Is There Happiness in Sin?

I. Introduction
   A. God says we are not to sin
      1. We know that sin is separation from the Father (1 John 3:6)
      2. The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23)
   B. Yet sins are pleasurable
      1. Are they?
      2. Extensions of sin
      3. Is there true happiness in sin?

II. Sins
   A. Money (Matthew 6:24)
      1. not inherently sinful
      2. desire for it sinful (Matthew 19:23-24)
         a. becomes a lust
         b. must have more
      3. what will you do for it? (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)
         a. cheat
         b. lie
         c. extort
         d. con
      4. you may get your money…
         a. no true friends
         b. golddiggers
         c. the happiness expected is not there
      5. Hence the old adage: money doesn't buy happiness
      6. the lust for money will overtake you
         a. you become a slave to money
   B. Power (Daniel 4:30)
      1. again, not inherently sinful
      2. desire for it is sinful
         a. lust for more
      3. What has been done for it?
         a. Napoleon
            i. conquered other lands
            ii. violated treaties to gain more power
            iii. inevitably failed
         b. Hitler
            i. wanted to conquer Europe
            ii. violated treaties to gain power
            iii. died trying
      4. Did power and its lust help them at all?
      5. what will it do to you?
      6. the lust for power conquers you
         a. you become a slave to it
   C. Lust of the Flesh (1 Corinthians 6:16-17)
      1. not inherently sinful
         a. good and beneficial with one person in a marriage
      2. extending the lust to more than one is sinful 
      3. What happens when you fornicate? (1 Corinthians 6:9)
         a. sex act is cheapened
            i. sex is not an action, it is the sealing of a love relationship
            ii. hence, if not done in a loving relationship, does not and will 
            not mean and be what it should 
         b. not as special
         c. potentially dangerous
            i. prevalence of STDs
         d. difficult to do the right thing in another relationship
      4. What happens when you adulterate? (1 Corinthians 6:9)
         a. lie
         b. cheat
         c. potentially dangerous
      5. The ends of lust
         a. you will never find true happiness in the flesh
            i. it gets old
            ii. does not last
         b. Loss of respect and trust
            i. those whom you loved have left
            ii. you have nothing
      6. the lust of the flesh conquers you
         a. you are a slave to your lusts
   D. Drugs
      1. Is sinful
         a. desecrating the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19)
      2. is destructive
         a. when one always drinks/smokes/takes hits
            i. families are abused and broken
            ii. everyone is in anguish
         b. can lose your job, family, lifestyle
         c. causes cirrhosis, cancer, etc.
      3. the bottle will conquer you
         a. you are a slave to the drug

III. Summary of sins
   A. John 8:34
      1. The man who sins is truly a slave to it
         a. must feed it
         b. will stop at nothing to satiate it
   B. Sins are of the world
      1. Galatians 5:19-21
      2. are finite, as the world is finite

IV. Where is Happiness?
   A. God 
      1. God is infinite
      2. gives infinite gifts
   B. Fruits of the Spirit
      1. Galatians 5:22-24
      2. Does anyone ever love too much?
         a. is any one called a "slave to love?"
         b. does anyone hurt when they love?
      3. Has anyone ever been thrown in jail for being too kind?
      4. Do gentle people abuse others?
      5. Is someone who has self-control a slave to anything?

V. Invitation
   A. Slave vs. Servant
      1. you can be a slave to sin and never find true happiness
         a. leads to pain and loss
         b. an unfulfilled, miserable existence
      2. you can serve God and be blessed with the fruits of the Spirit
         a. allows you to get along with everyone
         b. allows for a happy, contented life
   B. The Promise
      1. the pleasures of sin are fleeting
         a. even during life on Earth, their consequences can be felt
         b. How sad to have a miserable life on Earth only to look towards an 
         eternity in hell!
      2. the fruit of the Spirit is lasting (Romans 6:23)
         a. as God is infinite, so is His gifts
         b. given freely
         c. while the path is harder, it is worth the suffering, not only for 
         the reward in the hereafter, but on Earth also
      3. so please choose today- be a slave to sin and die miserable or a 
      servant of Christ and live happily