When is Sin Okay?
Psalm 32

Sermon Outline From The Morning Service - 11 June 2000

I. What is sin?

A. Sin is not a social concept that is determined by society.

1. What was thought to be wrong in a previous generation may be acceptable today (ie., homosexuality, adultery, etc.)
2. Most people try to whitewash their misbehavior, or rationalize it.

B. Sin is determined by the Creator's revelation Rom. 3:10-23

1. Consider these verses: 2 Chron 6:36; Jer. 17:9; James 2:10
2. 1 Sam. 16:7--God weighs the heart as well as the actions.

C. According to the Bible we are all condemned as sinners:

1. There is a just and holy God -- He is an omniscient Judge.
2. God has a standard of righteousness.
3. Sin deserves punishment -- God brings a just punishment.
4. Sin is primarily an offense against God.

II. Is sin all that bad?

A. The source (Where does it come from?)

1. By nature -- from Adam we inherited a sin nature. Rom 5
2. By act -- selfish desires in our hearts are the seed of sin.

B. The effect (Is it all that bad?)

1. It turns people against each other.
2. It ruins your life -- sins weighs heavy on the conscience.
3. It separates from God. Is. 59:1-2; Amos 3:2

III. When is sin okay?

A. The example of David -- Ps. 32:1-5 (after his sin with Bathsheba

1. Refusing to confess affects health and disposition.
2. Once he determined to confess, he was forgiven.

B. Some words Christians often associate with sin

1. Confession -- if you wrong someone, you must confess to them. Every sin is against God (and maybe someone else)....it must be confessed to God. The confession must be complete and come from a humbled heart.
2. Repentance -- indicates a change, a turn-around that includes both action and attitude. Simply not doing a specific sin again does not qualify as biblical repentance.
3. Forgiveness -- when there is confession that is based on repentance, then there is forgiveness.
Rom. 7 leads into Rom. 8:1 "there is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus."  I John 2:1.

David was a man after God's own heart, not because he didn't sin, but because he saw his sins as filthy and
couldn't rest until he was forgiven.