If people would only understand the nature of sin and the results of it, they would stop committing sin and even learn how to hate sin.
Sin has been compared to leprosy and to a deathly poison. It grows very quickly from small to great sins.
It began by eating a forbidden fruit, and soon it included a murder. A person who turns away from obedience to God has no idea what great sins he will be committing later.
How contagious is sin? We find in Romans 5:12. “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for all have sinned.”
By one man sin entered and because of it, billions have been contaminated by it.
When sin enters a human being, it takes control of him completely. It will be the ruling power in the person. Therefore, Paul gives a warning, “Let not sin reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lust thereof.” Rom 6:12
A person may know what is right and what is wrong, but sin is ruling over knowledge and causes him to disobey God.
“For the which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that I do. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.” Rom. 7:15, 17, 22, 23
Once sin enters a person, Satan has gained the victory. The sin in his body controls him, and makes him commit greater and greater sins. He is now a helpless captive of the law of sin. And no human power can set him free. The governments of this world have not found any way to change criminals into well-behaving citizens. Spending time in the company of other criminals has not proven successful in changing their behavior.
When the disciples asked Jesus, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus answered and said to them, “With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.” Matt. 19: 25, 26
Normally, professed Christians would not commit a murder or rob a bank, but they may do small sins that they do not think serious enough to take their salvation away.
But Jesus said, “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.” Luke 16:10.
“These may seem to be little things, unworthy of notice, but the seed thus scattered brings forth a sure harvest. It is these little sins, so common that they often are unnoticed, that Satan uses in his service.” 6BC, p. 1080
Many will be outside of heaven for sins that they thought too small to pay attention to.
“Sin, however small it may be esteemed, can be indulged in only at the peril of infinite loss. What we do not overcome will overcome us and work out our destruction.” SC 33
The greatest sins are often done by religious people.
“The greatest sins are brought in through those who profess to be sanctified and claim that they cannot sin. Yet many of this class are sinning daily and are corrupt in heart and life. Such are self-sufficient and self-righteous, making their own standard of righteousness and utterly failing to meet the Bible standard.” Test. Vol. 5, p. 139
“So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of My mouth.” Were you cold, there would be some hope that you would be converted; but where self-righteousness girds one about, instead of the righteousness of Christ, the deception is so difficult to be seen, and the self-righteousness so hard to be put away, that the case is the most difficult to reach. An unconverted, godless sinner stands in a more favorable condition than such.” Test. Vol. 2, p. 176.
If Satan cannot tempt you into an open sin, then he will use another approach. He will make you feel good about your goodness, that you are better than others, and this will lead you to self-righteousness. This was the sin of the Pharisees, whom Jesus called the children of the devil. (John 8:44)
Many people have a great misunderstanding of the nature of sin. They think that sin is not so terrible; they only need to say, “God, forgive me, “and all their sins are forgiven. And they repeat this daily. But there is great danger in it.
“For if we sin willfully after that we have received knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins.” Heb. 10:26.
Then our sins become unpardonable. They become sins against the Holy Spirit which will not be forgiven.
“The most common manifestation of the sin against the Holy Spirit is in persistently slighting Heaven’s invitation to repent.” DA 324
Some people, who choose to place their obedience to God into a future time, may never be converted, because they grieved the Holy Spirit. Rejecting the truth and believing false doctrines is another way to commit the unpardonable sin. During the conference in 1888 in Minneapolis, many of the leaders committed this sin.
Sin also destroys our health, spoils our happiness, it separates marriages, it breaks friendships, it destroys our characters, it blinds us to the realities of life, we especially become spiritually confused.
One day we will understand what sin has done to us, but often it may be too late to change.
“These life records declare what every human being will one day understand—that sin can bring only shame and loss.” ED 151
“Satan offers to men the kingdoms of the world if they will yield to him the supremacy. Many do this and sacrifice heaven. It is better to die than to sin, better to want than to defraud, better to hunger than to lie.” Test. Vol. 4, p. 495.
It is through sin that Satan has gained the control of the human race. And people love sin. In the time of Noah the whole world followed Satan and only one family was still faithful to God.
God has tried to save people from sin since the beginning and the longer they lived, the more corrupt they became. By prophets and messengers and also by discipline and judgments He tried to save them but often in vain.
“The history of the antediluvians testifies that long life is not a blessing to the sinner; God’s great forbearance did not repress their wickedness. The longer men lived, the more corrupt they became.” PP 325
“So with the apostasy at Sinai. Unless punishment had been speedily visited upon transgression, the same results would again have been seen. The earth would have become as corrupt as in the days of Noah. Had these transgressors been spared, evils would have followed, great than resulted from sparing the life of Cain. It was the mercy of God that thousands should suffer, to prevent the necessity of visiting judgments upon millions. In order to save the many, He must punish the few. Furthermore, as the people had cast off their allegiance to God, they had forfeited the divine protection, and deprived of their defense, the whole nation was exposed to the power of their enemies.
“Had not the evil been promptly put away, they would soon have fallen a prey to their numerous and powerful foes. It was necessary for the good of Israel, and also as a lesson to all succeeding generations, that crime should be promptly punished. And it was no less mercy to the sinners themselves that they should be cut short in their evil course. Had their life been spared, the same spirit that led them to rebel against God would have been manifested in hatred and strife among themselves, and they would eventually have destroyed one another. It was in love to the world, in love to Israel, and even to the transgressors, that crime was punished with swift and terrible severity.” PP 325, 326
There is only one way to overcome sin and its terrible results.
“The only remedy for vice is the grace and power of Christ. The good resolutions made in one’s own strength avail nothing. Not all the pledges in the world will break the power of evil habit. Never will men practice temperance in all things until their hearts are renewed by divine grace. We cannot keep ourselves from sin for one moment. Every moment we are dependent upon God. MH 179, 180
Jesus said, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” John 8:36.
And it will be complete freedom from sin. Not one sin will remain in our lives.
“Just as a good tree will bear good fruit, so will the tree that is actually planted in the Lord’s garden produce good fruit unto eternal life. Besetting sins are overcome; and evil thoughts are not allowed in the mind; evil habits are purged from the soul temple. The tendencies which have been biased in a wrong direction are turned in a right direction. Wrong dispositions and feelings are changed, new principles of action supplied, and there is a new standard of character. Holy tempers and sanctified emotions are now the fruit borne upon the Christian tree. An entire transformation has taken place. This is the work to be wrought.” 6BC 1080
In the end, every last soul will realize that it was sin that caused their rejection from heaven. It was sin that made their lives miserable, and that God tried to save them to the utmost, but they rejected the offer for complete freedom from sin.
But, not only the inhabitants of this world learn the nature of sin, but the whole universe will understand that God is love when He destroys sin and sinners.
“The whole universe will have become witnesses to the nature and results of sin. And its utter extermination, which in the beginning would have brought fear to angels and dishonor to God, will now vindicate His love and establish His honor before the universe of beings who delight to do His will, and in whose heart is His law.” GC 504.
Timo Martin