What is sin? - Lines & Precepts

Teacher: Brother Brian
Church: Israel, The Church of Jesus

Sin is the only thing that can and will get us into the lake of fire, it is the reason that mankind is dying today, and because of sin, there is no peace. However, most Christians dangerously spend their whole life in “church” without knowing what the Biblical definition of sin is. How is this possible? It is possible because, Satan has deceived the whole world (Revelation 12:9) and according to the Word of God, Satan has many false prophets teaching in the name of Jesus (2 Corinthians 11).

That is why Jesus warned us several times to “Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many” (Matthew 24:3-4). Furthermore, we must realize that we are living in the last days. Take heed to Paul’s warning concerning the times we are living in:

2 Timothy 4:3-4
King James Version (KJV)

3 For the time will come when they will NOT endure SOUND DOCTRINE; but after their own LUSTS shall they heap to themselves TEACHERS, having itching ears;

4 And they shall TURN AWAY their EARS from the TRUTH, and shall be turned unto FABLES.

Who are these “teachers” that the masses have heaped to themselves due to their own lusts? These teachers are the false prophets that Jesus warned about in Matthew 24. They are responsible for turning the peoples ears away from the TRUTH and SOUND DOCTRINE. As a result, mainstream Christians do not keep the Lord’s commandments. They do not keep the dietary law (Leviticus 11), the Lord’s Sabbath (Exodus 20:8-13), the Lord’s feast days (Leviticus 23), and they do not know how to love their neighbor (Leviticus 19:18).

On the contrary, they believe in fables that causes them to SIN against God. These fables include, the teaching that “grace” nullifies the keeping of God’s laws, “once saved, always saved”, Christmas, Easter, Sun-day worship, the “rapture”, going up to heaven, the “trinity”, wearing crosses + venerating pictures of Jesus, and many more false/satanic teachings that are not substantiated by the Holy scriptures.

Therefore, it is important that we realize how God identifies a false prophet/teacher so we can discern sound doctrine from false teachings.

Here, God speaks through Ezekiel concerning the false prophets/teachers of Israel:

Ezekiel 22:26
King James Version (KJV)
26 Her priests have VIOLATED my LAW, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put NO DIFFERENCE between the HOLY and PROFANE, NEITHER have they shewed DIFFERENCE between the UNCLEAN and the CLEAN, and have hid their eyes from my SABBATHS, and I am profaned among them.

We have learned that in the past, false prophets/priests/bishops/pastors or what ever they may call themselves, taught lies by violating God’s laws and commandments. Has anything changed today? Let’s ask Peter:

2 Peter 2:1-2
King James Version (KJV)

1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

So we see that false prophets/teachers are still among us today. Let’s see how many people will be following these false teachers?

2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.

As Jesus foretold, “many” people are following false prophets. This is why the majority of so called Christians and religious people do not know the biblical definition of sin. Furthermore, when you tell them what sin is, and show them what they need to do in order to not sin, they will speak evil concerning the truth.

So what is sin according to the Bible?

1 John 3:4
King James Version (KJV)
4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: FOR SIN IS THE TRANSGRESSION OF THE LAW.

If you break any of God’s laws, it is considered sin. Sin, or the breaking of God’s laws is the wages of death (Romans 6:23). That is why after Adam disobeyed the commandments of God, death entered into the creation (Genesis 3:17-19). Furthermore, that is why Jesus had to die an unjust death for our sins (Isaiah 53). Why was Jesus death unjust? Because Jesus was without sin! That means he kept ALL of God’s laws until he died (Phillipians 2:8).

Therefore, we cannot call ourselves believers and “followers of Christ”, if we do not keep God’s laws. To keep God’s laws is to be Holy. It separates you from the wickedness and ungodliness of this world. However, many professing Christians do not believe this because “the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9).

False prophets such as T.D. Jakes, Creflo Dollar, Joyce Meyer, Benny Hinn, Joel Osteen, and Joseph Prince have TRULY “violated” God’s laws! As a result, they have inundated the lustful minds of the masses with the belief that:

“We are no longer under the law”

However, the Bible does not support this false teaching. Paul lets us know:

Romans 5:13
King James Version (KJV)
13 For until the law sin was in the world: but SIN is NOT IMPUTED WHEN THERE IS NO LAW.

This means that without the law, there is no sin. That is why Paul also stated that

Romans 7:7,12
King James Version (KJV)
7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? GOD FORBID. NAY, I had NOT known sin, but by the LAW: for I had not known lust, except the LAW had said, Thou shalt not covet.

If you tell the average Christian that they have to keep God’s laws for salvation, they will look at you with contempt and like Peter said, many of them will speak evil concerning the truth. That is why many people are of the belief that, “Something is wrong with the Law”

However, this cannot be further from the truth. Contrary to this fallacy, Paul also let us know that,

Romans 7:12
King James Version (KJV)
12 Wherefore the LAW is HOLY, and the commandment HOLY, and JUST, and GOOD.

Mega Pastors such as Creflo Dollar ($) seem to think otherwise:

In his sermon entitled, “Liberated from the Law“, Mr. Dollar maintains that any Christian striving to keep God’s laws, is denying the Grace of Jesus. In other words he is saying that if you are a Christian, you do not need the laws of God because you are already “saved” by grace and faith.

Someone should tell Creflo Dollar that sin is the transgression of the Law. Since the flesh is weak, it is possible for any Christian man or woman to sin at anytime. Therefore, Creflo Dollar’s statements prove that he is twisting scripture just as all false prophets will do to deceive the masses into thinking that we do not have to keep God’s laws. What Mr. Dollar is inadvertently saying is that it is okay to sin due to grace and faith. Let’s see what the Bible says about that:

Romans 6:15
King James Version (KJV)
15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? GOD FORBID.

Romans 3:31
King James Version (KJV)
31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, WE ESTABLISH the LAW.

Therefore, we should now know, that even though we have grace and faith, that we still need to keep God’s laws because if we do not keep God’s laws, we will be sinning. We are to establish the law, because the breaking of the law, is what got us all in trouble in the first place. If we continue to break God’s laws after laying hold to the grace of Jesus, then we would be taking the grace of God in vain.

Here is an example. Imagine that you got caught stealing and were sentenced to five years in prison but you got pardoned by the governor and did not have to do the time that you were originally given. For one, you need to realize that being pardoned from the penalty of theft, was an act of grace. Grace is nothing but a free gift. Your works did not grant you a pardon from the governor (just like our works did not grant us Jesus’ grace which pardoned us from eternal death). Now that you have received this undeserved grace from the governor, do you think that it is okay to go back out in steal? God Forbid! However, that is what these false prophets are saying when they tell us that Jesus’ grace voids us from the law! If that were truly, the case then that would mean it would be okay for me to lie, steal, commit adultery, fornication, get drunk, practice idolatry etc. However, that is not the case and Galatians 5:16-26 and Romans 8:6-9 makes that very clear.

Mr. Dollar ($) supports his false teachings with spreading the lie that all Christians are “saved” once they believe in Jesus. However, if you have spiritual understanding you will know that no one is saved at the present point in time. It is possible for any servant of God, under God’s grace to backslide and turn back to their old man. King Saul is a perfect example of that. Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 9:25-27 lets us know the very same thing. Thus, contrary to popular belief, only those that endure until the end of their life will receive salvation (Matthew 24:10, 2 Tim. 4:7-8). That means all Christians that want salvation in God’s soon coming kingdom, must keep God’s laws/commandments (Hebrews 5:9) until their death (like Jesus) or until the second coming of the Lord.

Hence our Lord and Savior has said,

Matthew 5:17-19
King James Version (KJV)
17 Think NOT that I am come to destroy the LAW, or the prophets: I AM NOT COME to destroy, but to FULFILL.

18 For verily I say unto you, TILL HEAVEN and EARTH PASS, one jot or one tittle shall in NO WISE PASS FROM THE LAW, TILL ALL BE FULFILLED.

19 WHOSOEVER therefore shall BREAK one of these LEAST COMMANDMENTS, and shall TEACH MEN SO, he shall be called the LEAST in the KINGDOM of HEAVEN: but whosoever shall DO and TEACH THEM, the same shall be called GREAT in the KINGDOM of HEAVEN.

Do we still have heaven? Yes! Do we still have earth? Yes! So has the law been done away according to Jesus? No!

Now that you know how to identify a false prophet and you know what the definition of sin is, it is hoped that you understand the importance of obeying God’s laws statues, and commandments. Jesus has told us that, DOING and TEACHING the commandments is the only way to get into God’s kingdom, so if you want eternal life, you must obey God. Furthermore, it is only through our obedience to God that we show him that we love him. This is why Jesus said, “if ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). God’s commandments are his laws and this means if you break his commandments, i.e. sin, then you do not love Jesus.

If you are cognizant of mainstream Christianity you will know that the majority of Christians do not love the Jesus of the Bible because they do not keep his commandments. We have seen that this is due to the fact that Satan has deceived the world, false prophets are deceiving many with lies, and the minds of the masses are lustful, giving heed to fables.

However, despite this carnal thinking of disobedience, many will profess that they are holy, spiritual, and that they know and believe in God. This is how we know that Satan has truly deceived the world. Thank God for his Word of Truth that is used for our doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness (2 Tim. 3:16). Therefore, based on God’s Word, the next time someone tells you that you do not have to keep God’s laws and commandments, you will know that such a statement is of Satan aka the “Father of lies” (John 8:44). Thus, if someone tells you that lie, correct/reprove them with this scripture:

1 John 2
King James Version (KJV)
3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

If this is your first time finding out about sin and false prophets, then your challenge will begin today. Will you remain underneath a false prophet/ teacher now that you know the TRUTH? Will you continue to live your life in violation to God’s laws? Or will you admit that Satan has deceived us all, ask for forgiveness, and do your best to learn and keep God’s laws?

Remember…..

Hebrews 10:26-29
King James Version (KJV)

26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,

27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

28 He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:

29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

For more information on God’s laws that Christians must keep for salvation under the new covenant, click here.