Of Osmosis and God’s Word

I have seen an end of all perfection: but thy commandment is exceeding broad. (Psalm 119:96) 

It is interesting that we spend all our time and effort building things that will take us only as far as the grave.

The other day we were having some discussion (I think that is what a Christian fellowship ought to be like) when one of us said something that I feel is very relevant to our discussion here. Where do all these things end?

Marriage and family – death

Hope - death

Faith – death

Good health – death

Investments – death

Education – death

Sex – death

Jobs – death

Science and progress - death

In fact there are very few things that we will need past the veil of death, among them being obedience and love, God’s kind of love. Yet there is ONLY one thing that goes beyond even that. And that is God’s word.

For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven. (Psalm 119:89)

Not only that but we need to know that God’s word goes farther than even heaven.

For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. (Matthew 5:18)

Is it not therefore superfluous for us to spend all our waking moments building on things and activities that will only be used as fuel for the fire in our lives? Is it not folly that we invest so much of our time and money preparing for a journey whose destination is the grave? Could we be building our eternity using the stubble as 1 Corinthians 3 says?

Sin

The whole essence of sin is shortsightedness. Someone sins when the enticements of the present completely override any consideration for the future. To Eve the tantalizing appeal of the forbidden fruit completely overrun the constant fellowship they had with God every day.

Even looking at David we are able to see the same thing. If I may paraphrase God’s argument this is what I see in 2 Samuel 12: 8.

Were you so desperate for a wife? In the rules of war all Saul’s wives were legally yours. All his property was also yours. And I was even ready to give you much more had you expressed the need. You really have no excuse for sleeping with your subject’s wife and killing him to cover up. It was even sadder because he was a convert from the polytheistic nations around Israel.

In other words David had no reason for sinning just as none of us have any excuse for sinning. Enticement is a result of a lack of foresight. I simply stop to see beyond the present. I stop to see the consequences of my actions. I stop thinking beyond the feelings of the moment.

If we decided to soberly look at our shallow excuses for sin and compromise we will really have no defense for them.

Creating grey areas for the same is agreeing to follow the devil all the way as I will argue my way out of repentance, thereby falling in the trap of greater sin and rebellion, eventually getting into abominations. Else explain to me how a pastor (and not of goats) will defend a homosexual lifestyle yet he has a firm grip of the Bible, may even be a theologian of repute.

A always look for sharp colors when I am examining anything in the light of scripture to avoid the error of defending vague positions because I am convinced that vagueness is the devil’s strongest weapon to defeat obedience.

Doing the same for temptation will help you avoid it 95% of the time

Taking a soda in a bar will not make me drunk. But it is a shorter distance to drunkenness than a normal restaurant. Enjoying music in a dim place next to a lodging with an assortment of friend does not make me sexually active. But it is less safe than doing the same in an elder’s house.

That is the thrust of Psalm 1.