Overcoming Sin through Christ

A Comprehensive List of Sins

(Alphabetically Arranged)

Richard Hollerman

The plan of this study is simple.  We will look at a large number of sins, one by one, alphabetically.  We will define the sin, describe it, and comment on it, along with noticing Scripture references on the particular entry.  Some illustrations will be offered along with the description.

Money-wasting

One of the basic principles of the Bible is that the children of God are stewards of earthly possessions.  God continues to hold the ownership of all things.  “The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains” (1 Corinthians 10:26).  Paul says that “it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy” (4:2).  In English, a steward is “one who manages another’s property, finances, or other affairs.”[1][1]  The Greek oikonomos is a “household manager” or “steward,” one who is “entrusted with the responsibility of running a household.”[2][2]  The term comes from oikos, “a house,” and nemo, “to arrange,” thus, “the manager of a household or estate.”[3][3]

Nearly everyone who doesn’t profess Christ and even most of those who do so somehow believes that they should have control of their money.  They reason, “This is my money.  I worked hard for it, and it should belong to me!  I will reluctantly pay my taxes, but I need to be in control with what’s left!”  In reality, since 100 percent of our money belongs to God, we don’t have the right to consider our money and possessions as our own.  Paul asks, “What do you have that you did not receive?  And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?” (1 Corinthians 4:7).

Since most people have this defective and inferior view of money, as “their money,” they continue to have a worldly focus and perspective that is far lower than what God wants.  Everyone has limited money, whether one earns a mere pittance or whether he earns a massive amount or maybe has inherited much from his parents.  Someone asked a very wealthy millionaire, “How much money would it take to make you happy?”  He replied, “A little bit more!”  Solomon wisely said, “He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its income” (Ecclesiastes 5:10).

God has given us money to purchase our daily food (Matthew 6:11).  He has given us an income to pay for a house or rent one.  Christians were not communistic, for they continued to own their houses (cf. Acts 2:45; 10:6; 12:12; 17:5; 21:8; 16:15, 40; Romans 16:5; 1 Corinthians 11:22; 16:19; Colossians 4:15; Philemon 2; 2 John 10).

But their view of money and possessions underwent a radical change when they came to Christ and became part of His spiritual body.  They often sold their property and possessions and “were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need” (Acts 2:45).  They viewed their possessions radically different than before: “Not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own, but all things were common property to them” (4:32).

Think of how people use the money God has given to them, keeping in mind that they are responsible before God for every cent they spend.  They spend money for luxurious homes (they would have been called “mansions” in former days), spending far more than they would need to for a dwelling place.  They spend money on plush furnishings, spending far more than they should, just to have earthly comfort and to impress their neighbors and friends.

They spend vast amounts of money on luxury cars, spending two or four times as much as they should to have reliable transportation.  They spend astronomical amounts of money to attend the Ivy League universities or other institutions, just to make impressions on a future employer or maybe to receive all of the nice but unneeded amenities.  They take yearly cruises to the Caribbean or Hawaii, spending money that could be used for the Lord’s work or used to bless the lives of the impoverished.

They spend huge amounts of money on clothes they don’t need to impress people they don’t even like and spend large amounts on designer clothes that feed their pride.  They waste vast amounts of money for “things” they don’t need or shouldn’t have or are worldly in nature: expensive restaurants, worldly entertainment, junk foods and fast foods, electronic gadgets, unneeded technology, sporting events, movies, and traveling to exotic places. Such unwise and worldly expenditures are totally unconscionable![4][4]

Not only do people waste their money in wrongful ways, they don’t use their money in legitimate and God-glorifying ways.  The average person spends only two or three percent of his income on “church” or “religion”—and even most of this would be for false religion.  God gives to us so that we may give to Him! And we give to Him by giving to His purposes on earth, including the needs of others.  Much could be noticed about our need to give what we have received.[5][5]

We wouldn’t question the rightfulness of using our money for daily needs, for Paul said, “If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content” (1 Timothy 6:8).  We must provide for our family (1 Timothy 5:8), for our own necessities (2 Thessalonians 3:6-15; 1 Thessalonians 4:12), and also we need to “share with one who has need” (Ephesians 4:28).  Instead of this, most greedily cling to their money and live self-centered lives (or selfish “family-centered” lives) without freely giving for the physical and especially spiritual needs of others.

Jesus strongly warns, “How hard it will be for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God. . . . It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God!” (Mark 10:23, 25).  He says that we should lay up treasure in heaven rather than on earth (Matthew 6:19-21; cf. Luke 12:15-21, 22-34).  Jesus says that God is more concerned with what we have left after we give to others than He is about how much we give (cf. Mark 12:41-44).  Paul also warns, “Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction.  For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs” (1 Timothy 6:9-10).

Instead of using our money on ourselves and spending this money (God’s money) on unneeded possessions, and especially on worldly expenses, we need to use our very limited income on those things that will promote the kingdom of God.  Jesus said, “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33).  We need to actively share our money for the preaching of the gospel and the teaching of the saints, including preachers (1 Corinthians 9:14), elders (1 Timothy 5:17-18), and teachers (Galatians 6:6).  We need to also be concerned about needy brothers and sisters (Matthew 25:34-40; Acts 2:45; 4:32-35; 2 Corinthians 8:1-15; 9:1-15; Galatians 2:10; 1 Timothy 6:17-19; James 2:14-17; 1 John 3:16-18).

Think of this: Every day about 150,000 people die!  What are you doing to reach those people with your money?  Would you rather drive a luxury car, sit on a luxury couch, wear expensive clothes, eat expensive food, and live in a luxury house—than use your money to reach these lost thousands with the good news of Christ Jesus that may save them from hell and eternal destruction (1 Thessalonians 1:9-10; Revelation 21:8).  This shows how crucial it is for you to use your money well.  It also shows how sinful it is for you to waste or misspend the money God gives to you!

Make no mistake. Our money will testify against us in the Last Day.  James warns the rich, “You have lived luxuriously on earth and led a life of wanton pleasure; you have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter” (5:5).  The coming Day of Judgment will witness against us and the way we have used or misused our money!

 

[1][1] The American Heritage College Dictionary.

[2][2] Mounce, Expository Dictionary.

[3][3] W. E. Vine, Expository Dictionary.

[4][4] Unconscionable: “Not restrained by conscience. . . . Beyond prudence or reason; excessive: unconscionable spending” (The American Heritage College Dictionary).

[5][5] See our booklet, Christian Giving.