MORNING MANNA 7-12-21
THE SINFULNESS OF SIN
“Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.”– 1 John 3:4
One of the early pioneer missionaries to the American West was Marcus Whitman. In 1836, this doctor and preacher led a group of people to Oregon, where he began preaching and working among the American Indians living there. His ministry would continue until he was martyred in 1847. Though a number of people were saved, many of the Indians did not receive his message gladly. The story goes that when Whitman preached against sin, the Indians asked him for “good talk” instead. They did not want to hear that they were breaking God’s law and needed a Savior. They wanted someone to make them feel good about themselves.
We live in a society that downplays the wickedness of sin and, in many cases, even glorifies and promotes sin. Many people around us do not want to hear the truth that God’s law remains in full effect and that breaking that law is sinful, no matter how good it may make someone feel to do it. Like Whitman’s audience, those around us want “good talk” rather than the truth. But this is not just a problem for the world—often it affects Christians as well. We do not want to be confronted with the reality that God’s Word is still the standard by which all human behavior must be judged. We want to carve out exceptions and justifications for the things we want to do, regardless of what the Bible says.
This is the path to destruction. There are no “little” sins. Each sin is an act of betrayal against the God who saved us, and each sin brings consequences and judgment. James warned, “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all” (James 2:10). We must not rationalize or explain away sinful behavior. God’s law still stands as He wrote it, and we are sinning each time we go against it. If we love God as we should, we will hate every sin, both those seen as large and those seen as small.(Daily in the Word)
David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346
