Romans: Sin, Judgment, and Gospel Foundations: Prepared Hearts

Sinning Against God

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: New Testament Studies

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2004-02-15

Synopsis: John Weaver examines Genesis 39:9, where Joseph refuses Potiphar's wife by asking, 'How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?' Weaver argues that sin is ultimately against God Himself, not merely against others or ourselves. He contrasts Joseph, who feared God and avoided sin, with David, who sinned and later confessed, 'Against thee, thee only, have I sinned.' The sermon explores how sin attempts to dethrone God, denies God as chief good, challenges His justice, despises His goodness, and despises His Word and person. Weaver urges believers to embed this truth in their souls so that when tempted, they will ask Joseph's question and find satisfaction in God alone.

[John Weaver] Notice Genesis 39 and verse 9. Here is what Joseph says. There is none greater in this house than I. Neither hath he kept back anything from me, but thee, because thou art his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God? Let me use one simple word. Sin. Have you ever noticed that sin is a small three lettered word And yet, for a word that is so simple, so easily spelled and pronounced, it carries great consequences. Sin is something that is frequently committed, constantly denied, and strenuously rejected as the cause of our heartache, trouble, and helplessness. Sin usually is euphemistically alluded to in conversation and steadfastly denied as to its reality and consequences.

[John Weaver] Everyone in here knows what a euphemism is. It's when you substitute a lighter word for a harsher word. One of my good friends was talking to an airline stewardess and she was telling him that she was living with the pilot. And he said, what you mean is you're committing adultery with the pilot. And of course, she did not want to use that term, but that's a euphemism. We use words like that, so we will not have the harsh reality of the truth.

[John Weaver] For instance, men call sin an accident, but God calls it an abomination. Men call sin a blunder, but God calls it blindness. Men call sin a chance, but God calls it a choice. Men call sin a defect, but God calls it a disease. Men call sin an error, but God calls it enmity. Men call sin fascination, but God calls it a fatality. Men call sin good, but God calls it godlessness. Men call sin an infirmity, but God calls it iniquity. Men call sin a luxury, but God calls it lawlessness. Men call sin a trifle, but God calls it a tragedy. Men call sin a mistake, but God calls it madness. Men call sin weakness, But God calls sin willfulness.

[John Weaver] We always tend to water down our wickedness. Now, the interesting thing about sin is this, that whenever sin is discussed, it is usually the consequences of sin that are always in the forefront and usually the consequences that are especially in relationship to man. For instance, the Bible says in Romans 6 in verse 23, the wages of sin are death. And so normally when we talk about sin, we talk about the wages of sin or the consequences of sin. We talk about death to self, and death to friends, and death to family, and death to society. You see, sin does indeed bring sufferings of all kinds. It brings mental, emotional, financial, physical, spiritual, and eternal sufferings.

[John Weaver] In the book of Ezekiel, chapter 18, verse 4 and verse 20, the Word of God declares, The soul that sinneth, it shall die. Now, there can be no denial of the consequences of sin. In fact, one of the principles of Scripture is this. He who sins must suffer. In fact, the Bible in Galatians 6 verses 7 and 8 makes it exceedingly clear. When the Bible says, Be not deceived, God is not mocked.

[John Weaver] For whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. So he who sins must indeed suffer.

[John Weaver] Now another aspect of sin that is frequently proclaimed is the fact that we have sinned and consequently we are sinners. Everyone in here can quote Romans 3 and verse 23. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.

[John Weaver] Now the fall of man attests to the fact and to the reality of man's sinfulness. It was the Apostle Paul in Romans 5 in verse 12 who said, Wherefore, as by one man, sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. So the fall of man does indeed attest to our wickedness and our sin. Moreover, as you study the Scripture, you will find the need and the necessity of a Savior verifies the fact that we are sinners. It was the Apostle Paul who said in 1 Timothy 1 and verse 15, this is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief. What did the Bible say in Luke 19 and verse 10? Our Lord said he came to seek and to save that which was lost. So the very fact that we need a Savior verifies that we are indeed sinners. Moreover, when you study the Bible and you find out God's demand for repentance of faith, that very demand signifies, once again, that we're sinners.

[John Weaver] In Mark 1 and verse 15, our Lord began to preach that men should repent and believe the gospel. Well, let me ask you a question. Why in the world should you repent unless there is something you must repent over? And why in the world must you believe unless you are an unbeliever?

[John Weaver] Now, it's not my intent today to try to cover the whole range of the doctrine of her martyrology. Anybody in here know what the doctrine of her martyrology is? Her martyrology is the doctrine of sin. It's from the Greek word hermatios, which or hermatos, which is sin. So her martyrology is the doctrine of sin. Soteriology is the doctrine of salvation. So it's not my intent, then, to cover the whole range of her martyrology. What I do want to do today is this. I want to dwell on one aspect of sin and try to demonstrate for you the awfulness and the wickedness of sin.

[John Weaver] Now, look, if you would, back in Genesis 39 and verse 9. We're going to cover this in just a moment. But in verse 9, Joseph says, there is none greater in this house than I. Neither hath he kept back anything from me but thee, because thou art his wife." Now watch this question. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God? How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?

[John Weaver] Now Joseph was a Christian or a godly man in a pagan household. His master's wife was ungodly and wicked. When the day came that she made her final play for Joseph, he endeavored to reason with her, and he based his arguments upon that which even a heathen ought to be able to understand.

[John Weaver] Now, notice, if you would please, in Genesis chapter 39, beginning there with verse 7. And it came to pass after these things that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph, And she said, Lie with me. But he refused and said unto his master's wife, Behold, my master what if or knoweth not what is with me in the house. He hath committed all that he hath to my hand. There is none greater in this house than I. Neither hath he kept back anything from me but thee, because thou art his wife.

[John Weaver] How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God? Now let me show you, first of all, the arguments that Joseph used to try to reason with this heathen woman. Anyone ought to be able to understand these arguments. First of all, he speaks of the trust that his master has placed in him in verse 8. He says, but he refused, and he said unto his master's wife, Behold, my master of whatever knoweth not what is with me in the house, he hath committed all that he hath into my hands. Joseph said, I am in the place of trust. everything that your husband has, he's placed in my hand. I am in a position where he has put his trust in me. Therefore, it would be wicked and wrong to abuse my place of trust.

[John Weaver] Well, I wish our politicians believed that. But he said, I've been given a trust and I'm not going to violate that trust.

[John Weaver] Secondly, he also argues that he has been promoted to a place of authority in the house, and once again, it would be wicked and wrong for him to abuse or misuse that authority. He says in verse 9, there is none greater in this house than I. Joseph said, I'm in charge of everything. I'm the head honcho. I not only have a place of trust, I've been given a great deal of authority. And just like it would be wicked and wrong for me to violate my trust. Now listen, it would also be wicked and wrong for me to abuse and misuse my office.

[John Weaver] One wish our politicians believe that. Thirdly, he says this. He argues based upon the liberty and the freedom and the graciousness of his master, he says, Neither has he kept back anything from me but thee." I want to tell you something. For Joseph to have been a slave, he had a great deal of liberty. He had a great deal of freedom. And he could have whatever he wanted in that household. He says, now I've been placed in a position of trust. I cannot abuse it. I've been given authority. I cannot abuse it. My master has given me any and everything I want and any and everything I need.

[John Weaver] Therefore, it would still be wrong for me to do this and demonstrate my ungratefulness and my unthankfulness. Then the fourth argument that he uses is this, that it's the sanctity of marriage. He says, neither hath he kept back anything from me but thee, because thou art his wife.

[John Weaver] Now, what are you saying is this? He is rightly and righteously withheld thee from me because you're married. You're his wife. You're his private property. And therefore, you should be rightly withheld from me.

[John Weaver] Now, any heathen ought to be able to understand those arguments. But I want you to note something. Although he gives these arguments to his master's wife, and although these arguments are forceful, logical, Rational. Yet, when it comes to himself, there's another argument that he uses. Look at it in verse nine. He asked, how then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God? When it comes to himself, he uses the highest argument possible. He said, if I do this sin, it would be a sin against God. Now, I want you to look at verse nine, because in the Hebrew, this is extremely emphatic. When he asked, how then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God? The words are emphatic and literally it's this, this wickedness, this great one. How can I do this, he says, and sin against God?

[John Weaver] Now, adultery was a great sin and had Joseph committed it, it certainly would have been greatly aggravated by all the favors that his master had conferred upon him. Not only would it have been a sin against himself, his soul and his body, but against his master. But Joseph says, above all, it would be a sin against God. It would be something that would be contrary to the nature of God, contrary to God's revealed will, contrary to God's righteous law. And all of these arguments prevailed upon Joseph To make him refuse this offer, and he said, I cannot in righteousness and in honor comply with it. Now, I want you to note something. Had Joseph complied with his master's request, certainly he would have sinned against himself. He would have sinned against his master. He would have sinned against his master's wife. He would have sinned against his family. He would have sinned against their family. Yet none of those trespasses were entertained by Joseph. What was entertained by Joseph was this, how can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles, if you would, to Psalm 51. I want you to see another individual who says essentially the same thing. Look in Psalm 51, and let's read verses 3 and 4. Everyone knows that this is one of David's penitential psalms. And David in this psalm is confessing his adultery, his murder, his wickedness. And in Psalm 51 in verse 3, look what David says. He says, For I acknowledge my transgression, and my sin is ever before me.

[John Weaver] against thee, thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight, that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. Now look what he said, against thee, and against thee only have I done this evil in thy sight.

[John Weaver] Now let me ask you several questions. Did David not sin against Bathsheba? Did David not sin against Uriah? Did David not sin against his family? Did David not sin against her family? Did David not sin against the kingdom? Did David not sin against himself? And the answer to all those questions is yes. Emphatically, yes. But then you've got to ask yourself, why is it in verse 4 that David says, against thee, against thee only?

[John Weaver] Have I done this evil in thy sight? Well, the answer is this. David may have committed numerous trespasses against other people. But the real transgression was against God himself. God was the only one who could remove the guilt and remit the punishment. As great as David's sins were against all the others, the most awfulness and the most wickedness that could be involved in those sins were in reality that they were against God himself.

[John Weaver] Now, is it not interesting we have a comparison? We've got a comparison now between Joseph and David. Now let me ask, what is the difference between Joseph and David? Let me take you back to one of my favorite scenes, one of my favorite movies, The Outlaw Josie Wales. I've seen that thing 40 times, and every time I look at it, Alice says, you've seen that thing so often.

[John Weaver] I said, that doesn't matter. I still like that movie. But you remember when Oakland Eastwood was there talking with Chief Tinbears, and he said he came to bring him life or he came to bring him death. And Tin Bear said this, there's iron in your words. He said it's too bad. There's no iron in the papers from Washington. He said iron is in the soul of men.

[John Weaver] Now let me ask you, why did Joseph not sin against God? And why did David sin against God. Are you listening? The difference between Joseph and David is simple. Simple. The iron of truth had entered into Joseph's soul previously and therefore he could not sin against God because his soul was filled with righteous fear and he called upon this fear and the realization of the majesty and the holiness and the sovereignty of God to keep him from sinning. What did David do? David sinned without thinking of the magnitude of his sin. He did not think about God.

[John Weaver] He only thought about himself. But it was only after he sinned that the realization of this truth sunk deep into his soul, and the realization of the irony of this truth then led him to repentance and confession of sin. and the acknowledgement of the awfulness of what he had done. And consequently, David then wrote many, many penitential psalms saying, God, I'm sorry, I've sinned against you.

[John Weaver] Now, let me tell you something, folks, you and I fail to comprehend this singular fact. That although we may trespass against others. Our transgression in reality is always against God. Without me taking the time to take you through the scriptures, may I tell you that sin is always expressed in the Bible by names of enmity and hostility toward God. For instance, it's called walking contrary to God in Leviticus 26 and verse 21. It's called rebelling against God in Isaiah 1 and verse 2. It's called rising up against Him in Micah 2 and verse 8. It's called striving and contending with God in Isaiah 45 and verse 9. It's called despising God in Numbers 11 and verse 20. You see, sin makes men haters of God. It makes men resistors of God, Acts 7, 51. Fighters against God, Acts 5.39. Blasphemers against God, in short, deniers of God. For Psalm 14, verse 1, the fool had said in his heart, there is no God. Are you listening? Sin always tries to un-God God.

[John Weaver] If we understood the awfulness of sin, We would not rush so willingly, readily, and headlong into it. Now, I want you to follow me in the Bible just for a little while, because I want to show you several passages that teach us undeniably that our sin is always against God. Look in your Bibles to the book of Judges, chapter 10. Make sure you hold Genesis 39. We're going to come back there. We'll look in Judges chapter 10. Joshua Judges, Judges chapter 10. And notice verse 10. Judges 10, verse 10. The Bible says, And the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, saying, We have sinned against thee, both because we have forsaken our God and also served Balaam. Now, did they not sin against themselves? Yes. Their families? Yes. Society, yes. Their culture, yes. But they said ultimately our sin is against thee. Look in 2 Chronicles 6 and verse 26.

[John Weaver] Solomon is dedicating the temple and of course he prays and asks for numerous requests in his prayer, but here is one of them. 2 Chronicles 6 verse 26, when the heaven is shut up and there is no rain. Why? Because they have sinned against thee. They have sinned against thee. Look down in verse 36. If they sin against thee. Look down in verse 39. Then hear thou from the heavens, even from thy dwelling place, their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause, and forgive thy people who have sinned against thee." We have really not comprehended the singular fact that sin is against God. Look in your Bibles to Nehemiah chapter 1. Nehemiah chapter 1.

[John Weaver] at verses 6 and 7. Nehemiah 1, verse 6. Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee, Both I and my father's house have sinned. We have dealt very corruptly against thee, and have not kept thy commandments, nor thy statutes, nor thy judgments, which thou commandest thy servant Moses. Note, he prayed, we have sinned against thee. We've dealt very corruptly against thee. Look in Psalm 41 and verse 1. Verse 4 it is. Psalm 41, verse 4.

[John Weaver] Once again, David says, I said, Lord, be merciful unto me. Heal my soul. Why? For I have sinned against thee. I have sinned against thee. In Psalm 119. Psalm 119. Look, if you would, please, one of my favorite passages. In fact, I'll be in reading with verse nine, especially for our young men who's in here. In fact, young men, you ought to memorize this passage. I had to memorize it years ago. Here it is. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way by taking heed thereto according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee.

[John Weaver] Oh, let me not wonder from my commandments. Thy word have I hid in my heart. Why, that I might not sin against thee. What is the remedy for sinning against God, hiding His Word in your heart, that is, having the iron of His truth already in your soul. But note sin is against God. Look very quickly to Jeremiah 14. I'm pressing this point because I'm going to give you some explanations as to what sin actually does. Notice, if you would, Jeremiah 14, verse 20. Jeremiah says, we acknowledge, O Lord, our wickedness and the iniquity of our fathers, for we have sinned against thee. In Daniel 9, 7 and 8, once again, Daniel says, we have sinned against thee. Now, listen carefully. When we understand that sin is against God personally, It makes us stop and think.

[John Weaver] You know, we have an old saying. Out of sight. Out of mind. When we don't really think about something. It really makes it easier to do. When you really do not think about the one that you're actually hurting. It makes sinning easier. However, when we realize we are sinning against a personal God, our sin then becomes nothing less than high treason against him.

[John Weaver] Now, listen, as I try to set up what I want to share with you today, sin is contrary to the person and nature of God. I want you to turn back in your Bibles to Exodus chapter 15. I'll let you look at one verse with me. And then I will quote another verse. But I've just told you that sin is contrary to the person and to the nature of God.

[John Weaver] Do you remember the truth? Of the holiness of God. God. Is holy. His name is holy as his name is, so is he. His nature is holy. Look in Exodus 15 and verse 11. Who is likened to Thee, O Lord, among the gods? Who is likened to Thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? Now, the Bible says that God is glorious in holiness. Did you know in Revelation 15 verse 4, the Bible says, Thou only art holy. Who shall not fear Thee, O God? Thou only art holy. As God is holy, He is all holy, only holy, altogether holy, and always holy. So sin is sinful, all sinful, only sinful, altogether sinful, and always sinful. As in God there is no evil, so in sin there is no good. Holiness is the attribute of God which frees God not only from evil itself, but also from the appearance of evil. God is so holy that He cannot sin Himself, neither tempts anyone to sin. The Bible says in James 1 in verse 13, Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God.

[John Weaver] For God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempted be any man. But did you know the Bible also says in Habakkuk 1 in verse 13 that thou art of pure eyes, and to behold evil, and canst not look upon iniquity. In other words, God cannot behold evil approvingly, And he cannot look upon iniquity condoningly. Why? Because God is infinitely holy.

[John Weaver] Now, with that in mind, let me ask you a question. How does sin affect our Father? You know, the Apostle Paul wrote in Romans chapter 7 that he wanted sin to become exceedingly sinful. If you and I are going to see the exceedingly sinfulness of sin, we must understand what sin does to our Father. Number one, sin, if possible, would depose or dethrone God. Sin, if possible, would depose or dethrone God. Sin will not allow God to be on His own throne. Sin will not allow God to govern and control His own world. Sin wants to rule, and sin wants to dethrone God. In fact, sin does rule, in one sense of the word, over the ungodly. Look in your Bibles to the book of Romans chapter 6, and let me show you what I'm talking about. Romans chapter 6, beginning there with verse 11. Romans 6, note if you would please verse 11.

[John Weaver] The Bible says, likewise, reckon ye yourselves also dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Now, look what he says. Let not sin therefore. What's the next word? Rain. Why? Because sin thinks it's a king. And sin does reign in the ungodly. He says, let not therefore sin reign in your mortal bodies. that you should obey it unless thereof, neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin, but yield yourselves unto God as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

[John Weaver] Now watch, for sin shall not have dominion over you, that is, it shall not have kingship or lordship over you, for you are not under the law, but under grace. Grace is our standard for justification. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. Now watch. Know you not that whom you yield yourselves servants to obey, His servants you are whom you obey, whether sin unto death or obedience unto righteousness. Now, what happens when we sin? We're allowing sin, in one sense of the word, to depose and dethrone God because we are yielding our bodies to King Sin instead of King Jesus.

[John Weaver] Let me tell you something, folks. You and I have never, ever really grasped the wickedness of sin. Sin is so vile, it would dethrone God and kick him off his own throne. Sin carries the language of Pharaoh in Exodus 5 in verse 2. Do you remember when Moses came to Pharaoh and said, thus said the Lord, let my people go. Here was Pharaoh's response. He said, who is the Lord that I should let Israel go? I know not the Lord. Neither will I let Israel go. What was his attitude? I'm king. God's not king. Who is he? He's a usurper. I know not the Lord. Neither will I let Israel go. He did not recognize the sovereignty of God. Do you realize those who are in rebellion to God use the language of Psalm 12 and verse 4?

[John Weaver] Let me just quote it. In Psalm 12 and verse 4 they say, with our tongue we will prevail. Our lips are our own. Who is Lord over us? In Jeremiah 2 and verse 31, an even more bold statement Because in that passage, the sinners declare, we are lords. We will no more come unto Thee. Lord, You're not our sovereign. We're our own sovereign. We're our own God. Do you remember what they said in Luke 19 and verse 14?

[John Weaver] We will not have this man to reign over us. Now watch this. Whatever we do to violate the law of God, whatever we do to violate the will of God, When we choose sin over God, we are aiding and abetting sin to dethrone God. And that's nothing less than treason against the sovereign God of heaven and earth. So sin, if possible, would dethrone God. The Scripture declares that God is sovereign. And sin denies that fact. And when we sin, we're sinning against a personal God. And in our sin, we're denying His sovereignty, which is blasphemy and an insult to the holy, sovereign God of heaven and earth. Sin is so wicked and vile, first of all, it would dethrone God. Secondly, sin is a denial of God As chief good.

[John Weaver] Do you remember in Matthew chapter 19? The rich young ruler came running to Jesus and knelt and said, good master, what must I do that I may inherit eternal life? And our Lord looked at him and said, there is none good, but one, and that is God. Now, really, that was a rebuke to that young man, because our Lord was saying this, if I'm good, that I'm God. And if I'm God, you don't come running into my presence demanding something of me. But our Lord said there is none good but one that is God. God is not only good, he is the chief good. God is the sum and substance of all good. As he is necessarily God, likewise he is necessarily good. He is perfectly, immutably, essentially, infinitely and necessarily good.

[John Weaver] There is sufficient goodness in God to satisfy our every desire, our every longing, our every need. Now, what happens when we sin? When we sin, we deny God as the chief good. Our attitudes and our actions when we sin, indicate that we do not really believe that God is the chief good. That God is sufficient for us. In other words, when we sin, what we're saying is, God, I need something else beside You. You are not big enough to satisfy my every need. Every prodigal who leaves the Father's house is confessing that it is better to be somewhere else than with the Father. Every Achan who steals admits that God cannot satisfy him. He needs something else. He needs his own lust and his own desires to make him happy. Every Demas that forsakes God is saying God is insufficient. He needs the world. to make him happy. God cannot do so. Ask yourself this question. Why do we need sin? And the answer is. We really don't need sin. But the truth is. Many times we prefer sin over God.

[John Weaver] Why do we do that? Because we believe that God is incapable of supplying our needs and satisfying us, and therefore we turn to sin. And when we turn to sin, we no longer confess God as our chief good, but we're saying that sin is better than God. How insulting to the gracious, sovereign God. Sin would dethrone God. Sin is a denial of God as chief good. Thirdly, sin challenges the justice of God.

[John Weaver] Look in your Bibles to the book of Malachi chapter 2. Last book in the Old Testament. Malachi chapter 2. And look at verse 17. Malachi chapter 2 verse 17. God says. You have wearied the Lord with your words. Yet you say, wherein have we wearied him? When you say, everyone that doeth evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delighteth in them, or where is the God of judgment? Now, God says, you weary me.

[John Weaver] How are we wearing you? When you say that everyone that does evil is good, or whenever you say, where is the God of judgment?

[John Weaver] Now, what are they saying? They're saying we're sitting and getting away with it. We're doing what we want to do. God's not judging us. Therefore, evil is good. Let me tell you something, folks, sin provokes God. Sin provokes God to justice. You know what sin does? Sin challenges God to do his worst. I don't know about you. But I surely don't want to challenge God. I've seen a lot of men in this world I don't want to challenge. But I surely don't want to challenge God. Some of the men might put me in the grave, but the Lord can put me in other places. I want you to turn in your Bibles to Deuteronomy 9. I want to give you an illustration of this provocation, of this challenging of God. Look in Deuteronomy 9.

[John Weaver] Deuteronomy, chapter nine. Notice verse 18. Moses says, and I fell down before the Lord is at the first 40 days and 49. I didn't neither eat bread nor drink water because of all your sins which you sinned, and doing wickedly in the sight of the Lord to provoke Him to anger. For I was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure wherewith the Lord was rough against you to destroy you. But the Lord hearkened to me at that time also."

[John Weaver] What are we talking about? You remember what God told Moses? Moses, step aside. I won't kill them all. And Moses said, I fell down and intervened for you. You know what the people did in their sin? They provoked God in that golden calf. They challenged God. You won't judge us. You won't destroy us. Over and over, the Bible tells us that sin provokes God to anger. Why in the world would anyone wish to provoke God? I'll tell you why. Because they really do not believe God. And they really do not believe that God is just. Let me show you.

[John Weaver] Look in your Bibles to Psalm 10. Psalm 10. And let's begin reading with verse one. I'll show you several verses. Psalm 10, verse 1. Watch what the psalmist says. Why standest thou far off, O Lord? Why hidest thou thyself in the time of trouble? The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor. Let them be taken in the devices they have imagined. For the wicked boasted of his heart's desire, and blessed the covetous whom the Lord abhorred or hated. The wicked through the pride of his countenance will not seek after God. God is not in all his thoughts.

[John Weaver] His ways are always grievous. Thy judgments are far above out of his sight. All his enemies, for all of his enemies, he puffeth at them. We're talking about the wicked man now. He has said in his heart, here's what the wicked man says, I shall not be moved. I shall never be in adversity. His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud. Under his tongue is mischief and vanity.

[John Weaver] He soothed them, the lurking places of the villages, and the secret places that he murdered the innocent. His eyes are privileged set against the poor. He lies in wait secretly as a lion in his den. He lies in wait to catch the poor. He does catch the poor when he draws them into his net. He crouches and humbles himself that the poor may fall by strong ones.

[John Weaver] He has said in his heart, God, I have forgotten. He hides his face. He will never I don't see it. What is an ungodly man doing? He's challenging God. He's saying God's not omniscient. God doesn't know. God will never judge me for my sin. Look in Psalm 50. Begin reading there with verse 16. Look what God says. Psalm 50 verse 16. Psalm 50 verse 16, But unto the wicked God said, What is now to do to declare my statutes?

[John Weaver] Or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth, seeing thou hatest instruction and castest my words behind thee? Now look, when thou sawest a thief, then thou consentest with him, and hast been partakers with adulterers. Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit. Thou sinnest and speakest against thy brother. Thou slanderst thine own mother's son, These things hast thou done, and I kept silent. Look what God says. Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such in one as thyself, but I will reprove thee and set them that is your sins in order before thine eyes. God says you thought I was as forgetful as you are. But I'm not. You challenged me. I'll set your sins in order before your face." Look in your Bibles to Psalm 94. Psalm 94.

[John Weaver] Just showing you once again how the wicked really challenge God because they don't believe God's justice. Psalm 94 verse 1. O Lord God, to whom vengeance belongeth, O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, show thyself, lift up thyself, thou judge of the earth, render reward to the proud. Lord, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph? How long shall they utter and speak hard things, and all the workers of iniquity boast themselves? They break in pieces thy people, O Lord, and afflict thy inheritance.

[John Weaver] They slay the widow, the stranger, and murder the fabulous. Yet they say the Lord shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob regard it. Understand, you brutish among the people, and you fools, when will you be wise? Now watch. He that planteth the ear shall he not hear? He that formeth the eye shall he not see? He that chastiseth the heathen shall he not correct? He that teacheth man knowledge shall he not know? He said, Do you think God is deaf and dumb? Do you think God is blind? God gave you hearing. Don't you think He can hear? God gave you sight. Don't you think He can see? He says, you want to challenge God? Go ahead. You'll lose. You know what sin is? Sin is an affront to God. It's to mock God to His face and to challenge Him. to do his worst. In essence, you're saying, God, I don't believe you're going to do anything. I believe I can sin and get by with it. What a challenge. To the sovereign, just God of the universe.

[John Weaver] Fourthly, sin despises the riches of God's goodness. Look in your Bibles to the book of Romans chapter two. Verses four and five. Romans two, verses four and five. Look what is asked. Romans two, verse four, or what it stated, I should say. Or despises thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long suffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance. But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasures up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God. You talk about ungrateful. Unthankful. Now look, or despises thou the riches of his goodness. You know what the goodness of God is? The goodness of God is that attribute of God in which God is good and provides for all of his creatures. The Bible tells us in Psalm 52 verse 1 that the goodness of God endureth continually. God continues to be good and to do good to the wicked And they continue to ignore God. God continues to be good and to do good, and he gives all of his gifts.

[John Weaver] And the wicked men despise them and take them for granted and believes that God owes them. Now, I want you to see something. He says in verse four, or despises thou the riches of his goodness. Look at what God does for us every night, every day. He gives us sleep. He gives us rest. He gives us breath. He gives us food. He gives us clothing. He gives us family. He gives us friends. He gives us all these things.

[John Weaver] And what do we do? God says we despise them. You know, that should be sufficient for God to slap down every sinner around. But God doesn't. When men despise His goodness, then his forbearance comes into play. Instead of smiting them, God just forbears with them a little longer. And when his forbearance runs out, then his long-suffering comes into play. Instead of smiting them instantly, God just suffers even longer with them. And God says the whole time Suffering long with them. What are they doing? They're treasuring up wrath. Against the day of wrath. God said, when I smite them, they shall be smitten. They shall be destroyed. It is the despisement of God's goodness, of God's forbearance, of God's long suffering that we treasure up the judgment of God against ourselves. Sin not only tries to dethrone God, sin also despises the goodness of God. It denies God as the chief good. But fifthly, I want you to note that sin despises God and His Word. It is not just a despising of His goodness.

[John Weaver] It is a despising of God. Look in your Bibles. to 2 Samuel chapter 12. 2 Samuel chapter 12.

[John Weaver] Now, remember if you would, what Joseph said in Genesis 39 verse 9. How then shall I do this great wickedness and sin against God? You remember that? His master's wife had made a play for him. His argument is, how then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God? David did do the great wickedness and sin against God. Therefore, in 2 Samuel 12 and verse 9, look what God tells David.

[John Weaver] Wherefore, hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord to do evil in his sight? Thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with a sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. Now therefore, the sword shall never depart out of thine house, because thou hast despised me." He not only despised God's Word in verse 9, God says, you've despised me in verse 10. Now the Hebrew word for despise is basah.

[John Weaver] It means to hold contemptible, to disdain, to hold despicable, vile, worthless, to scorn. God said you have held me to be a vile, contemptible, despicable person. You've treated me with contempt. and disdain. Numbers 11 in verse 20 tells us how the Israelites despised God in their rebellion. Numbers 15 in verse 30 tells us that sin is a despisement of the Word of God. Let me tell you something, folks. You and I cannot get away from this one simple truth that when we choose sin, we despise God. God has said, do not do this. And we say, God, I am going to do it. And in so doing, we despise his word and we despise him. Let me try to just summarize for you what sin is. In short, you could say this. Sin is the dare of God's justice. Sin is the rape of His mercy. Sin is the jeer of His patience. Sin is the slight of His power. Sin is the contempt of His love. Sin is the upbraiding of his providence. Sin is the scoff of his promise.

[John Weaver] Sin is the unbelief of his word. Sin is the denial of his authority. Sin is the despisement of his person. And sin is the reproach of his wisdom. Sin is against God personally. I might steal from Henry. But I've sinned against God. I've not only trespassed against Him, but I have sinned against God.

[John Weaver] Now let me make a couple of applications. What was it that kept Joseph from sinning? He remembered the august, majestic, and sovereign God of the universe. He understood that sin does not merely destroy us. It does destroy us. We cannot deny the effects and the consequences of sin. But he remembered that sin was far worse than just doing something to us. It was far worse than just having mere consequences in our lives. Sin was against God.

[John Weaver] It was an attack upon God's person, God's power, and God's position. So when you and I are faced with a choice of sinning, we have to ask ourselves, not just what will this sin do to me, and to my friends, and to my family, and to my church, but what effect will this sin have upon my God? That changes the whole situation. The second application is this. The awfulness of sin can be seen in its hatred of God.

[John Weaver] Look in your Bibles to Romans chapter 8 and verses 7 and 8. I could quote this passage, but I want you to see it. Look at Romans 8 verse 7. Romans 8 verse 7. God says, because the carnal mind is enmity against God. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be, so that they that are in the flesh cannot please God. Now go back to verse 7, because the carnal mind is enmity against God. You know what enmity is? Enmity is a strong word for hatred. Literally, he says, for the carnal mind, that is the fleshly mind, is extreme hatred against God.

[John Weaver] What a terrible anomaly for a Christian. On the one hand, we profess to love God. And on the other hand, we sin and express our hatred. and contempt for God. I want to tell you something, folks. The best way to demonstrate our love to God is by obedience. You know what God said in Jeremiah 44 verse 4? Let me just quote it. Here it is, Jeremiah 44 verse 4.

[John Weaver] God says, Howbeit, I send unto you all my servants the prophets, rising up early, and sending them, and saying, O do not this abominable thing which I hate." He's talking about sin. God said, I sent you my preachers. I sent you my prophets. I told you, do not do this abominable thing which I hate. Are you listening? God hates Sin. But the feeling is mutual. Sin hates God.

[John Weaver] Whose side are you on? If we love the Father, the best way to express that love is through obedience.

[John Weaver] Now, let me ask you. Can you learn to cry with Joseph How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God? I don't care what the sin is. I don't care what the temptation is. I don't care what the lust or the desire is. We ought to burn that question in our souls. How can I do this great wickedness? and sin against my God. If we ever understood the awfulness and the sinfulness of sin, and if we ever realized sin is against a personal God, we'd be a whole lot slower to try to satisfy our lust and our desires.

[John Weaver] We would come back and say, Father, You're our chief good. There's enough in You to satisfy me. I do not need sin. I do not need wickedness. I only need You. Let's pray. Father, we do ask in the name of Jesus Christ that You would indeed push this truth deeply into our souls. May it be iron for our persons. May we realize that sin is against the sovereign, holy, righteous, personal Heavenly Father.

[John Weaver] Give us grace to serve Thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear. But, Lord, make us holy as Thou art holy. And may we not do that abominable thing which thou dost hate. In the name of Jesus Christ we ask it. Amen.

Sinning Against God

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	2190416101
Subject	New Testament Studies
Course	Romans: Sin, Judgment, and Gospel Foundations: Prepared Hearts
Genre	Sermon
Date	2004-02-15
Dictation Name
Book	Book 136: Romans: Sin, Judgment, and Gospel Foundations - Volume 1 — Chapter 3
Source Timed Segments	77

Formatted Transcript

Introduction: The Small Word with Great Consequences

Sin is a simple three-letter word frequently committed, constantly denied, and strenuously rejected as the cause of our troubles. People use euphemisms to soften its harsh reality.

Notice Genesis 39 and verse 9. Here is what Joseph says:

Scripture Reading — Genesis 39:9

"There is none greater in this house than I. Neither hath he kept back anything from me, but thee, because thou art his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?"

Let me use one simple word: sin. Have you ever noticed that sin is a small three-lettered word? And yet, for a word that is so simple, so easily spelled and pronounced, it carries great consequences. Sin is something that is frequently committed, constantly denied, and strenuously rejected as the cause of our heartache, trouble, and helplessness. Sin usually is euphemistically alluded to in conversation and steadfastly denied as to its reality and consequences.

Everyone in here knows what a euphemism is. It's when you substitute a lighter word for a harsher word. One of my good friends was talking to an airline stewardess, and she was telling him that she was living with the pilot. And he said, "What you mean is you're committing adultery with the pilot." And of course, she did not want to use that term, but that's a euphemism. We use words like that so we will not have the harsh reality of the truth.

Common Focus on Consequences of Sin

Discussions of sin usually emphasize its consequences—death, suffering, and the fact that all have sinned. The fall of man, the need for a Savior, and the demand for repentance all verify our sinfulness.

We always tend to water down our wickedness. Now, the interesting thing about sin is this: that whenever sin is discussed, it is usually the consequences of sin that are always in the forefront, and usually the consequences that are especially in relationship to man. For instance, the Bible says in Romans 6:23,

Scripture Reading — Romans 6:23

"The wages of sin are death."

And so normally when we talk about sin, we talk about the wages of sin or the consequences of sin. We talk about death to self, and death to friends, and death to family, and death to society. You see, sin does indeed bring sufferings of all kinds. It brings mental, emotional, financial, physical, spiritual, and eternal sufferings. In the book of Ezekiel, chapter 18, verse 4 and verse 20, the Word of God declares, "The soul that sinneth, it shall die." Now, there can be no denial of the consequences of sin. In fact, one of the principles of Scripture is this: he who sins must suffer. In fact, the Bible in Galatians 6:7-8 makes it exceedingly clear when the Bible says, "Be not deceived, God is not mocked."

"For whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." So he who sins must indeed suffer. Now another aspect of sin that is frequently proclaimed is the fact that we have sinned and consequently we are sinners. Everyone in here can quote Romans 3:23: "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." Now the fall of man attests to the fact and to the reality of man's sinfulness. It was the Apostle Paul in Romans 5:12 who said, "Wherefore, as by one man, sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." So the fall of man does indeed attest to our wickedness and our sin. Moreover, as you study the Scripture, you will find the need and the necessity of a Savior verifies the fact that we are sinners. It was the Apostle Paul who said in 1 Timothy 1:15, "This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief." What did the Bible say in Luke 19:10? Our Lord said He came to seek and to save that which was lost. So the very fact that we need a Savior verifies that we are indeed sinners. Moreover, when you study the Bible and you find out God's demand for repentance and faith, that very demand signifies, once again, that we're sinners.

In Mark 1:15, our Lord began to preach that men should repent and believe the gospel. Well, let me ask you a question. Why in the world should you repent unless there is something you must repent over? And why in the world must you believe unless you are an unbeliever?

Joseph's Argument: Sin Against God

Joseph reasoned with Potiphar's wife using arguments any heathen could understand—trust, authority, liberty, and marriage sanctity—but for himself, the highest argument was that adultery would be a sin against God.

Now, look, if you would, back in Genesis 39 and verse 9. We're going to cover this in just a moment. But in verse 9, Joseph says, "There is none greater in this house than I. Neither hath he kept back anything from me but thee, because thou art his wife." Now watch this question: "How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?" How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?

Now Joseph was a Christian, or a godly man, in a pagan household. His master's wife was ungodly and wicked. When the day came that she made her final play for Joseph, he endeavored to reason with her, and he based his arguments upon that which even a heathen ought to be able to understand. Now, notice, if you would please, in Genesis chapter 39, beginning there with verse 7:

Scripture Reading — Genesis 39:7-9

"And it came to pass after these things that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph, and she said, Lie with me. But he refused and said unto his master's wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house. He hath committed all that he hath to my hand. There is none greater in this house than I. Neither hath he kept back anything from me but thee, because thou art his wife."

"How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?" Now let me show you, first of all, the arguments that Joseph used to try to reason with this heathen woman. Anyone ought to be able to understand these arguments. First of all, he speaks of the trust that his master has placed in him in verse 8. He says, "But he refused, and he said unto his master's wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house; he hath committed all that he hath into my hands." Joseph said, "I am in the place of trust. Everything that your husband has, he's placed in my hand. I am in a position where he has put his trust in me. Therefore, it would be wicked and wrong to abuse my place of trust."

Well, I wish our politicians believed that. But he said, "I've been given a trust and I'm not going to violate that trust." Secondly, he also argues that he has been promoted to a place of authority in the house, and once again, it would be wicked and wrong for him to abuse or misuse that authority. He says in verse 9, "There is none greater in this house than I." Joseph said, "I'm in charge of everything. I'm the head honcho. I not only have a place of trust, I've been given a great deal of authority. And just like it would be wicked and wrong for me to violate my trust, now listen, it would also be wicked and wrong for me to abuse and misuse my office."

One wish our politicians believed that. Thirdly, he says this: he argues based upon the liberty and the freedom and the graciousness of his master. He says, "Neither has he kept back anything from me but thee." I want to tell you something. For Joseph to have been a slave, he had a great deal of liberty. He had a great deal of freedom. And he could have whatever he wanted in that household. He says, "Now I've been placed in a position of trust. I cannot abuse it. I've been given authority. I cannot abuse it. My master has given me any and everything I want and any and everything I need."

Therefore, it would still be wrong for me to do this and demonstrate my ungratefulness and my unthankfulness. Then the fourth argument that he uses is this: that it's the sanctity of marriage. He says, "Neither hath he kept back anything from me but thee, because thou art his wife." Now, what he is saying is this: he has rightly and righteously withheld thee from me because you're married. You're his wife. You're his private property. And therefore, you should be rightly withheld from me.

Now, any heathen ought to be able to understand those arguments. But I want you to note something. Although he gives these arguments to his master's wife, and although these arguments are forceful, logical, rational, yet, when it comes to himself, there's another argument that he uses. Look at it in verse 9. He asked, "How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?" When it comes to himself, he uses the highest argument possible. He said, "If I do this sin, it would be a sin against God." Now, I want you to look at verse 9, because in the Hebrew, this is extremely emphatic. When he asked, "How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?" the words are emphatic and literally it's this: "this wickedness, this great one. How can I do this," he says, "and sin against God?"

David's Confession: Against Thee Only

Though David sinned against many people, in Psalm 51:4 he declares, 'Against thee, thee only, have I sinned,' recognizing that the real transgression was against God Himself.

Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles, if you would, to Psalm 51. I want you to see another individual who says essentially the same thing. Look in Psalm 51, and let's read verses 3 and 4. Everyone knows that this is one of David's penitential psalms. And David in this psalm is confessing his adultery, his murder, his wickedness. And in Psalm 51:3, look what David says. He says,

Scripture Reading — Psalm 51:3-4

"For I acknowledge my transgression, and my sin is ever before me."

"Against thee, thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight, that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest." Now look what he said: "Against thee, and against thee only have I done this evil in thy sight." Now let me ask you several questions. Did David not sin against Bathsheba? Did David not sin against Uriah? Did David not sin against his family? Did David not sin against her family? Did David not sin against the kingdom? Did David not sin against himself? And the answer to all those questions is yes. Emphatically, yes. But then you've got to ask yourself, why is it in verse 4 that David says, "Against thee, against thee only"?

"Have I done this evil in thy sight?" Well, the answer is this: David may have committed numerous trespasses against other people. But the real transgression was against God himself. God was the only one who could remove the guilt and remit the punishment. As great as David's sins were against all the others, the most awfulness and the most wickedness that could be involved in those sins were in reality that they were against God himself.

The Difference Between Joseph and David

Joseph had the 'iron of truth' in his soul beforehand, filling him with righteous fear of God's majesty and holiness. David sinned without thinking of God, only realizing the magnitude afterward, leading to repentance.

Now, is it not interesting we have a comparison? We've got a comparison now between Joseph and David. Now let me ask, what is the difference between Joseph and David? Let me take you back to one of my favorite scenes, one of my favorite movies, The Outlaw Josey Wales. I've seen that thing 40 times, and every time I look at it, Alice says, "You've seen that thing so often." I said, "That doesn't matter. I still like that movie." But you remember when Clint Eastwood was there talking with Chief Ten Bears, and he said he came to bring him life or he came to bring him death. And Ten Bears said this: "There's iron in your words." He said, "It's too bad. There's no iron in the papers from Washington." He said, "Iron is in the soul of men."

Now let me ask you, why did Joseph not sin against God? And why did David sin against God? Are you listening? The difference between Joseph and David is simple. Simple. The iron of truth had entered into Joseph's soul previously, and therefore he could not sin against God because his soul was filled with righteous fear, and he called upon this fear and the realization of the majesty and the holiness and the sovereignty of God to keep him from sinning. What did David do? David sinned without thinking of the magnitude of his sin. He did not think about God.

He only thought about himself. But it was only after he sinned that the realization of this truth sunk deep into his soul, and the realization of the irony of this truth then led him to repentance and confession of sin, and the acknowledgement of the awfulness of what he had done. And consequently, David then wrote many, many penitential psalms saying, "God, I'm sorry, I've sinned against you."

Sin Is Always Against God

Scripture repeatedly describes sin as enmity and hostility toward God—walking contrary, rebelling, despising, and denying Him. Sin always tries to 'un-God' God.

Now, let me tell you something, folks. You and I fail to comprehend this singular fact: that although we may trespass against others, our transgression in reality is always against God. Without me taking the time to take you through the scriptures, may I tell you that sin is always expressed in the Bible by names of enmity and hostility toward God. For instance, it's called walking contrary to God in Leviticus 26:21. It's called rebelling against God in Isaiah 1:2. It's called rising up against Him in Micah 2:8. It's called striving and contending with God in Isaiah 45:9. It's called despising God in Numbers 11:20. You see, sin makes men haters of God. It makes men resistors of God, Acts 7:51. Fighters against God, Acts 5:39. Blasphemers against God, in short, deniers of God. For Psalm 14:1, "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God." Are you listening? Sin always tries to un-God God.

If we understood the awfulness of sin, we would not rush so willingly, readily, and headlong into it. Now, I want you to follow me in the Bible just for a little while, because I want to show you several passages that teach us undeniably that our sin is always against God. Look in your Bibles to the book of Judges, chapter 10. Make sure you hold Genesis 39. We're going to come back there. We'll look in Judges chapter 10. Joshua, Judges, Judges chapter 10. And notice verse 10. Judges 10:10. The Bible says,

Scripture Reading — Judges 10:10

"And the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, saying, We have sinned against thee, both because we have forsaken our God and also served Baalim."

Now, did they not sin against themselves? Yes. Their families? Yes. Society? Yes. Their culture? Yes. But they said ultimately our sin is against thee. Look in 2 Chronicles 6:26.

Solomon is dedicating the temple, and of course he prays and asks for numerous requests in his prayer, but here is one of them. 2 Chronicles 6:26: "When the heaven is shut up and there is no rain." Why? "Because they have sinned against thee." They have sinned against thee. Look down in verse 36: "If they sin against thee." Look down in verse 39: "Then hear thou from the heavens, even from thy dwelling place, their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause, and forgive thy people who have sinned against thee." We have really not comprehended the singular fact that sin is against God. Look in your Bibles to Nehemiah chapter 1. Nehemiah chapter 1.

What Sin Does to God

Sin attempts to dethrone God, denies Him as chief good, challenges His justice, despises His goodness, and despises His Word and person. It is high treason against the sovereign God.

Now, with that in mind, let me ask you a question. How does sin affect our Father? You know, the Apostle Paul wrote in Romans chapter 7 that he wanted sin to become exceedingly sinful. If you and I are going to see the exceeding sinfulness of sin, we must understand what sin does to our Father. Number one, sin, if possible, would depose or dethrone God. Sin, if possible, would depose or dethrone God. Sin will not allow God to be on His own throne. Sin will not allow God to govern and control His own world. Sin wants to rule, and sin wants to dethrone God. In fact, sin does rule, in one sense of the word, over the ungodly. Look in your Bibles to the book of Romans chapter 6, and let me show you what I'm talking about. Romans chapter 6, beginning there with verse 11. Romans 6, note if you would please verse 11.

The Bible says, "Likewise, reckon ye yourselves also dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord." Now, look what he says: "Let not sin therefore"—what's the next word? "Reign." Why? Because sin thinks it's a king. And sin does reign in the ungodly. He says, "Let not therefore sin reign in your mortal bodies, that you should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin, but yield yourselves unto God as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God."

Now watch: "For sin shall not have dominion over you," that is, it shall not have kingship or lordship over you, "for you are not under the law, but under grace." Grace is our standard for justification. "What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. Now watch. Know ye not that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?" Now, what happens when we sin? We're allowing sin, in one sense of the word, to depose and dethrone God because we are yielding our bodies to King Sin instead of King Jesus.

Let me tell you something, folks. You and I have never, ever really grasped the wickedness of sin. Sin is so vile, it would dethrone God and kick Him off His own throne. Sin carries the language of Pharaoh in Exodus 5:2. Do you remember when Moses came to Pharaoh and said, "Thus saith the Lord, Let my people go"? Here was Pharaoh's response. He said, "Who is the Lord that I should let Israel go? I know not the Lord. Neither will I let Israel go." What was his attitude? I'm king. God's not king. Who is He? He's a usurper. I know not the Lord. Neither will I let Israel go. He did not recognize the sovereignty of God. Do you realize those who are in rebellion to God use the language of Psalm 12:4?

Let me just quote it. In Psalm 12:4 they say, "With our tongue we will prevail. Our lips are our own. Who is Lord over us?" In Jeremiah 2:31, an even more bold statement, because in that passage, the sinners declare, "We are lords. We will no more come unto Thee." Lord, You're not our sovereign. We're our own sovereign. We're our own God. Do you remember what they said in Luke 19:14?

"We will not have this man to reign over us." Now watch this. Whatever we do to violate the law of God, whatever we do to violate the will of God, when we choose sin over God, we are aiding and abetting sin to dethrone God. And that's nothing less than treason against the sovereign God of heaven and earth. So sin, if possible, would dethrone God. The Scripture declares that God is sovereign. And sin denies that fact. And when we sin, we're sinning against a personal God. And in our sin, we're denying His sovereignty, which is blasphemy and an insult to the holy, sovereign God of heaven and earth. Sin is so wicked and vile, first of all, it would dethrone God. Secondly, sin is a denial of God as chief good.

Do you remember in Matthew chapter 19? The rich young ruler came running to Jesus and knelt and said, "Good Master, what must I do that I may inherit eternal life?" And our Lord looked at him and said, "There is none good but one, that is, God." Now, really, that was a rebuke to that young man, because our Lord was saying this: if I'm good, then I'm God. And if I'm God, you don't come running into my presence demanding something of me. But our Lord said there is none good but one, that is, God. God is not only good, He is the chief good. God is the sum and substance of all good. As He is necessarily God, likewise He is necessarily good. He is perfectly, immutably, essentially, infinitely, and necessarily good.

There is sufficient goodness in God to satisfy our every desire, our every longing, our every need. Now, what happens when we sin? When we sin, we deny God as the chief good. Our attitudes and our actions when we sin indicate that we do not really believe that God is the chief good, that God is sufficient for us. In other words, when we sin, what we're saying is, "God, I need something else besides You. You are not big enough to satisfy my every need." Every prodigal who leaves the Father's house is confessing that it is better to be somewhere else than with the Father. Every Achan who steals admits that God cannot satisfy him. He needs something else. He needs his own lust and his own desires to make him happy. Every Demas that forsakes God is saying God is insufficient. He needs the world to make him happy. God cannot do so. Ask yourself this question: why do we need sin? And the answer is, we really don't need sin. But the truth is, many times we prefer sin over God.

Why do we do that? Because we believe that God is incapable of supplying our needs and satisfying us, and therefore we turn to sin. And when we turn to sin, we no longer confess God as our chief good, but we're saying that sin is better than God. How insulting to the gracious, sovereign God. Sin would dethrone God. Sin is a denial of God as chief good. Thirdly, sin challenges the justice of God.

Look in your Bibles to the book of Malachi chapter 2. Last book in the Old Testament. Malachi chapter 2. And look at verse 17. Malachi 2:17. God says, "You have wearied the Lord with your words. Yet you say, Wherein have we wearied Him? When you say, Everyone that doeth evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and He delighteth in them, or, Where is the God of judgment?" Now, God says, "You weary me."

How are we wearying you? When you say that everyone that does evil is good, or whenever you say, "Where is the God of judgment?" Now, what are they saying? They're saying we're sinning and getting away with it. We're doing what we want to do. God's not judging us. Therefore, evil is good. Let me tell you something, folks. Sin provokes God. Sin provokes God to justice. You know what sin does? Sin challenges God to do His worst. I don't know about you, but I surely don't want to challenge God. I've seen a lot of men in this world I don't want to challenge. But I surely don't want to challenge God. Some of the men might put me in the grave, but the Lord can put me in other places. I want you to turn in your Bibles to Deuteronomy 9. I want to give you an illustration of this provocation, of this challenging of God. Look in Deuteronomy 9.

Deuteronomy, chapter 9. Notice verse 18. Moses says, "And I fell down before the Lord, as at the first, forty days and forty nights. I did neither eat bread nor drink water because of all your sins which you sinned, in doing wickedly in the sight of the Lord, to provoke Him to anger. For I was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure wherewith the Lord was wroth against you to destroy you. But the Lord hearkened to me at that time also." What are we talking about? You remember what God told Moses? "Moses, step aside. I will kill them all." And Moses said, "I fell down and intervened for you." You know what the people did in their sin? They provoked God in that golden calf. They challenged God. "You won't judge us. You won't destroy us." Over and over, the Bible tells us that sin provokes God to anger. Why in the world would anyone wish to provoke God? I'll tell you why. Because they really do not believe God. And they really do not believe that God is just. Let me show you.

Look in your Bibles to Psalm 10. Psalm 10. And let's begin reading with verse 1. I'll show you several verses. Psalm 10:1. Watch what the psalmist says. "Why standest thou far off, O Lord? Why hidest thou thyself in the time of trouble? The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor. Let them be taken in the devices they have imagined. For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the Lord abhorreth. The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God. God is not in all his thoughts."

"His ways are always grievous. Thy judgments are far above out of his sight. As for all his enemies, he puffeth at them." We're talking about the wicked man now. "He hath said in his heart," here's what the wicked man says, "I shall not be moved. I shall never be in adversity. His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud. Under his tongue is mischief and vanity."

"He sitteth in the lurking places of the villages. In the secret places doth he murder the innocent. His eyes are privily set against the poor. He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den. He lieth in wait to catch the poor. He doth catch the poor when he draweth him into his net. He croucheth and humbleth himself, that the poor may fall by his strong ones."

"He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten. He hideth his face. He will never see it." What is an ungodly man doing? He's challenging God. He's saying God's not omniscient. God doesn't know. God will never judge me for my sin. Look in Psalm 50. Begin reading there with verse 16. Look what God says. Psalm 50:16. "But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes?"

"Or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth, seeing thou hatest instruction and castest my words behind thee? Now look, when thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers. Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit. Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother. Thou slanderest thine own mother's son. These things hast thou done, and I kept silent. Look what God says. Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself, but I will reprove thee and set them in order before thine eyes." God says you thought I was as forgetful as you are. But I'm not. You challenged me. I'll set your sins in order before your face. Look in your Bibles to Psalm 94. Psalm 94.

Just showing you once again how the wicked really challenge God because they don't believe God's justice. Psalm 94:1. "O Lord God, to whom vengeance belongeth, O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, show thyself. Lift up thyself, thou judge of the earth. Render a reward to the proud. Lord, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph? How long shall they utter and speak hard things, and all the workers of iniquity boast themselves? They break in pieces thy people, O Lord, and afflict thine inheritance."

"They slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the fatherless. Yet they say, The Lord shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob regard it. Understand, ye brutish among the people, and ye fools, when will ye be wise? Now watch. He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? He that formed the eye, shall he not see? He that chastiseth the heathen, shall he not correct? He that teacheth man knowledge, shall he not know?" He said, do you think God is deaf and dumb? Do you think God is blind? God gave you hearing. Don't you think He can hear? God gave you sight. Don't you think He can see? He says, you want to challenge God? Go ahead. You'll lose. You know what sin is? Sin is an affront to God. It's to mock God to His face and to challenge Him to do His worst. In essence, you're saying, "God, I don't believe you're going to do anything. I believe I can sin and get by with it." What a challenge to the sovereign, just God of the universe.

Fourthly, sin despises the riches of God's goodness. Look in your Bibles to the book of Romans chapter 2, verses 4 and 5. Romans 2:4-5. Look what is asked. Romans 2:4, or what is stated, I should say. "Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God." You talk about ungrateful. Unthankful. Now look, "Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness?" You know what the goodness of God is? The goodness of God is that attribute of God in which God is good and provides for all of His creatures. The Bible tells us in Psalm 52:1 that the goodness of God endureth continually. God continues to be good and to do good to the wicked, and they continue to ignore God. God continues to be good and to do good, and He gives all of His gifts.

And the wicked men despise them and take them for granted and believe that God owes them. Now, I want you to see something. He says in verse 4, "Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness?" Look at what God does for us every night, every day. He gives us sleep. He gives us rest. He gives us breath. He gives us food. He gives us clothing. He gives us family. He gives us friends. He gives us all these things.

And what do we do? God says we despise them. You know, that should be sufficient for God to slap down every sinner around. But God doesn't. When men despise His goodness, then His forbearance comes into play. Instead of smiting them, God just forbears with them a little longer. And when His forbearance runs out, then His longsuffering comes into play. Instead of smiting them instantly, God just suffers even longer with them. And God says the whole time, suffering long with them, what are they doing? They're treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath. God said, when I smite them, they shall be smitten. They shall be destroyed. It is the despisement of God's goodness, of God's forbearance, of God's longsuffering that we treasure up the judgment of God against ourselves. Sin not only tries to dethrone God, sin also despises the goodness of God. It denies God as the chief good. But fifthly, I want you to note that sin despises God and His Word. It is not just a despising of His goodness.

It is a despising of God. Look in your Bibles to 2 Samuel chapter 12. 2 Samuel chapter 12. Now, remember if you would, what Joseph said in Genesis 39:9: "How then shall I do this great wickedness and sin against God?" You remember that? His master's wife had made a play for him. His argument is, "How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?" David did do the great wickedness and sin against God. Therefore, in 2 Samuel 12:9, look what God tells David.

"Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in his sight? Thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. Now therefore, the sword shall never depart out of thine house, because thou hast despised me." He not only despised God's Word in verse 9, God says, "You've despised me" in verse 10. Now the Hebrew word for despise is bazah. It means to hold contemptible, to disdain, to hold despicable, vile, worthless, to scorn. God said you have held me to be a vile, contemptible, despicable person. You've treated me with contempt and disdain. Numbers 11:20 tells us how the Israelites despised God in their rebellion. Numbers 15:30 tells us that sin is a despisement of the Word of God. Let me tell you something, folks. You and I cannot get away from this one simple truth: that when we choose sin, we despise God. God has said, "Do not do this." And we say, "God, I am going to do it." And in so doing, we despise His Word and we despise Him. Let me try to just summarize for you what sin is. In short, you could say this: sin is the dare of God's justice. Sin is the rape of His mercy. Sin is the jeer of His patience. Sin is the slight of His power. Sin is the contempt of His love. Sin is the upbraiding of His providence. Sin is the scoff of His promise.

Applications: Remembering God and Hating Sin

We must ask not only what sin does to us but what it does to God. The carnal mind is enmity against God; the best way to demonstrate love for God is obedience. We should burn Joseph's question into our souls.

Now let me make a couple of applications. What was it that kept Joseph from sinning? He remembered the august, majestic, and sovereign God of the universe. He understood that sin does not merely destroy us. It does destroy us. We cannot deny the effects and the consequences of sin. But he remembered that sin was far worse than just doing something to us. It was far worse than just having mere consequences in our lives. Sin was against God.

It was an attack upon God's person, God's power, and God's position. So when you and I are faced with a choice of sinning, we have to ask ourselves, not just what will this sin do to me, and to my friends, and to my family, and to my church, but what effect will this sin have upon my God? That changes the whole situation. The second application is this: the awfulness of sin can be seen in its hatred of God. Look in your Bibles to Romans chapter 8 and verses 7 and 8. I could quote this passage, but I want you to see it. Look at Romans 8:7. Romans 8:7. God says, "Because the carnal mind is enmity against God." Because the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be, so that they that are in the flesh cannot please God. Now go back to verse 7: "Because the carnal mind is enmity against God." You know what enmity is? Enmity is a strong word for hatred. Literally, he says, "For the carnal mind," that is the fleshly mind, "is extreme hatred against God."

What a terrible anomaly for a Christian. On the one hand, we profess to love God. And on the other hand, we sin and express our hatred and contempt for God. I want to tell you something, folks. The best way to demonstrate our love to God is by obedience. You know what God said in Jeremiah 44:4? Let me just quote it. Here it is, Jeremiah 44:4.

God says, "Howbeit, I sent unto you all my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, O do not this abominable thing which I hate." He's talking about sin. God said, "I sent you my preachers. I sent you my prophets. I told you, do not do this abominable thing which I hate." Are you listening? God hates sin. But the feeling is mutual. Sin hates God.

Whose side are you on? If we love the Father, the best way to express that love is through obedience. Now, let me ask you. Can you learn to cry with Joseph, "How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?" I don't care what the sin is. I don't care what the temptation is. I don't care what the lust or the desire is. We ought to burn that question in our souls. "How can I do this great wickedness and sin against my God?" If we ever understood the awfulness and the sinfulness of sin, and if we ever realized sin is against a personal God, we'd be a whole lot slower to try to satisfy our lust and our desires.

Study Guide

Major Themes

Sin Is Ultimately Against God

Summary: The central thesis: sin is not merely a trespass against others or ourselves but a direct offense against the person, nature, and authority of God.

Evidence: Joseph asks, 'How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?' (Genesis 39:9). David confesses, 'Against thee, thee only, have I sinned' (Psalm 51:4). Multiple scriptures show Israel confessing, 'We have sinned against thee.'

The Deceptive Nature of Sin

Summary: People use euphemisms to soften sin's reality, calling it an accident, blunder, or mistake, while God calls it abomination, blindness, and madness.

Evidence: Weaver lists contrasts: men call sin an accident, God calls it an abomination; men call sin a mistake, God calls it madness. He gives the example of a woman saying she is 'living with' a pilot instead of 'committing adultery.'

The Holiness of God Contrasted with Sin

Summary: God is infinitely holy, all-holy, and always holy; sin is all-sinful and always sinful. God cannot look on iniquity approvingly.

Evidence: Exodus 15:11: 'Who is like unto Thee, O Lord... glorious in holiness.' Habakkuk 1:13: 'Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil.' James 1:13: God cannot be tempted with evil.

Sin as Treason Against God's Sovereignty

Summary: Sin attempts to dethrone God, denying His right to rule. Sinners say, 'We are lords; we will no more come unto Thee' (Jeremiah 2:31).

Evidence: Romans 6:12: 'Let not sin therefore reign.' Pharaoh said, 'Who is the Lord that I should obey his voice?' (Exodus 5:2). Psalm 12:4: 'Our lips are our own: who is lord over us?'

Sin Denies God as Chief Good

Summary: When we sin, we declare that God is insufficient to satisfy us and that we need something else. Every prodigal leaving the Father's house confesses it is better elsewhere.

Evidence: Matthew 19:17: 'There is none good but one, that is, God.' Weaver asks, 'Why do we need sin? ...we really don't need sin. But the truth is, many times we prefer sin over God.'

Sin Challenges God's Justice

Summary: Sinners provoke God by saying, 'Where is the God of judgment?' (Malachi 2:17), assuming He will not punish. They think God is like them—forgetful and indifferent.

Evidence: Psalm 10:13: 'He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten.' Psalm 50:21: 'Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself.' Psalm 94:7: 'The Lord shall not see.'

Sin Despises God's Goodness and Person

Summary: Sin despises the riches of God's goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering (Romans 2:4-5). David's sin is called despising God Himself (2 Samuel 12:10).

Evidence: Romans 2:4: 'Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness?' 2 Samuel 12:10: 'Thou hast despised me.' Numbers 11:20: Israelites despised God in their rebellion.

The Remedy: Hiding God's Word in the Heart

Summary: The way to avoid sinning against God is to hide His Word in our hearts, allowing the 'iron of truth' to fill our souls with righteous fear before temptation comes.

Evidence: Psalm 119:11: 'Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.' Joseph had the iron of truth in his soul beforehand; David did not.

Key Arguments

Sin is always ultimately against God, not just against man.

Summary: Though sin harms ourselves and others, its real wickedness is that it is an offense against the person and authority of God.

Evidence: Joseph: 'How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?' David: 'Against thee, thee only, have I sinned.' Multiple OT confessions: 'We have sinned against thee.'

The difference between Joseph and David was the prior presence of the fear of God.

Summary: Joseph had the 'iron of truth' in his soul before temptation, enabling him to refuse sin. David sinned without thinking of God and only repented afterward.

Evidence: Weaver states: 'The iron of truth had entered into Joseph's soul previously... David sinned without thinking of the magnitude of his sin.'

Sin attempts to dethrone God and deny His sovereignty.

Summary: Sin wants to reign (Romans 6:12) and leads sinners to say, 'We are lords' (Jeremiah 2:31), rejecting God's right to rule.

Evidence: Romans 6:12: 'Let not sin therefore reign.' Pharaoh: 'Who is the Lord?' Psalm 12:4: 'Who is lord over us?' Luke 19:14: 'We will not have this man to reign over us.'

Sin denies God as the chief good and sufficient satisfier.

Summary: Choosing sin declares that God is not enough; we need something else to make us happy. This insults God's goodness.

Evidence: Weaver: 'Every prodigal who leaves the Father's house is confessing that it is better to be somewhere else than with the Father.' Matthew 19:17: 'There is none good but one, that is, God.'

Sin challenges God's justice by presuming He will not judge.

Summary: Sinners provoke God by saying, 'Where is the God of judgment?' and thinking He does not see or care, thus challenging Him to do His worst.

Evidence: Malachi 2:17: 'Where is the God of judgment?' Psalm 10:13: 'God hath forgotten.' Psalm 50:21: 'Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself.'

Sin despises God's goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering.

Summary: Instead of being led to repentance by God's kindness, sinners despise it, treasuring up wrath for themselves (Romans 2:4-5).

Evidence: Romans 2:4: 'Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness?' Weaver explains how God's goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering are met with contempt.

Sin is a personal despising of God and His Word.

Summary: David's sin is called despising the commandment of the Lord and despising God Himself (2 Samuel 12:9-10). Choosing sin treats God as contemptible.

Evidence: 2 Samuel 12:9-10: 'Thou hast despised the commandment of the Lord... thou hast despised me.' The Hebrew word bazah means to hold contemptible, disdain, scorn.

The best demonstration of love for God is obedience.

Summary: The carnal mind is enmity against God (Romans 8:7). God hates sin, and sin hates God. Obedience shows love; sin shows hatred.

Evidence: Romans 8:7: 'The carnal mind is enmity against God.' Jeremiah 44:4: 'O do not this abominable thing which I hate.' Weaver: 'The best way to demonstrate our love to God is by obedience.'

Scripture References

Genesis 39:9

Context: Joseph's refusal of Potiphar's wife: 'How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?'

Romans 6:23

Context: The wages of sin is death; commonly cited when discussing consequences of sin.

Ezekiel 18:4, 20

Context: The soul that sinneth, it shall die.

Galatians 6:7-8

Context: Be not deceived, God is not mocked; whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

Romans 3:23

Context: For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.

Romans 5:12

Context: By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin.

1 Timothy 1:15

Context: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.

Luke 19:10

Context: The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

Mark 1:15

Context: Jesus preached, 'Repent ye, and believe the gospel.'

Genesis 39:7-9

Context: Potiphar's wife's advances and Joseph's refusal, citing trust, authority, liberty, and marriage sanctity.

Psalm 51:3-4

Context: David's confession: 'Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight.'

Leviticus 26:21

Context: Sin is called walking contrary to God.

Isaiah 1:2

Context: Sin is called rebelling against God.

Micah 2:8

Context: Sin is called rising up against God.

Isaiah 45:9

Context: Sin is called striving and contending with God.

Numbers 11:20

Context: Sin is called despising God.

Acts 7:51

Context: Sinners are resistors of God.

Acts 5:39

Context: Sinners are fighters against God.

Psalm 14:1

Context: The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.

Judges 10:10

Context: Israel cried, 'We have sinned against thee, both because we have forsaken our God and also served Baalim.'

Historical References

The Outlaw Josey Wales (film)

Context: Weaver references the movie to illustrate 'iron in the soul,' comparing Chief Ten Bears' words to the iron of truth in Joseph's soul.

Important Quotes

How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?

Significance: The central question of the sermon, taken from Joseph's refusal, emphasizing that sin is ultimately against God.

Men call sin an accident, but God calls it an abomination.

Significance: Illustrates how humans soften sin while God reveals its true nature.

Against thee, thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight.

Significance: David's confession showing that sin is primarily against God, even when others are harmed.

The iron of truth had entered into Joseph's soul previously, and therefore he could not sin against God because his soul was filled with righteous fear.

Significance: Explains why Joseph resisted temptation—he had internalized God's truth beforehand.

Sin always tries to un-God God.

Significance: A concise summary of sin's ultimate aim: to dethrone and deny God.

Sin is the dare of God's justice. Sin is the rape of His mercy. Sin is the jeer of His patience. Sin is the slight of His power. Sin is the contempt of His love.

Significance: A powerful poetic summary of what sin does to God, emphasizing its personal offense.

The best way to demonstrate our love to God is by obedience.

Significance: Practical application: love for God is shown through obedience, not just words.

Discussion Questions

Why does Joseph's question, 'How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?' carry more weight than simply considering the consequences of sin?

Context: Weaver contrasts Joseph's focus on God with the common focus on sin's consequences.

How can we cultivate the 'iron of truth' in our souls so that we, like Joseph, resist temptation before it comes?

Context: Weaver explains that Joseph had internalized God's truth beforehand, unlike David.

In what ways do we use euphemisms to soften the reality of our own sins?

Context: Weaver gives examples of how people substitute lighter words for harsher ones to avoid facing truth.

What does it mean that sin 'tries to un-God God,' and how does this change our view of even 'small' sins?

Context: Weaver argues that sin is always an attack on God's person, power, and position.

How does understanding that sin is a personal despising of God (2 Samuel 12:10) affect our repentance?

Context: Weaver explains that David's sin was called despising God Himself, not just breaking a rule.

Why is it dangerous to presume upon God's patience and think, 'I can sin and get away with it'?

Context: Weaver discusses how sinners challenge God's justice and treasure up wrath (Romans 2:4-5).

How can we practically remind ourselves that God is our chief good and sufficient satisfier when tempted?

Context: Weaver states that sin denies God as chief good, and we must learn to say, 'I only need You.'

What does it look like to 'burn Joseph's question into our souls' in daily life?

Context: Weaver concludes by urging believers to ask, 'How can I do this great wickedness and sin against my God?'

Applications

Ask Joseph's question when tempted.

Summary: When facing any temptation, we should ask, 'How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?' rather than only considering earthly consequences.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'We ought to burn that question in our souls. How can I do this great wickedness and sin against my God?'

Hide God's Word in your heart to prevent sin.

Summary: Memorize and meditate on Scripture so that the 'iron of truth' is already in your soul before temptation comes.

Evidence: Psalm 119:11: 'Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.' Weaver emphasizes this as the remedy.

Recognize sin as a personal offense against God.

Summary: When we sin, we are despising God Himself, not just breaking a rule. This realization should lead to deeper repentance.

Evidence: 2 Samuel 12:10: 'Thou hast despised me.' Weaver explains the Hebrew word bazah means to hold contemptible.

Demonstrate love for God through obedience.

Summary: The best way to show love for God is to obey Him, not to sin. Sin expresses hatred and contempt for God.

Evidence: Romans 8:7: 'The carnal mind is enmity against God.' Weaver: 'The best way to demonstrate our love to God is by obedience.'

Find satisfaction in God alone.

Summary: Instead of turning to sin to meet needs, we must confess that God is our chief good and sufficient satisfier.

Evidence: Weaver: 'Father, You're our chief good. There's enough in You to satisfy me. I do not need sin.'

Do not presume upon God's patience.

Summary: Avoid the attitude that God will not judge sin. Sin challenges God's justice and treasures up wrath.

Evidence: Romans 2:4-5: 'Despisest thou the riches of his goodness... treasurest up unto thyself wrath.'

Consider what sin does to God, not just to us.

Summary: When tempted, ask not only 'What will this sin do to me?' but 'What effect will this sin have upon my God?'

Evidence: Weaver: 'We have to ask ourselves, not just what will this sin do to me... but what effect will this sin have upon my God?'

Reject euphemisms and call sin what it is.

Summary: Stop softening sin with lighter words; use biblical terms to maintain a clear view of its wickedness.

Evidence: Weaver lists contrasts: men call sin an accident, God calls it an abomination; men call sin a mistake, God calls it madness.

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T15:24:16Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T04:45:23Z

Clean Transcript

Sinning Against God

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

Notice Genesis 39 and verse 9. Here is what Joseph says: "There is none greater in this house than I. Neither hath he kept back anything from me, but thee, because thou art his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?" Let me use one simple word: sin. Have you ever noticed that sin is a small three-lettered word? And yet, for a word that is so simple, so easily spelled and pronounced, it carries great consequences. Sin is something that is frequently committed, constantly denied, and strenuously rejected as the cause of our heartache, trouble, and helplessness. Sin usually is euphemistically alluded to in conversation and steadfastly denied as to its reality and consequences.
#1 | 0:12 to 1:12 | cleaned
Everyone in here knows what a euphemism is. It's when you substitute a lighter word for a harsher word. One of my good friends was talking to an airline stewardess, and she was telling him that she was living with the pilot. And he said, "What you mean is you're committing adultery with the pilot." And of course, she did not want to use that term, but that's a euphemism. We use words like that so we will not have the harsh reality of the truth.
#2 | 1:13 to 1:50 | cleaned
For instance, men call sin an accident, but God calls it an abomination. Men call sin a blunder, but God calls it blindness. Men call sin a chance, but God calls it a choice. Men call sin a defect, but God calls it a disease. Men call sin an error, but God calls it enmity. Men call sin fascination, but God calls it a fatality. Men call sin good, but God calls it godlessness. Men call sin an infirmity, but God calls it iniquity. Men call sin a luxury, but God calls it lawlessness. Men call sin a trifle, but God calls it a tragedy. Men call sin a mistake, but God calls it madness. Men call sin weakness, but God calls sin willfulness.
#3 | 1:50 to 2:43 | cleaned
We always tend to water down our wickedness. Now, the interesting thing about sin is this: that whenever sin is discussed, it is usually the consequences of sin that are always in the forefront, and usually the consequences that are especially in relationship to man. For instance, the Bible says in Romans 6:23, "The wages of sin are death." And so normally when we talk about sin, we talk about the wages of sin or the consequences of sin. We talk about death to self, and death to friends, and death to family, and death to society. You see, sin does indeed bring sufferings of all kinds. It brings mental, emotional, financial, physical, spiritual, and eternal sufferings.
#4 | 2:43 to 3:32 | cleaned
In the book of Ezekiel, chapter 18, verse 4 and verse 20, the Word of God declares, "The soul that sinneth, it shall die." Now, there can be no denial of the consequences of sin. In fact, one of the principles of Scripture is this: he who sins must suffer. In fact, the Bible in Galatians 6:7-8 makes it exceedingly clear when the Bible says, "Be not deceived, God is not mocked."
#5 | 3:32 to 4:03 | cleaned
"For whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." So he who sins must indeed suffer.
#6 | 4:04 to 4:10 | cleaned
Now another aspect of sin that is frequently proclaimed is the fact that we have sinned and consequently we are sinners. Everyone in here can quote Romans 3:23: "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God."
#7 | 4:10 to 4:27 | cleaned
Now the fall of man attests to the fact and to the reality of man's sinfulness. It was the Apostle Paul in Romans 5:12 who said, "Wherefore, as by one man, sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." So the fall of man does indeed attest to our wickedness and our sin. Moreover, as you study the Scripture, you will find the need and the necessity of a Savior verifies the fact that we are sinners. It was the Apostle Paul who said in 1 Timothy 1:15, "This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief." What did the Bible say in Luke 19:10? Our Lord said He came to seek and to save that which was lost. So the very fact that we need a Savior verifies that we are indeed sinners. Moreover, when you study the Bible and you find out God's demand for repentance and faith, that very demand signifies, once again, that we're sinners.
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In Mark 1:15, our Lord began to preach that men should repent and believe the gospel. Well, let me ask you a question. Why in the world should you repent unless there is something you must repent over? And why in the world must you believe unless you are an unbeliever?
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Now, it's not my intent today to try to cover the whole range of the doctrine of hamartiology. Anybody in here know what the doctrine of hamartiology is? Hamartiology is the doctrine of sin. It's from the Greek word hamartia, which is sin. So hamartiology is the doctrine of sin. Soteriology is the doctrine of salvation. So it's not my intent, then, to cover the whole range of hamartiology. What I do want to do today is this: I want to dwell on one aspect of sin and try to demonstrate for you the awfulness and the wickedness of sin.
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Now, look, if you would, back in Genesis 39 and verse 9. We're going to cover this in just a moment. But in verse 9, Joseph says, "There is none greater in this house than I. Neither hath he kept back anything from me but thee, because thou art his wife." Now watch this question: "How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?" How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?
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Now Joseph was a Christian, or a godly man, in a pagan household. His master's wife was ungodly and wicked. When the day came that she made her final play for Joseph, he endeavored to reason with her, and he based his arguments upon that which even a heathen ought to be able to understand.
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Now, notice, if you would please, in Genesis chapter 39, beginning there with verse 7: "And it came to pass after these things that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph, and she said, Lie with me. But he refused and said unto his master's wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house. He hath committed all that he hath to my hand. There is none greater in this house than I. Neither hath he kept back anything from me but thee, because thou art his wife."
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"How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?" Now let me show you, first of all, the arguments that Joseph used to try to reason with this heathen woman. Anyone ought to be able to understand these arguments. First of all, he speaks of the trust that his master has placed in him in verse 8. He says, "But he refused, and he said unto his master's wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house; he hath committed all that he hath into my hands." Joseph said, "I am in the place of trust. Everything that your husband has, he's placed in my hand. I am in a position where he has put his trust in me. Therefore, it would be wicked and wrong to abuse my place of trust."
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Well, I wish our politicians believed that. But he said, "I've been given a trust and I'm not going to violate that trust."
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Secondly, he also argues that he has been promoted to a place of authority in the house, and once again, it would be wicked and wrong for him to abuse or misuse that authority. He says in verse 9, "There is none greater in this house than I." Joseph said, "I'm in charge of everything. I'm the head honcho. I not only have a place of trust, I've been given a great deal of authority. And just like it would be wicked and wrong for me to violate my trust, now listen, it would also be wicked and wrong for me to abuse and misuse my office."
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One wish our politicians believed that. Thirdly, he says this: he argues based upon the liberty and the freedom and the graciousness of his master. He says, "Neither has he kept back anything from me but thee." I want to tell you something. For Joseph to have been a slave, he had a great deal of liberty. He had a great deal of freedom. And he could have whatever he wanted in that household. He says, "Now I've been placed in a position of trust. I cannot abuse it. I've been given authority. I cannot abuse it. My master has given me any and everything I want and any and everything I need."
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Therefore, it would still be wrong for me to do this and demonstrate my ungratefulness and my unthankfulness. Then the fourth argument that he uses is this: that it's the sanctity of marriage. He says, "Neither hath he kept back anything from me but thee, because thou art his wife."
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Now, what he is saying is this: he has rightly and righteously withheld thee from me because you're married. You're his wife. You're his private property. And therefore, you should be rightly withheld from me.
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Now, any heathen ought to be able to understand those arguments. But I want you to note something. Although he gives these arguments to his master's wife, and although these arguments are forceful, logical, rational, yet, when it comes to himself, there's another argument that he uses. Look at it in verse 9. He asked, "How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?" When it comes to himself, he uses the highest argument possible. He said, "If I do this sin, it would be a sin against God." Now, I want you to look at verse 9, because in the Hebrew, this is extremely emphatic. When he asked, "How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?" the words are emphatic and literally it's this: "this wickedness, this great one. How can I do this," he says, "and sin against God?"
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Now, adultery was a great sin, and had Joseph committed it, it certainly would have been greatly aggravated by all the favors that his master had conferred upon him. Not only would it have been a sin against himself, his soul and his body, but against his master. But Joseph says, above all, it would be a sin against God. It would be something that would be contrary to the nature of God, contrary to God's revealed will, contrary to God's righteous law. And all of these arguments prevailed upon Joseph to make him refuse this offer, and he said, "I cannot in righteousness and in honor comply with it." Now, I want you to note something. Had Joseph complied with his master's request, certainly he would have sinned against himself. He would have sinned against his master. He would have sinned against his master's wife. He would have sinned against his family. He would have sinned against their family. Yet none of those trespasses were entertained by Joseph. What was entertained by Joseph was this: "How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?"
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Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles, if you would, to Psalm 51. I want you to see another individual who says essentially the same thing. Look in Psalm 51, and let's read verses 3 and 4. Everyone knows that this is one of David's penitential psalms. And David in this psalm is confessing his adultery, his murder, his wickedness. And in Psalm 51:3, look what David says. He says, "For I acknowledge my transgression, and my sin is ever before me."
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"Against thee, thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight, that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest." Now look what he said: "Against thee, and against thee only have I done this evil in thy sight."
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Now let me ask you several questions. Did David not sin against Bathsheba? Did David not sin against Uriah? Did David not sin against his family? Did David not sin against her family? Did David not sin against the kingdom? Did David not sin against himself? And the answer to all those questions is yes. Emphatically, yes. But then you've got to ask yourself, why is it in verse 4 that David says, "Against thee, against thee only"?
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"Have I done this evil in thy sight?" Well, the answer is this: David may have committed numerous trespasses against other people. But the real transgression was against God himself. God was the only one who could remove the guilt and remit the punishment. As great as David's sins were against all the others, the most awfulness and the most wickedness that could be involved in those sins were in reality that they were against God himself.
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Now, is it not interesting we have a comparison? We've got a comparison now between Joseph and David. Now let me ask, what is the difference between Joseph and David? Let me take you back to one of my favorite scenes, one of my favorite movies, The Outlaw Josey Wales. I've seen that thing 40 times, and every time I look at it, Alice says, "You've seen that thing so often."
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I said, "That doesn't matter. I still like that movie." But you remember when Clint Eastwood was there talking with Chief Ten Bears, and he said he came to bring him life or he came to bring him death. And Ten Bears said this: "There's iron in your words." He said, "It's too bad. There's no iron in the papers from Washington." He said, "Iron is in the soul of men."
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Now let me ask you, why did Joseph not sin against God? And why did David sin against God? Are you listening? The difference between Joseph and David is simple. Simple. The iron of truth had entered into Joseph's soul previously, and therefore he could not sin against God because his soul was filled with righteous fear, and he called upon this fear and the realization of the majesty and the holiness and the sovereignty of God to keep him from sinning. What did David do? David sinned without thinking of the magnitude of his sin. He did not think about God.
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He only thought about himself. But it was only after he sinned that the realization of this truth sunk deep into his soul, and the realization of the irony of this truth then led him to repentance and confession of sin, and the acknowledgement of the awfulness of what he had done. And consequently, David then wrote many, many penitential psalms saying, "God, I'm sorry, I've sinned against you."
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Now, let me tell you something, folks. You and I fail to comprehend this singular fact: that although we may trespass against others, our transgression in reality is always against God. Without me taking the time to take you through the scriptures, may I tell you that sin is always expressed in the Bible by names of enmity and hostility toward God. For instance, it's called walking contrary to God in Leviticus 26:21. It's called rebelling against God in Isaiah 1:2. It's called rising up against Him in Micah 2:8. It's called striving and contending with God in Isaiah 45:9. It's called despising God in Numbers 11:20. You see, sin makes men haters of God. It makes men resistors of God, Acts 7:51. Fighters against God, Acts 5:39. Blasphemers against God, in short, deniers of God. For Psalm 14:1, "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God." Are you listening? Sin always tries to un-God God.
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If we understood the awfulness of sin, we would not rush so willingly, readily, and headlong into it. Now, I want you to follow me in the Bible just for a little while, because I want to show you several passages that teach us undeniably that our sin is always against God. Look in your Bibles to the book of Judges, chapter 10. Make sure you hold Genesis 39. We're going to come back there. We'll look in Judges chapter 10. Joshua, Judges, Judges chapter 10. And notice verse 10. Judges 10:10. The Bible says, "And the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, saying, We have sinned against thee, both because we have forsaken our God and also served Baalim." Now, did they not sin against themselves? Yes. Their families? Yes. Society? Yes. Their culture? Yes. But they said ultimately our sin is against thee. Look in 2 Chronicles 6:26.
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Solomon is dedicating the temple, and of course he prays and asks for numerous requests in his prayer, but here is one of them. 2 Chronicles 6:26: "When the heaven is shut up and there is no rain." Why? "Because they have sinned against thee." They have sinned against thee. Look down in verse 36: "If they sin against thee." Look down in verse 39: "Then hear thou from the heavens, even from thy dwelling place, their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause, and forgive thy people who have sinned against thee." We have really not comprehended the singular fact that sin is against God. Look in your Bibles to Nehemiah chapter 1. Nehemiah chapter 1.
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At verses 6 and 7. Nehemiah 1:6: "Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee. Both I and my father's house have sinned. We have dealt very corruptly against thee, and have not kept thy commandments, nor thy statutes, nor thy judgments, which thou commandest thy servant Moses." Note, he prayed, "We have sinned against thee. We've dealt very corruptly against thee." Look in Psalm 41 and verse 1. Verse 4 it is. Psalm 41:4.
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Once again, David says, "I said, Lord, be merciful unto me. Heal my soul." Why? "For I have sinned against thee." I have sinned against thee. In Psalm 119. Psalm 119. Look, if you would, please, one of my favorite passages. In fact, I'll be reading with verse 9, especially for our young men who are in here. In fact, young men, you ought to memorize this passage. I had to memorize it years ago. Here it is: "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee."
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"Oh, let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in my heart." Why? "That I might not sin against thee." What is the remedy for sinning against God? Hiding His Word in your heart, that is, having the iron of His truth already in your soul. But note: sin is against God. Look very quickly to Jeremiah 14. I'm pressing this point because I'm going to give you some explanations as to what sin actually does. Notice, if you would, Jeremiah 14:20. Jeremiah says, "We acknowledge, O Lord, our wickedness and the iniquity of our fathers, for we have sinned against thee." In Daniel 9:7-8, once again, Daniel says, "We have sinned against thee." Now, listen carefully. When we understand that sin is against God personally, it makes us stop and think.
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You know, we have an old saying: out of sight, out of mind. When we don't really think about something, it really makes it easier to do. When you really do not think about the one that you're actually hurting, it makes sinning easier. However, when we realize we are sinning against a personal God, our sin then becomes nothing less than high treason against Him.
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Now, listen, as I try to set up what I want to share with you today, sin is contrary to the person and nature of God. I want you to turn back in your Bibles to Exodus chapter 15. I'll let you look at one verse with me. And then I will quote another verse. But I've just told you that sin is contrary to the person and to the nature of God.
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Do you remember the truth of the holiness of God? God is holy. His name is holy; as His name is, so is He. His nature is holy. Look in Exodus 15:11: "Who is like unto Thee, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like Thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?" Now, the Bible says that God is glorious in holiness. Did you know in Revelation 15:4, the Bible says, "Thou only art holy. Who shall not fear Thee, O God?" Thou only art holy. As God is holy, He is all holy, only holy, altogether holy, and always holy. So sin is sinful, all sinful, only sinful, altogether sinful, and always sinful. As in God there is no evil, so in sin there is no good. Holiness is the attribute of God which frees God not only from evil itself, but also from the appearance of evil. God is so holy that He cannot sin Himself, neither tempts anyone to sin. The Bible says in James 1:13, "Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God."
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"For God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth He any man." But did you know the Bible also says in Habakkuk 1:13 that "Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity." In other words, God cannot behold evil approvingly, and He cannot look upon iniquity condoningly. Why? Because God is infinitely holy.
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Now, with that in mind, let me ask you a question. How does sin affect our Father? You know, the Apostle Paul wrote in Romans chapter 7 that he wanted sin to become exceedingly sinful. If you and I are going to see the exceeding sinfulness of sin, we must understand what sin does to our Father. Number one, sin, if possible, would depose or dethrone God. Sin, if possible, would depose or dethrone God. Sin will not allow God to be on His own throne. Sin will not allow God to govern and control His own world. Sin wants to rule, and sin wants to dethrone God. In fact, sin does rule, in one sense of the word, over the ungodly. Look in your Bibles to the book of Romans chapter 6, and let me show you what I'm talking about. Romans chapter 6, beginning there with verse 11. Romans 6, note if you would please verse 11.
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The Bible says, "Likewise, reckon ye yourselves also dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord." Now, look what he says: "Let not sin therefore"—what's the next word? "Reign." Why? Because sin thinks it's a king. And sin does reign in the ungodly. He says, "Let not therefore sin reign in your mortal bodies, that you should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin, but yield yourselves unto God as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God."
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Now watch: "For sin shall not have dominion over you," that is, it shall not have kingship or lordship over you, "for you are not under the law, but under grace." Grace is our standard for justification. "What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. Now watch. Know ye not that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?" Now, what happens when we sin? We're allowing sin, in one sense of the word, to depose and dethrone God because we are yielding our bodies to King Sin instead of King Jesus.
#42 | 30:51 to 31:35 | cleaned
Let me tell you something, folks. You and I have never, ever really grasped the wickedness of sin. Sin is so vile, it would dethrone God and kick Him off His own throne. Sin carries the language of Pharaoh in Exodus 5:2. Do you remember when Moses came to Pharaoh and said, "Thus saith the Lord, Let my people go"? Here was Pharaoh's response. He said, "Who is the Lord that I should let Israel go? I know not the Lord. Neither will I let Israel go." What was his attitude? I'm king. God's not king. Who is He? He's a usurper. I know not the Lord. Neither will I let Israel go. He did not recognize the sovereignty of God. Do you realize those who are in rebellion to God use the language of Psalm 12:4?
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Let me just quote it. In Psalm 12:4 they say, "With our tongue we will prevail. Our lips are our own. Who is Lord over us?" In Jeremiah 2:31, an even more bold statement, because in that passage, the sinners declare, "We are lords. We will no more come unto Thee." Lord, You're not our sovereign. We're our own sovereign. We're our own God. Do you remember what they said in Luke 19:14?
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"We will not have this man to reign over us." Now watch this. Whatever we do to violate the law of God, whatever we do to violate the will of God, when we choose sin over God, we are aiding and abetting sin to dethrone God. And that's nothing less than treason against the sovereign God of heaven and earth. So sin, if possible, would dethrone God. The Scripture declares that God is sovereign. And sin denies that fact. And when we sin, we're sinning against a personal God. And in our sin, we're denying His sovereignty, which is blasphemy and an insult to the holy, sovereign God of heaven and earth. Sin is so wicked and vile, first of all, it would dethrone God. Secondly, sin is a denial of God as chief good.
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Do you remember in Matthew chapter 19? The rich young ruler came running to Jesus and knelt and said, "Good Master, what must I do that I may inherit eternal life?" And our Lord looked at him and said, "There is none good but one, that is, God." Now, really, that was a rebuke to that young man, because our Lord was saying this: if I'm good, then I'm God. And if I'm God, you don't come running into my presence demanding something of me. But our Lord said there is none good but one, that is, God. God is not only good, He is the chief good. God is the sum and substance of all good. As He is necessarily God, likewise He is necessarily good. He is perfectly, immutably, essentially, infinitely, and necessarily good.
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There is sufficient goodness in God to satisfy our every desire, our every longing, our every need. Now, what happens when we sin? When we sin, we deny God as the chief good. Our attitudes and our actions when we sin indicate that we do not really believe that God is the chief good, that God is sufficient for us. In other words, when we sin, what we're saying is, "God, I need something else besides You. You are not big enough to satisfy my every need." Every prodigal who leaves the Father's house is confessing that it is better to be somewhere else than with the Father. Every Achan who steals admits that God cannot satisfy him. He needs something else. He needs his own lust and his own desires to make him happy. Every Demas that forsakes God is saying God is insufficient. He needs the world to make him happy. God cannot do so. Ask yourself this question: why do we need sin? And the answer is, we really don't need sin. But the truth is, many times we prefer sin over God.
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Why do we do that? Because we believe that God is incapable of supplying our needs and satisfying us, and therefore we turn to sin. And when we turn to sin, we no longer confess God as our chief good, but we're saying that sin is better than God. How insulting to the gracious, sovereign God. Sin would dethrone God. Sin is a denial of God as chief good. Thirdly, sin challenges the justice of God.
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Look in your Bibles to the book of Malachi chapter 2. Last book in the Old Testament. Malachi chapter 2. And look at verse 17. Malachi 2:17. God says, "You have wearied the Lord with your words. Yet you say, Wherein have we wearied Him? When you say, Everyone that doeth evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and He delighteth in them, or, Where is the God of judgment?" Now, God says, "You weary me."
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How are we wearying you? When you say that everyone that does evil is good, or whenever you say, "Where is the God of judgment?"
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Now, what are they saying? They're saying we're sinning and getting away with it. We're doing what we want to do. God's not judging us. Therefore, evil is good. Let me tell you something, folks. Sin provokes God. Sin provokes God to justice. You know what sin does? Sin challenges God to do His worst. I don't know about you, but I surely don't want to challenge God. I've seen a lot of men in this world I don't want to challenge. But I surely don't want to challenge God. Some of the men might put me in the grave, but the Lord can put me in other places. I want you to turn in your Bibles to Deuteronomy 9. I want to give you an illustration of this provocation, of this challenging of God. Look in Deuteronomy 9.
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Deuteronomy, chapter 9. Notice verse 18. Moses says, "And I fell down before the Lord, as at the first, forty days and forty nights. I did neither eat bread nor drink water because of all your sins which you sinned, in doing wickedly in the sight of the Lord, to provoke Him to anger. For I was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure wherewith the Lord was wroth against you to destroy you. But the Lord hearkened to me at that time also."
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What are we talking about? You remember what God told Moses? "Moses, step aside. I will kill them all." And Moses said, "I fell down and intervened for you." You know what the people did in their sin? They provoked God in that golden calf. They challenged God. "You won't judge us. You won't destroy us." Over and over, the Bible tells us that sin provokes God to anger. Why in the world would anyone wish to provoke God? I'll tell you why. Because they really do not believe God. And they really do not believe that God is just. Let me show you.
#53 | 41:05 to 42:04 | cleaned
Look in your Bibles to Psalm 10. Psalm 10. And let's begin reading with verse 1. I'll show you several verses. Psalm 10:1. Watch what the psalmist says. "Why standest thou far off, O Lord? Why hidest thou thyself in the time of trouble? The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor. Let them be taken in the devices they have imagined. For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the Lord abhorreth. The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God. God is not in all his thoughts."
#54 | 42:05 to 42:51 | cleaned
"His ways are always grievous. Thy judgments are far above out of his sight. As for all his enemies, he puffeth at them." We're talking about the wicked man now. "He hath said in his heart," here's what the wicked man says, "I shall not be moved. I shall never be in adversity. His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud. Under his tongue is mischief and vanity."
#55 | 42:51 to 43:14 | cleaned
"He sitteth in the lurking places of the villages. In the secret places doth he murder the innocent. His eyes are privily set against the poor. He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den. He lieth in wait to catch the poor. He doth catch the poor when he draweth him into his net. He croucheth and humbleth himself, that the poor may fall by his strong ones."
#56 | 43:14 to 43:32 | cleaned
"He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten. He hideth his face. He will never see it." What is an ungodly man doing? He's challenging God. He's saying God's not omniscient. God doesn't know. God will never judge me for my sin. Look in Psalm 50. Begin reading there with verse 16. Look what God says. Psalm 50:16. "But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes?"
#57 | 43:32 to 44:17 | cleaned
"Or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth, seeing thou hatest instruction and castest my words behind thee? Now look, when thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers. Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit. Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother. Thou slanderest thine own mother's son. These things hast thou done, and I kept silent. Look what God says. Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself, but I will reprove thee and set them in order before thine eyes." God says you thought I was as forgetful as you are. But I'm not. You challenged me. I'll set your sins in order before your face. Look in your Bibles to Psalm 94. Psalm 94.
#58 | 44:18 to 45:22 | cleaned
Just showing you once again how the wicked really challenge God because they don't believe God's justice. Psalm 94:1. "O Lord God, to whom vengeance belongeth, O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, show thyself. Lift up thyself, thou judge of the earth. Render a reward to the proud. Lord, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph? How long shall they utter and speak hard things, and all the workers of iniquity boast themselves? They break in pieces thy people, O Lord, and afflict thine inheritance."
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"They slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the fatherless. Yet they say, The Lord shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob regard it. Understand, ye brutish among the people, and ye fools, when will ye be wise? Now watch. He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? He that formed the eye, shall he not see? He that chastiseth the heathen, shall he not correct? He that teacheth man knowledge, shall he not know?" He said, do you think God is deaf and dumb? Do you think God is blind? God gave you hearing. Don't you think He can hear? God gave you sight. Don't you think He can see? He says, you want to challenge God? Go ahead. You'll lose. You know what sin is? Sin is an affront to God. It's to mock God to His face and to challenge Him to do His worst. In essence, you're saying, "God, I don't believe you're going to do anything. I believe I can sin and get by with it." What a challenge to the sovereign, just God of the universe.
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Fourthly, sin despises the riches of God's goodness. Look in your Bibles to the book of Romans chapter 2, verses 4 and 5. Romans 2:4-5. Look what is asked. Romans 2:4, or what is stated, I should say. "Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God." You talk about ungrateful. Unthankful. Now look, "Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness?" You know what the goodness of God is? The goodness of God is that attribute of God in which God is good and provides for all of His creatures. The Bible tells us in Psalm 52:1 that the goodness of God endureth continually. God continues to be good and to do good to the wicked, and they continue to ignore God. God continues to be good and to do good, and He gives all of His gifts.
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And the wicked men despise them and take them for granted and believe that God owes them. Now, I want you to see something. He says in verse 4, "Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness?" Look at what God does for us every night, every day. He gives us sleep. He gives us rest. He gives us breath. He gives us food. He gives us clothing. He gives us family. He gives us friends. He gives us all these things.
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And what do we do? God says we despise them. You know, that should be sufficient for God to slap down every sinner around. But God doesn't. When men despise His goodness, then His forbearance comes into play. Instead of smiting them, God just forbears with them a little longer. And when His forbearance runs out, then His longsuffering comes into play. Instead of smiting them instantly, God just suffers even longer with them. And God says the whole time, suffering long with them, what are they doing? They're treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath. God said, when I smite them, they shall be smitten. They shall be destroyed. It is the despisement of God's goodness, of God's forbearance, of God's longsuffering that we treasure up the judgment of God against ourselves. Sin not only tries to dethrone God, sin also despises the goodness of God. It denies God as the chief good. But fifthly, I want you to note that sin despises God and His Word. It is not just a despising of His goodness.
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It is a despising of God. Look in your Bibles to 2 Samuel chapter 12. 2 Samuel chapter 12.
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Now, remember if you would, what Joseph said in Genesis 39:9: "How then shall I do this great wickedness and sin against God?" You remember that? His master's wife had made a play for him. His argument is, "How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?" David did do the great wickedness and sin against God. Therefore, in 2 Samuel 12:9, look what God tells David.
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"Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in his sight? Thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. Now therefore, the sword shall never depart out of thine house, because thou hast despised me." He not only despised God's Word in verse 9, God says, "You've despised me" in verse 10. Now the Hebrew word for despise is bazah.
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It means to hold contemptible, to disdain, to hold despicable, vile, worthless, to scorn. God said you have held me to be a vile, contemptible, despicable person. You've treated me with contempt and disdain. Numbers 11:20 tells us how the Israelites despised God in their rebellion. Numbers 15:30 tells us that sin is a despisement of the Word of God. Let me tell you something, folks. You and I cannot get away from this one simple truth: that when we choose sin, we despise God. God has said, "Do not do this." And we say, "God, I am going to do it." And in so doing, we despise His Word and we despise Him. Let me try to just summarize for you what sin is. In short, you could say this: sin is the dare of God's justice. Sin is the rape of His mercy. Sin is the jeer of His patience. Sin is the slight of His power. Sin is the contempt of His love. Sin is the upbraiding of His providence. Sin is the scoff of His promise.
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Sin is the unbelief of His Word. Sin is the denial of His authority. Sin is the despisement of His person. And sin is the reproach of His wisdom. Sin is against God personally. I might steal from Henry, but I've sinned against God. I've not only trespassed against him, but I have sinned against God.
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Now let me make a couple of applications. What was it that kept Joseph from sinning? He remembered the august, majestic, and sovereign God of the universe. He understood that sin does not merely destroy us. It does destroy us. We cannot deny the effects and the consequences of sin. But he remembered that sin was far worse than just doing something to us. It was far worse than just having mere consequences in our lives. Sin was against God.
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It was an attack upon God's person, God's power, and God's position. So when you and I are faced with a choice of sinning, we have to ask ourselves, not just what will this sin do to me, and to my friends, and to my family, and to my church, but what effect will this sin have upon my God? That changes the whole situation. The second application is this: the awfulness of sin can be seen in its hatred of God.
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Look in your Bibles to Romans chapter 8 and verses 7 and 8. I could quote this passage, but I want you to see it. Look at Romans 8:7. Romans 8:7. God says, "Because the carnal mind is enmity against God." Because the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be, so that they that are in the flesh cannot please God. Now go back to verse 7: "Because the carnal mind is enmity against God." You know what enmity is? Enmity is a strong word for hatred. Literally, he says, "For the carnal mind," that is the fleshly mind, "is extreme hatred against God."
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What a terrible anomaly for a Christian. On the one hand, we profess to love God. And on the other hand, we sin and express our hatred and contempt for God. I want to tell you something, folks. The best way to demonstrate our love to God is by obedience. You know what God said in Jeremiah 44:4? Let me just quote it. Here it is, Jeremiah 44:4.
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God says, "Howbeit, I sent unto you all my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, O do not this abominable thing which I hate." He's talking about sin. God said, "I sent you my preachers. I sent you my prophets. I told you, do not do this abominable thing which I hate." Are you listening? God hates sin. But the feeling is mutual. Sin hates God.
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Whose side are you on? If we love the Father, the best way to express that love is through obedience.
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Now, let me ask you. Can you learn to cry with Joseph, "How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?" I don't care what the sin is. I don't care what the temptation is. I don't care what the lust or the desire is. We ought to burn that question in our souls. "How can I do this great wickedness and sin against my God?" If we ever understood the awfulness and the sinfulness of sin, and if we ever realized sin is against a personal God, we'd be a whole lot slower to try to satisfy our lust and our desires.
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We would come back and say, "Father, You're our chief good. There's enough in You to satisfy me. I do not need sin. I do not need wickedness. I only need You." Let's pray. Father, we do ask in the name of Jesus Christ that You would indeed push this truth deeply into our souls. May it be iron for our persons. May we realize that sin is against the sovereign, holy, righteous, personal Heavenly Father.
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Give us grace to serve Thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear. But, Lord, make us holy as Thou art holy. And may we not do that abominable thing which Thou dost hate. In the name of Jesus Christ we ask it. Amen.
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T15:24:16Z

Sinning Against God

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

John Weaver examines Genesis 39:9, where Joseph refuses Potiphar's wife by asking, 'How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?' Weaver argues that sin is ultimately against God Himself, not merely against others or ourselves. He contrasts Joseph, who feared God and avoided sin, with David, who sinned and later confessed, 'Against thee, thee only, have I sinned.' The sermon explores how sin attempts to dethrone God, denies God as chief good, challenges His justice, despises His goodness, and despises His Word and person. Weaver urges believers to embed this truth in their souls so that when tempted, they will ask Joseph's question and find satisfaction in God alone.

Introduction: The Small Word with Great Consequences

Sin is a simple three-letter word frequently committed, constantly denied, and strenuously rejected as the cause of our troubles. People use euphemisms to soften its harsh reality.

Notice Genesis 39 and verse 9. Here is what Joseph says:

Scripture Reading — Genesis 39:9

"There is none greater in this house than I. Neither hath he kept back anything from me, but thee, because thou art his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?"

Common Focus on Consequences of Sin

Scripture Reading — Romans 6:23

"The wages of sin are death."

Joseph's Argument: Sin Against God

Scripture Reading — Genesis 39:7-9

"And it came to pass after these things that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph, and she said, Lie with me. But he refused and said unto his master's wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house. He hath committed all that he hath to my hand. There is none greater in this house than I. Neither hath he kept back anything from me but thee, because thou art his wife."

David's Confession: Against Thee Only

Though David sinned against many people, in Psalm 51:4 he declares, 'Against thee, thee only, have I sinned,' recognizing that the real transgression was against God Himself.

Scripture Reading — Psalm 51:3-4

"For I acknowledge my transgression, and my sin is ever before me."

The Difference Between Joseph and David

Sin Is Always Against God

Scripture repeatedly describes sin as enmity and hostility toward God—walking contrary, rebelling, despising, and denying Him. Sin always tries to 'un-God' God.

Scripture Reading — Judges 10:10

"And the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, saying, We have sinned against thee, both because we have forsaken our God and also served Baalim."

Now, did they not sin against themselves? Yes. Their families? Yes. Society? Yes. Their culture? Yes. But they said ultimately our sin is against thee. Look in 2 Chronicles 6:26.

What Sin Does to God

Sin attempts to dethrone God, denies Him as chief good, challenges His justice, despises His goodness, and despises His Word and person. It is high treason against the sovereign God.

Applications: Remembering God and Hating Sin

Sinning Against God

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	2190416101
Subject	New Testament Studies
Course	Romans: Sin, Judgment, and Gospel Foundations: Prepared Hearts
Genre	Sermon
Date	2004-02-15
Dictation Name
Book	Book 136: Romans: Sin, Judgment, and Gospel Foundations - Volume 1 — Chapter 3
Source Timed Segments	77

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction: The Small Word with Great Consequences: Sin is a simple three-letter word frequently committed, constantly denied, and strenuously rejected as the cause of our troubles. People use euphemisms to soften its harsh reality.
Common Focus on Consequences of Sin: Discussions of sin usually emphasize its consequences—death, suffering, and the fact that all have sinned. The fall of man, the need for a Savior, and the demand for repentance all verify our sinfulness.
Joseph's Argument: Sin Against God: Joseph reasoned with Potiphar's wife using arguments any heathen could understand—trust, authority, liberty, and marriage sanctity—but for himself, the highest argument was that adultery would be a sin against God.
David's Confession: Against Thee Only: Though David sinned against many people, in Psalm 51:4 he declares, 'Against thee, thee only, have I sinned,' recognizing that the real transgression was against God Himself.
The Difference Between Joseph and David: Joseph had the 'iron of truth' in his soul beforehand, filling him with righteous fear of God's majesty and holiness. David sinned without thinking of God, only realizing the magnitude afterward, leading to repentance.
Sin Is Always Against God: Scripture repeatedly describes sin as enmity and hostility toward God—walking contrary, rebelling, despising, and denying Him. Sin always tries to 'un-God' God.
What Sin Does to God: Sin attempts to dethrone God, denies Him as chief good, challenges His justice, despises His goodness, and despises His Word and person. It is high treason against the sovereign God.
Applications: Remembering God and Hating Sin: We must ask not only what sin does to us but what it does to God. The carnal mind is enmity against God; the best way to demonstrate love for God is obedience. We should burn Joseph's question into our souls.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Sin is always ultimately against God, not just against man.

Though sin harms ourselves and others, its real wickedness is that it is an offense against the person and authority of God.

Joseph: 'How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?' David: 'Against thee, thee only, have I sinned.' Multiple OT confessions: 'We have sinned against thee.'

The difference between Joseph and David was the prior presence of the fear of God.

Joseph had the 'iron of truth' in his soul before temptation, enabling him to refuse sin. David sinned without thinking of God and only repented afterward.

Weaver states: 'The iron of truth had entered into Joseph's soul previously... David sinned without thinking of the magnitude of his sin.'

Sin attempts to dethrone God and deny His sovereignty.

Sin wants to reign (Romans 6:12) and leads sinners to say, 'We are lords' (Jeremiah 2:31), rejecting God's right to rule.

Romans 6:12: 'Let not sin therefore reign.' Pharaoh: 'Who is the Lord?' Psalm 12:4: 'Who is lord over us?' Luke 19:14: 'We will not have this man to reign over us.'

Sin denies God as the chief good and sufficient satisfier.

Choosing sin declares that God is not enough; we need something else to make us happy. This insults God's goodness.

Weaver: 'Every prodigal who leaves the Father's house is confessing that it is better to be somewhere else than with the Father.' Matthew 19:17: 'There is none good but one, that is, God.'

Sin challenges God's justice by presuming He will not judge.

Sinners provoke God by saying, 'Where is the God of judgment?' and thinking He does not see or care, thus challenging Him to do His worst.

Malachi 2:17: 'Where is the God of judgment?' Psalm 10:13: 'God hath forgotten.' Psalm 50:21: 'Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself.'

Sin despises God's goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering.

Instead of being led to repentance by God's kindness, sinners despise it, treasuring up wrath for themselves (Romans 2:4-5).

Romans 2:4: 'Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness?' Weaver explains how God's goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering are met with contempt.

Sin is a personal despising of God and His Word.

David's sin is called despising the commandment of the Lord and despising God Himself (2 Samuel 12:9-10). Choosing sin treats God as contemptible.

2 Samuel 12:9-10: 'Thou hast despised the commandment of the Lord... thou hast despised me.' The Hebrew word bazah means to hold contemptible, disdain, scorn.

The best demonstration of love for God is obedience.

The carnal mind is enmity against God (Romans 8:7). God hates sin, and sin hates God. Obedience shows love; sin shows hatred.

Romans 8:7: 'The carnal mind is enmity against God.' Jeremiah 44:4: 'O do not this abominable thing which I hate.' Weaver: 'The best way to demonstrate our love to God is by obedience.'

Scripture References

Genesis 39:9: Joseph's refusal of Potiphar's wife: 'How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?'
Romans 6:23: The wages of sin is death; commonly cited when discussing consequences of sin.
Ezekiel 18:4, 20: The soul that sinneth, it shall die.
Galatians 6:7-8: Be not deceived, God is not mocked; whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Romans 3:23: For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
Romans 5:12: By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin.
1 Timothy 1:15: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.
Luke 19:10: The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
Mark 1:15: Jesus preached, 'Repent ye, and believe the gospel.'
Genesis 39:7-9: Potiphar's wife's advances and Joseph's refusal, citing trust, authority, liberty, and marriage sanctity.
Psalm 51:3-4: David's confession: 'Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight.'
Leviticus 26:21: Sin is called walking contrary to God.
Isaiah 1:2: Sin is called rebelling against God.
Micah 2:8: Sin is called rising up against God.
Isaiah 45:9: Sin is called striving and contending with God.
Numbers 11:20: Sin is called despising God.
Acts 7:51: Sinners are resistors of God.
Acts 5:39: Sinners are fighters against God.
Psalm 14:1: The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.
Judges 10:10: Israel cried, 'We have sinned against thee, both because we have forsaken our God and also served Baalim.'

Historical References

The Outlaw Josey Wales (film): Weaver references the movie to illustrate 'iron in the soul,' comparing Chief Ten Bears' words to the iron of truth in Joseph's soul.

Important Quotes

How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?

The central question of the sermon, taken from Joseph's refusal, emphasizing that sin is ultimately against God.

Men call sin an accident, but God calls it an abomination.

Illustrates how humans soften sin while God reveals its true nature.

Against thee, thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight.

David's confession showing that sin is primarily against God, even when others are harmed.

The iron of truth had entered into Joseph's soul previously, and therefore he could not sin against God because his soul was filled with righteous fear.

Explains why Joseph resisted temptation—he had internalized God's truth beforehand.

Sin always tries to un-God God.

A concise summary of sin's ultimate aim: to dethrone and deny God.

Sin is the dare of God's justice. Sin is the rape of His mercy. Sin is the jeer of His patience. Sin is the slight of His power. Sin is the contempt of His love.

A powerful poetic summary of what sin does to God, emphasizing its personal offense.

The best way to demonstrate our love to God is by obedience.

Practical application: love for God is shown through obedience, not just words.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

Why does Joseph's question, 'How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?' carry more weight than simply considering the consequences of sin?

[Context]

Weaver contrasts Joseph's focus on God with the common focus on sin's consequences.

[Question]

How can we cultivate the 'iron of truth' in our souls so that we, like Joseph, resist temptation before it comes?

[Context]

Weaver explains that Joseph had internalized God's truth beforehand, unlike David.

[Question]

In what ways do we use euphemisms to soften the reality of our own sins?

[Context]

Weaver gives examples of how people substitute lighter words for harsher ones to avoid facing truth.

[Question]

What does it mean that sin 'tries to un-God God,' and how does this change our view of even 'small' sins?

[Context]

Weaver argues that sin is always an attack on God's person, power, and position.

[Question]

How does understanding that sin is a personal despising of God (2 Samuel 12:10) affect our repentance?

[Context]

Weaver explains that David's sin was called despising God Himself, not just breaking a rule.

[Question]

Why is it dangerous to presume upon God's patience and think, 'I can sin and get away with it'?

[Context]

Weaver discusses how sinners challenge God's justice and treasure up wrath (Romans 2:4-5).

[Question]

How can we practically remind ourselves that God is our chief good and sufficient satisfier when tempted?

[Context]

Weaver states that sin denies God as chief good, and we must learn to say, 'I only need You.'

[Question]

What does it look like to 'burn Joseph's question into our souls' in daily life?

[Context]

Weaver concludes by urging believers to ask, 'How can I do this great wickedness and sin against my God?'

Applications

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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T04:45:23Z