No person can properly protect himself from a danger until he first knows what the danger is. This is true of all spiritual dangers. How can a Christian protect himself from sin if he does not know what sin is? Sin is the enemy of every person. The devil wishes to use sin to capture every Christian. If a Christian does not know what sin is, he may be captured by sin through his own ignorance.
The New Testament tells what sin is in four ways. Every Christian needs to learn these four definitions of sin. Look at I John 5:17. "ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS IS SIN." Any way that is not God's way is sin. Any time a Christian does anything he knows is not a godly thing, he has sinned. All Christians know many things God does not like. When a Christian does any act that God would not approve, he has sinned.
Look at I John 3:4. "SIN IS THE TRANSGRESSION OF THE LAW." Christ has given Christians many commandments and important teachings in the New Testament. When a person becomes a Christian, he makes Christ his Lord and Master. No one can refuse to hear his Lord and Master. If Christ is a Christian's Master, the Christian must obey Christ. When a Christian refuses to obey the teachings and commands of the New Testament, he has sinned.
Look at James 4:17. THE MAN WHO REFUSES TO DO THE GOOD HE KNOWS TO DO SINS. Every Christian knows many good things to do. He knows many things that will make God and Christ happy, that will help the church, and that will bless other Christians. Christians are responsible to do the good things they know how to do. When a Christian knows something is good, and he has opportunity to do that good, but he refuses to do it, he has sinned. To rebel against doing good is sin.
Look at Romans 14:23. WHAT IS NOT OF FAITH IS OF SIN. All people have a conscience. That means people have a feeling inside themselves that often tells them, "This is right," or "This is wrong." Christians are often responsible to always do the things they feel are and believe to be right. That means they "act by faith" - they do what they believe is right. Any time a Christian refuses to "act by faith" by doing something he feels is wrong, he has sinned. To do anything you believe is wrong is to sin.
Learn and understand these four definitions of sin. Only when you know what sin is can your protect yourself from sin.
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