The Potency of Sin

Thanks be to God, one of the activities I've been able to do on a regular basis again is reading my Bible. (Don't ask how exercising or riding my bike is going though.)  The near-daily consumption of God's word has really opened my eyes to the nature of sin - particularly how potent it can become.  The way I see it, it comes in two types.

The first type is just flat-out rebellion.  For a variety of reasons, intentional or not, we love to sin.  When we do something we know is wrong, there is a thrill and excitement to it.  It invades our lives and destroys meaning and relationships; it corrupts and overturns.  Later, when the adrenaline wears off, sin leads us well into blame, guilt and shame.  When confessed, I think most people see and understand what is wrong about this type of sin, and are eager to correct.

However, I'm much more concerned about the second type of sin.  The one that creeps and sneaks into our lives through what starts as a little lie or deception of self.  By observation, I've noticed that once we allow one sin to slip into our lives, it multiplies subtly, but quickly, into other facets of our lives.  What starts as something small, grows into a habit, then that habit becomes lifestyle.

I also find it interesting how different categories of sin can blend themselves into each other.  Greed isn't far from pride, lust isn't far from vanity, and lying isn't far from (selfish) ambition.  It's small wonder that we are a broken creation that needs daily renewal for our daily sins.

It's personally overwhelming to think about how much I can fail everyday.  Forget about living a perfect life, I would be satisfied with a perfect day.  Thanks and praise to Jesus that he has died for all our sins.

Romans 8:1-8
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.  For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.  For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.  For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.  For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot.  Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.