It can be a messy and uncomfortable topic to discuss....I know. But honestly, it’s not addressed enough- this issue of ‘sin’. Sin is killing us. That is what ‘sin’ does: it brings forth death. (Rom. 3:23; Ezek. 18:20). Why do you think the ‘thief’ tempts you to sin all the time? And we know what he’s all about...he comes to ‘steal, kill, and destroy’. (John 10:10) And what was our condition when we continued to live in sin according to Eph 2:1?

What is truly tragic ironic though, is the One who brought the ‘cure’ for sin, has for the most part, been pushed aside, and the very ‘body’ that was called to represent Him and declare and preach His message, has become the great pacifying enabler. - “God understand you are a pitiful, wretched sinner and He still loves you and knows you will always be a sinner.” ( “He gets you!” – too soon?)

Do you think it’s possible that God’s message got hijacked somewhere along the way? I mean, that would not be the first time that has happened, is it not? (Gen. 2:17; 3:1-11) And we are certainly told over and over how many other ‘Jesuses and gospels’ would creep in to the church world to lead ‘many astray’. (Matt. 24:5,11; 2 Cor. 11:3-4)

Let’s revisit that first ‘command’ or warning that God laid down back in the garden where Adam and Eve were placed. They had everything they could possibly need or want, including ongoing fellowship with God. And only one condition or stipulation was given: “Don’t eat off this one tree!” (Gen. 2:17). In fact, He warned them...that if they did eat off this one tree, they would...”surely die”.

So here comes the thief, or ‘serpent’ as Gen. 3:1 refers to him then, and tells Eve something entirely different. He first questions and cast doubt on what God said...(which we should ALL make note of) and then after adding a bunch more words, he ends up telling her just the opposite of what God said: “You surely shall not die.” (Gen. 3:4)

If you would, please take a look at Romans 8:13 and make note of what Paul warns us will happen if we...continue to ‘live according to the flesh’... we will ______(what?)

If there is any confusion as to what he means when he refers to the ‘flesh’, you can reference Gal. 5:19-21 where he rattles off a lengthy lists of those ‘evident works or deeds of the flesh’ ending on this note: “Those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God’. (21). I don’t know who needs to hear this, but when he says ‘those’, he does not exclude folks who have claimed to ‘accept’ or ‘believe’ in Christ. In fact, if you read on there, He tells you who the ones who ‘belong to Christ’ are...they are the ones “who have crucified (put to death) the flesh with its passions and desires”. (5:24)

Were you aware that the first thing the Holy Spirit will begin to lead you to do, IF...you have come to Jesus with ALL your heart...is He begins to lead you to ‘put to death the deeds of the flesh’. (Rom. 8:13). All that other stuff we get drawn in to like ‘singing for the Lord’ or going off to other countries to save the lost or countless other ‘great works in His Name’ (Matt. 7:22)...is a detour. That will come eventually...just like it did for Jesus. (Luke 4:14)

Is there some ‘suffering in the flesh’ as we put it to death? Yep...there is, but nothing like what Jesus endured for us on the cross. And look what Peter writes in his first letter: “Therefore since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased...from sin...that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.” (4:1-2)

Now here is where it can get interesting...Who did Jesus say would be the ones going to heaven in Matt. 7:21? It was Not the “many who say, ‘Lord, Lord’...but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” Is that how your Bible reads? And the ones who thought they were ‘shoe-ins’ because of all the wonderful works they did in His name...why does Jesus tell them to ‘depart from Me’? Is it not because they continued to ...practice sin? (7:23)

You do realize I hope, that if you have been indoctrinated your whole “Christian” life that you will remain a sinner and always continue to sin...that what I am sharing here with you is nearly impossible to receive, let alone digest and walk out. And IF...it is difficult to read many of these verses over and over in your Bible that I am pointing out, because they don’t ‘fit’ with how you have always believed...then you have a problem; or at least a ‘challenge’ before you.

Perhaps taking a step back and admitting the obvious conflict here and then asking God to help clear this up would be a good first step. Because regardless of what man has taught you, God is no liar. In fact Paul states rather emphatically: “Let God be true and every man a liar”. (Rom. 3:4). His message may not be popular, but it still remains truth. (John 3:19-21)

Let me offer up in closing here today, a rather poignant illustration as to how the church has peddled the message of “grace through faith that saves us”. (Eph. 2:8)...

When penicillin was discovered, it was found to ‘cure’, among many things...syphilis, a sexually transmitted disease. So imagine a man who seems incapable of controlling his sexual passions and spends much of his time, and money, with ‘street prostitutes’. And every other month or so, he comes back home to his wife with another case of syphilis. But no worries...all he needs to do is go to the local clinic, get a shot of penicillin, and he’s good to go; all cured.

But is he really? And should his wife be happy with this now? What if he has ‘curbed that appetite’ and only 'goes on the prowl' a few times a year, as opposed to monthly like he did before, yet continues to contract the disease every time he does act out on his passions?

Is he really...'cured'?

Isn’t that what the ‘church’ at large has basically taught us all our lives? You are going to keep sinning...but no worries...just come to church and get a ‘shot of grace and mercy’ and you are good to go.

The ‘shot’ might cure the symptoms, but it doesn’t fix the cause.

Which leads me back to this messy discussion of sin, again. Jesus brought us the ‘cure’ for sin. But it came with a warning: “Go and sin no more or something worse will happen to you.” (John 5:14)

So that sin that has so easily been ‘ensnaring you’...that you can’t seem to find victory over... are you truly incapable of overcoming it (with the help of the Holy Spirit) or are you simply unwilling to repent of it?

Either way...if you continue to ‘sin willfully’...then you might want to read Hebrews 10:26-31 again.

But IF... you truly want to be ‘made well’ (John 5:6)... then may I again challenge you to ‘examine yourself’ (2 Cor. 13:5) and ...’consider your ways’. (Haggai 1:7).

Jesus just might have a ‘better way’ and it would be ‘His way’.

Join me tomorrow?