The Miserable Influence
I grew up all my life hearing the following warnings from my parents, youth pastors, and just reading my Bible about the most negative influence in my life…SIN.
“Sin will take you farther than you want to go, it will keep you longer than you want to stay, and it will cost you more than you want to pay.
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)
“The wages of sin is death…” (Romans 6:23a)
“But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.” (James 1:14–15)
“…and be sure your sin will find you out.” (Numbers 32:23b)
“…stop sinning…” (1 Corinthians 15:34)
The late R.C. Sproul said, "Every sin is an act of cosmic treason, a futile attempt to dethrone God in His sovereign authority."
Pastor Garrett Kell said, “Behind every temptation, Satan whispers these lies: ‘God won't see’ and 'You deserve this' and 'It's only this time' and 'It doesn't really matter' and 'This won't cost you anything' and 'You can stop anytime you want' and 'God will forgive you if you give in’ and ‘What God gives you isn't enough.’”
John Piper describes it most vividly: “It is the glory of God not honored, the holiness of God not reverenced, the greatness of God not admired, the power of God not praised, the truth of God not sought, the wisdom of God not esteemed, the beauty of God not treasured, the goodness of God not savored, the faithfulness of God not trusted, the promises of God not believed, the commandments of God not obeyed, the justice of God not respected, the wrath of God not feared, the grace of God not cherished, the presence of God not prized, the person of God not loved.”
Here are few (not all) reminders of what sin can do in a believer's life and why you and I should strive by the power of the Spirit (Rom. 8:12–13) to “abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul” (1 Peter 2:11).
It disqualifies your service (1 Cor. 9:27).
It robs you of your joy in the Lord (Psalm 51:12).
It weighs you down (Isa. 1:4).
It disgraces your reputation (2 Sam. 12:14).
It messes up your fellowship (Matt. 18:15–18).
It unleashes God's loving discipline (Heb. 12:5–12; 1 Cor. 5:5).
It drains your spiritual vitality (I Peter 2:11).
It quenches the Holy Spirit’s work in your life (Eph. 4:30–32; 1 Thess. 5:19).
It deprives you of your rewards (2 John 8).
It defiles your holiness (2 Corinthians 7:1).
It hinders your spiritual progress (Hebrews 12:1).
It pollutes your church family like leaven (1 Corinthians 5:6–7).
It reveals a personal and powerful deception in your life (1 John 1:6, 8, 10).
It increases the heaviness of guilt in your life (Psalm 32:4).
It obstructs answered prayer (Isa. 66:18).
It can cause others to stumble (Rom. 14:13; Mark 9:42–48).
It invites uncomfortable but needed confrontation and accountability from your church family (Matt. 18:15–18).
It messes up your worship (Matt. 5:26).
It can cause physical problems (Ps. 32:3; 1 John 5:16; 1 Cor. 11:23–27).
Keep these consequences in mind as you strive to “make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lust” (Rom. 13:14), and remember the greatest news: in Christ and because of our Lord and Savior, we have been saved from the penalty of sin (Rom. 8:1), the power of sin (Rom. 6:6, 11–14) and ultimately from the presence of sin (1 John 3:2).
“Indwelling sin remains in us even though it has been dethroned. And though it has been overthrown and weakened, its nature has not changed. Sin is still hostile to God and cannot submit to His law (Romans 8:7). Thus we have an implacable enemy of righteousness right in our own hearts. What diligence and watchfulness is required of us when this enemy in our souls is ready to oppose every effort to do good!” – Jerry Bridges (The Pursuit of Holiness)
Pastor Jeff
“Only once in sacred Scripture is an attribute of God elevated to the third degree. Only once is a characteristic of God mentioned three times in succession. The Bible says that God is holy, holy, holy.”