The Destructiveness of Sin

Scripture reading: Matthew 17:14-21 and 1 Peter 5:8

We have here a record of a child, who is suffering from some form of lunacy, being brought to Christ. The suffering was such that the child fell into the water and fire. Water is likely meant here enough water to cause drowning, and fire enough that would burn the skin. On Christ’s healing of the child, a demon departed the child’s body.

Matthew Henry in his commentary notes especially that the child’s lunacy was aggravated by the demon’s presence. It was not enough that the child suffered from lunacy, the demon worked to aggravate it to the point of causing injury by water and fire.

Like no other, this account demonstrates the destruction caused by Satan and should awaken our hearts and minds to the destructiveness of sin. Sin is anything which separates us from the Lord. It is, as we read of Adam and Eve, disobedience of the Lord and originates from Satan.

For those who commit sin “casually” or believe that small sins are basically harmless, consider that it is dabbling in the kind of destruction that seeks to drown and burn an innocent, helpless child. There is no such thing as a white lie, casual extra-marital affair, petty theft and other “casual” or “social” behaviors. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary includes in the definition of casual “feeling or showing little concern.” That means our behaviors in which we engage casually or socially at social functions are either of little concern in that their impact on our spiritual life is meaningless or we have little concern for their effects on our souls.

Probably the most common excuse for committing “casual” or “social” sins is that we have it under control. We will not take it too far or we know when to stop. The social drinker, casual narcotics user and infrequent enjoyment of sexual intercourse with different partners are examples of this. One only need look so far as our over-crowded prisons, the effects of long-term narcotics usage, cases of prominent individuals on trial for traffic homicide and the life-changing effects of a sexually-transmitted disease or unintended pregnancy to get a feeling for the potential destruction in “casual” and “social” sins.

It would be like a child playing with a lit match or fire on the end of a stick when suddenly something goes awry and the grass catches on fire, which quickly spreads to a nearby forest and becomes out of control. Once the destruction starts, it cannot be stopped … at least not easily. Worse still is that the effects of the destruction will be long-lasting and forever change our lives. Although this does not happen every time a child plays with fire, the potential for unintended destruction is always there.

We must understand that the source of the potential for destruction in our lives resulting from casual and social sins is Satan and his network of demons. Although our lives are not always ruined by destruction from casual sins and we may not open the door wide to intentionally give Satan a foothold in our lives, we must not forget that it is Satan with whom we are messing, and this is the same Satan who took hold of the child to drown and burn him.

A casual sin may mean to you that the door to sin is not open wide, but in reality the door is not shut tightly either. I once saw this quote, “Sometimes we shut the door to sin and then turn around and look through the key hole.” In speaking to a church youth group, I put a small mark of chalk on a chalk board and then asked the group if the board was clean. Some said yes and others said no. Those who said yes believed they were justified in their answer because the board was still usable and basically clean. Those who said no understood that technically the board was not clean. The lesson was that even the smallest mark of sin creates uncleanness in our lives and slips a wedge of separation between us and the Lord. Like the mark on the chalk board, it also means we have to work around the mark in creating other drawings on the board. In the same way, our lives have to be re-organized around “casual” sins, which means we are not entirely usable and available to the Lord. There are some areas that are “off limits.”

If you find a verse in the Bible that clearly says the Lord will accept only a portion of our lives in surrendering to Him in obedience and service, go to the contact page on my website and send me an e-mail. We cannot be committed and dedicated to the Lord if only part of our lives is available to Him. He expects all of our lives! He wants to paint a picture on the entire chalk board.

The implication is that, if we take a casual view of seemingly insignificant wedges of separation between us and the Lord or if we have little concern for our casual sin, we are also taking a casual approach toward the Lord, our relationship with Him, and the transforming/regenerating work He wants to do in our lives in preparation for service to Him and for our ultimate residence with Him in heaven. Whoever believes it is appropriate to take a casual approach toward the Creator of the universe will one day have a rude awakening. Jesus certainly did not take a casual approach toward you when He died on the cross. Nothing less than His dedication toward us is also expected of us toward Him.