[Biblemat] S) DO WE HATE SIN OR PLAY WITH IT?

[J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com]

Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here.  Here is a study that rec-
ently came my way.  Use to the glory of God.

DO WE HATE SIN OR PLAY WITH IT?

     Parents who truly love a newborn child hate and avoid any-
thing which harms that child.  Environments of disease and
sickness are avoided.  People who have contagious diseases
are not welcomed guests.  This is as it should be, and most
understand this is for the good of the child.

     That same hatred for anything that harms physically shou-
ld also apply to anything that harms spiritually -- sin.  David
said, "Through Thy precepts I get understanding; Therefore
I hate every false way" (Psa. 119:104).  A similar statement 
later is, "Therefore I esteem all Thy precepts concerning all
things to be right; And I hate every false way" (vs. 128).

     Moses anticipated Israel's entrance into Canaan"s idolat-
rous culture and warned, "The images of their gods you are
to burn in the fire.  Do not covet the silver and gold on them,
and do not take it for yourselves, or you will be ensnared by
it, for it is detestable to the Lord your God.  Do not bring a
detestabel thing into your house or you, like it, will be set
apart for destruction.  Utterly abhor and detest it, for it is set
apart for destruction" (Deut. 7:25,26).  Abhor and detest are
good synonyem for hate, and such was to be Israel's feelings
toward the idolatrous trappings of Canaan.

     However, Israel's toying (dealing with something lightly or
without vigor or purpose) with idolatry later led Joshua to say
that Israel could not "serve Jehovah" as long as these remain-
ed (Jos. 24:19).  He was right.  Following his death, Israel "for-
sook Jehovah, and served Baal and the Ashtaroth" (Jdgs. 2:
13).  This led to a downward spiral ending eventually in their
destruction as a nation.

     Lest anyone think that God has "softened" His Old Testa-
ment view of sin, Jesus Himself said, "Whoever causes one of these little 
ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better
for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were
drowned in the depth of the sea" (Matt. 18:6).  It is difficult to
imagine how execution by drowning at sea is "better" than anything.  However, 
Jesus said tht such was "better" because one who leads another to sin has the 
ultimate destiny of hell that is much "worse"!

     Paul old Ephesian Christians, "But among you there must
not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of im-
purity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people.  Nor 
should there be obscenity, foolish talk or
coarse joking," since God's wrath will come on such (Eph. 5:
3-6, NIV).  Clearly, Christians are to abhor and detest sins
common to our society to the degree that there is not "even
a hint" of them around us.  Love for God and a desire to go
to heaven should form a hatred for sin and avoidance of 
everything that would lead one to hell.  Since this is true...

1. Never Intentionally Sin Even Once: -- One's conscience can
become "seared" (1 Tim. 4:2) and insensitive to the terrible-
ness of it.  Something by which one was "bothered" earlier
becomes, as lying does, a little easier every time it's done.
Sin is "deceitful" (Heb. 3:13).  It promises what it cannot ful-
fill, costs more than expected, and will keep one longer than
intended.  No wonder Paul said to "exhort one another daily...
so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness."
Once yu deliberately violate your conscience and intentional-
ly sin, the road to hell becomes easier.

2. Hate Sin Enough That Even If Doing Right, Nothing Will
    Appear To Be Wrong: -- The influence of sin is so terrible
that we should not only do right, but also do nothing that
looks wrong!  Paul knew questions might arise concerning
any misallocation of the monetary gift Gentile churches were
collecting for Jerusalem saints.  To avoid raising any quest-
ions of impropriety, Paul had several men accompany him and the gift.  "We 
want to avoid any criticism of the way we
administer this liberal gift.  For we are taking pains to do what
is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes
of men" (2 Cor. 8:20,21).  Perception of wrong even to the
world should be a concern to Christians.

     I have known faithful brethren who would never be alone
in a house with another woman who was not his wife or relat-
ive.  This illustrates the principle above.  However, some have
never been taught or have forgotten this principle.  In last
month's Truth Magazine, Connie Adams had this to say even
about preachers misbehaving.

     "And what shall we say about purity toward the sisters?
     The cause of Christ suffers from those who preach the
     truth about purity while living immorally.  Out of "counsell-
     ing" sessions in the preacher's study affairs have develop-
     ed, flirtations have matured into inflamed passion, marria-
     ge vows have been violated, and then a trail of lies invent-
     ed to cover such betrayals of trust.  When these come to
     light, families are shattered, children bewildered, confiden-
     ce is lost, the weak are made to stumble, and only the judg-
     ment will reveal the number of lost souls in the wake of
     such deeds."

     If I had a car problem, needed help, and a bar were close
by, and other help a half-mile or so away, I would walk!  Even
if one didn't drink in the bar, his appearance going into, time
spent inside, and coming out would give anyone who saw
him justifiable questions.  Someone may say, "That's judging"
Yes, but why do people go to bars?  Not to make calls but to
drink liquor.  Your presence, even if you were doing right,
leads to wrong assumptions.  Influence is important, especial-
ly on the world (Matt. 5:13-16), and we are to live so as to in-
fluence everyone to live righteously, not ungodly lives.  We 
are to "be careful to do what is right in the eyes of every-
body" (Rom. 12:17), and "give no occasion of stumbling, eith-
er to Jews, or to Greeks, or to the church of God" (1 Cor. 10:
32).  It's sinful to drink (1 Pet. 4:3).  It is likewise wrong to sit
around socializing at a place where such is done.  One should
not only not drink, but also never give anyone a reason to be-
lieve that he does.

     We are to "flee fornication" (1 Cor. 6:18), which means 
avoid putting ourselves in a position where fornication is easy, such as when 
an unmarried and eligible man and wom-
an live together and alone in a house.  Christians should live
so as not only to avoid fornication, but also avoid appearing
to others that such occurs.

     Loving and hating anything generally comes by learning
more about that thing; why it is lovable or detestable.  The
more we know of God's character, His Word, the more we
will view sin from His point of view, and the more we will grow
to hate it, not flirt with it.  God's Will, found in His Word, defin-
es what sin is (1 Jno. 3:4), and is our shield against it.  "Thy
Word have I laid up in my heart, That I might not sin against
Thee" (Psa. 119:11).  Let us hate sin and not play with it, and
love righteousness and be serious about it.  --- Phillip Owens
in The Elgin Hills Examiner, Vol. 2, No's 3,4, March/April 2007.

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