Sin is not to be considered a light matter. In other words, it is not to be mocked. Only a fool would demonstrate this kind of behaviour toward sin.
The Bible does not always paint man in a positive light, yet it always paints him accurately. According to scripture, there is no man that sinneth not.
The idea of the word respect is that an individual looks at two things and chooses to look at one of them a second time demonstrating favouritism.
A talebearer as one that bears a tale or reveals secrets (Proverbs 11:13; Proverbs 20:19). This type of sin is regretfully a plague amongst modern Christianity.
Some of the most popular televangelists garner their popularity by falsely teaching that God wants everyone wealthy. God simply does not want everyone to have riches. Yet, if wealth is gained through scriptural means, it can be used to do much good (by supporting missionaries, helping those in need, furthering the gospel, etc.). The Bible clearly teaches that it is wrong for anyone to seek to become wealthy. Yet, one should equally not set out to be poor. As such, every believer should know how to avoid self-induced poverty. According to scripture, there are certain actions or inactions that ultimately lead to poverty: laziness (Proverbs 6:10-11; Proverbs 24:33-34), greediness (Proverbs 11:24), pleasure loving (Proverbs 21:17; Proverbs 23:21), and following vain persons (Proverbs 28:19). These truths hold constant on both an individual level as well as collectively.
Tradition robs men of the blessings only derived from one’s obedience to the truth. The word spoil is a term used during wartime meaning that one side in a battle breaks forth into the territory of the other side and takes their valuable possessions. According to scripture, philosophies and deceit based upon the traditions of men rob the saint of God of the benefits offered by merely accepting the truths of the word of God. The price of spoiling is high. For the lost, they can be spoiled of their eternal life by accepting the traditions (false gospels) and philosophies (evolution) of men. For the saved, they can lose some eternal rewards by the acceptance of traditions contrary to the plain truths of scripture.
Sometimes a deep chasm exists between the doctrines, traditions, and commandments of men and those that are God-ordained. Perhaps no passage better identifies this contrast than Mark chapter 7. The religious leaders of Christ’s day held “the tradition of the elders” (Mark 7:3, 5), “the tradition of men” (Mark 7:8), and their own “tradition” (Mark 7:9, 13). In doing so, they rejected “the commandment of God” (Mark 7:9). This clearly displays the critical importance of identifying whose traditions one willingly receives and accepts. If traditions are truly of the Lord, they are to be accepted and implemented into the believer’s life (2 Thessalonians 2:15). Yet, those man-made, unscriptural traditions are to be rejected altogether.
Every individual to a certain degree is a prime target for temptation. Yet, because of personal choices and circumstances, some people are a far greater target than others. According to scripture, ungodly fellowship (Exodus 23:33; Exodus 34:12; Proverbs 22:24-26), riches (Deuteronomy 7:25; 1 Timothy 6:9), and broken vows (Proverbs 20:25) are a few of the things that weaken the believer’s ability to endure temptation. Some of these are blatantly sinful while others can be innocent. Each believer needs to diligently seek the Lord regardless of whether or not any of these things are present in his life. However, the presence of these things only works to heighten a man’s temptations.
When Adam transgressed, he affected and infected all that would come after him. When God created man, He did so after His own likeness (Genesis 1:26; Genesis 5:1), but when Adam bore a son after the fall, the Bible says that Adam “begat a son in his own likeness” (Genesis 5:3). Adam’s sin came with dire consequences experienced by all. All those born of Adam’s seed bear Adam’s image (1 Corinthians 15:47-49) and the Bible points out that “in Adam all die” (1 Corinthians 15:22). At the same time, no man faces the eternal judgment of God for bearing Adam’s image, but he does so based upon his own practice of sin and refusal to accept God’s free gift of salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ.
Saul chose to persecute the church of God (Galatians 1:13) which caused great hesitancy on the part of believers to accept Saul after he was converted to Christ. When the Lord spoke to Ananias, Ananias reminded the Lord of Saul’s past endeavours as well as Saul’s “present mission.” The Lord had to reassure Ananias that all was well, and that Saul (changed to Paul) was a chosen vessel to be used of God. When Paul began preaching Christ, many were amazed because they knew Paul as “he that destroyed them which called on this name” (Acts 9:21). When Paul “was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple” (Acts 9:26). Some sinners dig such a mighty deep pit for themselves that only the grace of God and the wisdom of the believers can overcome.
