Sin Now -- Repent Later
"Do You Believe In A
Heavenly Charge Card?"
Adapted From the Inspiration of the Holy Spirit
A Goodsoil Discipleship Lesson - Bro. A. Madonio
Lesson Introduction
What this lesson teaches:
* The main object of this lesson is to point out the futility of believing that you can live your life anyway you desire, and rely on the fact that you are "saved" to wash away wanton sin.
* Many in the church today are simply NOT living a life that a true child of God would live. Hopefully, this lesson may jog some out of sin and complacency and into a right relationship with Jesus.
* This lesson ties into respect fearing God, and Lordship by pointing out the stupidity of thumbing your nose at the Creator of the Universe.
Scripture references used:
* 1 John 2:6, 3:4, 6, 9; Psalm 1:5, 5:4-6, 11:5-6; Galatians 5:19-21; Revelation 21:8; Hebrews 10:26-27, 29, 31; 2 Peter 2:20.
Other scripture that may be helpful:
* Matthew 5:27-30; Matthew 13; Romans 7.
Discussion questions for study:
1. Did you read this lesson in preparation for this week's discussion?
2. Read 1 John 3:6 and 1 John 3:9. Is it clear that these 2 passages are dealing with wanton and intentional sin? Does this kind of 'black-and-white' approach to sin seem reasonable or too severe? Does it seem to make sense? Explain.
3. What do you think of A. W. Tozer's concept of "Instant Christianity"? Do you think the "movie buff" in the lesson would fit the "Instant Christianity" mold? Is his "charge it" attitude easy to spot?
4. Can you see how a lifestyle based on the "Heavenly Charge Card" theology will lead to lawlessness based on 1 John 3:4?
5. How do you feel about the following series of verses: Psalm 1:5, Psalm 5:4-6, Psalm 11:5-6, Galatians 5:19-21, and Revelation 21:8? Do these verses cause you to think of God as less than "loving"? Read Deuteronomy 29:19-20. Do you agree that persistent and wanton sin is an indication that the one sinning really hates God and has knowingly rejected Him?
6. Read Hebrews 10:26-27, then 10:29, and finally 10:31. Do you agree that actions as described in these passages are really deserving of the wrath of God's judgment? Does this help you to understand why those who reject Christ are deserving of eternal hell (Read Psalm 81:15)?
No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him. . . No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning,
because he has been born of God.
1 John 3:6, 9
"Let's see, Oh look! There's the Sears store! Let's go in and browse a bit. Hmmmmm . . . . Aha! The hardware section! Oh I love to fix my gaze upon all those lovely and shiny new Craftsman tools! Why, what's this? I can't believe it! That left-handed, right-angled, half-metric, half-english, aircraft alloy muffler bearing adjustment tool is in stock! I've been looking for one of these for months! But, Oh, wow, is it expensive! Oh well, I'll just whip out my Sears Gold card and charge it, since there is no way on earth I could actually afford one of these. Isn't credit wonderful! It allows you to possess the very best this world has to offer even if you have no legitimate right to do so."
INSTANT CHRISTIANITY - JUST ADD WATER:
We live in a world of instant gratification. Microwave popcorn, instant pudding, instant oatmeal, instant coffee, TV dinners, minute rice. Even our religion has been affected. A. W. Tozer describes it as "Instant Christianity":
"Instant Christianity came in with the machine age. Men invented machines . . . to get important work done more quickly and easily . . . and they wanted to get the work over with so they could give their time to pursuits more to their liking . . . Instant Christianity now serves the same purpose in religion. It disposes of the past, guarantees the future and sets the Christian free to follow the more refined lusts of the flesh in all good conscience and with a minimum of restraint."
HEAVENLY CHARGE CARD:
The idea of a "heavenly charge card" fits perfectly into the "Instant Christianity" concept. What a wonderful deal for a Y2K Christian!:
"Let's see, hmmmmm, well would you look at that. "Back Seat Bimbos", that movie all my buddies are talking about is finally on cable next week. Oh and look, it's rated "R" because of the adult situations and explicit nudity. But I hear the cinematography is excellent. In any case, I'm glad that Pastor Bluto won't be sitting next to me when I get this flick on tape. Sometimes he seems so judgmental! This is one case in which what he doesn't know sure makes me feel better. I mean, he probably wouldn't understand how discerning I've become since I got saved. Why, now I can see all that nudity for what it really is - just another form of entertainment. It probably won't have any effect on me at all, not like these same movies I watched when I wasn't a Christian. Besides, if I do have some lust problems after I watch it, I know that I can just pray for forgiveness and everything will be O.K. -- Praise God!"
A. W. Tozer - "[The advocates of Instant Christianity] are glad to accept the assurance of automatic blessedness. It relieves them of the need to watch and fight and pray, and sets them free to enjoy this world while waiting for the next."
Can you see what our friend the "movie buff" (and I mean 'buff') is doing? He has ostensibly made some sort of "commitment" to Jesus Christ, but he is perfectly willing to submit voluntarily to sin (CHARGE IT!), believing that he will pay-off that sin-debt with a pre-planned future prayer of forgiveness (REPENT LATER!).
BUT WHAT HE DOESN'T REALIZE IS THAT THE INTEREST RATE WILL COST HIM HIS SOUL, AND THE PAYMENT IS DUE THE MOMENT HE PURPOSES THE TRANSACTION IN HIS HEART.
Sound too critical? Too judgmental? Read Matthew 5:27-30. Is it worth the risk? Still not convinced? Read on . . .
"HEAVENLY CHARGE CARD" -
GUESS WHO WON'T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT ONE?:
This card is special. It's reserved ONLY for the exclusive members of the "Not To Worry - I'm A Christian" club. You probably know them:
* The church elder with the playboy subscription.
* That oh-so-cute couple in the church youth group who happen to be sleeping together.
* The businessman in the choir who cheats on his income taxes.
* That elderly widow with the blue hair that constantly gossips about her fellow ladies club members while she's at the beauty salon.
THIS CHARGE CARD = "LAWLESSNESS":
1 John 3:4 Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.
We are paralyzed with fear these days because of heinous crimes: 8 year olds throwing 5 year olds out of high-rise apartment windows, kids killing other kids with machine guns, moms drowning their children in order to be free to date. We call it SHOCKING! And it is. We call it LAWLESSNESS! And we see that sin is LAWLESSNESS. Is one sinner worse than another? We may think so, but GOD CANNOT TOLERATE THEIR PRESENSE (those who sin wantonly), AND HE HAS PLANS FOR THEM:
Psalm 1:5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
Psalm 5:4-6 You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil;
with you the wicked cannot dwell.
The arrogant cannot stand in your presence;
you hate all who do wrong.
You destroy those who tell lies;
bloodthirsty and deceitful men the LORD abhors.
Psalm 11:5-6 The LORD examines the righteous,
but the wicked and those who love violence his soul hates.
On the wicked he will rain fiery coals and burning sulfur;
a scorching wind will be their lot.
Galatians 5:19-21 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Revelation 21:8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars--their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.
Now look back at 1 John 3:6. What do you suppose the apostle John meant by the phrase, "one who continues to sin"? [Hint: "continues" is the key.]
Doesn't it indicate a foreknowledge of the fact of sin? Romans chapter 7 tells us that knowledge of the law actually revealed what sin was. Therefore, one who "continuous to sin", knows it is sin. They are perfectly aware that they are sinning, but they "continue to sin" anyway!
DO YOU THINK THAT THEIR "HEAVENLY CHARGE CARD ACCOUNT" WILL HANDLE THEIR WANTON SIN?
DO YOU THINK THEY REALIZE THAT THEY HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO "CREDIT" IN HEAVEN? THAT SUCH AN "ACCOUNT" CAN'T EVEN EXIST? THAT THEIR NAMES ARE NOT IN THE "BOOK OF LIFE"?
1 John 3:9 No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God.
Anyone who feels they have one of these fictional "heavenly charge cards" can not claim the description in 1 John 3:9. Their "seed" has died. Either it never sprouted, or it sprouted quickly and died, or grew well but was eventually choked out (See Matthew 13). Unfortunately for them, they are in the unenviable position described in very cold, real terms by our Lord in His Word. The following grim news applies to all card-holders equally:
Hebrews 10:26-27 If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.
2 Peter 2:20 If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning.
Hebrews 10:29 How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot,
who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him,
and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?
Hebrews 10:31 It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
The sin now-repent later philosophy is fatally flawed. It is an effective but cruel deception that has flourished in this modern age of "Instant Christianity". But do not be fooled! Mentally and spiritually "cut-up" that "heavenly charge card". It can not exist in a true believer's heart.
The New Testament Church didn't live like that. People simply aren't motivated to "obedience unto death" (Philippians 2:8) for so frivolous a belief. The New Testament saints LIVED the gospel. They knew Jesus would someday soon make another appearance on this world, BUT THEY NEVER STOPPED BELIEVING AND PREACHING ABOUT HIS FIRST APPEARANCE!
ALWAYS REMEMBER - WALK THE WALK . . . .
1 John 2:6 Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.
. . . . NEVER SAY "CHARGE IT!"
