My Sin, Others' Sin
Pastor Tan Thai · May 1, 2021
This sermon analyzes two tactics of the devil in spiritual warfare: blaming others for one's sin, and comparing one's sin to others' sin as self-justification. Scripture teaches that all have sinned and need to confess their own sins in order to receive forgiveness from God.
The sermon opens by recalling the previous message about Adam and Eve's temptation, then focuses on another tactic of the devil: leading people to find every excuse to avoid their sin rather than confessing it before God. The pastor uses the Jerry Sandusky scandal at Penn State as an illustration, then cites journalist David Brooks' New York Times commentary to argue that the intense public condemnation of others often masks self-deception about one's own sin.
The sermon identifies two manifestations of this tactic: blaming others or circumstances for one's faults ('the fault is mine but the blame is theirs'), and comparing one's sin favorably to others' ('my sin is smaller than theirs'). Scripture clearly teaches that human nature is sinful since Adam's fall (Romans 3:23; 5:12; 1 John 1:8-10). The story of the Duchess of Buckingham and excerpts from Beatrice Webb's diary illustrate the widespread denial of sinful human nature, from the aristocracy to modern intellectuals like MIT professor Steven Pinker.
The pastor uses the metaphor of a mirror to describe how society's moral standards affect the perception of sin. Ancient society acknowledged human sinfulness; today's society exalts human goodness. The devil wants people to use this distorted mirror to see their own sin as small and others' as large. Jesus warned against this in His teaching about specks and planks in the eye (Matthew 7:3-5), and He most severely condemned the self-righteous Pharisees whose outward holiness hid inner corruption (Matthew 23:25-28).
The second part of the sermon calls for confession of sin to receive forgiveness. Scripture serves as an accurate mirror that reveals true sin (Hebrews 4:12-13; James 1:22-25). The parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector praying in the temple (Luke 18:10-14) shows that the humble confession of sin leads to justification, while self-righteous pride is rejected by God. Psalm 51:1 affirms that a broken and contrite heart is the offering that pleases God.
The sermon concludes with the example of the apostle Paul, who called himself the chief of sinners (1 Timothy 1:14-16). The apparent paradox is that the closer one draws to God, the more clearly one recognizes one's own sinfulness — yet life becomes increasingly holy, not through self-discipline, but through the power of the Holy Spirit and God's grace. Understanding this truth leaves no room for pride or comparison with others.