The sole determining factor of where a man would spend his enternity is his attitude towards sin i.e. whether he embraces or abstains from sin.
Right from creation sin has been a problem to man.
What is sin?
The Greek word for sin is Harmartia meaning to miss the mark of perfection in order to be considered righteous by God.
The dictionary says that sin is the act of intentionally breaking moral or divine law.
But the Bible says sin is lawlessness. i.e, sin is the moral breaking of God's law.
1st John 3 vs 4
Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
This means that there is the sin of commission and the sin of omission.
James 4 vs 17
anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.
Sin is further described as all unrighteousness.
1st John 5 vs 17
All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death In other words, any words, thoughts or actions that are not right' In the sight of God are sin.
The nature of sin is in such a way that sin is pleasurable and delicious to man.
1 Johnn 2:16
everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.
Constantly there is a battle for man's soul between God and Satan. Check out Romans 7:21-25 which clearly shows to us how this battle is played out in our minds.
I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of
Before sin comes temptation.
Is it possible to prevail over sin?
It is ABSOLUTELY possible
1st John 5:3, teaches us that the commandments of God are not burdensome.
this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.
Therefore God does not ask of us what is beyond our capacity to do. Let us take note that what it means to prevail over sin is that you posses the strength to say NO to sin; not that you will cease to be a human being or that you will be taken away from the earth.
Galatians 2 verse 20
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Jesus demonstrated for us an example to follow.
Hebrews 4 verse 5
we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.
God hates sin
Zechariah 8 verse 17 do not plot evil against each other, and do not love to swear falsely. I hate all this,” declares the LORD .
Proverbs 6 verse 16-17
There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,
Even though God hates sin, He loves sinners. This is the sole reason He sent down His only begotten Son to the earth to save mankind from sin. And due to God's hatred for sin, He looked away from Christ when the He carried the iniquities of the world on the cross .
If we do not prevail over sin, it will overcome us and this will ultimately lead to death - The eternal separation of God and man.
Revelations 21 verse 8
the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars,they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”