Sermon Prepared by James McCullen
Email Preach Him with Dr. Jim

Reactions When Confronted with Sin.
Proverbs 28:13     Part One

Introduction
Do you know the principal of the lie detector is built upon a persons reaction to the truth.
A normal human being will have a reaction in their body if they tell a lie. I want to expand that principal a little and look at several Bible Characters and see how they reacted when confronted with their sin. Follow as I call out these verses.
 
 
 

1. Adam's Reaction. . Blame Someone Else. Ge 3:12

A.    Some Blame Their . . Spouse.
        "The woman whom You gave to be with me, . . . "
In this text Adam blamed his wife. He told God "The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate." It always seems less condemning if we can include someone else.

    1.    Pass the buck.
    2.    The Children, even unborn children.
    3.    Are you blaming someone else?
 

B.    Some Blame Their . . Source.
    ". . . You gave to be with me, . . . "

    1.    Many People blame God. Adam has that in his statement. He is saying  "God the woman
            you gave me caused my sin. If I did not have that woman You gave me I would not have
            sinned."

    2.    This is another way of blaming God. These folks say God made me this way. I can't help it
            if I have this weakness. You know this sin is very tempting to me and over and over you
            allow it to be in my way.

    3.    Have you ever heard some one say well he got into the wrong crowd. It really is not his
            fault he just got with the wrong crowd.

Illustration
I meet a man Friday at Old Glory Flag Shop. As we talked he shared about his dad having a drink problem and growing up in a poor section of St. Louis. He decided to enter the Marines.

He said " My mom told me you can't enlist in the Marines; they won't have you, you're not intelligent enough and you couldn't take the discipline." He said "right then I decided I would become a Marine." He also said a few years later he knew why his mom said that to him. She knew that would get him off the streets and into some discipline. He could have blamed his source but he did not.

C. Some Blame . . Satan.

    1.    Have you ever heard "the Devil made me do it"? You know the devil does want us to sin
            and he may arrange temptation but he can not make us sin. If you blame the devil. Stop it!

Illustration
A little girl was corrected by her father after she hit her sister and spat in her face. Her father said "I think the devil made you do that." The little girl said "well maybe he caused me to slap my sister but I though about spitting on her all by myself."

D. Some Blame the . . Situation. Ex 32:24
    And I said to them, 'Whoever has any gold, let them break it off.' So they gave it to me, and I cast it into the fire, and this calf came out." NKJV

    1.    Some will say well "I really didn't plan to get involved but I just couldn't help my self as
            every body was doing. They spiked the punch and the situation just led to sin. I just
            couldn't help myself.
 
 
 

2.    Cain's Reaction . . Change the Subject. Ge 4:9

    1.    Cain lied about his sin and immediately tried to change the subject. He asked "Am I my
            brother's keeper?"

    2.    This is like the slick politician asking "well what do you mean by the word "IS".

    3.    Ask are you a Christian? I am a _________________.

    4.    We have in our society coined the phrase the "non denial, denial"

    5.    How many times have you heard a political interview and after it was over asked
            your self "what did they say".

    6.    We have terms such as "Pro-Choice" it changes the subject about abortion. We have terms
            like "Pre Owned Automobiles" we don't talk about a used car.

    7.    Today are you trying to change the subject about your sin. It needs to be dealt with. We
            need to be straight forward about sin in our life. Don't change the subject "fess up"

3.    Saul's Reaction . . Try to wiggle out of Sin with Good Deeds.   1 Sam. 15:20-22

    1.    Saul knew what God wanted.

    2.    Saul; thought I just take some of this bounty and give a portion to God.

    3.    Do we sometimes water down the commands and ways of God?
 
 
 

4.    David's Reaction . . Condemned Sin with His Words but
        Condoned it with His Lifestyle. 2 Sam. 12:5-7

A.    David's . . Response to the Sin. v 5
           ". . . David's anger was greatly aroused against the man,. . ."

    1.    I have seen this many times in my years as a minister.

    2.    We are great at judging someone else's sin.

    3.    We make allowances for our children etc..

    4.    How would you judge, if a child of your said "I am a Homosexual?
            a.    You should love them but give a Biblical response to their lifestyle.

Illustration
A church lady wanted to call a liquor store and order some liquor for a party she was going to have. Drinking alcoholic beverages was not something her church condoned but she was interested in climbing the social latter. By mistake she called her pastor's house and stated ordering the drinks. The pastor recognized her voice and said why Mrs. Highnose what are you doing. She then recognized her pastor and indignantly said "pastor what are you doing at the Liquor store?
 

B.    David's . . Reckoning for the Sin. v 6
        6 And he shall restore fourfold for the lamb, because he did this thing and because he had no pity."
 

C.    Nathan's . . Revelation of the Sinner. v 7
        Then Nathan said to David, "You are the man! Thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul.

    1.    Note the Judgment of God does not Change.

    2.    God Treats Sin as Sin, and Sinners as Sinners.

    3.    God requires Repentance.

Conclusion