Based on "Respectable Sins" by Jerry Bridges, this lesson describes how vile, ugly, and destructive sin truly is. In order to truly apply the remedy for sin, we have to see it for what it is. Sin is rebellion against the Law of God, but it is also despising the Person of God.

1. The Malignancy of Sin
Based on Respectable Sins by Jerry Bridges

2. Definition of Malignant
 “Malignant describes a tumor of potentially unlimited growth that expands locally
into adjoining tissues by invasion and systemically by metastasizing into other
areas of the body.
 Left alone, a malignancy tends to infiltrate and metastasize throughout the entire
body and will eventually cause death.
 Sin is a spiritual and moral malignancy. Left unchecked, it can spread throughout
our entire inner being and contaminate every area of our lives.”
 Sin often spreads from our lives into the lives of those around us, especially if they
are believers.
 Ephesians 4:29
 Our speech can either build up or tear down; to corrupt or give grace.
 Gossip tears down another person and corrupts the mind of the person listening.
 Complaining about how hard your circumstances are tells people your God isn’t
big enough or strong enough to deal with them.

3. Paul refers to sin as “the Flesh.”
 Galatians 5:17
 Even though our hearts are renewed by the Holy Spirit, sin still lurks within us and
combats everything we want to do for God.
 We fail to recognize the reality of sin still dwelling within us, thus giving sin fertile
soil to grow and flourish.
 Just like cancer, sin can grow undetected until it reaches a crisis stage.
 Just like cancer, sin can be deceitful. You think you’ve dealt with it only to have it
reappear somewhere else.
 Sin and cancer are both subtle. Subtle means wily, crafty, insidious, or treacherous.
 Cancer is insidious and grows undetected to the detriment of the body. Sin
deceives us into thinking either it isn’t so bad or isn’t sin at all.
 One 17th century pastor and author said sin is “vile, ugly, odious, malignant,
pestilent, pernicious, hideous, spiteful, poisonous, virulent, villainous, abominable,
and deadly.”

4.  Think about impatience, pride, self-pity, resentment, and frustration. Do they seem
odious and pernicious to you? How about poisonous and deadly? Virulent? Ugly?
 Tolerating these or any other sin in our life is just as dangerous as tolerating
cancer.
 Small sins lead to more “serious” ones. Lust may lead to pornography or adultery.
Anger grows into bitterness, which can lead to hatred, violence, or murder.
 All of this describes how sin affects us. How does your sin affect God?
 Leviticus 16:21. The word Transgression means rebellion against God’s authority.
 When you gossip, you are rebelling against God. When you lie, you are rebelling
against God. When you cheat on a test, you are rebelling against God. When you
resent someone and grow bitter instead of forgiving them, you are rebelling
against God.
 Our sin is an assault on the majesty and sovereign rule of God.

5.  II Samuel 12:9-10
 David despised the Law of God in verse 9. In verse 10, God says David despised
God Himself!
 Sin is despising (hating) God’s law, but to despise God’s law is to despise (hate)
God Himself.
 Think about that the next time you insult or gossip about someone. You are
actually showing your hate for God!
 Ephesians 4:25-32
 When we look at sin as rebellion, we also see God as our Ruler and Judge.
 When we see sin as grieving the Holy Spirit, we view God as our Redeemer and
Father.
 When we grieve our Father, we also presume (take advantage) of His grace.
 Ephesians 1:7
 God forgives our sin, but He doesn’t overlook it or tolerate it. God always judges
sin.

6. Consider that every sinful thought and word and
deed is done in the presence of God.
 Psalm 139:1-4
 God knows our every thought. He hears our words before we even speak them,
and sees our every deed.
 I Corinthians 4:5
 This means that every single sin we commit is done openly in the presence of God.
 Whether it is large or small in our eyes, our sin is heinous in the sight of God.
 God forgives our sin because of the blood of Jesus, but He does not tolerate it.
 Every sin we commit – even the ones we don’t think about – was laid upon Jesus
Christ on the cross as He bore the curse of God in our place.
 Christ suffered because of MY sin. Christ suffered because of YOUR sin.

7. How do you respond?
 Will you deflect it onto other people whom you see to be sinner?
 Do you find yourself wishing someone in particular was here listening to and
reading this?
 Does this view of sin cause you to fall on your knees before God in repentance and
contrition over the sins you have tolerated in your life?