer. 17:9-10). Not only does the LORD know what is in our hearts, which deceive us continually, but He gives us back the fruit of our doings.

     Jesus also warned about the deceitfulness of our hearts, even in those who follow rigorous religious traditions: "But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: these are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man." (Mt. 15:18-20).

     Jesus mentioned blasphemies above. Many in church consider blasphemy to be one thing, but Jesus brought up the blasphemy that can never be forgiven: the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. (see Mk. 3:28-29). This is when men viewed the miraculous works of Jesus, which were done by the Holy Spirit, to be works of the devil instead. Unfortunately, we have also seen this in the church. There have been instances when manifestations of the Holy Spirit have been condemned as demonic. The doctrines of some churches have even declared this. Jesus said that those who blaspheme the Holy Spirit are in danger of eternal damnation. Again, out of the deceptive heart comes thoughts and words that are sin and iniquity.

     One of the great challenges from our deceitful hearts is unforgiveness of the hurts done to us. Jesus taught specifically about how our Father in heaven views our lack of forgiveness: "So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses." (Mt. 18:35). This warning came after Jesus told the parable of a servant who owed a great debt to his lord. When he and his family were about to be sold into slavery to pay the debt, the servant begged his master for more time to pay. The lord, moved with compassion, not only let him go, but forgave the debt that was owed to him. Then this same servant, who was owed a debt from one of his fellow servants, assaulted that other servant and threatened him. When the other servant begged him for patience in payment, the first servant refused and had the second servant thrown into prison. When the master heard this, he scolded the first servant saying, "Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity on thee?". The lord had that first servant given to tormentors until the previously forgiven debt was repaid. (Mt. 18:23-34). Jesus told this parable after Peter had asked Him the question: "Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him?" 

     Jesus also said: "Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again." (Mt. 7:1-2). Jesus remarked that man always see the speck in a brother's eye while failing to see the plank in their own eye! He called them hypocrites and told them to remove the plank from their own eye first. (Mt. 7:1-7).

     The prayer of Jesus that we call "The Lord's Prayer," says in part: "Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your heavenly Father forgive your trespasses." (Mt. 6:12-15).

     Even our prayers of faith that we so joyfully know can move mountains, as Jesus said, can be affected by our unforgiveness of others. (Mk. 11:23-26).

     Can we look into our hearts today and forgive those who have hurt us?

     Jesus said that forgiveness, love, and good works are not just meant for loved ones and friends. These things, these expressions of grace, are especially meant to be shown to sinners and enemies: "But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven. Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together; and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again." (Lk. 6:31-38, excerpt).

     This is how the Father gives, and this is how we are to give: to those whom we love, but even more so, to those who seem to be the most unlovable.

      King David prayed to the LORD when he was mired in sin: "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then I will teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee." (Ps. 51:10-13).

     This should be our prayer as well.

*Based upon Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson, Jr.'s 6/8/25 message to the church. If you would like to hear the complete message, you can find it on the Facebook page of Kenneth E. Stevenson Jr. Dr. Stevenson's video messages are also found on You Tube at Kenneth Stevenson. To contact or support this ministry, or to request prayer, you can write to PO Box 154221, Waco, TX, 76705. To find out more about the Shroud of Turin, and to receive a free e-book now available in several languages, go to http://www.theshroudofturin.org/freebook. The book NAZAH: White Linen and the Blood of Sprinkling is available on Amazon.