SIN: MANS' GREAT NEMESIS
By Cougan Collins

lgchurchofchrist@cableone.net

 

Like a deadly disease, sin sickens, alienates, and destroys mankind. Like a cruel beast of prey, sin stalks us, attacks us and ultimately destroys us. Our only hope is in Jesus, the mighty Savior, who alone can rescue us from its deadly maw.

* Sin deceives us. Satan deceived Eve, robbing her and Adam and all their descendants of their immortality and home in paradise (I Tim. 2:14). Knowing the deceptive power of sin, John warns us, "Let no man deceive you" (I Jn. 3:7).
* Sin blinds man to the reality of his plight. Sinful man, in his pride, thinks himself to be wise and smart. He thinks he can handle sin and not be hurt. Sin looks beautiful, it promises success and glory, but behind the glitter is the serpent's tooth (I Jn. 2:11).
* Sin humiliates its victims. It robs them of their purity, dignity, and integrity. It makes fools of even those who are great, famous, and brilliant.
* Sin enslaves its victims (Rom. 6:16-17). This is best seen in the person addicted to liquor or drugs, to pornography, homosexuality and fornication.
* Sin weakens and enervates man's character. When one yields to sin, his moral resolve is gradually dissipated until at last his character is destroyed. He no longer tries to resist sin. He no longer wants to defeat it.
* Sin will callous the heart so that it feels no guilt or shame for its evil conduct. It is not touched by the suffering and pain it causes, or that it sees in others (I Tim. 4:1-2).
* Sin destroys people's lives, their reputations, their careers, their families.
* Sin can even destroy a church. Sin had made the church in Laodicea disgusting to the Lord (Rev. 3:17).
* Sin hurts the innocent. The innocent unborn baby is destroyed by abortion. Helpless babes and children are abused by sinful adults. Parents suffer because of the sinful conduct of their older children. Faithful marriage partners suffer because of the sins of their cruel or unfaithful mates. Innocent customers are hurt by dishonest businessman. Sinful men launch wars that bring untold suffering on humanity. Godly souls suffer when the wicked persecute them.
* Sin alienates man from God, man from his neighbor, and even Christians from Christians. Before their salvation, the Christians in Ephesus had been "separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel" (Eph. 2:12).
* Sin is progressive. Wicked men and impostors wax worse and worse (2 Tim. 3:13). Sin eats away at the heart and soul of man, just as cancer does his body.
* Sin ends in death. Sin, when it is full grown, brings forth death (Jam. 1:15). The wages paid for sin is death (Rom. 6:23). Only those who turn to Christ and have their sins washed away in baptism (Acts 22:16) can escape its cruel end.
* Sin spreads like a communicable disease. If you spend much time around sin it will afflict you. "Evil companionships corrupt good morals" (1 Cor. 15:33).

 

If you would like to learn more about the church you read about in the Bible, then come worship with us because our goal is to be New Testament Christians nothing more and nothing less. Adapted from John Waddey