SIN THE TRANSGRESSION OF THE LAW.
By Augusta W. Heald
1. WHAT is sin, and how may it be known?
“Sin is the transgression of the law.” 1 John 3:4.
“By the law is the knowledge of sin.” Rom. 3:20. 2. If there were no law could there be any sin?
“For where no law is, there is no transgression.” Rom. 4:15. 3. What is the natural condition of all men?
“The Lord looked down from Heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” Ps. 14:2, 3. 4. What does the apostle say of those who claim that they have not sinned?
“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” 1 John 1:8. 5. What is the condition of sinners?
“For we ourselves also were sometime foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.” Titus 3:3. 6. Whom do they serve?
“Ye are of your father, the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do.” John 8:44. 7. How does Satan gain such power over man?—He enters into the heart and instigates the thoughts and actions. See Luke 22:3, 4. 8. What is the testimony of inspiration as to the heart of man?
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?” Jer. 17:9. 9. What does Christ declare proceeds from the heart?
“For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness; all these things come from within, and defile the man.” Mark 7:21-23. 10. What alone separates us from God?
“Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear; but your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.” Isa. 59:1, 2. 11. What is said of the man who breaks only one commandment?
“Whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” James 2:10. 12. Does every law involve a penalty?—It is a legal axiom that a law without a penalty is of no force. 13. What is the penalty for sin?
“For the wages of sin is death.” Rom. 6:23.
“The soul that sinneth it shall die.” Eze. 18:4. 14. Since all have sinned, what is the condition of the world before God?
“What things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.” Rom. 3:19. 15. Should a righteous man fall into sin, will his former goodness avail him anything?
“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.” Eze. 18:24. 16. Is it not even worse with him than before?
“For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world, through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.” 2 Peter 2:20, 21. 17. Is there hope for the sinner if he turn from his transgression?
“Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive.” Eze. 18:27.
“None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him; he hath done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live.” Eze. 33:16. 18. What gracious words does the Lord address to sinners?
“Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit; for why will ye die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God; wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.” Eze. 18:31, 32. 19. Is it easy to break away from this bondage of sin and live a holy life?
“For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing; for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would, I do not; but the evil which I would not, that I do.” Rom. 7:18, 19.
Is there a child of Adam striving after holiness who has not had this experience? Paul when beholding himself in the perfect mirror of God’s holy law, realized his defects and deformities of character, and exclaimed, “O, wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from this body of death?” Rom. 7:24, margin. 20. In whom alone is victory?
“Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Cor. 15:57.
AUGUSTA W. HEALD.