One of the topics that is often taboo to talk about these days is S-I-N. It puts us on edge and make us feel uncomfortable. The “why” is up in the air. Sometimes it is conviction. Sometimes it is guilt. Sometimes it is “I’m not as bad as so-and-so because they have done such-and-such.” Close to that last one, but not quite landing on top of it, is “I just don’t care.” I’m wondering if this might be the most common these days, but also the most dangerous.
Someone has said, “Sin will take you farther than you ever wanted to go, cost you more than you ever wanted to pay, and keep you longer than you ever wanted to stay.” You don’t have to think about that statement too long before you realize it is true. Take, for example, the people of Israel. They clamored for a representation of God so Aaron molds a golden calf. In Exodus 32 not long after their promise to follow God, Exodus 32:6 tells us “The people got up early the next morning to sacrifice burnt offerings and peace offerings. After this, they celebrated with feasting and drinking, and they indulged in pagan revelry.” That is a $10 word for “immorality.” Yep, they just slid down that slippery slope they found themselves on. I hate to think of how much that describes me.
Here’s the thing though. God takes sin seriously. While we may pooh-pooh it. While we may turn a blind eye. While we may even justify ours or someone else’s sin, God takes it seriously. Very seriously. Case in point: God goes to great lengths to prepare Aaron and his sons for their responsibilities as High Priest (Aaron) and priests (his sons). Moses makes sure that all God told him to do is fulfilled. He relates it all to Aaron and his sons. All seems right. Until Leviticus 10. Verses 1-2 tells us that Nadab & Abihu, two sons of Aaron, offered strange fire-fire different from what had been commanded-and “fire blazed forth from the Lord’s presence and burned them up, and they died there before the Lord.” What exactly that means is up for debate. Some suggest they offered the wrong kind of incense. Some suggest they were drunk (God stipulates no wine or alcoholic drink in verses 8-9). Whatever it stands for, they disobeyed God. And as I have said before, God takes sin seriously. To quote Paul David Tripp: “To God, no disease that has befallen humanity is more significant and destructive that sin.” (February 3-p.42 from Everyday Gospel Devotional). Expulsion from the Garden was the consequence of the first sin. Who knows what the consequences of our sin will be?
Let’s take sin seriously. Adam and Eve. Nadab and Abihu serve as just 4 examples of the consequences of taking sin lightly. Let’s not be one of those statistics.
When I read that passage a couple of weeks ago about Aaron’s sons, it confused me, too, Bill, but you have certainly shed a great light on it. Sin is sin, no matter what, and God does take our sins seriously. Of all people, Aaron’s sons should have known better, but then again, we all fall into the sin of thinking we know best when only God does. Great reflection! Blessings!
Like you, I was confused. I finally decided that I didn’t need to know. 🙂 The important part is what you have pointed out and it behooves us to keep an eye out for ourselves.
Sin is sin, and once its committed you will never have control of it. Sin is controlling and leaves a wake of destruction in its path no matter what size you think the sin is. There a reason that God, gives us new mercies every morning. To understand sin you first have to recognize what it is and how easily the enemy can trap you into it. Make sure you put on your armor of God everyday, ask for God’s strength and protection daily, and be quick to repent sins and ask forgiveness without excuses for it.
Very true Bail. Unfortunately we live in a culture that wants to “grade” sin. Little ones (in their eyes) don’t need to be repented of or forgiven. As followers of Jesus, it is important for us to recognize our need for confession and repentance.
There should be no question that sin obstructs our interaction with God. It hinders our communication and His influence in us. As believers, we must not only defend against the attacks and traps that are placed before us and ambush us, but I believe we also must go on the offensive through various disciplines to push the battle away from our own lives.
In a culture that believes in spiritual relativism… we can’t rely the world’s definition of right and wrong. The standard for Truth can only be measured against a perfect and absolute God.
Circling back on sin… I have found in my own life and with conversations with others that your statement regarding sin taking us farther, making us pay more, and keeping us longer is a tactic the enemy continues to ensnare us with as believers. If the enemy can take our eyes off the Grace that Jesus’ death and resurrection provided… He can take us off the battle field longer and with more consequences than he has the authority to do. We don’t have to listen to His lies… God’s Grace is sufficient and we don’t have to wait for permission to rejoin the fight. It’s time to put our armor. It’s time to raise our sword and shield. It’s time to reengage the enemy and push the fight deeper into enemy territory and reclaim what we have been given the authority to conquer.
So true Ryan. I want to comment on your comment on sin. 🙂 It is a tactic and the longer our enemy can hold us under his spell, the deeper he can take us. The deeper he can take us, the harder it is to dig ourselves out of his grave. Thanks be to God that He has conquered him and because of that we can also!