The worst kind of sin isn’t usually the one that makes the news. More often than not, it is a quiet, unending force that affects our intellect, emotions, relationships, and even how we see the world. Philip Anthony Mitchell’s amazing sermon on TBN makes an urgent call: we are not just watching the cosmic war between good and evil; we are also taking part in it. Every Christian needs to be able to see sin for what it is: a spiritual snake that can poison, corrupt, and eventually kill the abundant life God wants for His people.
At the core of this message is a deep understanding of how sin hurts not just individuals, but also communities and spiritual groups. Sin’s pain, regret, and destruction are not just ideas; they are real things that happen to people and are written in every tear, every broken relationship, and every moment of shame or guilt that weighs heavily on the human spirit. It’s not an old-fashioned need for people who want to walk in their God-given vocation and live their lives to the fullest; it’s a need right now.
The Church of Sermons welcomes anyone who wants to live by this truth and be a part of a Christ-centered community where they can grow spiritually and be responsible. This is a friendly, international group that supports and encourages the pursuit of holiness instead of perfection.
Sin: An Issue That Affects Everyone, Not Just a Few
In today’s world, it’s easy to point fingers at people who have done bad things that have been made public. Media coverage, public comments, and heated arguments about the moral failings of celebrities or politicians can all make people feel more distant. We think, “That could never be me.” But Mitchell reminds us that the same energy that causes famous people to fall apart is also present in every person.
Sin is the cause of all the pain, brokenness, injustice, and sadness that people have felt throughout history. No amount of knowledge, moral effort, or upbringing, no matter how religious or safe, can keep a person from it. Sin affects everything about us: our thoughts, feelings, desires, language, relationships, goals, and even how we see the world. It is a hidden disease that affects people.
It’s not just about what we’ve done; it’s also about what’s inside us: regrets, seasons we’ve missed, and parts of our lives we wish we could rewrite. It’s not the world, the church, or our neighbors that are the problem; it’s us. The fact that we can’t accept that we can fail and that sin keeps affecting us shows how powerful it is.
Jesus’ Extreme Warning: Be Tough on Sin
As Jesus got His disciples ready for the Church to be born, His words in Matthew 18 broke up centuries of religious complacency. The disciples, like many people today, were probably more concerned with power, status, and recognition. Jesus went against what they thought and said that being great in God’s Kingdom means being humble, not having a platform, being popular, or having power.
He brought a child into the group, which stood for being open, dependent, and vulnerable. He then said that only those who became humble like children would be able to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Being humble doesn’t mean being weak or invisible; it means not being vain, seeking attention, or thinking you’re better than everyone else. It means being open to learning, sorry for our mistakes, and ready to let go of our false sense of control.
But what scares me more is how harshly Jesus warned those who would lead others into sin. He paints a picture of extreme seriousness: it is better to drown with a millstone around your neck than to make another believer fall. The Lord sends out a double “woe” to those who tempt others. This means that they will be punished and made sad. It reminds us in a sad way that our choices, actions, and lives affect other people in ways we don’t always see or understand.
Jesus’ warnings don’t end with actions. He talks about both “sins of commission,” which are things we do, and “sins of the heart,” which are things we feel, want, or think about a lot. The metaphor of cutting off a hand or foot or plucking out an eye doesn’t mean to hurt yourself; it means to always look at yourself and be disciplined. We must fight and get rid of anything that makes us fall short or do the same wrong thing over and over again, even if it costs us a lot personally.
You can’t avoid temptation, but you can beat it
Jesus knows that temptation is a part of life in a broken world that can’t be avoided. There are many ways in our daily lives, including governments, institutions, cultural systems, and even the buildings we live in, that we can go against God’s will. Temptation is unavoidable, but giving in to it is not. The main difference is that Christians are not never tempted; they have been given the tools to overcome.
To ignore sin, make excuses for it, or try to control it only with willpower is to not understand how strong it is or how Christ can help. Not only did Jesus die to pay for sin, but he also gave people supernatural strength to live a new life by rising from the dead and giving them his Spirit.
This is the Eastern view that people in the West often forget: sin is an active enemy that we must fight against and defeat by relying on God’s Spirit.
The Terrible Effects of Sin: A Personal and Cosmic Tragedy
Sin isn’t just a theory; it’s a real thing that causes real problems. The message doesn’t hold back when it talks about where it came from, both on Earth and in heaven. The story of Lucifer, whose pride caused him to rebel and start a war in heaven, reminds us that sin is older and smarter than we usually think.
Lucifer’s fall from being a worship leader to an enemy made things unstable for both angels and people. The devils that lie, make people proud, and make false promises are the same ones who saw God’s glory and then turned away. They keep trying, this time with an understanding of how weak people are and how patterns of vulnerability change over time.
Not just people who make obvious mistakes in public are at risk. The message brings to light hidden sins, like the heart’s feelings of jealousy, resentment, lust, ambition, and bitterness that lie beneath the surface. If you don’t control it, you can look holy, do religious things, and act religious, but you can still be full of sin.
The story of Lazarus and the rich man is a clear example of how sin that isn’t repented has lasting effects. The rich man’s suffering in Hades isn’t just punishment; it’s also regretāmissed chances, ignored warnings, putting his own needs ahead of others’, and spiritual blindness that no miracle could fix.
The Problem with License: Cheap Grace and the Loss of Respect
In modern Western Christianity, people often confuse grace with license. Some people think that God’s kindness and patience give them permission to act in a way that is “licentious,” which means giving up self-control and holiness for their own desires. The message screams against this distortion: respect for God, which used to shape whole generations, is now often replaced by familiarity and a sense of spiritual entitlement.
If God doesn’t punish or condemn people right away, we think that He has lowered His standards or that sin isn’t as bad as people used to think it was. But the Bible is clear about what to do: God’s patience is a chance to repent, not a reason to do nothing.
Real grace doesn’t make you want to sin; it gives you the strength to change. The Holy Spirit’s power isn’t just for emotional experiences; it’s also for the hard work of not letting sin take root every day. The New Testament stories of Ananias and Sapphira, who were killed for lying to the Holy Spirit, remind us that the time of grace is also a time when we are very responsible.
Real Community: Being responsible, confessing, and working toward holiness
Real, grace-filled fellowship is one of the best ways to break the hold of sin. The modern trend toward isolationākeeping secrets, hiding problems, and putting on a perfect faceāis what makes sin grow in the shadows. The speaker, on the other hand, shows a different way: being open with trusted partners, confessing everything, and promising to live without secrets.
Making “safety circles” in the home and churchāplaces where problems can be talked about without fear of being judged right awayāis a way to fight sin, not a way to let it happen. When people of faith bring darkness into the light, it loses some of its power. Accountability isn’t about feeling bad; it’s about getting better and moving forward.
One such place is the Church of Sermons, which welcomes anyone who wants to join a global community that shares these same beliefs. Here, holiness is not something that is hard to reach, but something that everyone wants to achieve. Members are encouraged to talk about their failures, help each other repent, and be happy about God’s grace.
Fruit, not labels, is the real proof of faith
In a time when anyone can call themselves a “Christian,” Jesus sets a higher standard: fruit. The proof of grace isn’t in the things we say or the clothes we wear; it’s in the changes that happen in our lives. Do we see the Holy Spirit in our desires, our relationships, and how we deal with temptation? Are we really becoming more humble, caring, and honest, or are we just putting on a show?
The lesson tells us not to accept empty promises. Saying “Lord, Lord” or doing religious things is not enough. Jesus warns that many people who did great things in His name will be turned away because their lives were marked by “lawlessness,” which means they didn’t repent and embraced sin.
The good news is that you can overcome
The gospel does not leave us in despair, even though sin is heavy and holiness is a huge call. Instead, it sends a message of hope and new opportunities. Not only does Christ’s resurrection promise forgiveness, but it also gives us the power to overcome temptation and choose to obey.
You are not without power. The Spirit of Christ in you helps you resist temptation. You can say no to bad habits, deal with the darkness in your heart, and get out of patterns that have been hurting you for years. This isn’t just positive thinking; it’s the promise of the gospel.
“Cut it off” and “pluck it out” are not ways to punish yourself; they are ways to invite life. We give up a lotāpride, secret pleasures, and the short-lived comfort of giving inābut it’s not much compared to the happiness, freedom, and purpose that come with a clear conscience and a heart set on God.
The Duty and Honor of Being Holy
How Christians deal with temptation is important because they are supposed to be “a holy people, a royal people, a peculiar people, separated from the world.” If we act like people who have never known grace, how believable is what we say? If we make excuses for or ignore immoral behavior in our lives, we have nothing to offer a world that wants to change.
But when we really listen to what Jesus says and don’t accept the darkness inside us, we become living proof that Christ exists. The quest for holiness is not something that can be done alone; it is a group effort. Anyone can join the Church of Sermons and live a life of honesty, responsibility, and grace.
A Last Plea: Don’t Treat Sin Like a Pet
At the end of the message, the gardener comparison goes beyond being a metaphor. Christians must not let sin take root, just like a gardener can’t ignore or let weeds grow unchecked. The stakes are too high and the consequences are too serious. We are called to live with urgency, watchfulness, and the unshakable hope that Christ will free us.
You’re not the only one. You don’t have to hide. The grace that saves you is also the grace that lets you change. Join the movement for real holiness. Join a group of people who don’t play with sin but instead look for the life of purpose, peace, and wholeness that God wants for them.
No matter where you are or what your story is, you can become a member of the Church of Sermons and start on the path to real change. The door is open, the invitation is real, and you can change right now.
Go ahead and do the next thing. Don’t give in to temptation; instead, go after your goal.
