A "Sin 2007" News Brief

Well, nothing new to report. The same old battle rages.

However, I have gained some interesting insights into sin's deceptions and work from Kris Lundgaard. In his book "The Enemy Within", Lundgaard exposes a very subtle trick of sin. He states: ". . . the flesh weakens conviction against sin by seperating the remedy of grace from the design of grace. The Scriptures teach nothing more clearly than that God's design in showing mercy is to make us holy people . . . God also provides a remedy for our lapses: His loving pardon gives us peace, so that we know that if we do sin, "we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense"(I John 2:1). The flesh works to make you forget the design (that you are saved to be holy) and think only of the remedy (if you sin you'll be forgiven). It preaches half a gospel (a twisted gospel) to us: "Go ahead and indulge - it's already paid for'".

This may seem rather obvious, but that's what makes it both such deception and genius on the part of sin. We can all too easily make the mistake of presuming on the forgiveness of God while neglecting His requirement that we be Holy as He is Holy. It's like using the "Get Out of Jail Free" card in a game of Monopoly. When we fall for this ploy of the flesh, however, we don't realize ( often until it's too late) that as Lundgaard says, "your heart is hardened by its deceitfulness (Hebrews 3:13) so that you are careless about sin. You will look at your life and think about how often you need forgiveness, and so come to think of it as something common". This is the height of presumption which is itself a great sin against God.

We would all do well to recognize that all sin is a strike at the holiness of God. Let's all pray for a hatred of our sin and a cherishing of the holiness, mercy and grace of our invincible God.


Keith
B. L. B. B.
(Be Like the Bereans Baby!!!)