The Dangers of Our Unseen Sins
Matt. 25:13-30
Matthew 25:13-30 KJV
13Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein
the Son of man cometh.
14For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far
country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.
15And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another
one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his
journey.
16Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with
the same, and made them other five talents.
17And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other
two.
18But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid
his lord’s money.
19After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth
with them.
20And so he that had received five talents came and brought other
five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I
have gained beside them five talents more.
21His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful
servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over
many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
22He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou
deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside
them.
23His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou
hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things:
enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
24Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I
knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and
gathering where thou hast not strawed:
25And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there
thou hast that is thine.
26His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and
slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where
I have not strawed:
27Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers,
and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.
28Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him
which hath ten talents.
29For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have
abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he
hath.
30And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there
shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Prov. 16:25 There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
INTRO.: Today I want to deal with a subject that is not really a stranger to us, but it is also one that we do not like to recognize. I want to deal with two kinds of sins. The sins of commission and the sins of omission. How they affect our lives and how they affect our service for the Lord.
This scripture deals with not doing what we need to do. We all hear and understand a lot about the “Thou Shalt Not’s” in the Bible. We know about many things that we should not be doing. We have heard them and been “preached” to all our lives. What about the things we leave undone? I want to look at both these today, but more so, look at how these unseen sins hurt us.
Sins of Commission - The visible sins.
Obvious sins - We see newspaper accounts and are exposed to sins all the time that deal with what we would call obvious unacceptable sins. These are almost universally unacceptable in everyday Christian Norm standards. Sins like:
Adultery
Thievery
Robbery
Murder, etc
If the results are sinful then the action must also be sinful.
I want to repeat this…
If the results are sinful then the action must also be sinful.
I call these...
Subtle Sins - There are also many sins we are exposed to that are less universally accepted as such:
White lies – pave the way for bigger “better” lies
Gossip – Do they really not hurt someone? Does the saying, “What they don’t know doesn’t hurt them!” really stand the test of God’s viewpoint?
Civil crimes (speeding, trespassing, etc.) - The Bible does not mention speeding, right? NO, but it does tell us to obey the laws of the land.
Gambling, Lottery, etc. – people may not like it, but these go against principles found in God’s Word
Alcohol – results are sinful. Families neglected. Lives taken. Sinful actions under the influence happen.
Drugs – like alcohol. People steal to have and cheat to keep and kill to gain more.
Fornication (sexual sins - whether they are extramarital sex, pornography, homosexuality, or whatever?). It has become commonplace in our society, thus accepted by many. Does God accept this or is it still sin?
Abortion – labeled as just a woman’s choice by many today. Not what it really is, purposefully ending a human life – which is murder. I think Satan wants it labeled as a procedure, just removing a blob of tissue, but God sees it as a sin.
If the actions are hard to distinguish, and they are sinful in nature, then we have sinned in our hearts. I call these…
Dark hidden sins of our hearts. They are like these:…
Lustful eye
Proud look
Hateful heart
Wicked imagination
Feet swift to do mischief, and other hidden sins.
Proverbs 6:16-23 KJV 16These
six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto
him:
17A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
18An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in
running to mischief,
19A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth
discord among brethren.
20My son, keep thy father’s commandment, and forsake not the law of
thy mother:
21Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about
thy neck.
22When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall
keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.
23For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light;
and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:
Romans 6:1-23 KJV 1What
shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
2God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer
therein?
3Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ
were baptized into his death?
4Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like
as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we
also should walk in newness of life.
5For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death,
we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
6Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that
the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
7For he that is dead is freed from sin.
8Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live
with him:
9Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death
hath no more dominion over him.
10For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth,
he liveth unto God.
11Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but
alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
12Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should
obey it in the lusts thereof.
13Neither yield ye your members as instruments of
unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are
alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness
unto God.
14For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the
law, but under grace.
15What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but
under grace? God forbid.
16Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey,
his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience
unto righteousness?
17But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have
obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
18Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of
righteousness.
19I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your
flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to
iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to
righteousness unto holiness.
20For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.
21What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed?
for the end of those things is death.
22But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye
have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
23For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is
eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
He wants us to label it as sin
He wants us far removed from sin (don’t hang around sinful areas and things)
So we have looked at sins of commission – yeah they are surely wrong. Let us now examine…
Sins of Omission - The invisible sins (they don’t really matter do they?)
Our unseen sins damage the work of Christ
We make excuses
We expect others not to notice
We place little importance on obedient works
We produce an example of laxness that is contagious
We cheapen the experience of salvation
Our excuses allow others to make excuses
We are not pleasing to God
Let me ask you, if a parent is guilty of omitting care for their children, what happens?
Does society approve?
If an executive is guilty of neglecting his job, does he keep it?
In the law…Is lack of knowledge an excuse?
If a person neglects to pay his or her taxes, omits might be the word, is it considered okay by the I.R.S.?
If a ball player skips practice does he end up on the bench?
That is enough, you get the idea.
Here is a scripture that deals with omitting needful things from our lives…
Hebrews 10: 25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
Job - omit showing up
Marriage - omit showing up after the ceremony
Marriage - just wearing the ring - no change
Surgeon - omit sewing up the internal stitches
Mechanic - leave out the brake fluid
Parachute packer - forget the chute
House cleaner - hide it under the rug
Let me ask you this morning…
IS GOD PLEASED WHEN WE OMIT:
Prayer from our lives - to read the paper?
Quiet times in our lives - to watch the news?
Bible reading - to watch the game?
Church attendance - to do the chores?
Church attendance - to go to work?
Church attendance - to go to Excel and exercise?
Church attendance - to go to the Mall and shop?
Church attendance - to go fishing, hunting, camping, bowling, hobbies, etc.
Tithing and supporting God's work - but temporal items are a great necessity?
Commitment - Substitute membership or attendance
Sunday mornings - sleep in.
Sunday evenings - relax
Wednesday evenings - favorite TV show, bridge, whittling, etc.
Revival - for twiddle-winks.
IS GOD PLEASED WHEN WE…
Watch while others work?
Play while others pray
Slouch while others serve?
Sleep while others sing?
Tarry while others teach?
Mope while others march?
Rationalize while others reel from the load?
Curb our commitment while others charge on to fight Satan?
Some advise to consider:
Concentrate on what you can do
Concentrate on what you would be willing to do
Concentrate on what you like to do
Gary Marcum – New Beginnings Church – 042609am – first used 031900am