[Biblemat] A> Think First, Think Seriously

[Steven C. Harper]

From: TRUTH & REASON, a bulletin of the Glendale church of Christ, Glendale, AZ. 
Editor: Steven Harper 
January 21, 2007

Think First, Think Seriously      

 

     I am confident in saying that any committed believer would not sin if he or she stopped long enough to think about the consequences of the sin. But many sins are committed because an individual is caught up in the heat of the moment and the fleshly passions overrule the mind and logic, and no time is taken to think about what the inevitable result of that sin will be. From time to time, we see court cases wherein one individual has committed what is called a 'crime of passion' or one committed in the midst of a rage. In such cases, the emotions and passions have taken over and have driven them to do what they would never have done had they taken the time to think about what they were doing. Regardless, the crime has been committed and the one who acted in haste must still be held accountable for the crime.

     But on a larger scale than our criminal courts system, we must acknowledge the fact that we will one day have to answer before God and Christ for the deeds done in the body, whether good or evil (2 Cor. 5:10). Surely, we must be aware that whatever we do here on earth cannot be hidden from God (1 Cor. 4:5; Heb. 4:13), though man may never know what we have done. The greater problem of sin is that it is against God and He will judge all righteously and fairly and completely. There will be no plea bargains and no suppressed evidence that will prevent a conviction; if we have sinned and if we have not been forgiven of that sin, we will have to answer for it.

     With these things in mind, let us consider the inescapable consequences of sin that we might be better prepared to answer temptations when they come. Let us think first - before we act - and let us think seriously about these things, if for no other reason than the consequences.

     A Poor Example. Let me first say that it is true that all men sin; to deny it would be foolish and - worse - we would be deceiving ourselves (1 John 1:8) and we would make God a liar (v. 10). Many brethren - including many preachers - put on a facade of sinless perfection and preach as if everyone else should be as sinless as they appear to be. It is deceptive to act as if we do not sin, and we are setting ourselves and others up for a tremendous discouragement when we do sin. We should certainly be striving for sinlessness in our lives, but we should not lie to ourselves and others by pretending we never fail to meet our own expectations. The solution is not denial, but repentance and a resolution to henceforth live faithfully.

     That said, when we do sin it may be a cause of reproach on the name of the Lord. It is likely that those of the world will be watching us like the Pharisees did with Jesus, hoping to catch us in some sin or some contradiction or some act with which they may accuse us. That is the way the world is, and we should be prepared to accept it. But though it is not necessarily fair to condemn one's life in total because of one act, we should be aware that there may be many occasions where that one act is all someone sees! What if someone we do not know sees us sin? What will be the impression we leave with them?

     It would be nice if everyone withheld judgment until all the facts were in and our whole lives could be judged, but that is not the way life works. Many people see very little of us and very little of our lives, so what they do see becomes all the more important. What kind of example are we leaving for them? All the more reason Paul commanded Timothy to "set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity" (1 Tim. 4:12); all the more reason Paul instructed Titus to "Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us" (Titus 2:7-8).

     A Weakened Spiritual Condition. It is said that most drug addicts began using 'recreational' drugs and gradually got into the 'hard' drugs - some more quickly than others. Interviews with some of the addicts reveal that many began their drug use believing that the 'recreational' drugs would not lead to any lasting harm and that their lives would not be adversely affected. Many, I am sure, were thinking, "Just once won't hurt anything!" How wrong could they have been! What they didn't realize was that the "one time" would forever alter the physical makeup of their bodies and would lead them to crave more of the same, and on a greater scale and toxicity. A recent PBS program on the meth problem revealed that just one time use of meth alters the chemical response of the human body and gives it a "high" so much greater than anything that occurs naturally, that the body then expects - after just one use - to be able to reach that "high" again and will crave meth [or whatever the body thinks will attain that high] even if it is never used again. The sad fact is, "just once" with meth has got you hooked for life!

     Sin has the same dangerous results. Many naively think that "just once" of a sin "won't hurt anyone" and they can go back to being the faithful disciple again. But it doesn't work that way. Just like drugs, when we indulge in sin, our spiritual strength is weakened and once we have breached the gates, it becomes easier the next time, and the next time, and the next, and so on and so on. A man who will lie will also steal, and a man who will steal will do whatever he has to to get what he wants, and if he will do anything to get what he wants, he may eventually kill. There is no "innocence" in sin! God condemned rebellious Israel for adding to their sin by seeking counsel from Egypt instead of Him (Isa. 30:1). They had already sinned by rejecting God and following after idols, but when they sought relief from their oppressors [whom God permitted to come against them as punishment], they went further away from God instead of getting closer. The same may happen when we sin against God today! Many have fallen by the wayside who once thought "just once" would do no harm.

     Spiritual Death. Of course, we all know this but we sometimes do not like to admit it or even talk about it - especially if our minds are set on committing the sin. But let us be reminded of the words of James: "But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death" (Jas. 1:14-15). We may try to deny it and we may try to convince ourselves "It will never happen to me," but there is no alternative present in those words: sin brings forth death. Please note that those words are unqualified; it doesn't say "death" to only unbelievers, it doesn't say "death" only to someone else, and it doesn't say "death" only if you get caught by another person. Sin brings forth death every time.

     Elihu speaks about the adulterer who comes out at twilight, thinking, "No eye will see me" (Job 24:15), but he forgets that God sees all. Achan erroneously thought that no one saw him take the "beautiful cloak from Shinar, and 200 shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels" (Josh. 7:21), but God saw. Simon the Pharisee probably didn't think Jesus knew what he was thinking when he disparaged Him and the sinful woman (Luke 7:39), but Jesus knew and taught him an important lesson about repentance and forgiveness (vv. 40-50).

     So next time a temptation arises and you are tempted by your own desires to sin, stop and think for a minute before acting; think seriously about these things we have covered today; think about your example to others, the likelihood it will lead to other sins, and the inevitable and inescapable end it will bring if left uncorrected. This is your soul at stake - and maybe the soul of another.

     "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies, to make you obey their passions" (Rom. 6:12).       -- Steven Harper
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