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 A Special Article Titled :


But if you will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD:
and be sure your sin will find you out." NUM 32:33
by Dr. John Williams

1.       WHAT IS “SIN”?

The Word ‘Sin’ is used in the Bible from the beginning to the end. In essence sin is a violation of God’s Laws.   

a.  Adam and Eve violated the first Law of God, which was not to eat the fruit from the tree in the middle of the Garden of Eden.  Since both of them ate the fruit from the forbidden Tree, God punished them severely, and chased them out of the Garden of Eden.
(Genesis 3)

b.   Cain committed the sin of murder, when he killed his own brother Abel.  God punished him severely. (Genesis 4)

c. During the days of Noah, God noticed that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was evil continually. (Genesis 6:5) Therefore, God destroyed every man on the face of the earth except Noah and his family, who found grace in the eyes of God, because he was a just and perfect man, and he walked with God. God destroyed every one else on the face of the earth by a great flood. (Genesis 6)

d. God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah with fire and brimstone, because of the sin of homosexuality which was rampant in those two cities. (Genesis 19)

e. God brought Plagues upon Egypt, because Pharaoh, the Ruler of Egypt, persecuted the
    Children of Israel. God sent Moses and Aaron to Pharaoh, to give him an opportunity first to
    let his people go.  When he refused to obey God, the people of Egypt including the King
    had to face the severe consequences. (Exodus 4-12)

f.   During the Old Testament Times when people violated God’s Laws, when they passed
     through the wilderness, they were punished severely, instantaneously and publicly.

g. The Sabbath Laws were also well known to the people and they were punished when they
     violated the same.

h.  The Laws concerning Tithes and Offerings were also very clear cut, and the blessings for
     compliance and the cursing for the violation was also communicated to the people of those
     times very clearly. 

From these illustrations we can see clearly, that even though the God of the Bible was a Loving God, He was also a Holy, Righteous and Just God.  He could not tolerate sin, evil and injustice. The sinners in the Old Testament Time, generally got caught and were punished severely with out any mercy, strictly according the Laws of the Times, when they committed sin violating God’s Laws.

The Laws of God were very clear and widely publicized, to give no excuse for anyone to plead ignorance of Law.  I do not think that anyone, at any time during the Biblical Times, questioned the validity of the Laws or the Penalties for the violation.  The Laws were quite detailed and even the penalty was made known explicitly.

Some of the Expressions used in the Bible concerning the subject of Sin are stated below:

.Disobeying God’s Laws
.Transgressions of God’s Laws
.Not Walking in the Ways of God
.Not following God’s Commandments
.Not observing the Statutes of God
.Not obeying or doing the Word of God
.Not Observing/Doing all that God has Commanded us to do
.Not keeping the Covenant of God
.Not doing everything according to the Laws of God
 
The Bible has made the following statements emphatically:
Died in his own Sin (Numbers 27:3)
Hearken O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the Judgments (Deuteronomy 4:1) etc.

The Biblical Term ‘Sin’ is often substituted in our times by words such as Crime, Tort, Felony, Trespass, Offense etc, by the Law Enforcing Agency. A Common Man may use other expressions such as a Mistake, Fault, Wrongful Act etc.

2.     WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT SIN?
The sins committed by several Bible Characters such as David, Solomon, Samson, Mary of Magdalene, Jezebel, etc, were exposed!  

God gave 10 Commandments to Moses in Two Tablets in Mount Sinai.

I. EXO 20:3  Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

EXO 20:4  Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

EXO 20:5  Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God,

EXO 20:7  Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

EXO 20:8  Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

EXO 20:9  Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work:

EXO 20:10  But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:

EXO 20:11  For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

EXO 20:12  Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

EXO 20:13  Thou shalt not kill.

EXO 20:14  Thou shalt not commit adultery.

EXO 20:15  Thou shalt not steal.

EXO 20:16  Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

EXO 20:17  Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbor's Thou shalt have no other Gods 

3.     WHAT IS THE EVIDENCE THAT WE HAVE, TO SUPPORT WHAT IS SAID IN THE BIBLE?
There are numerous reports in the Bible, that people who committed sins got caught and were punished.  No one could commit any sin and escape the penalty of sin. The Bible says that the wages of sin is death and that no one can escape from it. 

Just in our recent times, numerous persons who had committed a wide variety of crimes (sins) in a span of over several years, got caught, and were brought to justice. Even though some of these crimes were committed several years ago, in remote areas, with little or no evidence, to convict them, the very sins they committed found them out! It is needless to list the names and the nature of crimes that were committed by them, because these kinds of news are reported by the News Media, almost everyday.  

 Some examples may be necessary to demonstrate that even sins committed

secretly, long time ago, at a high level, in remote areas, by some least suspicious persons, by popular figures that came to lime light to the surprise of the general public.

·        High level Public Officials receiving bribes or getting kick backs
·        Top official of a advanced nations indulging in shameful activities
·        Army men on special mission to a foreign country committing immoral activities
·        Religious Leaders at high levels committing immoral activities in their quarters while performing their religious duties
·        Persons holding Office in the political circles at high levels covering up illegal activities committed  to obstruct justice

It is a warning to every one that people who commit sins will be exposed one day.
Your sin will find you out!

- E N D -

There is a great need to have a Residential Bible College in Tambaram, Chennai, INDIA for 40 students in English Medium, and to conduct a 4-year Bachelors Degree Program (Bachelor of Theology).  We would like to recruit students from all over India and provide them free education, free accommodation and food etc.

In order to start this Bible College, we can rent buildings for residential purposes for the students, and we can hire well-qualified part time faculty members to teach the courses.

We have our own permanent faculty as well as other infrastructure including a Church, Library, Internet Center etc.

The details of our proposal are given below:
1. To establish a Residential Bible College for four years offering a Bachelors' Degree Program in Theology.
2. Students will be housed and fed, free of charge
3. No Tuition Fee will be charged
4. Classes will be held from 9 am to 1 pm
5. Students will be given practical training in our Ministries and head office for 2 hours every day.
6. Students will participate and conduct our weekly programs in our Church
7. Every evening, for two hours, our students will be sent to the neighboring villages to do some social work or humanitarian services.
8. According to our estimate the monthly budget for the entire program will be U.S.$2000 only, which will cover the cost of dormitory, food for the students, faculty salary, books for the students etc. With this budget it is possible to run a Bible College maintaining the highest standard providing tuition free education, free food, accommodation etc.
9. We need sponsors who will make a commitment to contribute in multiples of U.S.$50 per month.  Some Churches or Organization may pay one or two thousand dollars to cover all the expenses.
10. Ministry Teams from USA, may visit our ministry and Bible College in India, for a short or long term, to teach as visiting faculty members, administer the Bible College or lead the students in social work or humanitarian services. This can be done in summer or during any season of the year.

For further information, you may contact Rev. Dr. John Williams, Founder/President, IICM Bible College, Chennai, INDIA.  Email: iicm@aol.com Website: http://www.iicmweb.org