Over the last week I've been considering the seriousness of my sin and why sin is SO evil. Hopkins reminded me today that we need to be constantly re-evaluating God's holiness in comparison to our sin so that we can see the insignificance of being human.
'Lord, what is man, that You take knowledge of him? Or the son of man, that You are mindful of him?' (Psalm 144v3).
I've come to the conclusion that sin is evil because it lies to us by explaining that committing evil is better than knowing God. It obscures understanding of what is worthy. Sin deceives by proclaiming that it is worthy of praise and worship...and the human without Gods spirit has so much faith in that lie. Sin exclaims that it can give hope, life, happiness and the answers but instead gives a life of deception and misery. Sin must be hated because it wants God off the throne and humanity to bow and praise it.
Sin has tricked us all! It's stolen the joy and peace of knowing God. It ruins families and society. It corrupts governments but most of all induces God's perfect anger. Sin is transgression of the law. It's crossing the line that God has made. When we cross that line we are stating two things: 1)God you are a liar, 2)Sin you are telling the truth. We perceive sin to be good for us. It's crazy! Sin has turned the world up-side-down, and so the apostles tried to turn it back the right way up.
The frightening thing is we do not commit sin from the outside.What I mean is that sin comes from within. It's taken us hostage. Sin happens when a person is enticed by his own desires. When that desire has conceived sin is born. Fresh and ready to grow up, mature, dominate and corrupt all our motives, our thoughts and our actions. It makes the best things we do to look like bloody rags. It breeds, it's contagious. The more we sin the more we love to sin. And the more we love to sin the more we hate God. Sin is a King who has already won the heart.
Sin even uses good to produce evil: 'The commandment, which was to bring life, found to bring death. For sin taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me'-Romans 7v9+10. The Law of God is perfect, it's used to bring us to Christ by the Spirit (Gal 3v24). The law is also used as a catalyst for more evil by sin (Rom 5v20).
Looking at the effects of sin is scary. We are filthy- covered in sin. Thank God for Jesus!
''Come now, let us reason together', says the Lord, 'Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool''. Isaiah 1v18.
'If anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.' 1 John 2v1
A prayer: Jesus. Thank you so much for free forgiveness. Thank you that even though we were you enemies you chose to love us. Help us to hate sin with passion, to realise it's full effects and to cleanse ourselves from sin as we walk in Christ. Increase our knowledge of you as our Holy God. Humble us and destroy our pride. Through Jesus. Amen
Books on sin and how to fight it:
The Sinfulness of Sin by Ralph Venning
Precious Remiedies Against Satan's Devices by Thomas Watson
No comments:
Post a Comment