and since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. [romasn 1:28]
we live in a culture that is easily influenced. we see this in marketing campaigns all the time, but what about with regard to sin?
most of us think about the consequences of our actions before we act. however, one of the tricks of the enemy is to lure us into thinking that there won’t be any consequences for our actions.
lies like:
“your spouse will never find out you cheated”
“that company won’t ever know you fudged those numbers”
“they’ll never know it was you who did that”
“they’ll never know it was you who did that”
“no one will ever know you looked at that”
and so many more…
but the truth is, sin, and especially a life driven by sin, has eternal consequences.
proverbs 5:20-23 is talking specifically about adultery, but i believe it is generalizable to all sin. it says this:
[20] why should you be intoxicated, my son, with a forbidden woman
and embrace the bosom of an adulteress?
[21] for a man’s ways are before the eyes of the LORD,
and he ponders all his paths.
[22] the iniquities of the wicked ensnare him,
and he is held fast in the cords of his sin.
[23] he dies for lack of discipline,
and because of his great folly he is led astray.
and embrace the bosom of an adulteress?
[21] for a man’s ways are before the eyes of the LORD,
and he ponders all his paths.
[22] the iniquities of the wicked ensnare him,
and he is held fast in the cords of his sin.
[23] he dies for lack of discipline,
and because of his great folly he is led astray.
the wisdom proverbs is communicating is this: God sees your sin, and sin leads to death.
when paul writes in romans 1:28 that God gave sinful, idolatrous people up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done, he is communicating that a life driven by sin and idolatry will have eternal consequences.
1 corinthians 15:57: “but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
you and i were both living lives dominated by sin before we met Jesus. through his redemption, we now live lives to honor God.
the call today is 3-fold:
1. repent of hidden sin in your life, the sin that you’re sure no one knows about.
2. turn from sin. you may be able to do this on your own through the power of the Holy Spirit, or God may use someone else in the body of Christ to help.
3. be thankful. thankful for salvation and for God’s mercy.
kill the sin in our lives, Lord.
amen.
~ john sandman