“Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” (James 4:17)
“And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” (Romans 14:23)
“For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.” (Eph. 5:12)
The temptations that assail you are common, they are not specifically designed just for you, the intention of the temptation in no matter what form it arrives, does not have only you in mind. If our adversary has noticed you, then he is well aware of what will tempt you to sin, but he cannot make you sin, therefore, all sins that you commit you will be held accountable for.
The brute beasts, the unrepentant person is who Satan uses to bring these temptations before you, he does not simply pull them out of the air, he does not have the power of God Almighty.
“(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.” (Romans 4:17)
Satan can only use what has been created, and since man was created by the Living God, he uses men to employ his desires.
For the wicked, to speak of those things that are a sin against the Lord, is enticing to them, they seek the temptations, for many, if not most, they spend the entirety of their lives in the pursuit of pleasure. Sadly, for many who profess Christ, they do the same, a happy well-rounded life with little to no inconveniences is proof of the love of the Lord in their lives.
The temptations they succumb to occasionally are passed over as “only being human,” those larger sins, so to speak, are easily averted, but the smaller ones in their minds they believe the Lord pays little attention to, and so in essence, they are treated lightly, as nothing more than a misstep from the path.
“Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.” (1st Peter 1:16)
“Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.” (Psalm 51:4)
You are not permitted to use your own judgment in these occurrences, you are not allowed to determine what is sin and what is not sin.
It is highly unlikely that Satan or any that fell with him knows you personally, he does not need to, remember, these temptations are common to all men. The traps were laid many thousands of years ago by our adversary and by the allowance of the Almighty, the action of Adam’s disobedience in the garden was the cause, the effect of those temptations is completely in your hands.
To not do good when that good is known to you is evil, therefore we must study the Word of God to understand what God considers good and what He has declared as evil.
“Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?” (1st Kings 3:9)
The wicked run to these temptations, pleasures of the flesh are the pursuit of their lives. We who have been born-again also seek for them, not to dive into them, but to understand how they would be a sin to us if we succumb to them, therefore in wisdom able to not fall into them.
“I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.” (Eccl. 1:14)
“If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” (John 8:36)
If what you do is not done in faith, in the full assurance that your life is safe and secure in the hands of your Father in heaven, that all sin is a sin against Him, then the temptations will be to place a hierarchal order to sin, making some in your mind worse than others.
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” (Romans 3:23)
Holiness and righteousness, these are what is required of you.
We submit our lives to His will, asking to be sanctified, profitable and pleasing in His sight. He expects effort from us, He expects servitude in love with a desire to glorify His name.
There are no little sins, you are expected to realize this truth.
