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{Sermons on John 1:47
The Doctrine Confirmed
The Principles and Doctrines of Godliness Are Not Fantasy
Sin
Sin Is the Greatest of Evils} Sin is the greatest of evils. To set forth the formidable appearance that sin has according to the law, the apostle expresses it thus: “But sin, that it might appear sin …” (Romans 7:13). He could find nothing more evil and odious to express it by than itself. If he had said that sin might appear to be a snare, a serpent, a viper, a devil, or a hell, that would have been much. But it was not strong enough to describe this evil of evils. Sin is never seen in its perfect odiousness except when it shows its own naked face and looks like itself. We can never know how great an evil sin is until we know how good the Lord is, how precious Christ is, and how precious the soul of a person is. Sin is so contrary to all of these and so destructive to souls and their relationship to God.143 It is said to be “enmity against God” (Romans 8:7). God has no enemy in the world but sin and those whom sin has made enemies to Him. Sin has set all the earth against the God of glory. Sin has filled the hearts of people with enmity. From this enmity arises all their rebellions against God’s Word and government, all their unwillingness and adverseness from His ways, their weariness of His service; and their habitual disobedience, murmurings, impatience, peevishness, and insurrections of the heart against His dispensations and providence. The unruliness and stubbornness of the wills of people; the abnormalities and disorders of their passions and emotions; the vanity, vileness, and confusion of their thoughts; the defilement and deadness of their consciences; the violent outbursts of so many hellish lusts that set peoples hearts to all wickedness—from where does this come except from sin that dwells in them?
Sin has made people very devils who are set to all manner of evil. They are devils against God, hating, reproaching, blaspheming, cursing, and fighting against God. There would quickly be no God, Heaven, or any other being left if the wickedness of people’s hearts had power according to their malice. People are devils against themselves and set upon the destruction and damnation of their own souls. If God should just let them alone, there would not need to be another devil to tempt and devour them; they would quickly make their destruction sure by themselves. People are devils against each other. If God should pull up the sluice gates and let a sinner’s wickedness have its full course, there is not one sinner who would not do his utmost to condemn all the world to Hell. All would be destroyed: enemies, friends, husbands, wives, and children.
And now, can a greater evil than this be imagined? You will say that if all this is true, sin is a great evil indeed, but in spite of all these great words, sin may not be such a big problem. Why, just consider what sin has done; you cannot deny it. Then you will see reason to believe all that has been said. Go to Calvary hill144 and see what sin has done there. What was it that slew the Lord of Glory, that put Christ to death? Was it not the sins that were laid upon Him? Those sins were His betrayers and murderers; the thorns, nails, and spear145 that wounded Him; the gall and vinegar that were given Him to drink. Let the sweat, cries, groans, blood, and soul that were pressed and poured out by sin—let these speak if too much has been said here.
Turn aside from Calvary hill and go down to the Valley of Hinnom,146 lay your ear to the mouth of Tophet, and listen to what work sin has done there. What is it that has filled Hell to the full already and that sent down Cain, Judas, Ananias and Sapphira, and those millions of condemned souls that are already tormented in those flames? Did God condemn so many souls for nothing or for a trifle? Did He inflict so great a torment for a small offense? What is it that has thrown them into Hell? Was it their righteousness? Was it not their iniquities? If you could step down into those chambers of death and ask those wretched creatures, “Friends, how did you come to be here?” what would they answer? “Oh, it is our sins that brought us into this place of torment.” “Oh! It was my covetousness that brought me here,” one would say. “Oh! It was my lying that brought me here,” says another. “Oh! It was my pride, my passion, my wantonness, or my slothfulness that brought me here,” according to a third.147 Oh, sin, sin! This is it for which we burn, roar, rave, and die eternally. Can there be too much said of the evil of sin that has caused all this calamity?
143Alleine had “sin is so contrary and destructive to all of these.” The editor has reworded the sentence to avoid the implication that God or Christ can be actually harmed, an implication Alleine surely did not intend.
144Calvary hill: In Matthew 27:33, the place where our Lord Jesus was crucified was called “Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull).” Calvary appears only in the KJV and is probably derived from the Latin calvaria (calvarium in some medical texts), meaning the upper skull (without jawbone).
145Strictly speaking, the spear did not wound the Lord Jesus because He was already dead (John 19:33–34). Still, this mutilation of His body was another of the many humiliations that He endured for our sakes.
146The Valley of Hinnom, or Valley of the Son of Hinnom, was part of the boundary of ancient Jerusalem to the west and south. In this valley was Topheth, where infants were burned in sacrifice to Molech (2 Kings 23:10). In Hebrew, this valley is called בֶּן־הִנּׄם גַּיְא [gay, ben hinm (English word order)], from which the Greek γέεννα [gheh·en·nah, Gehenna] came. In the intertestamental period, Gehenna became a metaphor for Hell, and it has that meaning exclusively in the New Testament; most versions translate γέεννα as “Hell.” In addition, secular history records that Gehenna was used as a place for dumping and burning garbage and the bodies of criminals. The fire, stench, and foul smoke would have made Gehenna a nasty place and a fitting metaphor for Hell.
147Even one “small” sin is enough for eternal hellfire (Matthew 5:22). These expressions are of sins that particularly torment their consciences.
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