Our Sins
We commit sins in two ways.
The first way is when we do not love our God above all things. The second way is
by not loving our neighbors as ourselves. All sins come from the heart, they
are spiritual. They come from the lack of an obedient love to our God, from the
lack of a caring love for all people. It is impossible to list all the ways in
which we commit sins by not following by our God, by not treating our neighbors
with love. Sometimes we are even unaware of the sins we commit. Sin came in the
world when Satan tempted Adam and Eve. Since that time it has been impossible
for anyone to live a perfect life of love to their Lord. For Satan, the world
and our own desires lead us away from our Lord, and cause us to sin. Everyone
has a weakness, we all sin. Whether it be money,
power, pride, sexual lusts, a vulgar tongue, or not loving our neighbor.
Whether it be weariness from trying to exist in this
world, to being discouraged by all the trouble that surrounds us. Many are
angry at God for taking someone dear away from them, while letting many bad
people live. And Satan just smiles as he exploits our weaknesses to the
fullest, making us all sin.
The greatest
command ever given to this universe is to love our great God above all things.
We show this love by obeying our Lord and living our lives as the He would have
us live them. The second greatest command given to us is to love all people as
ourselves. We should tell all about the saving grace of Jesus Christ, while
helping the poor and needy. All other commands are secondary and under these
two immortal commands. Other commands given by our Lord merely reflect whether
we are following our Lord’s two greatest commands. They are but a mirror that
enables us to see when our love is lacking. When we need the Spirit to
strengthen our faith and allow Christ’s love to rule our hearts completely.
More specifically the two
greatest commands are as follows:
-
Jesus taught us
in Matt. 22:37-38, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all
your soul and with all your mind. This is the first
and greatest commandment.” Our love for God must be the greatest and strongest
love we have in our lives. We must put our Lord first in every endeavor we
attempt, we must submit to our Master’s will in everything we do. We must obey
His commands by doing everything He would have us do and abstaining from
everything He would not have us do.
-
Jesus instructed
us in Matt. 22:39, “And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.”
We try to love others as we would be loved. We are to love even our enemies and
do good to those who do evil to us. Jesus also said in
John 13:34, “As I have loved you love one another.” We must strive to love
those in Christ as much as Jesus loved us.
Jesus told us in Matt.
22:40, “All the law and the prophets hang on these two commandments.” These two
commands supersede all others. They are the ones that should be emphasized to
all children, they are the ones that should be put up
on display for all to see, all to obey.
Some of our Lord’s commands
were Old Covenant ceremonial laws to make the people aware of the Savior to
come, and a means of forgiving their sins until He came. Jesus Christ’s death
fulfilled these ceremonial laws, they are needed no more. We are to obey all of
Christ’s commands that He taught us. We are also to follow the New Testament
teachings of the apostles on how our Lord would have us live in the New
Covenant. We should also obey the moral Old Covenant laws not redefined in the
New Covenant. Listed below are other specific commands of our Lord. They are
paraphrased from the Bible as follows:
- That we should have no other gods,
nor worship, bow down, or call upon
any other idols, heavenly beings, statues, or anything else in heaven or earth.
- Do not take the name of the Lord thy God in
vain. Do not curse God. Do not curse by calling down the anger of God on anyone
or anything. Do not use His name carelessly or by swearing an oath to prove you
are telling the truth where a simple yes or no will do. Do not swear falsely by
His name.
- Do not lie. Tell the simple truth. Honor your pledges as God has honored His.
- We should worship our God in fellowship with other Christians gladly hearing and learning His word. Each can worship any day or time they desire. Early Christians met on the first day of the week, Sunday. Where two or three are gathered together in Christ’s name, He will be there also. We should support those are called for specific work by the Lord, both with prayers and sustaining them with their physical needs. We should bring the knowledge of our Lord to all nations. Congregations should be led by elders, men seasoned with a strong Christian faith and picked by the congregation they lead. We should take our disputes to the elders to be settled quickly, trying to avoid secular courts.
- Honor your father and mother that it may be well with you and you will live long on the earth. Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly. Take care of the elderly especially caring for those in your own family.
- Do not kill. He who hates his
brother is a murderer. Do not have rage or anger. Do not endanger anyone’s
life.
- Do not commit adultery. He who
lusts after another has already committed adultery in his heart. We must honor
our promise to marry another. Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman, that is detestable to God. Neither
the sexually immoral, adulterers, or homosexuals, will inherit the
- Do not steal. Do not defraud or rob your neighbor. Do not use dishonest standards when measuring length, weight or quantity. Theft, deceit, swindling, and greed are evil. Steal no more but work to give to the needy.
-We should gladly do to the best of our ability the job our Lord has given us. Give to him that asks of you and from him that would borrow from you turn not away. Help others as we would like to be helped.
- Do not bear false witness against they neighbor. Slander is evil. Do not pervert justice, do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly. Speak not evil of anyone, nor have evil thoughts against anyone. Do not have bitterness or malice. If there is a dispute go and discuss the matter between you and the person alone, then bring in others to rectify the situation. Be kind and compassionate.
- Do not desire your neighbor’s wife, nor covet any of his possessions. Do not envy others possessions. Having food and shelter be content with what you have.
- Forgive others as Christ
forgives us. For if we do not forgive others Christ will not forgive our sins.
Do not seek revenge, for revenge is for the Lord, not man. Do not bear a grudge
against your neighbor. Do good to those who offend
you.
- The evils of drunkenness, filthy
or obscene language, foolish talk, coarse joking, arrogance, and pride keep one
from the
- Do not practice sorcery nor turn to mediums or spiritualists, for you will be defiled by them. Do not cut nor tattoo your body.
- Give to the poor and needy. Do not take advantage of your hired laborer, pay them their wages when they need them to live on.
- Obey government laws as long as they don’t conflict with God’s laws.
- If we commit any sin we have
committed them all.
Christ came to save sinners of
whom I am worst. But through the grace of Jesus Christ my sins are forgiven me.
Poof they are gone and remembered no more.