Where Does Sin Come From? - Tim Conway

well here's the problem there here's the question question that I'd like to give some insight to I I'm sure that there's there are things that need to be said about this that I'm not certain that I'm actually going to say or even know to say but I think every one of us come to our limits as we try to span the depths of this question but here it is to one degree or another you've probably thought about this question comes from eben and the question is this how did Satan commit sin in the beginning before his fall I mean if he was his and his is capitalized if Satan was God's creation and all creation was good how did Satan come to even think of carrying out any action against the creator if this was not from God then where was it from if God created everything even Satan's ability to sin or not or his ability to do whatever that caused him to sin was God's will that this happened but then how can Satan and the unjustified sinners be condemned to the eternal lake of fire to be tormented day and night forever and ever so you can can't you see that the question question is this if Satan was created good how did he sinned where did the sin come from if God is the one who willed it and caused it then why does God still find fault with Satan and unjustified sinners and put them in the lake of fire if he's the one that's actually responsible for the sin that's that's what he's asking or even EB en said it is that a guy heaven but it still who said that you heard that name before I guess I've been in the dark well here's the thing this this is just like I was talking about with hyper-calvinism a week and a half ago we need to be aware of and see this is a Bible study we called this the Berean Bible study in the beginning you remember when it was called that the Bereans are more noble than those in Thessalonica because they searched the scriptures to see if those things were so we need to be careful that we don't come to conclusions and draw inferences from Scripture based on our own carnal logic and come to conclusions and inferences that the scripture never draws we need to be very careful there beware of drawing wrong conclusions in the name of logic and real logic real logic is never contradictory - it's never the enemy of good solid Bible study but we go bad it becomes carnal logic when it seems right to us but we don't have scripture that backs it up and so we need to be careful that we don't do that and there's all there are so many things there's so many errors that poor fourth from a claim of logic where the Bible is contradicted but it's not supported by Scripture it's said to be logic and it's not think about this if if men can make shipwreck of the faith what's the conclusion a lot of people come to they read Paul says that there were certain individuals that make shipwreck of the faith so what's the what's the unbiblical conclusion that people come to you can lose your salvation if God already has decided who will be saved then what I preach why evangelize if God commands everyone to repent then the conclusion is what everybody has the moral ability to repent if God is sovereign why pray you see there's all sorts of conclusions that people come to that's just scratching the surface there's so many conclusions that people come to based on logic that doesn't accord with Scripture on and on these false claims of logic go and and like I say this is this is carnal such carnal logic is ever so prevalent when men begin to talk about where sin came from where did sin come from where did it come from God created everything good when God creates something it's good where did sin come from and it's a question that we're gonna ask but when we go to Scripture what sort of things are we told well think about some of the carnal logic that's used we come to Scripture and maybe we look at it and we say men and angels God holds them accountable when they sinned what's what's the carnal conclusion that people come to when they see that men and angels are responsible for their sin what conclusion do they come to God must not be in control of it then I mean if they're fully responsible for it then God must not have anything to do with it in fact you know the open the Arminian he is going to say that there's free will and that though God looks down through the corridors of time and he can see what's gonna happen he doesn't interfere with it the open theists he goes a step further and he says that God can't even look down through the corridors of time and see it he's blind to it how about this if God is in control of sin then what he must be the author of it he must be guilty for it he must be a sinner or this if God is good he never would have allowed sin if it was in his power to prevent it if God willed that angels and men should fall into sin then God shouldn't find fault with men and angels for falling into sin right aren't those aren't those some of the conclusions that people come to but are those conclusions that are backed up by Scripture that's that's really what we need to ask does scripture back that up we need to guard ourselves against carnal logic by going to Scripture and I always test our conclusions by the Word of God does scripture support my conclusion or doesn't it for instance I look at Scripture and do I find when I go to scripture that God holds men and angels personally responsible for their own sin do I find that in Scripture yes we find that in Scripture and so we would say okay well let's look at our Bible and see does does scripture really does it in any way back off from holding men responsible for their own sin women responsible for their own sin children angels well you know this you know this verse I mean right in the beginning now we don't have a historical account given to us of when Satan sinned at first but we do of when man does and when man and woman sinned the first time Satan also sinned wasn't his first one probably but we see man sinned woman sinned the devil sinned and now just watch does God hold them accountable Genesis 3:14 you might want to look there if there's any doubt Genesis 3:14 the Lord God said to the serpent because you have done this cursed are you well let that's plain enough right you did this what did he do what did he do he deceived the woman right he lied he's a liar isn't that what Jesus said he's a murderer from the beginning he's a father of lies and he murdered Adam and Eve with a lie he's a murderer and he's a liar and God says you're cursed not just in a vacuum why because you did this you are accountable for your action and because you did it you are now cursed above all the livestock and above all the beasts of the field on your belly you shall go dust you shall eat all the days of your life I will put enmity between you and the woman between your offspring and her offspring he shall bruise your head and you shall bruise his heel and you go all the way to the end of Scripture and what do you find in Revelation 20 verse 10 the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire you think God holds them you think God holds demons the devil himself personally accountable for their sin you better believe he does there is punishment to be had he executes justice on those who do wrong they will pay they suffer the punishment they suffer the penalty to the woman genesis 3:15 I will put enmity between he said I will surely multiply your pain and childbearing in pain you shall bring forth children your desire shall be for your husband he shall rule over you into Adam he said because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you you shall not eat of it cursed it as the ground because of you in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life and if you go over to Romans chapter 5 beginning in verse 12 and following you will see by this condemnation came upon the whole human race you better believe God God held Adam accountable he held him accountable condemnation death it came upon mankind because of this God holds people accountable jump flip over really quickly in your Bibles to Romans chapter 2 verse 5 I mean I just want I want you to get a feel for how accountable there's a myriad of verses God is charging sinners with their sin all through Scripture Romans 2 verse 5 because of your heart and impenitent heart if you haven't heard an in penitent heart it's your fault you can see it because you have a heart and impenitent heart you're storing up wrath why do you get wrath because of the condition of your heart you are responsible storing up wrath for yourself for yourself not for anybody else for yourself you are gonna get wrath the wrath of God why because of your own in penitent heart that means you're not repentant you're not submitting to God and God is gonna hold it against you and he's gonna pour his wrath upon you because of your own sin you can't run you can't hide you don't get away from this you can't twist the scripture and say God isn't like that God is exactly like that god holds sinners accountable for their sin you keep reading wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed he will render to each one according to his works you can see it there you are accountable you're accountable for your works what you do in your life God is gonna hold it against you verse 7 to those who buy patience and well doing seek for glory and honor and immortality he will give eternal life but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth but obey unrighteousness there will be wrath and fury again you see an immediate consequence if you obey unrighteousness obey unrighteousness you're obedient to wickedness there will be wrath and fury there will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil do you see that you do evil you're responsible and there will be just what it says there tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil the Jew first also the Greek doesn't matter your nationality doesn't matter your heritage God is going to hold you accountable for the evil that you do there will be tribulation there will be distress but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good the Jew first and also the Greek how about go to Ephesians 5 verse 5 you may be sure of this in Ephesians 5:5 you may be sure of this sure of this the certainty you may be absolutely positive everyone who is sexually immoral or impure or who is covetous that is an idolaters as no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God let no one deceive you with empty words that because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience why because of sexual immorality the wrath of God comes upon those who do sons of disobedience children of disobedience are the ones that do those things they're sexually immoral they're impure they're covetous they're idolaters you let let nobody Beach deceive you be sure of this God rewards your evil he's gonna pour out his wrath upon the heads of evildoers you can't escape that reality how about this this is this is a second Peter I you might be saying yeah you're met your you're making the point It's Made we get it but but I want you to really feel this you and I personally if we don't have protection in Jesus Christ who suffers that wrath in our place don't deceive yourself with some idea that it's gonna turn out okay in the end it's not going to your evil is your responsibility and no matter how sovereign we may got out to be and he is very much so we're gonna look at that in a second but no matter how much we do no matter how much this world is happening according to the will of God you are responsible for your own sin in 2nd Peter chapter 2 verse 4 this this is really helpful because this pulls the Angels in if God did not spare angels when they sinned you think they're responsible God doesn't spare them when they sinned but cast them into hell that's responsibility that's the Angels that's demons and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be cuffed until the judgment and all that is is a holding place before they're thrown into the lake of fire after the day of judgment if he didn't spare them the Angels and then in verse 5 if he did not spare the ancient world but preserve Noah Herald of righteousness with seven others when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly verse six if by turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah tak ashes he condemned them to extinction and watch this making them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly all of them you see what God did to the Angels you see what God did in the days of Noah you see what God did to Sodom and Gomorrah what's all that about it's an example of how responsible God's gonna hold you for your sin just as he held them responsible for theirs it's an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly be sure of it you go there to the end of the revelation and you find out it's not just the devil who gets thrown in the lake of fire we find that the books are going to be open and you're gonna be judged and all those whose works are found to be wicked they're gonna find their lot in the lake of fire so we see it men are responsible and there are many other ways we could prove this when people sin I mean even Christians think think about when the disciples of Christ manifested unbelief did Jesus just say that's no problem What did he say you remember did he hold them responsible for their unbelief what's that oh ye of little faith I mean you remember when they there was unbelief with the with the child that had the demon that would throw it in the fire sometimes and throw it in the water at other times and there was unbelief there do you remember how he dressed them wasn't it I think the King James like crooked and perverse right generation I mean he he jumped on them sometimes you think when Peter resisted Jesus when he said he was gonna go be put to death you think that was a mild thing get behind me Satan do you think do you think Jesus even held his own disciples responsible for their sin not that they were gonna have to bear the wrath and fury of it but do you think he faulted them and held them accountable and responsible for sin in their life scripture holds us responsible and so what happens is many people come along and they logically want to deduce okay we are responsible if we are responsible then God must have nothing to do with our sin they come to conclusions like that they deduce from this truth that if God punishes sin in others then those who sin must be ultimately I mean ultimately at the highest level they must be sovereign they must be free have an entirely free will and be totally capable of choosing right and wrong for them to be responsible they believe that they go there they start to they start to reason that way they start to reason that God must not be sovereign when it comes right to that point of sin they say they say this either God is not sovereign man ultimately is man's free will is ultimately sovereign or they say well if God is sovereign then he forgoes his sovereignty at that point and he just lets men he permits men to do what they want to right at that point but is that is that what Scripture teaches you see all this this has to do with where sin came from in the beginning we're talking about sin at all we're talking about how much God is in control of sin how much is he involved and see if you say God is sovereign and he actually decrees that there's sin then suddenly there's two problems people jump to this conclusion one they jump to the conclusion that man is not entirely free or they jump to the conclusion that God is the author of sin that's what happens all the time so what do we say what do we do with this the scriptures say that God is the author of sin the scriptures say that God is sovereign how let's ask this we know that man is responsible for his sin but let's ask this question how much in control of man's sin do we find that Scripture teaches us that God really is how how sovereign is God over man's sin which we tell us how sovereign he is over the devil sin the scripture support the conclusion that God is the author of sin to scripture support the conclusion that God is an in control of sin that got order that God is sovereign but he just steps back like the dias God and he permits is is sin just that which God permits or description in control and guiding everything that takes place well let's look and you need to see this you need to have your Bible ready I'll give you time to go there I mean you know what's amazing to me men are so guilty of their own sin demons are so guilty of their own sin but the scripture back off and somehow want to excuse God by saying he's not in control of that sin no in fact it's amazing just how willing scripture is to affirm the fact that God is all controlling all powerful that he is that his decrees who knows what I mean by decree what is decree mean a law right God is God his deter the Creed he has stated it's gonna be this way he's declared it to be so and it's going to and scripture does not back away it just affirms it's amazing we're gonna look at we're gonna look at case after case after case where scripture it doesn't shy away it's not embarrassed it doesn't back off it affirms the fact that God is absolutely in control and in control when it comes to sin and it's finish eight shows us that he is holy he's wise he's powerful and the way he governs all of this all of his creatures and all of their actions including sin and and not I'm gonna do I'm gonna scratch the surface but there's a lot more there's a lot more just think about this turn in your Bibles to Psalm 103 then right here at the beginning I'm going to hit on some of the the more well-known verses that we typically go to when we want to prove that God is sovereign over everything but look at Psalm 103 19 now we're I'm gonna get more specific and more particular as I move along but let's just feel some of these general statements at first Psalm 103 19 the Lord has established his throne in the heavens and his kingdom rules over all you don't ever want to say that there's something you don't want to say that God wound up the universe and stepped back like the DSA you don't want to say that God just permits what we have is a we have a picture that God's kingdom rules over all he rules he's an authority he has power he's in control turn over quickly to psalm 115 3 just a dozen or so psalms away our God is in the heavens he does all that he pleases now I know somebody might say well maybe it pleases him to permit sin and step back and not be sovereign says he does all that he pleases maybe he's pleased to do that well let's keep going we see he does all he pleases is he pleased to do that Psalm 135 6 another 20 or so Psalms forward some 135 6 whatever the Lord pleases he does in heaven and on earth and the Seas and all deeps again a general statement this we know God does what he pleases there is nothing in this universe that can counteract contradict God's will he he is the power to be contended with he is the Almighty no one else is he does what he pleases he is in control seasons 111 you know this verse well in him we have obtained an inheritance that's not so much what I'm focusing on but this having been predestined according to the purpose if you are saved it is because you have been predetermined to be so and it's according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will he does what He wills nothing else can stand in his way nothing else can restrain his will why because when you're the most powerful there is nothing else that is equal to or greater than your power that can resist your will his will is irresistible nothing nobody not no thing can withstand the will of God nothing how about this Romans 8:28 we know that for those who love God all things work together for good for those who are called according to his purpose many of you know that verse but listen that promise is impossible unless God is absolutely all-powerful right you cannot make the promise that all things work out for somebody's good unless you are all-powerful because as soon as I promised if I promised him that everything's gonna work out for his good all it's got to do is one of you that's stronger than me has to rise up and say I defy your will knock me down and go over and do something to him that isn't for his greatest good right if God's gonna promise that it's because he's all-powerful he's in control he does what he wants let's keep going Daniel 4:31 now these assert sovereignty but of course some would insist while God sovereignly relinquished his sovereignty but if you relinquish your sovereignty are you still really sovereign Daniel 431 while the words were still in the Kings mouth you remember what Kings mouth this is Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon while the words were still in the Kings mouth there fell a voice from heaven Oh King Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar to you it is spoken the kingdom has departed from you you shall be driven from among men and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field and you shall be made to eat grass like an ox and seven periods of time shall pass over you until you know that the most high rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and that's what I wanted you see the most high rules he gives kingdoms to whom he will he's in control of the kingdoms he's absolutely sovereign when it comes to the kingdoms of this world he gives them to whom he will no matter how righteous men are no matter how wicked they are no matter how strong they are no matter how it what size of their armies and military he does what he wants he raises up kings and he puts them down and nobody can stay his hand and look whether it's kingdoms who was the strongest Kingdom on the face of the earth at the time Babylon do you remember who that was that the greatest Kingdom on the face of the earth and the days of Moses God has the ability to take Pharaohs up and to put Pharaohs down to harden Pharaoh's heart and to soften them if he so desires he has the ability to make Kings go out and graze in the field like beasts he is in control of men no matter what devices they have no matter what they may think no matter what intentions they have what plans schemes or designs God is in control and he overrides them all and not only the nations of this world he is in control of Rome he is in control of the United States and he goes to the other end Jesus does and he says are not two sparrows sold for a penny and not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your father he's in control the mighty nations of the world the mighty kings of the world and he's in control of the sparrows and not one hops not one Falls except he knows it he's in control of it he guides it acts 17:26 he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place you get the idea there every nation every nation has allotted periods you remember how it was the sins of the amorite siz not yet full so therefore Abraham your offspring are gonna have to go down in there until the sins of the amorite SAR full but when it's full I'm putting an end to him I am bringing you out you know Israel would have never got out of Egypt if God would not have brought them out he had to bring them out he brought them out at the right time and he brought them out when the sins of the em rights was full and he put those nations down he establishes the allotted boundaries and the allotted times every nation has its time Rome rises when God says rise and it falls when he says fall and so it will be with this country God is in control of all when you come to first chronicles 29 notice these words of King David 1st chronicles 29 11 yours O Lord is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours yours is the kingdom Oh Lord and you are exalted as head above all first chronicles 29 12 both riches and honour come from you and you rule over all he rules he's in control in your hand our power and might in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all now we thank you our God and praise your glorious name but Who am I what is my people that we should be able thus to offer willingly for all things come from you and of your own have we given you this is just blanket statement of ownership he owns it all and I'll tell you this he owns sin and by that I don't mean that he's author of it or guilty for it or somehow evil because of it I mean it is his to do his bidding it is like a horse on a bridle and when God pulls the bridle you know what scripture says sin shall not have dominion over you it will lay down that's Romans 6:14 if you're saved God pulls the reins on sin and by the spirit you put to death the deeds of the body that's what scripture says and God promises that if I chose you if I foreknew you if I have predestined you to be conformed to the image of my son and by the way he does predestined to be conformed to the image of his son and that means that he is putting sin away and he is bringing that image from one degree of glory to another he is working it into the lives of his people sin is being subdued and if you're for known and predestined and called in Jeff defied he promises you will be glorified he promises that when you see Christ you will be like he is sin is going to go away God is in control of sin God is in control of all things God leads sin about on a leash like a dog or a horse on these reins it's in his control it does his bidding as everything does jehosophat in 2nd chronicles 20 verse 5 2nd chronicles chapter 20 verse 5 and Jehoshaphat stood in the Assembly is that 2nd chronicles 20 verse 5 Jehoshaphat stood in the Assembly of Judah and Jerusalem in the house of the Lord before the new court and said O Lord God of our fathers are you not God in heaven you rule over all the kingdoms of the nations and your hand are power and might so that none is able to withstand you and I mean job says in 3632 he covers his hands and the Lightning with the Lightning and commands it to strike the mark every single bolt of lightning that has ever struck has hit exactly the mark God is in control of all of it I mean you want to be set in your place like job was you just read those last chapters of Job it's like I mean he's just saying job I'm in control where were you when I did this and where were you when I did that where were you when I created this where were you job that's what he says to all of us when we start thinking too high and mighty of ourselves where were you where were you that you would find fault with me do you know where this comes from do you know where that comes from do you know how this does this speak man that's what he says to job hair you have Pharaoh Exodus 421 now you should see this because I'll tell you a lot is said about Ferro getting hardened and people say oh wait it says that Pharaoh hardened his own heart and it does no I don't knock that but I want you to understand this before Pharaoh hardened his heart somebody might say well yeah there are times when it says that God hardened Pharaoh's heart then there are times where it says Pharaoh hardened Pharaoh's heart but what I want you to know is before Pharaoh ever hardened his heart and before God ever hardened his heart God said he was going to harden his heart Exodus 421 the Lord said to Moses when you go back to Egypt you see where this is at is it we're dealing with Moses before he even goes back there wasn't even thinking that he was going to harden his heart against God in this occasion he was not hardening his heart yet he wasn't even thinking about hardening his heart when and having Moses come to him and say let my people go but God was thinking about it and God was saying it's going to happen and why the time the sin of the amorite says fall it's time my people are coming out of there and sin is going to serve me and sinners are gonna serve me and I'm going to harden Pharaoh's heart so that my purpose has come to pass and I'm glorified you say scripture doesn't teach that well you don't know your Bibles if you say that scriptures most certainly teaches this listen Lord said to Moses when you go back to Egypt see that you do before Pharaoh all the miracles that I've put in your power but I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go I mean what a statement he's saying I'm gonna do such miracles that it all I mean I do such things that it ought to be convincing but for all those miracles it's not going to be convincing because I'm not let it convince him that's what he's saying I'm gonna harden his heart so that even despite all those plagues I send and miracles I do he will not let the people go what was his revealed will let my people go God told Pharaoh let my people go Pharaoh rebelled and it was according to God's purpose who was saying I'm gonna harden his heart so that he won't let my people go I'm gonna tell him to let my people go and obviously he was being commanded to let his people go and he was responsible to obey God and let his people go but what did he say who was the Lord that I should obey him and he he is in hell today and it it was his sin and he willingly did it he willingly did it he wasn't a robot and yet to say God stood back and just permitted it that's not what this says this says God was active in it not the author scripture says he's not the author of sin but he's active in it again leading around like a horse on a leash a horse on a rein and he tugs it to the left and it goes and he's not guilty of it it's done through moral individuals willing actions of moral creatures God never blamed look at this Exodus 7 verse 3 but I will harden Pharaoh's heart and though I multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt Pharaoh will not listen to you why I will harden Pharaoh's heart despite all the signs and wonders in the land of Egypt Jarrell Pharaoh will not listen to you then I will lay my hand on Egypt and bring my hosts my people the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt by great acts of judgement the Egyptians shall know that i am the lord when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring out the people of Israel from among them he's wanting to stretch out his hand and show his power and that's why he's doing it you read scripture and you know what it says God has made all things for himself including Pharaoh he's made for himself and Pharaoh is serving the glory of God how about this Deuteronomy 2:30 you back up a little bit there from I actually go forward from Exodus 5th book Deuteronomy chapter 2 verse 30 but sihon the king of Heshbon would not let us pass by him for the Lord your God hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate that he might give him into your hand as he is this day not just Pharaoh not just Pharaoh Sion the Lord your God hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate that he might give him into your hand you see what he's saying you see what he's saying he's saying that if Sion had not been obstinate but had actually allowed you then I wouldn't have had cause to have you wipe him out so that you're able to take his land but I gave you just cause to kill him for his own sin for which he's responsible and wipe him out and take his land and I am the one who hardened his spirit I mean this is what Scripture teaches let's keep going Amaziah look at 2nd chronicles 25 20 and like I say I'm I am scratching the surface but there's there's much more I mean that this is not an exhaustive study on this at all it is so frequently found in Scripture and a lot of times we can read right over it but it's it's really all over Amaziah second chronicles 25 20 but a messiah would not listen for it was of God in order that he might give them into the hand of their enemies because they had sought the gods of Edom you see this Amazon wouldn't listen his obstinate is of God why in order that God might bring judgment on them and give them into the hands of their enemies because they had sought the gods of Edom and you know do we not read like in proverbs 21 one the King's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord he turns it wherever he will he what does he turn not the stream of water the heart that's like a stream of water the heart of the king God turns the heart of the king in other words if God wants the Kings heart to be like a mazayas or scions or Pharaohs he turns it that way if he wants it to be soft he turns it that way a hard King like Manasseh repents a good king like David numbers the people and who was it it was God that said in one place it says it's God in another place it says it's Satan well because God is actively involved in men's sins and where Satan is even the tempting factor God is in control how about this we know this account very well Joseph Genesis 45 7 Genesis 45 7 and you know what Joseph said to his brothers his brothers sinned his brothers sinned in line to Jacob his brother sinned and putting him in a pit his brother's sinned by selling him to them what the Amalekites his what he was he was sinned against by Potiphar's wife he was unrighteously thrown into prison he was gotten by which one was at the baker or the wine taster I guess it was the wine taster that lived in the baker that died he's forgotten people were wrong in him all along the way and yet in the end of it he says it was the Lord the Lord worked through all that sin and you see it Genesis 45 7 God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to keep alive for you many survivors and if you go over to Genesis chapter 50 verse 20 very famous words as for you you meant evil against me and they were guilty and it was evil and they were responsible and it was their sin but God meant it for good again their sin was on a leash and God led it exactly where he wanted it to go that doesn't make him culpable guilty chargeable punishable that doesn't make him the author of sin but sin is one of those aspects of this world that are fully in his control to do his bidding like I say you can just picture it like a horse with a rein with the bits in its mouth it does his bidding how about with Christ acts 2:23 you know this next to 23 and acts 426 I mean if there's if if there are no greater declarations in all of scripture to the reality of what we're talking about it's these acts 2:23 this Jesus Peter says word up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God God planned it it was definite it was distinct it was for known by him he planned it ahead of time it was by his knowledge and plan that you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men and you need to see that he's accusing the Jews of their guilt you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men who were the lawless men's these Roman soldiers but they lawless they are lawless the Jews are guilty they sinned the lawless men are guilty they are lawless and yet God determined it and you look at acts 4 26 and you see this again the kings of the earth set themselves there's their sin who were the kings of the earth Pilate Herod the kings of the earth set themselves and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against his anointed for truly in this city that were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus whom you anointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place you see that his hand to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place this is the most notorious sin that's ever been committed in the history of mankind and gods right there in the middle of it and wasn't out of his control it wasn't beyond the scope of his power he didn't relinquish his sovereignty that's not what you read here you jump into the proverbs you don't necessarily have to turn there but listen to these proverbs proverbs 16 1 the plans of the heart belong to man but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord what answer of the tongue all of them how many wicked answers do you think come from the tongue God's in control its according to his plan covered 16 for the Lord has made everything for its purpose even the wicked for the day of trouble he makes the wicked and he makes them for a purpose it's in control proverbs 16:9 the heart of a man plans his way but the Lord establishes his steps he's in control many men plan their way and their steps are full of evil and the Lord establishes those steps proverbs 16 33 the lot is cast into the lap but it's every decision is from the Lord everything is minutely governed by him proverbs 19:21 many are the plans in the mind of a man but it's the purpose of the Lord that will stand and I'll tell you this many men carry out lots of evil and it look you have to recognize what this is and is not sane proverbs 19:21 does not say many are the plans in the mind of a man it's the purpose of the Lord that sees to it that every man does good what it says is that the purpose of the Lord is what will stand and so no matter what men may plan what actually happens in this world and a lot of its evil the purpose of the Lord is what will stand you say this was an evil day much evil was done that lines look at them the purpose of the Lord has stood firm be sure of it proverbs 2024 man steps are from the Lord how then can man understand his way but a man steps are from the Lord they are I mean in my wicked days God ordered my steps you believe that that's what Scripture teaches he ordered Pharaoh's he ordered Saiyans he ordered the brethren of Joseph's he ordered a messiahs and he orders yours and he orders mine even in the most wicked day of our life he ordered our steps according to his purpose again you got to see him it's that dog on the leash brethren it's in his control and he is not the god of the deist he's not stepping back he's not relinquishing his sovereignty he's not just permitting it he's in control he controls sin I guarantee you if he can end it in the life of a Christian at glorification if he can cancel its power greatly once we're saved so that it doesn't have dominion over us if he can keep individuals in Scripture from sinning when they were minded to sin which he did he could have prevented it in the beginning he could have just not created Adam with the ability to sin do you know there is coming today when certain number of mankind will not have the capability of sinning the glorified in heaven will never be able to sin throughout all of history we will never have an inclination God could have created us in the beginning like that God did not create us in the beginning like that because sin is serving God's purpose and it's for his glory proverbs 21 30 says no wisdom no understanding no counsel can avail against the Lord and you have to recognize what that means you and I could set ourselves to end sin in the world today but our counsel won't stand god's counsel will and the day God says that's enough no more sin there won't be he'll end it but it'll be according to his counsel not according to ours or how about some of these verses in Isaiah Isaiah 14:24 the Lord of horse Hosts has sworn as I have planned so shall it be and as I have purposed so shall it stand or isaiah 1427 for the lord of hosts has purposed and who will annul it his hand is stretched out and who will turn it back rise a ax 46:9 I am God and there is none like me declaring the end from the beginning you think he declares it he declares the sin of the United States of America from the end declaring the end from the beginning he knows it he declares it he's declared every single sin that is going to take place in this world not any of it catches him by surprise none of it from ancient times things not yet done saying my counsel shall stand and I will accomplish all my purpose if you see it happening in this world it is according to his purpose that does not justify you and me to ever do sin we are obligated to do what God commands us to do we are obligated to be obedient we are obligated to submit and to be in subjection to him you can never justify your sin and like we looked at before you're accountable for your sin none of this undoes your accountability for sin at all isaiah 45:7 i form light and create darkness I make well-being and create calamity I am the lord who does all these things how about John 1237 though he had done so many signs before them they still did not believe in him why not who's ultimately in control of their faith or unbelief well we're told again scripture does not back away from this many times people are ashamed to admit this but scripture is not ashamed to do so verse 38 12 38 of John so that the words spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled Lord who has believed what he heard from us and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed therefore they could not believe for again Isaiah said he is blinded he God has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart lest they see with their eyes in other words if God hadn't blinded them they would see and understand what their heart and turn and I would heal them that's often repeated let us give you another glimpse at where it is repeated mark 4:11 he said to them to you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God but for those outside everything is in parables so that they may indeed see but not perceive and may indeed hear but not understand thus they should turn and be forgiven I mean he's saying there is light purposely being withheld from many people so that they won't understand so that they won't perceive so that they won't believe so that they won't turn and be forgiven that's a that's what he's saying and I could show you I mean there's repeated places you think they're in in Matthew chapter 11 right Christ is thanking his father that he reveals to babes he's hidden it from so many others or you know the truth of Romans chapter 9 he is mercy on whomever he wills Romans 9 18 he Harden's whomever he wills and of course this is it right you will say to me then why does he still find fault because that's the question that rises up why does he find fault come on if if if he's in control of all this why does he find fault well here's the question why does he still find fault for who can resist his will well one thing is certain here in that question no one can resist as well so why does he find fault well the question we're or the answer who are you oh man to answer back to God well what is molded say - its Mulder why have you made me like this Paul's readily admitting God makes people how he wants and for his own purpose we are not ultimate this look we have to get this in our heads man may have man centered minds and thoughts but this world is not a man centered world it's a god centered world and the way God designed it is God centered verse 21 has the pattern oh right over the clay to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use what if God desiring to show his wrath did you get that what if God desires to show his wrath well God can't show his wrath unless there are vessels of Wrath sinners and what if God desired to create vessels what if God decreed that there should be vessels in this world vessels upon which he would show his wrath because he desired to show his wrath what if as the Potter with the clay he decides to make certain pots in order to show forth his power and his wrath what if he does can we find fault with him for so doing Paul saying we have to remember who we are were not the Potter we're the clay were not the molder were the thing being molded has the Potter no right over the clay to make of out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use another for dishonorable use what if God desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power has endured with much patience vessels of Wrath prepared for destruction in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of Mercy which he has prepared beforehand for glory even us whom he is called not from the Jews he is called we didn't call ourselves he called us how about just one last thing John 19 10 Pilate said to Christ you will not speak to me do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you do you remember how jesus answered him you would have no authority over me unless it had been given you from above therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin you see what he's saying you would have no authority to do what you're doing you would have no authority Pilate was a sinner we're told in acts 4 that he was guilty he's a sinner he has been given authority to sin in order to kill Christ and God is in control of all of it and yet God is not guilty of sin and Pilate is in the in he's in hell today and Pilate wasn't a robot and he acted freely according to his desires Scripture you have to remember this scripture nowhere shows God directly doing evil but it everywhere shows him in control of evil never directly doing it but always in control of it I mean evil deeds get brought about by God's decree undoubtedly but it's through not his own personal actions of evil it is always through the willing actions of his morally responsible creatures you notice that and they are morally responsible and they're responsible for the decisions they make and you know that you are not a robot and you know you make the decisions you make because you want to you know that you make the decisions you do and the thing is when we look at Scripture we know this scripture never blames God for the evil it never shows God taking pleasure and evil and at the same time scripture holds the evildoer absolutely accountable and responsible and punishable and it never excuses that evil doer and these you know what these are the conclusions you come to about this so when we back up and we say where did sin come from in the beginning I'll guarantee you everything in this world is working out exactly according to God's decree everything is according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will if there's sin in this world it's because God decreed that there would be sin in this world and it's under his control and it's fulfilling his purposes and it's putting himself on display do you recognize that this whole creation is about Christ this whole creation is about Christ's glory this whole creation is about Christ as a savior this whole creation is about the glories of God's mercy and compassion and as seen and demonstrated through Jesus Christ and that there would be no place for a Savior there would be no place for God's mercies and compassion and love to be seen toward sinners if it wasn't for sin and there would be no demonstration of God's fury and wrath there would be no understanding of his justice and judgment if it wasn't for sin sin is accomplishing God's purposes and you say well how did why does he still find fault well many times a way we have to answer is the way Paul answered who are you to answer but what I'd say to you is this God commands you to repent and if you refuse to repent and harden your heart and you turn your back on all the light that you have and the truth that you have and you just ignore God and you go on in your own way not forsaking your wicked ways and your unrighteous thoughts and you just perpetually move forward in the way of loving your sin and loving unrighteousness and not obeying the truth then don't be surprised if that day comes when God's wrath pours out upon your head and it's going to be your fault and you're going to know it because you love your sin more than you loved righteousness and you loved your sin and you chose it over and above Christ and you know you're doing it and in my last days I know I didn't if God would have punished me and damn me to hell I'd know right now that it was absolutely just for him to do it because I know it was my sin and I loved my sin and then well how God is working behind the scenes is not for you and I to concern ourselves with we can concern ourselves with it to know that God does it we can concern ourselves with it to glorify God we can we can look at that and recognize God is absolutely in control and cling to him is the God who is gonna see to it that everything works out for my good if I'm trusting him and calling upon him I can trust him to do that he has that power he is in control no sinner no sin no devil and his sins is ever gonna affect me any way other than what God allows God is gonna vanquish sin in my life it is not going to have dominion it's ultimately going to be conquered we have a God who is a conqueror of sin and what we are responsible to do is believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved and look if you get if you get if you get there to the day of judgment you're damned and cast away it'll be because you refused because you would not Jesus says it you will not come to me that you might be saved if if you hear the voice of Christ in the gospel message and you don't come it's because you refuse to be saved what are you gonna say what's God's fault when you know full well you loved your sin and you went after it are you gonna fault God when you loved your sin and you do what you knew what was wrong when God was offering you a way of escape pleading with you sent embassadors to you and said come unto me that you you that labor and are heavy-laden and I'll give you rest that call to you if you're thirsty come and drink you had invitation after invitation God was commanding all men everywhere to repent and you said no I will not I will have my way I will do my thing I will love my sin would you see this is what Scripture teaches and we don't take these truths and we don't excuse men we don't take these truths and we don't find God guilty for creating a devil we don't find him guilty scripture never does that scripture finds fault and the moral accountability of that fallen angel Adam God didn't say oh I'm sorry it was my fault I decreed it this way he says devil you're guilty woman you're guilty Adam you're guilty he says to Sodom and Gomorrah you're guilty he says the Angels that went outside their proper bounds you're guilty he said to the world in the days of Noah you're guilty and in that day of judgment he will pronounce men and women who are outside of Christ guilty and their lot will be the lake of fire and you say well God ordained it from eternity past that's right that's right and we need to you know what we have a god that we ought to tremble before you're not in control he is he is a god to be trembled before he's a god to be feared he is a god who is mighty but he is also a God who beseeches us to come to him and find mercy there to find salvation in the shed blood of Christ I mean that's the kind of God he is and he is a God that is so good that if you come you're gonna find that all these things that he has decreed are gonna work out for your good and ultimately they're just gonna lead to your everlasting joy even the damnation of sinners as hard as that is to fully fathom right now it will be for your eternal joy so that's how scripture that's those are the conclusions we want to come to because those are the conclusions that scripture drives us to test your theories by scripture test your conclusions always by Scripture Amen father oh you you indeed are a God that is great in control of the nation's Lord I went to God there was far more trembling Lord that you would reveal yourself and all of your greatness stun us into all Lord silenced our mouths silence our boastful mouths when we see what glory what power what in absolute domination we see its in is in your control and we're glad we're glad that sin is not stronger than you we're glad we have a God who is a sin conquering God so that all the promises that we have that sin will be vanquished in our lives we know we rest upon it we know they're true because we know you're stronger we thank you we thank you for the way you have created everything we thank you for the way it is we thank you for revealing such love oh that breadth and length and height and depth and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge that we might be filled with all the fullness of God may it be so in Christ's name we pray amen

Channel: I'll Be Honest

Views: 14,653

Rating: 4.775701 out of 5

Keywords: Tim Conway, Ask Pastor Tim, Sin, Satan, God, Logic, Knowledge

Id: t7fRhavHwz8

Length: 78min 1sec (4681 seconds)

Published: Sat Jan 04 2014