Doctrine #38: Sin

Happy are those who do not condemn themselves (feel guilt) about the actions they choose to do. You can be happy when you know the cause behind your actions. If you feel guilt over an action, you have two choices:

1. stop doing the action, or

2. stop feeling guilty,

and the only way to remove guilt is to confess and repent.

Doctrine: God's definition of "sin" is "whatsoever is not of faith." See also - James 4:17. Faith is built through understanding and experience. Sin is that which the individual does that is apart from their experience and understanding of what is right, otherwise they will feel guilt. This was the powerful conclusion that tied together everything Paul stated in this chapter.

Theme of Chapter 14: Paul built on the foundation of the previous chapter which showed us that we have nothing to worry about if we are loving our neighbor which was the fulfillment of the Law. Paul stated the only thing we ought to judge is a specific action: a believer putting a stumblingblock in the path of another believer. Paul gave the definition of sin: anything that is not of faith.

Doctrine: To him that knows what is good (Right and Just) and does not do it, to him it is sin. This was right in line with the definition of sin from Romans 14:23 - "...for whatsoever is not of faith is sin." Sin is different for different people. (Let me be clear, sin is "whatsoever is not of faith" to everyone. However, not everyone has the same amount/level of faith and therefore, sin is different for different people.) Some people make that point to justify their sin. Actually, Paul's writings in 1 Corinthians 10 and James' statement here place a higher requirement on people who were more excellent. If someone used this mentality to justify what they wanted to do, they were saying they were unexcellent and (possibly) not a believer.

Theme of Chapter 4: You cannot speak for the world and speak for God. People who speak for the world are prideful and destructive because they retaliate when external circumstances get tough. People who speak for God are humble and focus internally when external circumstances get tough. James' focus was words and how they proved during times of affliction whether we were believers or unbelievers.

This chapter covered laws of sexual morality.

Verses 6-9: Incest among immediate family was prohibited.

Verses 10-18: Other applications of the command against incest.

Notice, Abram violated v. 9 (Genesis 20:12), Moses' dad violated v.11 (Exodus 6:20), and Judah violated v. 15 (Genesis 38). Jacob violated v. 18 with Leah and Rachel (Genesis 29). However, the Law had not been given at the time of all of these occurrences we saw in the Book of Genesis, so it was not sin. Sin is not the action (WHAT). Sin is the cause (HOW/WHY) and the action (WHAT) is the effect. This was why an action could be sin during one dispensation and not sin during another dispensation. For example, after the Law Amnon violated v. 9 with Tamar in 2 Samuel 13.

Verses 1-2: the purpose of the Sin Offering.

The stage was set that this chapter concerned sinning without knowing. The implication was that the person later found out they had sinned, either through guilt or confrontation.

Verses 3-12: the sin offering for a priest.

Paul began with basic facts: Idols are but images, they are not God. There is only one God.

Paul presented two possible reasons why people eat food sacrificed to an idol:

1. Some people do not realize there is only one God.

2. Some believers have a weak conscience and are defiled by idols.

Eating food that is offered to idols is the WHAT, and the WHAT does not matter. What matters is WHY the food is eaten. Is it because the person is worshipping that idol? Is it because the person is hungry and needs nourishment? Paul essentially stated there were conditions that would allow a believer to eat food sacrificed to idols without it being a sin.

However, Paul referenced a topic he shared in Chapter 5: do not let your actions be a stumblingblock to those believers who were weaker in the faith. Paul showed that there was a condition that ought to prevent a believer from eating food sacrificed to idols: if eating food offered to idols caused a believer who was weak in the faith to stumble. Paul then gave the HOW and WHY...

If someone weak of conscience sees you eating meat offered to idols, they might eat it too and in their conscience become defiled.

Notice, Paul gave an example of how knowledge led to unprofitability. This knowledge that you can eat food sacrificed to idols may cause that weak one to perish.

Doctrine: When we sin against the weak and wound their weak conscience, we sin against Christ. Causing a brother to stumble is a sin.

Theme of Chapter 8: Paul began his answer for whether believers ought to eat food sacrificed to idols. Paul stated love, not knowledge, ought to guide the believer's actions. Paul explained that the WHAT (eating food sacrificed to idols) was not wrong, it was the HOW and WHY supporting this WHAT. Paul gave an example where knowing that it was possible to eat food sacrificed to idols could result in sinning against a believer who was weaker in the faith, which ultimately could lead to sinning against Christ. Paul referred to the context he presented in Chapter 5 concerning being a stumblingblock to support this Doctrine. Then Paul turned the focus on himself and his own liberty...

Paul repeated this critical sentence: All things are lawful but all things do not edify and all things are not profitable. Paul was focused on being profitable (what to do), not on laws (what not to do). Paul was focused on the HOW and WHY, not the WHAT.

Paul referenced love: giving to others without expecting anything in return from the person to whom we give. This is the guiding principle. Next, Paul specifically applied it.

Ask no question for conscience sake!?!? This was right in line with the definition of sin ("that which is done apart from faith"). If you do not know that the meat set before you was sacrificed to idols then it is not sin since you are not acting apart from faith (understanding and experience), even if you suspect it was sacrificed to idols. Paul just stated you can eat meat sacrificed to idols and it would not be sin if you did not know it was sacrificed to idols...and if you suspect it is, do not ask so you can eat it. Anyone who says "sin is sin" to mean that the action (WHAT) is sinful in and of itself, and is sin for everyone who does it, is actually contradicting God's Word.

If you find out that it was sacrificed to idols, do not eat the meat "for conscience sake"…

…but, not your conscience but the conscience of others (who have a weak conscience). Paul explained a guideline for evangelism. If we want to reach others for Christ, we can participate in their rituals as long as we do not know they are sinful. However, when we find out that they are sinful, we need to not participate in them so that we do not mislead the people we are evangelizing.

Paul then asked why his liberty (the subject of Chapter 9) was judged by another person's conscience and why was he spoken of negatively when he did something well.

Doctrine: Whatever you do, do it for the glory of God...which is loving God: giving God a value.

Paul's answer was that he loved everyone in order to evangelize to them, which meant his HOW and WHY needed to be seeking the benefit of others so that they get saved.

Theme of Chapter 10: Paul concluded his answer to the question: "Can we eat meat sacrificed to idols?" The answer: Whatever we do, we ought to do it for the glory of God so that others benefit and become saved.

Christ is the Mediator of a better Covenant (grace) which was established on better promises (Jeremiah 31:31-34). Paul made a bold premise.

Reason: If the first Covenant was faultless there would be no second Covenant.

Paul referenced Jeremiah 31:31-34. In Jeremiah, it was recorded that God divorced Israel. Knowing this, what would you say to someone who said divorce is wrong?

The Greek word for "mind" in this verse was dianoia. It was composed of two Greek words that meant "the channel through which the Mind/Soul operates"...which is the conscious brain! The word brain is a relatively new word and was created more than a thousand years after the New Testament was written. The laws being written on the heart would be as an effect of the person intentionally choosing to allow this influence in the conscious brain to come out in their actions.

Verses 10-12 were the rest of Jeremiah 31:32-34 with verse 33 (verse 10 in this passage) referencing grace. God's guidance would not be outside of the individual through the Law. It would be inside the individual in their conscious brain and upon their heart as an effect of them choosing to allow these actions out. Verse 12 stated God would "remember no more" the sins and iniquities of His children. Paul concluded this chapter restating his premise: we have a better Covenant.

This chapter gave a more specific description of what Jesus provided: Biblical Grace - "the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life."

Theme of Chapter 6: Paul built on the foundation of the previous chapter which explained everyone was a sinner because of Adam's sin and since Adam was a figure of Christ, Christ's sacrificial death on the cross was for everyone. Paul continued using the same logical argument to remove the barriers between Jesus and all: if our flesh is dead and buried with Jesus, then we ought to be resurrected with Jesus, able to walk in freedom from sin and towards eternal life. Throughout this chapter, the definition of Biblical Grace was clearly shown to be "the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life." So far, everything we have read contradicted grace being "unmerited favor" and contradicted Salvation being against the will of the individual. God gives us an influence via the Holy Spirit (Biblical Grace) and we are responsible (faith) for choosing to ignore it or allowing it to direct our actions which would lead to Salvation.

Verses 6-10: each "if"/then statements.

Saying we have no sin was deception. This was the right WHAT but with the wrong HOW/WHY. The wrong HOW/WHY behind having no sin was doing it in our own strength. This was the Law: "I won't do this, that, etc." The right HOW/WHY behind having no sin was being in fellowship with God (by grace through faith). These were principles, things we ought to focus on, not things we do not do. A person truly in fellowship with God would not say "I have no sin." Truth was the measurement. Notice, Salvation is not based on never sinning. We have all sinned, yet people do receive Salvation. Salvation must depend on something more...

God will forgive us of our sin if we confess because:

1. He is faithful - God believes something He cannot see and something that has not happened yet (God cannot go ahead in time). God's faith in us is increased with every interaction. He understands us and experiences us more with every interaction, whether we do good or bad.

2. He is Just - Jesus' Blood gave God infinite value. When we confess (which is a value to God) He is Just to give us access to this value.

Salvation depends on us confessing our sins. This verse didn't mean we confess one time and God cleanses us from all unrighteousness, even unrighteousness we haven't done yet. This meant God will cleanse us from the unrighteousness we confess. Confessing our sins removes unrighteousness. This point will be expanded upon after the next verse...

Saying we have not sinned was like saying "I have never been wrong." Saying this was pride. The effect of saying this was stating God was a liar (which we know is impossible). Saying this meant God's Word (truth) was not in us.

Taking verses 8-10 together revealed a powerful Doctrine concerning Salvation. Our Salvation does not depend on not sinning. If it did, no one would be saved, because we have all sinned (verse 8). In fact, if you even SAY you have not sinned (verse 10), God's Word is not in you, and you are not saved.

Our Salvation depends on our response to our sin.

If we justify ourselves (verses 8 and 10), then we are not saved. If we respond to our sin by confessing, then God cleanses us from all unrighteousness (verse 9).

We are saved because of Jesus' sacrificial death on the cross and our responsibility is to respond to our sins with confession and repentance.

Theme of Chapter 1: God is light. In Him there is no darkness at all. God lacks contradiction. If we have a contradiction in what we SAY and DO, then we are the source of the contradiction, not God.

Blasphemy ("speak against") against the Holy Spirit is not to be forgiven. The context here explained this as intentionally attributing a work of the Holy Spirit to Satan or his demons. The example in this verse was Jesus casting demons out by the Holy Spirit being attributed to the enemy. Also, the word for "speak" when it referred to the Holy Spirit was eipon/epo which referred to "rhema": the revelatory spoken word without cause. If a person spoke a word out of "understanding" (lego) then it was an error and didn't apply. However, if a person spoke a word that was of themselves without cause (reason/understanding), then it was divination because the person themselves was attempting to be the source, and if it was wrong and blasphemed the Holy Spirit then it was unforgivable. People who can't give a reason (a WHY) for what they speak are attempting to be the source and when it is wrong this is divination.

Paul wanted the reader to know that to a believer, all things were lawful but not all things were profitable (good/create). This verse continued the transition to show how forming covenants with those outside the church could lead to becoming an unbeliever. Paul first stated in verse 12 that none of the laws outside the church had any power over him so he should not form a covenant with the world through its laws.

Paul then explained that allowing laws (or any other influence) outside the church to have power over us was fornication. Definitions:

• "Fornication" was "to commit idolatry."
• Idolatry was "giving one's self to an image."

There were two ways to do this:

1. worship another god, or

2. covenantal sexual intercourse with an unbeliever.

Both of these result in forming covenants without God's involvement. Remember this definition as you read the rest of this chapter.

Paul stated that having covenantal sexual intercourse with someone caused you to join to their spirit.

Fornication is a sin against one's own body because it is the forming of a covenant to another god.

Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit because He lives in us. Fornication is an attempt to worship another god within the temple of the Holy Spirit.

Theme of Chapter 6: The second doctrinal issue that Paul addressed concerned settling disputes between believers. Paul stated we ought to settle disputes within the church. We should not go outside the church, to the world, to settle our disputes. Paul warned that not being able to settle these disputes could lead to becoming an unbeliever. Paul even continued in this vein by showing that forming covenants with unbelievers was fornication and was a sin against our own body which ought to be the temple of the Holy Spirit.

Implication #2: A "sin not unto death" was a sin against people. This affected Reward, not Salvation. The first implication involved us being able to ask God for things in His Will. John was saying this second implication was something we could ask for because it was in God's Will. John said we could ask for the ability to repair a brother who sinned against another person. Notice, this went in line with loving. We can get involved with a brother who sinned by helping him repair, not by condemning or judging him.

John also reiterated Doctrine about sin. All unrighteousness is sin, however, not all sin is unrighteous. Salvation depends on Righteousness. Reward depends on Justice. Unrighteousness results in loss of Salvation (death). Injustice results in loss of Reward (value). John was saying there were sins that do not result in loss of Salvation, sins against other people. Peter said love covers a multitude of sins: 1 Peter 4:8.

Love covers the sins we do to other people because those sins involve Reward (value) and love is giving of a value without expecting anything in return from the person you are giving to. So, if we sin against people (take value through being unjust), we can cover this sin by loving (giving a value). Therefore, there are three types of sins:

1. Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit - The unforgivable sin that affects Salvation: Matthew 12:31-32.

2. Sins against God - This affects Salvation and is forgivable.

3. Sins against people - This affects Reward and is able to be covered with love/repentance.

Implication #3: Those born of God guard themselves by God's Spirit in them and the wicked one (devil) will not touch them. The devil cannot take the Salvation of a person who is killing their own flesh and allowing God's Spirit to direct their actions, which is grace.

Summary of verses 11-15: There will be two judgments. There will be a Reward Judgment (according to works in books) and a Salvation Judgment (according to one book: the Book of Life).

Everyone will be judged according to all their works, all the works they did of themselves whether good or bad. This will be the only moment in history that Justice is completely equaled out. It will be done in front of everyone proving God is Just.

Some people think we will all have the same amount of Reward. They say that because they know there will not be any jealousy in heaven, and they think the way to do that is through the man-made concept of denying uniqueness. Actually, it would be unjust for everyone to have the same Reward when some people deserve more and some people deserve less. Jesus told us to store up treasure (Reward) in heaven (Matthew 6:20). In fact, earlier in Matthew 6 Jesus said some people get their Reward on earth and others get their Reward in heaven. There will not be jealousy over people having different amounts of Reward because people will know it is Just for some people to have more Reward than them and some to have less.

Also, the Reward judgment occurs first. Then the Salvation judgment. There will be people with Reward who do not make the Salvation judgment. What happens to their Reward? Again, people, in hopes of denying uniqueness, want to say that Reward is given to those who do not have much to get everyone closer to the same amount of Reward. Actually, according to the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30), those with the most get the left over Reward, making the difference of Reward between people even greater.

Finally, notice that everyone that does not pass the Salvation judgment will be cast in the lake of fire. One of the places people could spend eternity is the lake of fire. The Bible ended with "bad people go to the lake of fire"...not "bad people go to hell."

Next, we will find out the other place people can spend eternity, which is why the last two chapters (21 and 22) are denoted by the "21,22" in the final section of the diagram which represented eternity.

Doctrine: The sin that caused us to need a savior came into the world through Adam, not Eve. "But I thought Eve ate the forbidden fruit before Adam?" Yes, she did. However, Adam brought the sin into the world that caused us to need Salvation by the original sin of justifying himself in response to God's questions. Eve and then Adam eating the fruit was actually them sinning against each other. Adam, then Eve, justifying themselves to God was sinning against God, which caused us to need Jesus' sacrificial death on the cross in order for us to receive Salvation. We saw in Genesis 3 there was a Reward judgment in response to them eating the fruit and a Salvation judgment in response to them justifying themselves to God.

Doctrine: There was sin in the world before the Law, but that sin was not imputed where there was no Law. Once a person sinned, they felt guilt and that became a Law to them from sinning the next time. Adam justifying himself after feeling guilt was a sin that got imputed on all of us because Adam's guilt was a Law.

Doctrine: Adam was a figure of Christ. Christ's mission was to undo all the damage Adam did. For example, Christ being tempted in the desert was the beginning of Jesus' mission to undo the damage Adam did in the Garden of Eden. (See Matthew 4:10 commentary.) Jesus' death on the cross was the completion of this mission.

Christ had risen and had to be the first to rise. Without Christ, no one would have eternal life. The sin that led to damnation came into the world by Adam. Paul contrasted Christ with Adam, by Christ came the ability to overcome the sin (which all people have) that led to damnation. Paul continued to contrast Adam and Christ...

Paul blatantly stated all were affected by Adam's sin and all could have eternal life by Jesus. Notice, this verse contradicted Calvinism because all can be made alive. The next twenty-two verses served as foundation before Paul returned to contrasting Adam with Jesus.

An important aspect of Adam's job was to guard the garden. Did Adam let the serpent into the Garden or was the serpent already in the Garden prior to these interactions? The serpent was more subtle (crafty) than any beast of the field. If God can create everything, then giving the animals the ability to speak is easier.

The serpent said unto the woman, "Yea, hath God said,..." The serpent's first recorded words were questioning Eve's understanding of God's Word. Eve's understanding of God's Word came from Adam. Paul made it clear the serpent was not the devil. It would be unjust for the devil to deal directly with a human in paradise. Eve was influenced by Adam who was influenced by God. Some sources stated the serpent was influenced by a fallen angel...who was influenced by the devil. That would be Just.

This was a lie: This was a wrong WHAT. They would be separated from God's purpose for their lives...and they would feel it. Notice, it was not recorded in Genesis 1 that God stated not to touch the fruit. Whether Adam added this part or Eve added this herself, it was an example of how humans add to God's Word which dilutes the HOW/WHY and leads to deception. This was the first example of "man-made" religion.

This was a fact: a right WHAT stated without a HOW or a WHY. A right WHAT with a wrong (or no) HOW and WHY is deception. The woman was left to supply her own HOW and WHY.

Eve came up with three comparative reasons why to eat the fruit. She ignored the one contrastive reason why not: loss of paradise. These three reasons will be referenced as warnings in the New Testament. In fact, Jesus' temptation by the devil in the desert (Matthew 4) covered these same three reasons. Also, 1 John 2:17 covered these same three reasons as proof a person loved the world instead of God.

Eve ate of the fruit first. It appeared Adam may have been with Eve during the exchange with the serpent because the phrase "with her" implied physically present.

The serpent's comment from verse 5 was factually correct! The day they ate of the fruit: their eyes would be opened and they were like God in that they knew good and evil. However, they immediately "died"...they were separated from God's purpose for their lives and they felt it. The knowledge of good and evil was the ability to look long term...to see effects. When Adam and Eve saw the effects of being naked, they responded. Notice the first half of this verse was a factual presentation of the events. The second half of this verse documented Adam and Eve's response. Previous to this moment, Adam and Eve took direction from God and lived in the moment. They did not make long term plans. The second half of this verse showed that Adam and Eve made a decision to operate in their own strength: to be a first cause apart from God. This is the verse where Adam and Eve decided to commit idolatry. In this verse, "fig-leaves" meant "large leaves." Adam and Eve felt God's covering before they ate of the tree. After they ate of the tree, they decided to continue to feel this covering in their own strength. Obviously, they weren't thinking clearly because it would be immediately obvious to God they had done something in their own strength.

Man was in God's presence during this dispensation. The etymology of this verse alluded to God singing a song to Adam and Eve that involved a chorus in response from Adam and Eve. Here was another verse where Adam and Eve committed idolatry: rather than respond to God, Adam and Eve decided to hide themselves.

God asked a question. Did God not know the answer?

God asked two more questions. Did He not know the answer? Adam answered. However, Adam's response was to blame Eve instead of confess and repent. God did know the answers, however, God did not know Adam's response. Adam's response was to justify himself which was pride. Adam's response blamed God. Paul said the sin that caused us to lose Salvation came through Adam, not Eve (Romans 5:12). If this sin was the act of eating the fruit, then Paul was wrong. If the sin was justifying ourselves and blaming God and others, then it came through Adam. Genesis 3:12 was the original sin, all sin originates from pride: justifying ourselves and blaming others.

God asked Eve a question. She had an opportunity to confess and repent. She did the same sin as Adam. She justified herself and blamed the serpent.

Adam sinned against Eve. Eve sinned against Adam. The serpent sinned against Eve. The previous verses represented God's judgment of sin between beings. This was a Reward judgment. The judgments pronounced were in direct response to the sins committed against each other.

Notice, Adam was still dressing and tending to vegetation, however it was now by physical effort. Was it possible Adam's two occupations during the 1st Dispensation (dressing the garden and naming the animals) were both done by speaking?

The first animal sacrifice was done by God in order to clothe Adam and Eve.

In the last chapter of the Bible (Revelation 22:2) it stated that in eternity the ability to repair (live) forever is in eating the fruit of the tree of life which produces a different fruit each month, twelve in all. If Adam and Eve had eaten of the tree of life, they would have been able to remain in their fallen state for as long as they were able to eat of the tree of life. God removed them from paradise and they lost the ability to live on earth forever. This was a Salvation judgment. This was in response to sinning against God. The 1st Dispensation ended with a Reward judgment and a Salvation judgment. In the next chapter, we will see the conditions of the 2nd Dispensation.

Chapter 7 concluded the "Sermon on the Mount."

If you judge, you will be judged and held to the same standard as you hold others to, otherwise Jesus would be condoning hypocrisy. Judging meant to equal out Justice. Jesus stated that we should not equal out Justice on others, otherwise Justice would be equaled out on us.

Doctrine: Judging is the assessing of the source of injustice and the beginning of the process of equaling out the injustice. Notice, we can observe and determine others are doing this. However, if we judge the actions from Romans 1:29-31, if we declare others as the cause of the injustice and begin the process of equaling out the injustice, then we condemn ourselves. Why? Because all of us do the activities in the list from Romans 1:29-31. Notice, not only are we guilty, we are condemned. We are essentially twice as guilty as those who only do these activities. Why? Because we do them and we judge others as if only others have to pay for doing these activities. This verse stated we know that we are without excuse, however, attempting to have an excuse is self-justification. This verse showed that those who do these actions and justify themselves are condemned. Why? Because this is the definition of hypocrisy, and Jesus said in Matthew 24:51 that hypocrites are condemned to go to hell.

Doctrine: We will not escape judgment if we judge others while doing the things we judge. God is Right and Just. He will equal out everything. So now we see the immediate first effect of not recognizing the value within God is to judge others. Basically, the individual doesn't recognize that God is Right and Just, the individual thinks God won't judge so the individual needs to do it, which is really the individual beginning to glorify himself.

Doctrine: God is the judge of other people, not us. We will all be judged, so we ought not to judge others. When you judge others you are stating your will, through your words and actions, that Christ will not judge and that God is not Just. This would be an example of not glorifying God, of not recognizing the value within Him. Paul stated this critical premise twice, which was first introduced at the end of Chapter 1 and the beginning of Chapter 2, and we can now see was one of the first effects of not glorifying Him as God.

Paul referenced Isaiah 45:23.

Doctrine: Everyone, believers and non-believers, will give an account of themselves to God.

Doctrine: The only thing we ought to judge is a believer ("brother") putting a stumblingblock in the path of another believer. This is an action. Judge the stumblingblock in another believer's path. Even if the believer does not stumble, we still should judge the action, not the person. Despite Paul's repeated clear statements not to judge people, some "Christians" today want to interpret Jesus words in Matthew 7:1 ("Judge not, that ye be not judged") as Jesus encouraging us to judge and discouraging us from judging hypocritically. That misinterpretation would contradict everything we have read from Paul in this letter to the Romans.

Doctrine: Nothing is sin because of the WHAT. It is sin because of the faith of the person.

Chapter 4 Began the 2nd Dispensation - Pre-Flood. The 1st Dispensation failed because Adam and Eve did not have understanding because they did not have the knowledge of good and evil. This dispensation gave people hundreds of years to develop understanding and experience about God.

It looked as if Adam and Eve did not have intercourse until they left paradise. The following story was referenced in Hebrews 11:4 as proof that Abel was an example of faith to us. The following story was also referenced in Jude 1:11 because Cain was an example of someone who was destroyed because he was without reason. 1 John 3:12 referenced this story to prove Cain hated his brother.

Cain brought God an offering. Not only was this not a bad thing, it was a good thing. This was a right WHAT.

God had respect on Abel and his offering. God had no respect on Cain and his offering. This did not say that God was angry with Cain or that Cain did anything wrong. Respect meant God gave back to Abel, because Abel gave more to God because it was the firstling...his best.

God asked Cain three questions. God's questions to Cain imply that if Cain gave his offering with a right HOW/WHY, then he would be "lifted up." In addition, if Cain gave his offering with a wrong or no HOW/WHY, then God said that "sin coucheth at the door."

Cain had yet to sin here. The reason God did not respect Cain's offering was not because Cain sinned (he hadn't) nor because the offering came from the ground (which was "cursed"). The issue here was that Cain's countenance fell because he was more focused on Abel than on God. If God hadn't respected Abel's offering, Cain wouldn't have been wroth. Why was God asking these questions? Did God not know the answers?

Notice, Cain told Abel about his interaction with God. Cain was trying to do the right thing. However, within the same verse, it eventually came to pass that Cain let sin have him. Cain sinned within this verse, not before this verse.

Again, God asked Cain a question. Why would God ask this question? God knew the answer. God wanted to know Cain's response! That was the reason God asked Cain the first three questions. Here, God wanted to see how Cain responded to the sin he committed against Abel. Cain's response was to answer with a question that was a right WHAT with a wrong HOW/WHY. Cain was not his brother's keeper. However, he said this to justify why he did not have to answer the question with the actual place where he left Abel dead.

Cain responded poorly and was punished. What would have happened had Cain confessed and repented?

Cain said this punishment was too much to bear. He was afraid to be separated from God and afraid that he would be killed.

God would punish anyone who slayed Cain sevenfold. To prevent this from happening, God marked Cain in a way that people would know to not slay him. Whatever this mark/sign was that God applied to Cain is unknown.

Some people wonder where Cain found a wife. Genesis 5:4 stated Adam "begat sons and daughterS."

Doctrine: Man should not judge others; the Lord is our Justifier and our Judge. Paul completely rejected judgment from any man. Paul only recognized the Lord as Judge. If you want to have support of this from Jesus: See Matthew 7:1. If you want to have support from Paul: See Romans 14:12-14.

Doctrine: We should not judge people before Jesus returns. In the New Testament, "judge" meant to equal out Justice. This is Christ's responsibility at Final Judgment. Christ will bring to light the hidden things of darkness. Christ will make the counsels (intentions, be minded) of our hearts appear. Christ, via the Holy Spirit, will guide believers into all truth.

Above all things have fervent love among yourselves because love covers a multitude of sins. There are three types of sins:

1. Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit was unique in that it was the only unforgivable sin (Matthew 12:31-32). Love could not cover that sin.

2. Sinning against God results in eternal damnation (death). Confession and repentance to God results in Salvation. Both of those sins result in death: damnation.

3. 1 John 5:16-17 stated there was a sin not unto death, which was the third type of sin. There are sins we do to each other. These sins affect our Reward. Luke 17:3 stated that we ought to confront a believer who sins against us and if he repents, then forgive him. The sin between believers will be equaled out during the second judgment according to books at the Great White Throne (Revelation 20:12-13).

Here, Peter stated our love can cover a multitude of sins, not all sins. Our giving to others without expecting anything in return ("love") can cover the sins we have done to each other (#3) because we are equaling out Justice now instead of waiting at Judgment Day for God to equal it out. Verse 8 blatantly stated we ought to love each other because it would cover the sins we did to each other. Many people make the mistake of sinning against people and confessing/repenting to God. If they truly did confess and repent to God, the first thing God would say is confess and repent to (love) the person you sinned against. Many people who confess and repent to God for the sins they do to others are actually confessing and repenting to themselves.

This was an example of love: give (hospitality) without expecting (without murmuring), give with a good attitude.

The word "gift" in verse 10 was charis: grace. We ought to minister grace unto each other. If grace was "unmerited favor," how would this be possible? However, we know that loving God (First Command) results in the Second Command: God loving others through us via grace.

Peter concluded his explanation to allow God to do His Will through you by loving others with an exhortation to go hot (do everything to the full amount), even speaking as an oracle of God by grace.

What goes in our mouths does not defile us but what comes out of the mouth (from the heart) is what defiles us. The heart is the effect of what you actually believe: everything we say and do, everything that comes out of us, is planted in the heart. God desires us to have our SAY and DO to be the same and with integrity.

The Disciples were worried about men.

Jesus wanted the Disciples to focus on God and His spiritual influence upon their hearts. Jesus did not want the Disciples focused on men, on physical influences.

Peter wanted an explanation of this parable.

Jesus told him that the things which defiled a man that came out of his mouth were an effect of what was planted in that man's heart. The spiritual is the cause, not the physical influences outside of the person.

Doctrine: The Law made people want to sin (think about the rebellious nature humans have, in man's flesh. For example, when you are told not to do something, it makes you want to do it) but, where sin increased, grace increased more. God provides His influence to guide us in how to repair our sin.

Doctrine: God constantly responds to sin with a divine influence so that grace rules through Righteousness to eternal life by Jesus Christ.

Theme of Chapter 5: Paul built on the foundation of the previous chapter which explained the father of the Jews (Abraham) was justified by faith before he was under the Law, which made Abraham the father of all those that choose to believe: both Jews and Gentiles. Paul showed that everyone was a sinner because of Adam's sin and since Adam was a figure of Christ, Christ's sacrificial death on the cross was for everyone. Christ supplied everything necessary for everyone to have the eternal hope of Salvation, and it is up to the individual to choose to have faith and repent.

Doctrine: The Law brought objective knowledge of sin. Before the Law, people knew sin in response to sinning, by feeling guilt. The Law brought knowledge of sin so that we would objectively know sin before it was committed. However, Paul stated the Law did not cause sin, it made us objectively aware of sin.

Doctrine: The Law is holy. The commandment holy, righteous, and good. This verse proved that the Law was not at fault for man sinning. The Law did not cause sin.

Before the Law, people did not know what sin objectively was until they experienced guilt after they sinned. The Law was intended for good. The Law was intended to help people avoid sinning. However, what actually happened was that telling people the objective sins to avoid actually led to the people wanting to do these objective sins. The Law was intended for good. People (specifically the sin within people) used the Law to sin more.