When it comes to sin, folks tend to focus on the what. “What” is sin? Define it for me. Give me the checklist so that I might be a good boy or a good girl. But man the destination of that discussion is always religion. Do the do’s and don’t do the don’ts…but that’s not going to do anything for me…at least not stand alone. I gotta know something more. I gotta glimpse something more…scratch something more so that I understand and see and feel something that makes me quake…shakes me up.

So while we need to discuss the what of sin for sure, first, I want to show you the “who” and the “why.” What do I mean by the “who?” Satan? Lucifer? The father of lies? Is that the who? Nope. When I say who…I mean…YOU.

Sin is not what we do. Sin is who we are. The very state of our blackened and fallen hearts. When we commit sin we are simply doing a little show and tell. Got something at home…doesn’t always make it to school, or doesn’t always make it out of your backpack, but during show and tell…you display it. Doesn’t mean it wasn’t always already in your home. Sin is a condition of the heart, and the act of sin, well for the unsaved, it’s just breathing, it’s just life…nothing righteous…I mean think about it…if we have no righteousness in an of ourselves, all our righteousness comes from Jesus…if we ain’t got Him…then what’s the deal…NOTHING RIGHTEOUS, for the unsaved…and…for the saved, its weakness.

I don’t know if you’re tracking with me…if you get what I’m saying about the who…that sin is the very condition of mankind apart from the powerful atoning blood of the Savior…so let me tell you about the why and we’ll end up tying it all together. Turn with me to Genesis Chapter 3 Verses 1 – 7.

“Has God indeed said?” The battle cry of sin in our hearts and this, what we just read is the origin…The scream of the baby being born. The first utterance of sin upon the earth…the why. Why did sin come about…Now I need to interweave the what to continue to paint the portrait. Sin is simply this…Anti-Word. Anti-Truth. Anti-Wisdom. Anti-Power. Anti-God. Anti-Christ. Anything outside of the Word of God…is sin.

Romans 14:23, “Anything that is not done in faith in sin.” And what is faith? Paul says we walk by faith and not by sight and faith’s definition is found in Hebrews 11, “The activation of hope, tested and proved not by the eyes!” Faith is simply to trust God. To not just agree with His Word but to resolve that it is ultimate. That it is a must. That it is the key. And then to place your hope in what He has said and activate! And when you do…spiritual proof! BOOM! That is to walk by faith and not by sight and simply anything anything anything outside of that, is sin. Cuts off your comms to the Creator…Detaches your mind and heart from reality because it is by faith we come to understand truth…(even as a Christian)

The truth about your situation, my situation, your mood, your pain, your attitude, your anger, your addictions, your STATE! Faith, to simply trust God, to walk out His Word above your senses, that is the Anti-Sin…and yet it cannot be religious…there must be something more understood lest you become a jerk, annoying, exhausting and depressing…it must be a relationship with God…and so we transition to salvation…but a couple quick nuggets before we do…

Sin is weakness in the life of a Christian. It is a Christian with their spiritual eyes closed…to a non-Christian…man weakness and ignorance is the blood in their veins, the breath in their lungs, it is simply who they are and what they do…but Christians, our veins race with the blood of Jesus…the Power and the eternal weight and glory of the King…racing in our veins…sin for us, is our kryptonite!

And yet there is a whole movement that says sin it up…we are under grace…I want to address that Biblically for a moment and give you some who’s and whys such that you might care…and for some, very few who would become soldiers, disciples and slaves of the Greatest Master, that care will turn into a calling…

1 Corinthians 6:12. A triple six verse. One that deals with sin. Paul says all things are lawful. Yes, Paul is washed clean in the sufficient blood of Jesus…and in that, for Paul, the law is fulfilled! Thus he is free. But his freedom is not to sin…more weakness bring it on! No! But freedom from sin! How can we once understanding the why, the origin, of sin and the implication of sin…death…and the effect of sin and reach of sin…live any longer in it? Truthfully, that is if we are filled with the TRUTH, we can’t. It just doesn’t mix, makes us sick, doesn’t compute…sin becomes the enemy…

The fact is…as a soldier of God…an ambassador of Him in this world…His Holy Spirit coursing through my veins…I am now a goal oriented person. My goal is to be found faithful and found powerful in righteousness. Not my own righteousness which is by good works and comes through the law (and oh by the way does not exist) but the righteousness which is of Christ through faith! My goal is to walk into heaven and hear, “Well done, good and faithful SON!”

Now there are things that I could do that would be all right…just fine…let’s leave the ranks of heinous obvious sin for a moment…there are things that are just fine out there…they’re not sin in black and white but do they progress me towards my goal? If not then whatever it is, it’s me away from my primary goal and therefore, “not helpful.” The way you live reveals your goals by the way and man they are obvious…

When Paul says, “helpful,” the word there is “symphero.” And what should come to mind is a symphony. Filled with diverse sounds and different ways in which those sounds are made yet they are all in perfect time and harmony with one another, all fitting and working together and the result…famous!!!

So I’m talking to the slaves of Christ right now…you don’t get this, this boring for you, maybe even offensive and ticking you off a bit? You can’t chew this steak…hold off for a minute while the Kingsmen eat the meat. Is your life ringing out with the chorus of the King or do you have some members doing their own thing messing up the tune…what are you going to do about it? Anything? When?

The thing about a walk with God…the closer you are to the King, the shorter the when.  Years ago for me it was eventually. And as I studied the Word and met with God and pushed for His heart…the when became a few days after…man, that was wrong…I gotta make it right…Then as I grew stronger…way more hunger…it was immediately after…right after I knew I did something against God, something that was weak and wroughting weakness…immediately was the when…I’d repent…but now I find myself today, well before the enemy arrives, I see him on the horizon and I attack!

But how am I ready? Faith man. Faith prepares you, sustains you, protects you, and advances you…and faith is the shear opposite of sin…

Faith is the activation of wisdom at its core but the truth is, the Bible says, fear of God…pushing into His heart…is the beginning of it all…

A man that knew it all came to Jesus one night and said I have everything…knowledge, approval of men, position, pomp…I have it all but it’s like sand in my hand…it blows away, it fades away, it slips away almost constantly…what am I missing…Jesus said to Him something simple and yet something crazy…you must be born again…

Salvation is a fundamental of faith…that we are all born into sin…black hearts just like our father Adam…but Jesus called Himself the Second Adam…and by God’s grace…through faith, anyone, everyone can cast off our sin weakness and put on His power of righteousness…not by works, that’s sin weakness…not by earning it…you can’t…that’s sin weakness! But by humbly placing all of your hope in Jesus Christ and ACTIVATING!