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”Take heed brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God, But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.” Heb. 3:12-13
Consider the last four words of verse 13 “the deceitfulness of sin.” Paul, in writing to the Hebrews, warns them they need to be “on guard” against an evil heart of unbelief.
This evil heart will bring them to depart from the living God. Note that it is the “brethren,” who are warned. Not the unsaved. In other words, these verses are written to Christians. He tells us that we are to exhort one another each day lest anyone be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. Sin is deceitful! We are so easily doped, we think sin is not that serious. In its deceitfulness sin hardens the heart and leads Christians to develop an evil heart of unbelief. Satan whispers to us, “that a certain act or thought that is sinful isn’t so bad, it won’t matter and it won’t effect us.” Then if and when we do commit that sin, then Satan whispers to us, “You no good scum, look what you did, you aren’t fit for heaven, why you might as well quite serving God, He can’t love you any more. You are washed up, useless and no good!”
I. SIN IS DECEITFUL IN ITS VERY NATURE:
A. Sin has its principal author - Satan: Jh 8:44
Satan is a liar and the father of lies. Satan, as the principal author of sin in the world, makes sin deceitful. t receives its nature from its author and he is the biggest liar.
B. Sin --
Sin is like fire - it burns and destroys,
Sin is like rust -- it corrodes,
Sin is like dope -- it stupefies,
Sin is like poison-- it kills,
Sin degrades, debases, damns -- it produces darkness, death, it causes spiritual blindness, mental darkness, spiritual death. blights, our greatest enemy.
II. SIN IS DECEITFUL ABOUT ITSELF:
A. People do not believe in the reality of sin.
Sin earns and pays wages - Rom. 6:23 Sin insists on paying, and pays in kind.
Sin pays in installments, pays in full, and sin is self executive... it pays it owns debts. If you doubt this, then ask Achan, Samson, Lot, King Saul, or Eli!
B. Some teach that sin does not exist.
Don’t believe it! Sin is a Reality! Americans need to come to realize that sin is real, and the only remedy is salvation, a change life through the blood of Christ.
How many there are who are not willing to recognize that sin is real -- in fact sin is not spoken of much today -- even from the pulpits of our land. Sin is the real enemy of our souls... even after we are saved!
III. SIN IS DECEITFUL IN ITS APPEARANCE:
A. It appears beautiful --desirable.
Sin has the bright lights. Sin has the gaudy characters, Sin puts on a veneer of beauty and loveliness that fools many, many people. Sinful things always seem very desirable.
B. But sin is filthy--
Sin may appear beautiful, but is is bitter in the memory. Sin will leave only heartache, sorrow and suffering in its wake. Do not be fooled by the attractiveness of sin.
“From Beauty’s Throne to Road to Ruin,” The Rocky Mountain News of Denver carried a lead story. There two pictures of a former beauty queen, Miss Colorado. One showing her receiving her award -- the other sitting in jail for armed robbery. From the throne of the state beauty queen to a dingy, drab jail cell. From a position of having the world at her feet to one of embarrassment and shame.”
She had been admired and envied just a few months ago, an outcast of society now. Stately, poised, sure of herself, she won her crown in competition with seven other beauties nominated from her state. Her dreams of yesterday were shattered in the reality of today as she glanced at the 45 automatic on the desk in front of her.
People think they can play with sin and get away with it. Sin is a liar - it enslaves, entraps, and destroys. Satan would work to fool us, that sin does not matter.
IV. SIN IS DECEITFUL IN ITS PROMISE:
A. First, if promises satisfaction.
Sin promises several things, but satisfaction is maybe the greatest.
“If you will live in sin you will be satisfied.” But it is a lie! The Bible teaches that sin will never satisfy, instead it brings unrest. (Isa. 57:20,21) There is no peace to the wicked... consider what God says.
B. Second, sin promises pleasure:
It says, “If you will live in sin, you will enjoy life.” I will not argue with that, for the flesh does enjoy sin. The flesh is built to enjoy sin. (Gal. 5:19-21) But think about that enjoyment. (see Hebrews 11:24,25) Yes, there is pleasure in sin, but those pleasures are but for a season. There is a time with all the pleasure will come to an end.
C. Third, sin promises liberty:
Sin says, “if you will live in sin, you will be free.” But the Bible says if you will live in sin you will be snared. (Jh 8:34; Rom. 6:16-18) Whosoever commits sin is the bond slave of sin. Sin does not give liberty... it does not free, but it brings death, and enslaves. One sin will follow another until the individual is sin-snared and cannot get loose. (Heb. 3:12,13)
V. SIN IS DECEITFUL IN ITS POPULARITY:
Who among young people who does not want to be popular? Sin comes along and says, if you want to be popular, you are going to have to live in sin. This is probably true in the day in which we live for it is not popular to live for the Lord Jesus Christ today. (Matt. 7:13, 14)
Sin is a destructive path to travel. Will you stand alone or follow the path of the
majority? Will we take a stand for godliness and holy living or will we live as most unsaved live? The heart is deceitful and desperately wicked. (Jer. 17:9)
VI. SIN IS DECEITFUL IN ITS APPROACH:
Sin will lead you to believe we are living in a different age today. The philosophy of the world is that everything is in a period of change. We are seeing many changes. Even philosophies themselves change. We live in a postmodern age. We see all kinds of “high things that exalt themselves against God.” (II Cor. 10:3-5)
A. There are some things that never change.
The Word of God -- Psa. 119:89; Matthew 24:35
The Lord Jesus Christ -- Heb. 13:8
Moral standards.. what is right, wrong will not change.
The person who is willing to take the Word of God for his standard will have no problem deciding what his morals ought to be. The person who makes the Word of God the authority in his life will not change. The saved person will only desire any and all changes that bring greater Christ-likeness and maturity in godliness.
VII. SIN IS DECEITFUL IN ITS REASONING:
You will be tempted to think you are different. Other people might not be able to get by with sin, but you are different.. you can get by.. don’t believe it! (Gal. 6:7,8
Numbers 32:23)
No body has ever been able to live in sin and get away with it. God’s law still stands against sin. Adam knew this. What did Samson find out? Achan? The ten spies? Or Israel?
VIII. SIN IS DECEITFUL IN ITS REWARD:
When Satan tempts you he never tells you the end of a life of sin. We have said that sin has its bright lights. It looks attractive. Sin has the promise of liberty and pleasure. How few look beyond those promises to realize the end of a life of sin.
(James 1:14, 15; Rom. 6:23; Ezek. 18:4b)
Sin leaves heartache and sorrow in its wake in this life. The person who plays with sin plays with fire and in this life he will realize anguish and burden because of his sin (Psa. 32:1-5) and beyond that, sin brings death for eternity.
The reward of a life of sin is torment in hell for all eternity. In our messed up age when we are trying to do away with the fact of sin... men have also done away with truth, with a Bible hell, but remember God’s Word is true.
What must I do to be saved?Some think attainment -- God says atonement,
Some think by character -- God says by the Cross,
Some think by works -- God say by Christ alone,
Some think by trying -- God says by trusting.
Repent: Acts 17:30; 21:20; Romans 3:9-12, 23
Believe: Romans 10:9-13; John 1:11-13; Acts 16:30-31
Accept: John 1:12; Romans 10:9-13; 6:23;
Revival in the Home Ministries; Dr. Edward Watke, Jr.