THE LIES OF SIN – PART SIX

Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. ¹³ But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. ¹⁴ For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end,

Hebrews 3:12-14 (NASB)

SIN DECEIVES US ABOUT REALITY

There were four views of reality in the garden where the first humans sinned. One was correct. The others were deceptions.

God told the couple that if they ate from a particular tree’s fruit it would kill them.

Satan told them it would not kill them. He told them that God was trying to restrict them from something wonderful – to be like God. He told them that they would not be harmed but would find self fulfillment.

Eve thought the fruit of the tree was beneficial for food, a delight to the eyes and desirable to make one wise.

Adam thought it best to listen to his wife rather than God.

Only one view of reality was correct. That view of reality is still correct. Every act of sin tells us one more time that it was correct. But the deception of sin is still active as much as it was in the garden.

Jesus came to save us from sin. He did not primarily come to save us from hell. He did not come primarily to take us to heaven. Those are by products of being saved from sin.

The soul that is not freed from the deception of sin would make heaven a worse place than hell because of its response to God. Like the 10 sons of Jacob whose sin had changed their hearts toward their hearts toward their father our sin makes it impossible to see our Father’s heart. We reject Him and see Him as evil – not ourselves. Jesus came to show the truth about who God really is -- He is Love. He does not have love. He IS love. Perfect Love. Jesus also came to show us what sin really is. Finally he came to make a way back from our sin if we would see its lie and turn from it.

SIN DECEIVES US TELLING US WE ARE THE “SPECIAL CASE” – THAT WE WILL NOT SUFFER ITS CONSEQUENCES

How often I have seen this tragic attitude in spiritual leaders. Men and women who are so gifted yet have come to believe that they are the special case. Because they have people around them who put them in a place of influence that is close to God they begin to feel they are immune to the consequences of sin.

The truth about sin is that no matter who follows its path will always end up in the same end place.

If the President of the United States came into my friend’s wood shop and put his hand in the saw blade it would have exactly the same effect as it would on anyone. Sin treats everyone the same. It does not have a group that it lets by without full consequences. Who ever sins, no matter who they are,

SIN DECEIVES US TO BELIEVE THAT WE ARE HOPELESS IN ITS GRIP AND MIGHT AS WELL CONTINUE ON ITS PATH

This is a primary way sin keeps us in bondage. First sin tempts us to do the act. Then it condemns us for doing the act. Then it tells us we cannot be forgiven. Then it binds us to the act in the belief that we cannot escape it.

Next Part - THE LIES OF SIN – PART SEVEN
http://leonardterry.blogspot.ca/2013/03/the-lies-of-sin-part-seven.html