The Cost of Sin

For as long as anyone, even the ancient writers, can remember, there have been those who have helped others to sin. The serpent in the Garden of Eden was their model, that first entice-er and seducer toward sin. Nothing has changed in that ancient game. In Proverbs, King Solomon writes out a lesson about the crafty harlot that includes these words:

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With her enticing speech she caused him to yield,
​​With her flattering lips she seduced him.
​​Immediately he went after her, as an ox goes to the slaughter,
​​Or as a fool to the correction of the stocks,
Till an arrow struck his liver.
​​As a bird hastens to the snare,
​​He did not know it would cost his life. (Pro 7:21-23)

As a veteran of the armed forces, I can tell you that method has not changed a bit. The kicker is at the end - "it would cost him his life." Indeed, the wages of sin is, as Paul told us, death. In spite of this, we continue to at times follow that same road as the ox goes to the slaughter. One would think with the cost so high that we could stop.

Look at Israel, the law was given to the holy people. In this law are many crimes that we would never consider capital in this day, but in the Law the offender is to be put to death. How do we know this happened? Well, in many cases, the law is followed up later with a story about the man or woman who broke the law and the chuckin' stones came out. Such severe penalties, we say, should surely have stopped any law breaking, but it never did.

The cost of sin is too high, yet we continue to go after it. We need a better way. Praise God for providing that Way (John 14:6), and His name is Jesus Christ, Immanuel. We can live in His life because He paid the price of our sin. But it doesn't stop there, for His work is to change us from that ox on the road to destruction to a living human being on the road up to Heaven from Calvary. Enjoy a nice walk along that narrow but wonderful road today.

Have faith, He returns!

Bucky