Preaching by Abuna Joseph Atem Bol: “Let Us Commit Ourselves to God”
5 min read
PREACHER NAME: VEN. JOSEPH ATEM BOL DENG
Verses of the bible read as follow:
• Revelation 9: 20-21
• James 4: 17
• Romans 3:23
• Theme of today is: SIN
• What is Sin? Note on James 4 verse 17
(SIN MEANS TO COMMIT AN OFFENSE OR FAULT AGAINST GOD; TO BREAK GOD’S LAW)
January 19, 2015 (SSB) — We tend to think that doing wrong is sin. But James tells us that sin is also not doing right.
(These two kinds of sin are sometimes called sins of commission and sins of omission.)
It is a sin to lie; it can also be a sin to know the truth and not tell it. It is a sin to speak evil of someone;
It is also a sin to avoid that person when you know he or she needs your friendship.
You should be willing to help as the Holy Spirit guides you.
If God has directed you to do kind acts, to render a service, or to restore a relationship, do it.
You will experience a renewed and refreshed vitality to your Christian faith.
• Why is sin dangerous? What’s the big deal?
These people were so hard-hearted that even plagues did not drive them to God. People don’t usually fall into immorality and evil suddenly—they slip into it a little bit at a time until, hardly realizing what has happened, they are irrevocably mired in their wicked ways. Any person who allows sin to take root in his or her life will end up in this predicament. T
emptation entertained today becomes sin tomorrow, a habit the next day, then death and separation from God forever (see James 1: 15). To think you could never become this evil is the first step toward a hard heart. Acknowledge your need to confess your sin before God.
• Why should I call myself a sinner when I can think of a lot of people who are really bad?
Some sins seem bigger than others because their obvious consequences are much more serious. Murder, for example, seems to us to be worse than hatred, and adultery seems worse than pride. But this does not mean that because we only commit “little” sins we deserve eternal life. All sins make us sinners, and all sins cut us off from Holy God.
All sins, therefore, lead to death (because they disqualify us from living with God), regardless of how great or small they seem. Don’t minimize ‘’little’’ sins or overrate ‘’big’’ sins. They all separate us from God, but they all can be forgiven.
• How could a loving God send sincere people to hell?
Paul answers a common objection to belief in God. How could a loving God send anyone to hell, especially someone who has never heard about Christ? In fact, says Paul, God has revealed Himself plainly in the creation to all people. And yet people reject even this basic knowledge of God. Also, all people have an inner sense of what God requires, but they choose not to live up to it. Put another way, people’s moral standards are always better than their behavior. If people suppress God’s truth in order to live their own way, they have no excuse, they know the truth, and they will have to endure the consequences of ignoring it.
Some people wonder why we need missionaries if people can know about God through nature (the creation). The answer: (1) Although people know that God exist, their wickedness blinds them to the truth. Missionaries sensitively expose their sin and point then to Christ. (2) Although people may believe there is God, they refuse to commit themselves to Him. Missionaries help persuade them by sharing God’s word and by pointing out dangerous consequences of their actions. (3) Missionaries help the church to obey the great commission of our Lord.
Most important, although nature reveals God, people need to be told about Jesus and how through Him, they can have personal relationship with God. Knowing that god exist is not enough. People must learn that God is loving and that he sent His Son to demonstrate his love for us. They must be shown how to accept God’s forgiveness of their sins.
• Can someone to be too sinful to be saved?
2 Chronicles 33: 12-13. In a list of corrupt kings, Manasseh would rank near the top. His life was a catalog of evil deeds including idol worship, sacrificing his own children, and temple desecration. Eventually, however, he realized his sins and cried out to God for forgiveness. And God listened. If God can forgive Manasseh, surely he can forgive anyone. Are you burdened by overpowering guilt? Do you doubt that anyone could forgive what you have done? Take heart—until death, no one is beyond the reach of God’s forgiveness.
PSALM 51: 1—7. David was truly sorry for his adultery with Bathsheba and for murdering her husband to cover it up. He knew that his actions had hurt many people. But because David repented of those sins. God mercifully forgave him. No sin is too great to be forgiven! Do you feel that you could never come close to God because you have done something terrible? God can and will forgive you of any sin.
While God forgives us, however, he does not always erase the natural consequences of our sin. David’s life and family were never the same as the result of what he had done (see 2 Samuel 12: 1—23)
Thanks for your listening.
Ven. Joseph Atem Bol Deng, Archdeacon Malou Archdeaconry, Bor, Jonglei state.
Any question, you can contact me: 0955010012, 0977173732, 0912746677
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