Sin takes one farther than he wants to go, keeps him longer than he wants to stay, and costs him more than he wants to pay. Everyone does not agree with this statement. In life, you have people who are “bound and determined” to go against the grain. It does not matter how much truth you present in front of them, if they do not like it, they will simply redefine whatever it is you are talking about. I can think of several examples. I will be brief with these three examples. The first two being Biblical examples, and the third one being secular.
- Baptism – Someone who has reached the age of accountability (understands what they are doing) being immersed in water to have their sins washed away. (Acts 22:16)
Modern Baptism – Infant baptism, sprinkling or pouring of water, an outward sign of inward grace, because you are saved. (No scriptural proof)
- Marriage – One male and one female, for life, except for fornication. (Gen 2:24; Matt 19)
Modern Marriage – Two people, male with male, female with female. It is not for life, only to make you happy temporarily. You can divorce for any reason! (No scriptural proof)
- Recession – “a period of temporary economic decline during which trade and industrial activity are reduced, generally identified by a fall in GDP in two successive quarters.”
Modern Recession – It would take me this whole bulletin to explain all the different new definitions I have heard for what a recession is now. I’ll allow you to figure out why this is the case.
People have done the same thing with sin. They simply do not want to talk about it. Even if they do talk about it, they are soft on sin. Instead of calling it wickedness or iniquity, they want to describe it as weakness and indiscretion. We need to view sin in the same manner as God and not treat it as Satan would. Satan does not care if we sin against God. In fact, that is Satan’s plan.
1 Peter 5:8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
When it comes to sin, we need to take it seriously. I remember times from my childhood when my parents would tell me to do or not do something. Depending on their temperament, that would determine for me how serious I was going to be about their instruction. I know that my attitude was wrong. The same is true for me with my own boys. There are some things that I am relaxed about. Then there are other things where I let them know from the beginning that I am serious about what I am about to say. In the Bible, we are never given this idea where we are to be “soft on sin”. God has never been casual about sin. Let’s consider Samson and how sin influenced his life.
Samson’s life changed drastically because of sin. Usually when you think of Samson, you think about his strength and how powerful he was. Even with all the strength he had, he was still just a man. In the overall picture, we can see how sin cost Samson his strength, sight, freedom, self-respect, and ultimately, his own life.
Judges 16:19, 21, 25, 30 (19) She made him sleep on her knees, and called for a man and had his shave off the seven locks of his hair. Then she began to afflict him, and his strength left him. (21) Then the Philistines seized him and gouged out his eyes; and they brought him down to Gaza and bound him with bronze chains, and he was a grinder in prison. (25) It so happened when they were in high spirits, that they said, “Call for Samson, that he may amuse us.” So they called for Samson from the prison, and he entertained them. And they made him stand between the pillars. (30) And Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines!” And he bent with all his might so that the house fell on the lords and all the people who were in it. So the dead whom he killed at his death were more than those whom he killed in his life.
These things were all very physical things. While sin can cause physical things to happen to us, we need to understand the spiritual implications of what sin does to us. We may not focus or take it seriously until some form of pain occurs due to the sin, but we are given ample evidence in the scriptures that warns us about sin.
2 Corinthians 3:3-4 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
John 8:34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin.
1 Corinthians 11:30 For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep.
1 John 2:28 Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming.
James 1:15 Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
We need to see sin for what it is and call it what it is. Be done with sin today and live your life for Jesus!
-Lee Elkins
