Sinning is a major theme within the Bible and should be understood by those within the Christian Church. While it remains a major theme within the Church, it is important to understand what leads to sin. This makes the five stages of sin important, as it provides a better understanding of what can lead someone to sin. Learn more about the five stages of sin and how to become more aware of them.
Stage 1: Desire or Distraction
The first step in temptation is to be distracted by the desires that have been stirred up within us. This is usually done without warning. We can also liken this to the salesman who approaches our door and informs us that he is ready to give us his pitch.
We have not yet invited the salesman into our home. We are not even aware of what he is selling yet. We may not even notice until we have had a chance to hear him.
The enemy of our souls usually causes the first stage of temptation. To catch our attention, fallen nature often tries to lure us into its presence. We have not yet sinned at this stage, but we have been awakened to the temptation that the flesh offers.
Stage 2: Sin Becomes More Prominent
After being awakened to the idea of sin, it immediately works on stage two. We are still treading on thin ice until we completely succumb to the temptation. However, we are beginning to find pleasure in being around the idea.
We can maintain self-control while still being seduced by temptation. We can also survey the prospect from various angles. But, like the salesman who has visited our home to inspect the products, we are now more interested in sin.
Stage 3: The Sin Is Born
After the temptation has seduced a person, their soul will have developed a new plan for committing sin. This new evil will be nurtured and developed into a more powerful force that can cause real action.
The person must first recognize the danger that they are being seduced by and then cry out for God's intervention in order to avoid experiencing this "real-time" situation. If they fail, their soul will be hounded until they completely surrender to the temptation.
Stage 4: The Sin Continues
The ultimate goal of lust is to have it completely dominate a person's body, mind, and will. This means that the fourth stage of sin involves engaging the victim in the physical embodiment of the evil intent that was nurtured and conceived in stage three.
The mind may partially realize a person's initial sin in real life. However, once this initial action has been performed, sin has triumphed and has become the master of their lives. If the person does not seek to get deliverance immediately after this first sin has happened, it will continue to develop and grow in intensity. This will cause the faculties of their conscience to become more deadened.
Stage 5: Sin Brings Death
It is not easy to remove the soul from sin. For this reason, it can feel like there is a great fear of the judgment awaiting the soul.
Some of the individuals who died were not condemned but were certainly punished by God's physical judgment. In verse 29, Paul clarifies that the one who participated in the Lord's Supper before God consumed and drank from himself is in sin. There are various speculations as to why this sin of unworthiness is so different from the other sins that one has committed.
It seems that Paul's warning to men to examine themselves before they partake in the Lord's Supper is not light words but rather a condemnation of their actions.
