Sin has its own distinct pleasures. There’s no reason to lie about it, sin is fun. Preferring to live in sin is to live a life full of joy and laughter. It’s kind of like being drunk with abandon instead of alcohol.
But there’s also no reason to lie about the following. Sin has its own particular brand of fear.
The one who lives a life of sin fears everything. He can’t trust God to watch out for him, so whatever is unknown becomes a potentially destructive enemy. And the volume of unknowns is endless.
The sinner may say he fears nothing. He may make great bold statements of his ability to cope. But as Shakespeare wrote, “Me thinks thou dost protest too much”. The bold proclamations of a sinner, in regard to his fearlessness, are nothing more than a golden blanket covering the thumb sucking child within.
The sinner knows he stands in a very precarious place. God has promised to rip him apart at the judgment, and the sinner knows it. By sheer will and deft ignorance the sinner simply puts it out of his mind.
On top of the coming promise of destruction, is a very curious fear. They call it bad luck. It’s also called Murphy’s Law.
The sinner is always looking over his shoulder to see what’s coming to bite him in the butt. He’s absolutely sure God has it in for him. In the sinners mind, God is always trying to cause him trouble. But such thoughts are only a mirror of his own evil heart.
The sinners fear is equal to his pleasure. All the while he goes about trying to secure his next joy, he worries and frets that he will be assaulted in some peculiar manner. Perhaps a broken bone, perhaps severe sickness, perhaps he will be caught doing what he should not be doing and end up in jail.
It’s ridiculous the measures people take to avoid thinking about God and the judgment to come. But even more ridiculous is the ease with which his fearful burden can be lifted. All it takes is a tiny measure of humility. But humility isn’t fun, so it’s given no place on the sinners agenda.
God will not despise the humble heart. And God will teach the humble man how to be fearless.
Forgiveness from Christ Jesus provides a distinctly different joy. While apparently the body is cast into sorrow, the forgiven sinners soul is laughing in the language of heaven. While the sinner’s joy ends when his current preoccupation is taken away, the joy of the forgiven sinner never leaves him. Little by little that peculiar fearfulness is replaced by a gentle confidence.
Serving God in Christ Jesus is pure and true freedom. Pursuing sin and joy of the body will always result in slavery to fear.
The forgiveness of Christ Jesus is not just an arbitrary phrase. When it is received, the soul knows it has been set free. With forgiveness from God comes peace and hope. Two things the sinner cannot possibly attain and retain.
By His Grace
Words From There 