I am not referring to drunken- ness, adultery, etc. There has been enough of that and it has caused great harm to the testimony of God and the ministry of the Church. The sins I am speaking of are often overlooked, but they have done more harm than all other sins of believers put together. The seven deadly sins are:

 

1. That's his interpretation, but I don't agree with it!  This is deadly and I have heard my share of it. Of course, the person is speaking of the Pastor! This person never goes to the Pastor as the Bible tells him to do; in his arrogance, he just sets himself up as a greater authority and usually causes a church split.

 

2. Don't tell anyone, but . . .  In 54 years, I have seen more injury to the Church through gossip than all other sins combined. This could be greatly minimized if God's people would just say to such a one, “Let's go to the person involved (usually the Pastor), and you can tell me in front of him.” That's what the Bible says. Unfortunately there are as many willing ears as there are loose tongues. God help them, because He is not happy with this.

 

3. No one is telling me what to believe, what to wear, what to look at, etc.  No, that's right – not even God can tell some people. We are living in a day of un- paralleled self will and arrogance. See II Timothy 3:1-5, The word of God still says, “Obey them that have the rule over you ...” (All of these sins are related to self-will.)

 

4. I know the Bible is against it, but I believe the Lord led me to do it.  These people act as though they have a special dispensation from God to disobey His Word. You had better be careful! You are saying that God Himself is in complicity with sin and error! You are saying you are something special. You are very foolish!

 

5. Times change and the church needs to change with them.  We are seeing this with a vengeance among Bible-believing Fundamen- talists with churches closed Sun- day nights, Wednesday nights, contemporary music, come-as-you-are dress, sensual dress, etc. This is how we got liberalism 125 years ago.

 

6. God understands . . .  That is, what I am doing may not be just right, but my circumstances are different than others. Yes, He understands, and He also understands you are going to have to pay for your sin and dis- obedience, because “Whatso- ever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” There is no reason to disobey God!

 

7. You have to be prudent and use common sense.  While this may have some legitimacy, these people only want to believe or do what their puny minds conceive.

A step of faith is beyond them. They won't attempt anything out of the ordinary, anything that requires trusting God rather than them- selves. I have seen people like this poison others with their unbelief and thus do great harm and hold back the work of God.

Notice, all these sins have to do with the self-life. The greatest problem in the work of God is self. In fact, self cannot do the work of God – only hinder it. Christian, God is not happy with self-will and sowing discord among the brethren!

Is there a cure? Yes! “I am crucified with Christ: neverthe- less I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)

The problem is getting these self-willed babies to take the cure!