Consequences of sin

Isaiah 59:6 - Their cobwebs are useless for clothing; they cannot cover themselves with what they make.  Their deeds are evil deeds, and acts of violence are in their hands.

In Isaiah 59:6, the prophet paints a vivid picture of the consequences of sin and the futility of human attempts to find righteousness and peace.  This verse serves as a part of a larger passage (Isaiah 59:1-15) where Isaiah highlights the people's separation from God due to their sins.  He describes a people whose efforts to cover themselves and find security are as feeble as cobwebs.  Despite their best intentions, their actions are tainted by evil deeds, and violence permeates their lives.

This verse serves as a reminder that all humanity, regardless of our best efforts, falls short of God's perfect standard.  No matter how hard we try to construct a facade of righteousness or find fulfillment in worldly pursuits, our attempts will always fall short.  Amid this bleak reality, there is hope. Isaiah 59:1 assures us that God's hand is not too short to save, nor His ear too dull to hear.  Despite our sinful state, God extends His mercy and grace to us.  He sees our desperate need and offers a solution that transcends our feeble attempts at self-justification.

The ultimate answer to our sinfulness and brokenness is found in Jesus Christ.  Through His perfect life, sacrificial death on the cross, and victorious resurrection, He offers forgiveness, redemption, and a restored relationship with God.  Jesus' sacrifice provides the covering we desperately need, far surpassing any cobwebs of self-righteousness or human effort.  As we recognize the futility of our own works and the destructive nature of sin, we are invited to embrace the redemption and salvation offered through faith in Christ.

Generational Sin

Do the sins of our ancestors have an effect on us today?  Scripture asserts that past generational sins have ripple effects that reach the children:  The Lord "punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation" [Exodus 34:6-7], and "those of you who are left will waste away in the lands of their enemies because of their sins; also because of their ancestors' sins they will waste away" [Leviticus  26:39].

Your parents and family members have probably had the greatest influence on your development, including the patterns of sin.  Even without your knowledge, there may be influences or examples that family members modeled for you, which then became accepted as 'normal'.   Parents will often replicate the unhealthy discipline habits of their own parents, despite promises that they will never repeat their parents' mistakes.  From anger, gossip, extra-marital affairs, and drunkenness to physical and emotional abuse, every family will exhibit their own hidden idols.

But the good news is that Jesus has the power to free you from the transference of bondage from previous generations.  Jesus was made a curse so that we would not be cursed [Galatians 3:13].  We must identify those sins and repent of them.  Even unresolved conflicts within the family must be dealt with in order for healing and reconciliation to happen.

[Extracted from LIVING  Life February 2013]

Flee from sin

Why is it that so many believers fall into deep sin?  Why are so many Christian marriages broken by adultery?  It is because believers still have much to learn about sin.

Sin, by nature, is seductive and deceptive.  Sin, when it causes havoc, rarely is understood as the source of the evil.  It is the master con artist that is the champion of disguise.  It is the mirage that never gives what it promises.  It has people all over the world chasing after water that will never satisfy.

Believers are told to flee from sin.  Whenever there is temptation, the believer is called to flee.  However, too often, we do not understand the evil and deceptive nature of sin.  We like to flirt with it.  We like to go as close to the line as possible.  It is because sin still looks desirable for us.  We still believe the promise it offers.  But learned believers see the mask.  They see the mirage for what it is - nothing but lies.  Lastly, they see sin as the reason that put Jesus on the cross.

Sin is not to be taken lightly.  Believers need to learn to hate sin and whenever tempted, to flee.  Sin is the reason we need to be saved, because we cannot save ourselves.  That is the first lesson for the believer, and this lesson needs to be reinforced every day.

[Extracted from LIVING Life April 2013 - Joel Yoon]