#1:
Strive to know God, and to be affected with his attributes. You can’t know what sin is until you know who God is. Nothing in the world will tell you so plainly and powerfully how evil sin is, as the knowledge of the greatness, wisdom, goodness, holiness, authority, justice, and truth of God.
#2:
Love Christ, and you will hate your sin that caused his death. Love him, and you will love to be made like Him, and hate what is so contrary to Christ.
#3:
Think how awesome the work of God’s Spirit is, and how great a mercy it is to you. Then ask yourself if you should keep your darkness and defilement, in opposition to such wonderful mercy?
#4:
Consider the wonderful love and mercy of God, and think what He has done for you, and you will hate sin, and be ashamed of it. Satan tries to hide both the love of God and your sin from you to destroy your repentance.
#5:
Think what your soul is made for, and should be used for - to love, obey, and glorify your Maker. Then you will see that sin disables and perverts it. Should you serve the
devil in filthiness and foolishness, when you should receive, and serve, and magnify your Creator?
#6:
Think what pure and sweet delights your soul may enjoy from God and then you will see that sin robs you of these delights, and prefers fleshly lusts
#7:
Think what a life you will live for ever in heaven and then realise that sin keeps people from it - it is a vile and hateful thing.
#8:
Look at the state and torment of the damned. Remember that every temptation is from
the devil, to make you like himself. Remember when you sin, that you are learning from and imitating the devil.
#9:
Look at sin as if you are ready to die, and consider how all people see sin after they die.
#10:
Look at sin and judgment together. Remember that sinners must answer for it before God, and angels, and the whole world.
#11:
Think about sickness, poverty, shame, despair, death, and rottenness in the grave, and it may help you a little to know what sin is – these are the earthly consequences of sin.
#12:
Notice the difference between those who love God and the mad, destructive world; and the difference may tell you in part what sin is. There is peace and love in a holy, blameless person, that lives to love God and man, but the mad, confused, ignorant, ungodly state of the world is a pitiful sight.
(Adapted from “Directions for Hating Sin” by Richard Baxter)
