OUR SINS WILL FIND US OUT

Have you ever thought you got by with something? Maybe you came in late missing a curfew that your parents had set for you. Everything is good because mom and dad are in bed only to be asked the next morning why you were late. Maybe you run through a red light and start grinning from ear to ear because you see no blue lights only to receive a ticket in the mail with your picture as you run through the red light. Our spiritual lives are no different. Many times, we sin, and we think we got by with it only to discover our sin finds us out.

Let’s look at Numbers 32:23

23 But if you do not do so, then take note, you have sinned against the Lord; and be sure your sin will find you out.

I could be wrong, but I don’t think you can spell sin without an “I,” and if I am not mistaken that “I” is in the middle of the word. Sin comes from us placing I and I’s desires above everything else. Many times, we look at sin as something that the next person does, but each of us at one time or another is the “I” in the middle of sin.

Let’s look at two situations in the Bible where a person’s sin finds them out.

I.          Adam and Eve

Genesis 3: 5-9

5 For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. 8 And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, "Where are you?"

Most of the time, our sins attack our desires. Look at verse 6. Eve’s desire was stoked by the fact that the tree looked so appealing. If we read all of the narrative, we know that Adam and Eve walked and communicated daily with the LORD. Adam and Eve had probably walked by this tree many times, and they knew it was forbidden. As a matter of fact, at the beginning of her conversation with the serpent Eve knew that if she ate of the tree she would die, but, for whatever reason. the day came when Adam and Eve ignored God’s warning and focused on the desires that “I” had in regard to the tree. Instead of communicating with God, they listened to the Serpent. The serpent loves “I”. He loves enticing “I”.  Adam and Eve lived in paradise, but they willingly gave it up to satisfy “I.”

Look at verse 7. After reading this verse multiple times this week, I believe this verse tells us that as soon as “I” partake of what is forbidden I am not worthy of that daily communication with God. If you read the rest of that chapter, Adam and Eve use I many times as an attempt to make excuses for their sin. Remember you cannot spell sin without an I in the middle.

Did Adam and Eve’s sin find them out? DEFINITELY…..

(1)   They were kicked out of the garden

(2)   They had to work and make a living for themselves by hard work.

(3)   Thorns and thistles would come forth.

(4)   Women would have pain in childbirth

(5)   THEY WOULD DIE.

(6)   THE CURSE OF SIN ENTERED INTO THE WORLD.

 I.                   Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 4 : 37 –  5 : 11)

The background to this story is that the church was growing. People were expecting the immediate return of the Lord and began selling all of their possessions and giving all of the money to Peter and the apostles to minister to the church. It is important to note, a person did not have to sell their possessions and if they did sell, they did not have to give all the money, UNLESS THEY MADE A COMMITMENT TO DO SO.

Along comes Ananias and Sapphira. They decided they needed to make “I” look better. They decided to sell a piece of property and lie about how much they sold it for in order to make Peter think they were giving all of the money to the church from the sale of the property.

I can see Ananias as he is bringing money to Peter. He probably strutted like Ric Flair saying, “WOOOOO! Peter look at what “I” am doing” as he throws the money at Peter’s feet. Peter immediately knew Ananias was lying. Peter asks him “Was this property not yours to do whatever you wanted to do with it? After you sold it, could you not just commit to giving a portion. Why would you lie about what you were giving?”

As soon as Ananias hears Peter’s word, he falls graveyard dead. As he is falling dead, I wonder if Ananias said, “WOOOOOO! I have made a major mistake!!!!!”

Three hours later, Sapphira struts in and lays her money down pretending that she was giving the whole portion as she had promised. Peter asks her if this was the complete amount, and she says “Oh yes Peter!!! I have bought the full amount” Peter asked her why she was lying and said these are the men that buried your husband, and as soon as he said it, Sapphira fell graveyard dead.

Did Ananias’ sin find him out? Did Sapphira’s sin find her out?

In conclusion, you cannot spell sin without the I in the middle, and sins will always find us out. If you are a Christian and you put that I first, even though you are in no danger of losing your salvation, your sin will find you out. Just look at David. One afternoon he put “I” first. His sins definitely find him out and what terrible consequences resulted.

Just look at Peter. One night in just a span of a few hours he took his eyes off God and put confidence in I, and in rapid succession, he cut off the ear of the servant of the high priest and denied Christ three times. When Peter realized what “I” had done, he wept bitterly.

If you are not saved and you continue to reject the call of God to salvation and you continue to put “I” first, the Bible says in Revelation 20:15 that you will spend eternity in the lake of fire. Be you sure, ours sins will find us out.

On a personal note, as many of you know, Hope and I have a trying week with Colin’s illness and hospital stay. We could feel God’s people lifting prayers on Colin’s behalf and on our behalf. I am here to tell you that prayer works when God’s people join together. There is a verse that I believe explains what we felt because God’s people were praying.

Hebrews 1 : 14

14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?

From the bottom of my heart, I say thank you and ask that you continue praying for Colin’s full recovery.