Sin
Sin is simply walking against the will of God (Walking contrary to what God said or want or ask you to do).
“Sin is the major thing that separate mankind from God Almighty”
Now pay attention carefully. This point is very important to your spirit, soul and body.
The question here now is; is everyone on earth walking contrary to the will of God? The answer is no.
Back in those days, God was knows as the God that visits the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children even to the third and fourth generation of them that hates Him (God). This brought the awareness that sin can be passed from one generation to another.
Exodus 20 v 5
Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, VISITING THE INIQUITY OF THE FATHERS UPON THE CHILDREN UNTO THE THIRD AND FOURTH GENERATION of them that hate me;
The sin of Adam is passed to all mankind;
Romans 5 v 12
Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
So the sin of Adam brought death upon all men. God gave the Law to the children of Israel to free them from the condemnation that has been passed to all mankind. In the keeping of the Law, they were accounted as the only Holy and Righteous people thereby bringing the whole world under condemnation before God.
After many years, the children of Israel could not walk in the Law of the LORD. God sent His Prophets to warn them several times, they grew worse in their wicked ways until they were carried away captive to Babylon. God was telling them to amend their ways, they were telling God they had done nothing bad but God is punishing them for the sins of their fathers which they knew nothing about. Making references to Exodus 20 v 5 and its relatives.
“it is very difficult for us to accept that what we are doing is wrong”
Ezekiel 18 v 1 – 4
The word of the LORD came unto me again, saying,
What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge?
As I live, saith the Lord GOD, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel.
Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.
God was so displeased to hear the children of Israel speak in this manner, He had to cancel the saying “visiting the iniquities of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation” and then God introduced a new way of dealing with them; same book of Ezekiel 18 from verse 20
The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.
But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live.
Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?
But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.
From here onward, everyman is hold responsible for his sins. No more suffering for the sins of fathers and mothers.
This scripture is the reason many thought they can just try to do good things and be acceptable before God.
Note: The Law of Moses was given to the Children of Israel alone and Prophet Ezekiel was talking to the Children of Israel alone also. This means that this new principle was effective on the children of Israel alone. The rest of the world still lies in the sin and death Adam brought into this world.
It is very important to know that whatever God said back then, He said it to them that were under the Covenant and the Law, the Law and Covenant was given to the Children of Israel alone and not for the whole world.
After a long time in captivity as a result of disobedient to God, the children of Israel returned to their land. God brought them back. They still could not walk in the new principle that God gave them. No one was to pay for his father’s sin but everyone is to pay for his sins. Walking with this principle God saw that they could not walk in it, even the sacrifice of the blood of goats and rams that was to be used for the atonement for their sins was not enough, they were not doing it properly neither did they repent. He had to think of an easier way else they will perish. The easier way was to send His son to pay for the sins they have committed and justify them by believing in Him. This is one of the reasons Jesus came to be the Lamb of God for the Children of Israel. Since without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin, the blood of Jesus Christ was used to replace the blood of the goats and ram.
God is a Spirit, being made right with God is more that doing good and doing bad. No man can justify himself with his good works, your good works may bring blessings to you but your good works will not save your soul, only an atonement will save your soul.
One day, Jesus was doing what he knows how to do best; that is teaching the word of God. Among the people that were listening to him, was a rich man who had been taught in the things of God according to the knowledge of the law. This man came to him, knelt to him and asked;
“Good master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?”
Note: This man was well trained and instructed in the law and knew the whole thing. He had money to handle the sacrifices’ that were required by the law and with his heart he was following the law. Within him, he knew he had no Eternal life though he is following everything written in the law.
Something new is introduced here, did you notice it? Eternal Life” put that in your mind; very soon we will be discussing it.
In the Bible, there are several records of men who were able to walk in the law of God perfectly but yet did not have eternal life. Let’s have a look at few of such.
Let’s see the scripture where the conversation between the man and Jesus took place.
St. Mark. 10 vs 17 - 21
And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?
And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.
Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.
And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.
Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.
Guide your mind at this junction. Jesus is not really focusing on the materials / wealth of this man but to tell him there is no way he could do all the things of the law and be perfect, after fulfilling all the laws you know how to keep, you must take your cross and follow Jesus.
There are people that are good in their relationship with human and God based on what they know and understand. Hear me, after all of that, you still need to come to Jesus to perfect you. This is why I tell people ‘Jesus is a MUST’ if you truly love God and care about the saving of your soul.
Even though the Children of were not to pay for the sins oftheir fathers anymore, their personal walk in the Law was not enough to deliver into their hands Eternal life and the saving of their soul which is their hope. They were behind because the law could not perfect anyone.
Romans 3 v 20
Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
Since they could not fulfill the law, God had to figure out a way to justify them by ushering in a New Covenant which will not be according to their works.
Truly God is love and He cares; at first He gave them the law to keep and guide them, when they complained that they could not fulfill God’s demand because they were being punished by God for the sins of their fathers, God introduced another principle that relates with them based on their own ways of living. Still they could not fulfill the righteous demands of God, then God has to introduce His righteousness that is not accounted according to their doing but according to their believes.
Jeremiah 31 v 31 -32
Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make A NEW COVENANT WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL, AND WITH THE HOUSE OF JUDAH:
Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:
This righteousness is the righteousness that is by faith. Before God could introduce this righteousness, the existing law has to be abolished. To abolish the law, there must be shedding of blood since the law and its ordinances were instituted by blood. Exodus 29, Ezekiel 43 v 18.
Jesus Christ born of a virgin without spots lived as a man, fulfilled all the righteous demands of God and the law, took the law to the cross and nailed it to the cross thereby ushering in the New Covenant and the New Law.
Mathew 26 v 27 – 28
And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;
For this is my blood of the new testament, WHICH IS SHED FOR MANY for the remission of sins.
John 13 v 34
A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
The law, ordinances and the Prophets were meant for the children of Israel alone and salvation is of the Jews – Jeremiah 31 v 31, it was meant for them alone but because of the everlasting covenant God made with Papa Abraham that through him shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;
Genesis 22 v 15- 18
And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time,
And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:
That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;
And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.
It became possible for Jesus Christ who is the seed of Abraham by faith to open the door of salvation for everyone. Until Jesus Christ, salvation was of the Jews alone.
John 4 v 22
Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: FOR SALVATION IS OF THE JEWS.
For more details on the concept of sin, atonement and salvation, request for our book titled “The Saved Christian and the Glorified Christian”.
The righteousness that is by faith speaks on this wise; “whosoever believes shall be saved”.
The Lord Jesus Christ opened the room for all not only the Jews, praise God!
John 3 v 15
That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
Anywhere you find the word “whosoever or whatsoever” it’s a direct invitation for anyone and everyone. Here is our license to salvation.