Bella Vista Church of Christ
LIFELINES
November 13, 2002 Randall Caselman
The High Cost of Sin
Perhaps the most famous sinner in the Bible was David. His sin is known to the whole world. He was guilty of lust, adultery, murder, and lying in the attempted cover-up of Bathsheba's pregnancy. Before we are too hard on David, we must, in light of the Sermon On The Mount, admit that we are all guilty of the same sins. Aren't we? Jesus said lust is sin, mental adultery is sin, hate is mental murder, and we have all lied. Guilty!
The most prized possession in the world is the human soul. "What shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul, or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" If the soul is the most valuable commodity in the universe, then what is the most expensive commodity? SIN. Nothing is more costly to humankind.
THE HIGH COST OF COMMITTING SIN.
Adultery, gossip, character assassination, materialistic idolatry, murder, stealing, lying, drunkenness all start out as thoughts. Our thoughts produce actions, our actions become habit, habit turns into lifestyle, and how we live determines destiny. The bad thing about sin is that it is progressive. David would have been all right if he had just controlled his lust. There is no end to sin, folk. Satan will see to that. How many have said only one drink, one cigarette, one sniff, just a little extra money, one visit to an adult web site…then there is no stopping. Sin seeds once sown will produce a sinister, hideous crop.
THE HIGH COST OF COVERING SIN.
David tried to hide his sin by bringing Uriah home from the battlefield, but Uriah would not go home to his wife. David got Uriah drunk, but still Uriah would not go home. Finally, David resorted to murder. Trying to hide his sin only drew him deeper and deeper into it, and still his sin did not stay hidden. After Nathan confronted him, David lamented (in Psalm 51): "My sin is ever before me." Perhaps we see the painful cost of covering our sins in Psalms 32: "When I kept silence my bones waxed old through my roaring all day long. For day and night Thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned to the drought of summer." Trying to cover sin will rob us of sleep. It will make us old prematurely. The moisture of life, the joy of living, is literally dried up when we attempt to hide our guilt. Karl Menninger, in his book Whatever Happened To Sin?, says burying guilt in the human soul causes backaches, headaches, heartaches, etc. I wonder how many of our pains result from our sin cover-up? No wonder James told the early church to confess your faults. Solomon observed, "He that covers his sins shall not prosper. But whoever confesses and forsakes them shall find mercy." (Proverbs 28.13)
THE HIGH COST OF CONFESSING SIN.
What a great promise to us as God's people from the pen of John: "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1.9) Confession is not easy, not only because it is hard to admit we were wrong, but also because it carries with it the expensive connotation of repentance. God wants more than mere confession, he wants a contrite heart. Pharaoh confessed, but hardened his heart. King Saul confessed, but he didn't change his ways. Judas confessed his betrayal, but took his own life. God demands more than a cheap confession. Agreeing with God on sin, repentance and a contrite, broken heart are costly to our humanity. No, confession was not easy for David and it will not be easy for us. But it is God's way of dealing with our sin.
THE HIGH COST OF FORGIVENESS.
There is no way we can grasp the cost of our salvation. We must realize that confession, repentance, baptism, obedience, sacrifice does not forgive our sin... The Blood Of Christ Does!! God's grace, mercy and loving kindness--extended to us through the incarnation--makes forgiveness possible. Indeed, what a high cost of sin, God becoming flesh!
Sin comes at a high cost, but Christ was willing to pay. Listen to David in Psalm 51: "Have mercy, blot out, wash me, cleanse me, clear me of Thy judgements, purge me, hide my sin, clean my heart, renew my spirit, restore my salvation, deliver me." David wants forgiveness. That is what I want don't you? It is available. "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water." (Hebrews 10.22)
RANDALL CASELMAN
