The Problem of Sin

January 1, 2007 - Have you ever told a lie? That’s one of the questions I ask people when I bring up the universal problem of sin. They have to sheepishly answer "yes" —or else lie about it! Of course, we all have lied. We all have broken God’s commandments. We all are sinners.

by Franklin Graham

The undeniable truth is that all descendants of Adam and Eve are born with sin in their hearts. The Bible says, "As through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners" (Romans 5:19, NIV). Sin must be dealt with, or it will separate us from God forever.

Some people try to justify themselves by saying, "At least I’ve never killed anyone or cheated on my spouse." Jesus does not accept these excuses. In the Sermon on the Mount, He teaches that anger is just as bad as murder and lust as bad as adultery. Sin is sin, and the punishment is absolute. "For the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23, NIV).

The bottom line is, "Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God" (Romans 8:8, NIV).

Whether we like it or not, humanity is in bondage to sin. The first step in dealing with our sin problem is admitting our sin has separated us from God, and we need the Savior, Jesus Christ, to rescue and redeem us. The Bible tells us that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23, NKJV), but "the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23, NKJV).

That’s why the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association confronts the issue of sin with the liberating truth of God’s Word. Wherever I preach, I clearly spell out God’s commandments, which the Holy Spirit uses to convict people of sin, and bring them to repentance. Salvation is wholly the work of God.

In our "Steps to Peace With God" tract, we share four simple but fundamental truths about how sinful people are reconciled to holy God. First, God loves us. Second, sin separates us from God. Third, the only way we can be reconciled to God is through the cross, where Jesus shed His blood as a sacrifice for our sins. Finally, when we repent of our sins, receive Christ and accept Him as our Savior, He forgives our sins and rescues us from death and hell.

Once we accept Him as our Savior and Lord, we are no longer slaves to our sinful nature. We are spared from the punishment we deserve. And even when we stumble, we know we are His. As the Apostle Paul writes, "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death" (Romans 8:1-2, NIV).