The Dread Disease

Habakkuk 1:13 “You are of purer eyes than to behold evil, and cannot look on wickedness.”

Today, we seem to have forgotten just how terrible is sin; maybe even have forgotten the definition of “sin” altogether. Webster’s Dictionary defines “Sin” as the voluntary departure of a moral agent from a known rule of rectitude or duty, prescribed by God; any voluntary transgression of the divine law, or violation of a divine command; a wicked act; iniquity. Sin is either a positive act in which a known divine law is violated, or it is the voluntary neglect to obey a positive divine command, or a rule of duty clearly implied in such command. Sin comprehends not action only, but neglect of known duty, all evil thoughts, purposes, words and desires, whatever is contrary to God's commands or law. I remember reading Blaise Pascal’s evaluation that we really don’t know or understand the depths of the “fall of man” by original sin. We cannot grasp the true epic concept of sin entering the world and haven’t got a clue of the actual tragic plummet from eternal communion and fellowship with God to the immediate spiritual death of the spirit within us and the eventual physical death introduced, however, we live in this dread disease (a disease with a significant impact on lifestyle, longevity, which incurs high costs) called sin. The wages of sin is death.

Ephesians 2:1-6 “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”

I had read that only those who understand the perfect world of heaven would have the foggiest notion of how horrific sin really is. The contrast is shocking. But when we look at this One (Jesus) who came from true Paradise of the kingdom of Heaven to die for us and heal us of this dread disease, we begin to get a view of just how terrible a thing sin in actual fact is. We need to come to grips with what Christ endured – that this terrible thing called “Sin” might be taken away because sin inevitably draws upon itself the wrath of Just and Holy God. May we never forget that even if we become complacent in the face of sin, even if we accept it broadly as a people; God is a God who is infinitely holy and has an infinite hatred for sin.

John 3:35-36 “The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand. He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”

He, whose eyes are too pure even to look upon iniquity, has promised that He will visit our transgressions with the rod, and that His wrath will inevitably fall upon our sins. So we stand in His presence, amazed that the Creator could want us fallen creatures and that God found a way to make us cleaned, radiant, and free from sin; washed in the blood of Jesus – the cure for the ultimate dread disease.

In Christ, Brian