ALAS, SINFUL NATION!
Intro.
1. God had nourished & blessed Israel, yet she had rebelled - Isa. 1:2.
2. Having called Israel to reason with Him, God exposed her sin & calls the nation to
repent or face destruction.
3. We must learn from Israel or we will surely follow in her sins & condemnation - 1
Cor. 10:11.
I. COME, LET US REASON TOGETHER ABOUT SIN - 1:2-15.
A. Israel Teaches Us About The Presence Of Sin.
1. Israel: A "sinful nation" - 1:4 (Deut. 32:5).
a. Rebellion against God - 1:2.
1) IDOLATRY - Isa. 2:6, 8-9.
2) MATERIALISM - Isa. 2:7.
3) IMMORALITY - 1:4, 10 (Hos. 4:1-2).
b. Ignorant of God (A lack of knowledge - Isa. 5:13; Hos.
4:6).
1) Committed sins - Isa. 1:3 (1 Jno. 3:4).
2) Omitted righteousness - Isa. 1:4 (forsaken
the Lord) - Jas. 4:17.
2. God's plea: Walk in the light of the Lord! - Isa. 2:5
a. cf. Phil. 2:15: Are our lights shining, dimmed or
extinguished due to our own immorality?!
b. cf. 1 Pet. 2:9-10 - We are God's special people, but sin
will turn us into a "perverse & crooked generation!"
B. Israel Teaches Us About The Nature of Sin.
1. Enticing - Jas. 1:14-15. Seductive & tantalizing - Prov. 1:10;
6:25; 7:21-22 (cf. Pre-marital sex, pornography, adultery).
2. Enslaving - Hos. 4:11; Prov. 5:22-23. Entangling, controlling &
deceptive - 6:27; Isa. 5:20. (cf. Our attempts to rationalize/justify sin rather than
repent & reform!)
3. Error leading to death - Prov. 7:22; Rom. 6:16, 21, 23 - Destruction
& death. (Yet, power of sin to deceive leads many unsuspecting souls to eternal ruin!
- Prov. 7:23)
4. God's plea: Put away the evil of your doings! - Isa. 1:16; Heb. 12:1
C. Israel Teaches Us About The Effects Of Sin - Isa. 1:5-15.
1. Sin is completely corrupting - 1:5-8 (Rom. 3:9-12, 23; Eph. 2:1-3).
2. Sin makes service to God hypocritical & vain - 1:11-15 (Matt.
5:23- 24; 15:6-9; 1 Pet. 3:7).
3. Christians: We must learn & live the lesson! Heb. 3:12-13
-We must allow scripture to expose & correct our sin
lest we are corrupted & our service is vain before God! (Jas. 4:7-10)
II. COME, LET US REASON TOGETHER ABOUT SALVATION - 1:18-20.
A. God Continues To Offer Mercy & Grace To Sinners - 1:9, 18; 1:24-27.
1. Eph. 2:4-7; Tit. 3:5-7 - Love, mercy, grace - Saves us!
2. Christ's blood cleanses us from stain of sin - Rom. 5:8-9.
3. God is active (grace) in offering you salvation from your sins!
B. Man's Faith - 1:19. ("willing and obedient")
1. Eph. 2:8; Jas. 2:24; Heb. 5:9 - Obedient to God's word!
2. You must be active (faith) in receiving salvation from your sins!
C. God's Plea: Be Cleansed From Your Sin By Repenting - 1:16-17.
1. v. 16 - Put away evil doings (cease) - Col. 3:5, 9.
2. v. 17 - Learn to do good (justice, mercy, faith, 1:21-23; Matt.
23:23) - cf. Fruits of repentance - Lk. 3:8, 10-14; Acts 26:20.
Conclusion
1. Isa. 1:20, 28-31 - Righteous judgment did (will) occur (Rom. 2:5).
2. Accept God's word about your sin now (receive rebuke, reproof & correction) rather
than face His wrath against your sin later!
3. Reason with one another daily (using God's word of truth, standard or righteousness),
exhorting each other to abstain from sin!