THE MINISTERS OF SIN
The minister of sin is a god whose doctrine has sin as its foundation. In every service sacrifices for sin are made. Since sin is part of men’s imperfection, these sacrifices that are continually offered are also imperfect (Heb. 10:1-2). Wherever there are ministers of sin, there is also, each year, celebration for sin (Heb. 10:3).
The apostle Paul declared: “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned” (Rom. 5:12). By this declaration Paul reveals that where there is sin, there is death, and never life, for the wage of sin is death (Rom. 6:23). For the gift of God, which is eternal life, to rule, it is necessary that sin be eradicated from the life of the Christian. For this reason Paul affirms that, for us to be servants of righteousness, we should be delivered from sin (Rom. 6:18). What we understand is that the one who is freed from sin is not slave to sin anymore, that is, he does not sin against his own will. And so, Paul says, “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death” (Rom. 8:2). If any theologian or doctor will say that the second verse of Rom. 8 is not part of the original Greek manuscript, it is because he is a minister of sin. We cite the words of John, who says,“And you know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin. No one who abides in Him sins; and in Him thee is no sin (1 John 3:5-6). And we finish up with the words of the apostle John, saying, “The one who practices sin is of the devil” (1 John 3:8). The one who sins, makes himself servant of the devil, and he who does not sin, makes himself servant of Christ. This is what is written in Rom. 6:16-18.
In the Old Testament, during the ministry of sin and death, sin had much influence against life. The soul who sinned would die without any mercy (Ezek. 18:4; Heb. 10:28). There were no excuses to be made. When the people were at the door of the Promised Land, Acan took a Babylonian mantle from the spoil, two hundred shekels of silver and a bar of gold. The god Jehovah soon accused him, and he was sentenced to death, and with him were condemned his sons, his daughters, his oxen, his donkeys, his sheep, his tent, and everything he had. All Israel burned them and stoned them (Josh. 7:20-21, 24-25).
Nadab and Abihu, the sons of the High Priest, put incense in the fire-pans and brought strange fire before the face of Jehovah. Then fire came from Jehovah and instantly killed them, without mercy (Lev. 10:1-2).
An imprudent Israelite was caught gathering wood on the Sabbath, something that was forbidden in the law of Jehovah. Moses brought the case to Jehovah, who said, “He should be stoned to death” (Num. 15:32-36).
Korah, Levi’s grandchild, together with Dathan and Abiram, with two hundred and fifty important men of Israel rebelled against Moses and Aaron. These three men, with their wives and children, went down alive to their death, for Jehovah opened up the ground and swallowed them alive. There came fire from before Jehovah also and consumed the two hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation. The people complained of the slaughter and Jehovah sent a plague that killed 14,700 people. He only stopped when Moses and Aaron made atonement for the sins of the people. If it had not been for this, Jehovah would still kill millions. There are many more cases like these in the Old Testament. Since there was no chance of appealing, and the wages of sin were immediate death, the sacrifices for sin were very important sacrifices. And the priests would be called, then, ministers of sin (Heb. 5:1-4; 10:1-4). The daily sacrifices were so many that the smell of the butcher’s spread very far. They were millions of lambs, calves, doves, sheep, etc. sacrificed daily.
Well, Jesus Christ died on the cross for the sinners, according to Paul, who said, “It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all” (1 Tim. 1:15). “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:3). And now Peter says, “And He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness” (1 Pet. 2:24). And the sacrifice of Christ is not repeated daily as in the Old Testament. “And every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take way sins; but He [Jesus], having offered one sacrifice for sin for all time, sat down at the right hand of God” (Heb. 10:11-12).
If Christians keep on sinning like the Israelites, the sacrifice of Christ does not take away sins either, since there has not been any changes in the character of the Christians. They are both the same. If the Christian, after conversion, keeps on sinning under the protection of the cross, he makes Jesus Christ a minister of sin. Let us read what Paul has declared: “BUT IF, WHILE SEEKING TO BE JUSTIFIED IN CHRIST, WE OURSELVES HAVE ALSO BEEN FOUND SINNERS, IS CHRIST THE MINISTER OF SIN? MAY IT NEVER BE!” (Gal. 2:17).
If in the Old Testament sinners were so drastically put to death, and in the New Testament Christ conceals sins—for the current voice of the Christians and pastors is: “I SIN, AND I AM SAVED”— Jesus Christ is a minister of sin. This is more or less like the police officer that protects the robber. It is the corruption of the authorities.
If God’s injustice is such that sinners who committed sins before Christ were condemned, and sinners of Christ are saved, Christians are seven times worse than the non-Christians. And if the outlook of Christianity is this, why does Paul say that, “If any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come” (2 Cor. 5:17). If a Christian sins, he is not a new creation, and Paul is mistaken. For Paul says: “In reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth” (Eph. 4:22-24). And Paul defines the things that cannot be part of the life of a Christian: “Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. For it is on account of these things that the wrath of God will come, AND IN THEM YOU ALSO ONCE WALKED, WHEN YOU WERE LIVING IN THEM. But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him” (Col. 3:5-10).
If Christians go on sinning after the new birth, everything is still old, and there has not been a new birth, for all the vices above mentioned constitute the body of sin, which has not been done away with (Rom. 6:6): Paul is mistaken, and the Holy Spirit does not sanctify anyone. The Christians that are like this are rotten fruit, just like the children of Jehovah in the Old Testament (Is. 1:2-4; Deut. 32:17-25).
By Pastor Olavo Silveira Pereira