I think it would be safe to say that sin might be placed in 2 categories. (1) Sin of commission, that is doing what God has forbidden. (2) Sin of omission, that is not doing what God wants us to do. There are a lot of sins that we can commit under each of these 2 categories.
It would be impossible to discuss all of them at one particular time, so for the time allotted I will talk about one particular sin that most people are guilty of. It is ones of omission, failing to do what we are supposed to do, and that is giving God the honor and glory and praise that He so richly deserves. I know whatever remarks I make will only be denting the surface, so to speak, of what needs to be said on this subject.
In the Old Testament the book of Psalms is mostly a book giving praise and honor to God. For example Psalms 57:5, Be thou exalted O God above the heavens, let Thy glory be above all the earth. Indeed I seriously doubt but what every book in the Bible does not show that every one should give honor and glory and praise to God, the Creator and upholder of all things.
In the New Testament, 1 Tim 6:16, to whom be honor and power eternal. This is speaking about God.
Since God deserves honor and glory and praise from each of us, we need to know how we can so honor him. We are told in 1 Cor 6:20 to glorify God in our bodies.
First we can honor Him by the life that we live. Jesus said the greatest commandment is this--To love the Lord, thy God with all thy soul, mind, and strength. 1 John 2:4-6. This passage tells us that if we keep His word then the love of God is perfected in us, and that we should walk as he walked. In Him was no sin, so we should not let sin reign in our mortal bodies. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body that you should obey its lusts, ROM 6:12. Instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, TIT 2:12. And in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness; 2PE 1:6. Paul in 1 Cor 11:1 told the Corinthians to be followers of me even as I am of Christ. Christ is our pattern and as he did not commit sin, we should endeavor to put sin out of our lives. And as Christ brought honor and glory to God, we could do likewise.
Secondly, We honor God when we assemble together to worship Him. In our worship we honor Him as God, the supreme ruler. We sing praises to His name. We humble ourselves in prayer. We show Christ's death to the world, We honor Him by giving of our means as He has prospered us. We honor Him by studying His word. When we forsake the assembly, we bring dishonor upon Him by showing that we prefer something else to Him. Heb 10:25. I have listed the items of worship we engage in on the first day of the week services but it refers to all assemblies of the church.
Thirdly we can honor God by taking Him onto consideration on our plans and decisions concerning this life. Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow, we shall go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit." Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we shall live and also do this or that." But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil. Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do, and does not do it, to him it is sin. JAM 4:13:17.
These people to whom James wrote had made careful plans for their business venture. This was not their sin, but in planning without regard for God and the knowledge that all plans are dependent upon His will for success. They had a presumptuous confidence with reference to the future, a future that excluded God and the operation of Devine providence. Is this not characteristic of all of us at sometime in our lives? Dependence upon God is the most fundamental fact of Christianity, the disposition to leave Him out of our affairs is pure indifference, and when we feel He is not needed on our plans, it is godless in nature.
Let us note this presumptuous characteristic of those of whom James is speaking. The time of their leaving was of their own choosing. Maybe today or tomorrow. They will remain a year, their own choosing. They will trade and get gain, They assume the whole matter is in their hands. All is settled and in their favor. God is completely disregarded. Solomon solemnly warned "Boast not thyself of the tomorrow for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. We, like those to whom James was speaking, assume that tomorrow- next week-next year, are all ours and we make plans accordingly. We sometimes fail to take into account two things. The uncertainty of life and Devine providence. James says "ye know not what will be on the morrow, that they might not be alive for this life is as a vapor. For this reason we should say, If the Lord wills, we shall both live and do this or that.
I will close, with this invitation to those who have not honored God in being obedient to the Gospel plan of salvation contained in his word. To hear the gospel, believe, repent, confess Christ, and be buried with the Lord in baptism, to rise and be faithful in your obedience as a child of God and honor Him for the remainder of your life, which will be indeed pleasing unto Him.
Come and accept the Lord's invitation. We will be glad to assist you in your obedience.