Tri-Annual Singing!
October 17, 2026
7:00pm - 8:30pm
Category: Sin
Subject: Sin
“We are … the thought leaders”
It is a bit disconcerting how far our world has strayed from the paths of righteousness. The wise man once wrote, “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people” (Proverbs 14:34). These words are true wisdom, and the sinfulness of our society certainly is a reproach to our nation.
It is hard for the Christian to understand how the world has reached the state it is presently in. We are truly living in a time similar to that which existed during Isaiah’s tenure on earth, “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!” (Isaiah 5:20-21). How did we get here? Consider the following anecdote.
The Bible View of Sexuality
We live in a promiscuous society. According to a 2008 survey reported by the Guttmacher Institute, 90% of single women between the ages of 20 and 44 are sexually experienced. 70% identified themselves as currently sexually active. Among teenagers for the past 15 years, the percentage of teenagers (15-19) who have had sex has remained fairly constant (44% of girls, 49% of boys, Resource Center for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention).
It should not be surprising that some churches are changing their teaching regarding premarital sex. One example of this is a recently published book by Bromleigh McCleneghan, a married mother of three, and “associate pastor for ministry with families” at the Union Church of Hinsdale in Illinois. The title of her book is, “Good Christian Sex”, with the subtitle, “Why Chastity Isn’t the Only Option—And Other Things the Bible Says About Sex.”
From the Preacher’s Pen: Dishonest Scales
“Dishonest scales are an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is His delight” (Proverbs 11:1).
Dishonesty and theft are unacceptable to Jehovah. In the same context, the wise man wrote, “The integrity of the upright will guide them, but the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them” (11:3). It is telling that honesty in a person is indicative of personal integrity, and that dishonesty indicates perversity and unfaithfulness.
The characteristics of honesty and integrity would go a long way to fixing the moral problems of our day. While all will claim that personal integrity is very important, our culture is rife with liars, thieves and politicians (sorry, couldn’t resist).
God demands honesty from His children. Jesus said, “He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own?” (Luke 16:10-12).
The Patternists: What is Wickedness?
The generation that provoked God to judge the world by water is described by Moses in the Genesis account. “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (6:5). It was because of this wickedness that God said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth” (6:7).
Verse six of the text contains a simple definition of wickedness. It is that which grieves the heart of Jehovah. Herein lies a problem with our societal views of right and wrong. They do not take into consideration what grieves God’s heart.
We live in a time where the moral compass is not working. Righteousness too often provokes moral outrage, while heinous things are often championed as good and wholesome. When men no longer “retain God in their knowledge” (cf. Romans 1:28), they exchange “the truth of God for the lie” (cf. Romans 1:25).
Only by reading God’s word can we know what grieves Him, and what pleases Him. Only then can we know what is righteousness, and what is wickedness.
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Sermon: Escape from Sin
Based on Matthew 5:27-30, the lesson examines sin, its cause, and the means of escaping both it and eternal punishment.
Sermon: How Do You Handle Your Sin?
Men tend to handle the reality of their own sin in less than beneficial ways. Instead of hiding it, explaining it away or denying sin, we must confess that sin, and repent!
FB: Do not give place to the Devil!
In Ephesians 4:26-27, Paul wrote, “‘Be angry, and do not sin’: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.”
There are many ways we can “give place to the devil.” Mentioned in the text are lying, stealing, all types of evil speaking, bitterness, clamor and malice. In verse 26 the problem Paul addresses is anger.
We all get angry. But, we must control it when it comes, and rid ourselves of it as soon as possible. Otherwise, Satan will use it to cause us to sin. Do not give place to the Devil!
Click below to…
Sermon: Identifying Sin
The lesson seeks to identify sin using Biblical descriptions, and discusses the consequences of that sin.
Invitation: We are Debtors
Invitation delivered by: Josh Cox
In Romans 5:12 the apostle Paul affirms that death has spread to all men. The only way to escape death is through God’s gift to man (cf. Romans 6:23). As such, we are Debtors (Romans 8:12).
Sermon: Evil Suspicions
The sin of evil suspicion, or evil surmising (KJV), as listed in 1 Timothy 6, is divisive, destructive, and to be refused by faithful Christians.
Sermon: Be Wary of Corrupting Influences
The world we live in is truly profane. As Christians we need to take care that we not be corrupted by worldly influences.
Sermon: Healing the Sick
Unlike many religious quacks, Jesus is the Great Physician, with the cure for man’s greatest disease, SIN.
Looking at sin through God’s eyes
What is your attitude toward sin? The world in general are dismissive of the entire concept. A few years ago there were expressions of derision when our President referred to terrorists at “evildoers.” It seems that the idea of inherent evil is not too popular in our day. However, God used the term. In fact, the term is found 17 times in the text of the New King James translation. One example of this is in Isaiah 31:2, where the prophet promised, “Yet He [God] also is wise and will bring disaster, and will not call back His words, but will arise against the house of evildoers, and against the help of those who work iniquity.” It seems that God not only identified some as “evildoers”, but also proclaimed His strong opposition to their works.
Sermon: The High Cost of Sin
The account of Samson’s fall and imprisonment by the Philistines teaches some important truths about sin:
1) Sin will always take you farther than you want to go.
2) Sin will always keep you longer than you want to stay.
3) Sin will always cost you more than you intended to pay.
In the News: The Colorado City Murders
Last week a mentally unbalanced man named Robert Dear killed three people in Colorado City, Colorado. The location of the attack was a Planned Parenthood clinic.
The statement above contains one assumption, that the man was mentally unbalanced. It is admittedly an assumption, but there are a number of facts that seem to bear out the assessment. First, there is the deranged look of the man in his booking photos. Second, there is the characterization of the man’s interaction with police which was described in numerous press reports as incoherent ramblings. Finally there are the descriptions of witnesses of a man who was a loner, a recluse who lived by himself in an isolated shack without plumbing or electricity. In many ways, he seems reminiscent of the “Unabomber” Ted Kaczynski.
