visiable sins and hidden sins

we are so visually oriented, aren't we? So the sins we see on the outside "look" worse to us, yet some of the "inner" ones are in the same lists of things that God hates along with the "big" outer ones.

Personally, I think this issue speaks precisely to the habit we have of looking at a new convert and saying "Wow, they are still in that visible sin? They can't have really been saved then." When the person (or people) saying that are guilty of some of the "inner" sins that God hates just as much, yet they aren't wondering about their own salvation.

These are just my thoughts about this, Im not thinking of any particular person, and Im not excluding myself in any way, either.

 

Their hearts have gotten cold or hardened? They are not examining their own hearts and asking God to search their hearts to show them their sins? So they/we can ask God to forgive them and change with His help.
1 John 1:9
9If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

We need to grow in God's grace and His Love so we can impact the world for the Lord in a way that pleases Him.

2 Peter 1
1Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ: 2Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; 3seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. 4For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.

5Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, 6and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, 7and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. 8For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins. 10Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; 11for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.

 

It really bothers me when someone who is speaking about having "unchurched or lost" in worship service say, "we had 5 sinners show up this morning for worship."

100 people in attendance but only 5 are labeled sinners!

Just a pet peave, I guess

 

Well put tinytim!

We must never forget that we are either "sinners" or "sinners saved by grace."

 

Why is it those people who we don't see their sins think they have none and they can judge those who you can see their sin?....I guess according to some recent threads here some are under the impression they never sin, so thats one possible answer I guess.
Even if is a false one.

Sister donnA, that is a pretty dishonest thing to say. Nobody has claimed to be without sin anywhere. I have never had that impression from anyone here, in my considerable time posting. You may not like the answers you get from people, and the fact that their opinion differs from yours may upset you greatly, but this kind of statement puts words into people's mouths that never were there in the first place.

 

Donna,

I do not have time to read all the posts here, so I do not really know what is going on. But, it does seem to me that every post of yours that I have clicked on lately has a very negative bent to it. I personally think you need to let whatever it is that is bothering you go. You need to move on with your life and not let it affect you so deeply. This is just a discussion board, not a life or death circumstance.

 

The problem is that sometimes the word sinner is used to describe someone who sins, in which case, we are all sinners. At other times the word sinner is used to describe a lost person, in which case some of us are not.

Sinner = One who sins. (That's me)
Sinner = One who is lost. (That's not me)

Rom 3:7 For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner?

1Pe 4:18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

Jam 5:20 Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

 

I preached a message that I developed from an article I read in Moody Magazine entitled, "What's so Bad about Safe Sin." These are sins with no visible consequence. For example, if we lie, our nose doesn't grow so we incorrectly conclude that our sin is not a problem with God. This is, of course, far from the truth. We brag on ourselves and our head doesn't literally swell up. If there were visible consequences of our sin, we may be less likely to engage in them. There is always a consequence resulting from sin, we may not see it immediately, but it is still there.

Lying, lust, bitterness, hatred, resentment, anger, and pride may be sins you are talking about.

I'm not certain if I answered the question you're asking or not.

 

Donna,

I understand exactly what you mean.

My mother used to tell me that I should be wary of an individual who was always accusing others of cheating and lying because it was usually a sign that since they were getting by with such things they believed everyone else was too. When I was young I thought Mother was wrong about that, but as I grew older I learned that most honest people expect others to be honest - at least until they are hurt many times by others. Most liars assume everyone lies. I think that applies to sin as well. I think that people who most often point fingers at other people and shout "sinner" are trying to distract people from noticing their own sin.

Brother Ian - I like the sermon. The only thing missing is the fact that hidden sin is like the most deadly skin cancers. Just because people can't see them doesn't mean they aren't rotting the insides of the person.

 

Donna,

I think you have as much right to discuss your concerns and ask your questions as anyone else has to.

Just because people do not want to hear the truth doesn't mean it isn't the truth.

 

Could you show us where this has happened on the Baptistboard ? And then we can all read the lambasting the person who posted they never sin took. 'cuz I sure they took one. The BB has some pretty sharp minds, and some pretty biblically sound folks, just waiting for someone to post something like this.

 

I think it is safe to say that ALL sin starts hidden -- with an attitude of the heart. On another forum here at BB, I just read the most incredibly succinct statement:
"Your love shows where your faith is. "

Think about THAT one!

One picture of sin I used when my kids were growing up, to explain something to them, was that sin is like chicken pox. A person who has chicken pox has it, period. But some people show a lot of pox sores and some not too many. But they are all sick with the same thing.

We all sin. I think in terms of the heart's attitude, though, that the difference between Christians and non-Christians is that a Christian hates it when the Holy Spirit (or his own realization) tells him he's sinned and repentance is natural to his new nature. But a non-Christian is in home territory when he is sinning and is quite comfortable with it for the most part, only trying to make sure that it stays hidden from others' view or has a really good excuse!

 

I have never heard anyone say they don't sin. Never. Not a Christian, anyway. And never here. I think you are making it up.

 

There's a whole sect of people who call themselves Christians that believe in "sinless perfection." They believe they can progress to the point in their spiritual life that they no longer sin.
Not sure that Ive actually seen anyone here on this Board who really does believe that.....

but I know it exists.

Other than that, I think its just the way we sometimes come across, without meaning to.