THE OTHER KINDS OF SINS

 In summary, we have the following kind of sins: 1) Secret sins, 2) Besetting sins, 3) Presumptuous sins, and 4) Willful sins. Sometime ago, we looked at THE SECRET SINS. We discovered that a secret sin is a sin you commit without knowing, or the sin you commit in secret.

“But only the high priest ever entered the Most Holy Place, and only once a year. And he always offered blood for his own sins and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance” (Heb. 9:7).

Today, we are going to look at “THE OTHER KINDS OF SINS?” The next in the list is called Besetting Sins: Hebrews 12:1 says, “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us” (KJV).

Here, the Hebrew writer is pleading with Christians to lay aside every hinderance in living the Christian life, especially those sins which, like inner garments, cling so close to us.

1. What is a besetting sin? Besetting sins are those sins which cling so close to you and are so easily committed. Besetting sin is that sin to which a person is especially prone.

2. What are some areas from which besetting sins arise?

a) Besetting sins may be those in which we indulged before we came to Christ, such as gambling, BetNiger, lying, cheating, etc.

What is Gambling? The word “gamble” means to “risk something of value on an outcome that depends on chance.” 

Gamblers, including players of the lottery, typically covet money and the things that money can buy, and God forbids covetousness (Ex. 20:17; 1 Tim. 6:10).

Gambling, by nature, takes advantage of the misfortune of others. In other for one person to win, someone else – usually multiple others – lose. For a Christian to risk money in the off chance that he will even gain more at the end is foolish. Gambling focuses on the love of money and tempts people with the promise of quick and easy riches.

What of lottery? Because the outcome of a lottery “depends on chance, and playing it involves “risk,” then, by definition, playing the lottery is gambling.

What of Casinos? Casinos use all forms of marketing schemes to entice gamblers to risk as much money as possible.

1 Timothy 6:10 provides wisdom that directly relates to gambling. “For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money have wondered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”

Those who gamble cannot follow the admonition of Hebrews 13:5. “Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be contempt with what you have, because godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Tim. 6:6).

Serving God and serving money are incompatible. ^“…. Ye cannot serve God and mammon” (Matt. 6:24).

In summary, gambling is poor stewardship of one’s God-given resources.

Gambling attempts to bypass honest work. Gambling promotes greed (intense and selfish desire to have more of something, such as wealth, power or food, than is necessary) and covetousness (having or showing a great desire to possess something belonging to someone else). Gambling rejoices in the misfortune of others.

Should a Christian therefore, get involved in gambling? A Christian should not be involved in gambling or in other forms of materialism.

b) Besetting sins may be those in which we are drawn to due to our temperament, such as pride, anger, laziness, stubbornness.

c) Besetting sins may be those to which we are exposed by our profession. Admittedly, there are greater temptations in some professions than others. For instance, the man who washes dishes in a café is not in a position to lie as would a salesman.

Another example is the temptation for male gynecologists. The man who mows lawns is not in a position to lust after a woman as would a male Gynecologist.

d. Besetting sins may be those in which we are particularly vulnerable due to weakness. For instance, the alcoholic must fight to keep from drinking alcohol, and a kleptomaniac must struggle not to steal.

Now be honest. What is your besetting sin? Is it some habit? the lottery? Smoking? Drinking? Is it some attitude? prejudice? Envy? Is it some sin of the tongue? Gossip? Lying? Filthy speech? Is it a sin of the flesh? Unlawful sex? Lust? Petting?

3. PRESUMPTUOUS SINS: 

David said, “Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression” (Ps. 19:13)

Here, David is saying that presumptuous sin is a great transgression.

What is a presumptuous sin? A presumptuous sin is taking matters into your own hands, and acting according to your own dictates, instead of acting according to the dictates of the Holy Spirit.

Examples of presumptuous sins abound in the Scriptures: 

In Numbers 20:7-12, the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, “…¹² And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed Me not, to sanctify Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.”

Again, baptism by immersion is essential for salvation, but man oversteps his boundaries when he says it is not essential (Mk. 16:16).

4. WILLFUL SIN: What is willful sin? Willful sin is a sin we commit, knowing that when we do such, it is a sin. In Romans 7:15-25 Paul acknowledged that there are things he knows he should not do but does them anyway. This disobedience comes through weakness in the flesh.

Willful sin is deliberate and presumptuously refusing to accept and do what is right. For instance: 1) You know that owing someone else is wrong, but you gladly do it anyway, 2)  You know that fornication is wrong, but you do it anyway, 3) You know that not paying your tithes is wrong, but you do it anyway, 4) You know that coming late to church is wrong, but you do it anyway, 5) You know that copying in exams, forging your certificate, writing exams for someone else, lying, gossip is wrong, but you do it anyway.

Willful sin is when a person is brought face to face with the truth, acknowledges the truth, but still persists in error.

Examples of willful sin abound in the Scriptures: Governor Felix trembled – but rejected the truth (Acts 24:25).

The Good News is that sin can be overcome. “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (1 Cor. 10:13).

Conclusion: May we all evaluate our lives and rid ourselves of these areas of sin. And remember that if you continue in sin you cannot enter Heaven (Rev. 21:27).

Watch out for the next Edition of Good News from the Pulpit.

• Your friend, I. I. Madubunyi (Senior Pastor, HOG).