Day 2302 of the 7 day Bible verse challenge.


Hebrews 11:25 NIV

Sin is tailor made for this world. It's no wonder that so many are enamored with it and consumed by it and willing to fight to convince themselves and everyone else that it isn't so bad. So many people want that rush of being able to do as they please. We crave instant satisfaction, and sin offers it. Sin gives us that quick spike of adrenaline that tells us we're in control. It offers that false sense of freedom by selling this lie that there are no consequences.

That rush fades. The thrill ends. The surge of fun and excitement passes and we're left right where we started, looking for something to make us feel better. And so we turn to more sin thinking that it will do the trick this time. But all it does is bring this temporary pleasure that fades quicker and quicker. The underlying problem will always be the same: sin is empty. We're trying to make ourselves feel whole by filling ourselves with something that's empty. It's never going to work!

But I get why people fight back against the truth. I understand why the message of the cross will never be popular. As we've been discussing, God's truth stands in stark contrast to what this sinful world craves. People want to be allowed to do as they please without being reminded of the cost of their actions. People want to hear that their sins are okay because then they don't have to feel bad about them. And anyone who tells them different will be hated because the truth rattles their comfy little den of deception.
Telling the world God's truth is going against the grain. It will invite pushback. It will bring hatred and anger and resentment from those who love sin more than doing what's right. Let it. We are here to help lead people to the cross where the blood of Christ will wash all those stains away. There will be many who don't like us for it. Doesn't matter. We're not here to make people comfortable or to tell lies or to go along with whatever the lost masses want to do. It's about pointing to the Savior so that people have a chance to avoid the verdict that is awaiting those who choose to remain living in darkness.

It is better to be hated for telling the truth than to be loved for going along with the lies that sin thrives on. It's better to offend people with the Gospel than to offer them solace in their transgressions. We know what sin leads to. "The wages of sin is death." So it's not okay for us to soften the truth, to bend the Gospel, or to alter the words of God so that we don't offend. Sin is bouncing people from comfy lie to cushy falsehood all the way to an eternity of suffering. As Christians we can't settle for that!

Sure, going along with the lies would make us more popular. Avoiding the hatred would be more comfortable. But it would also be less rewarding. Let the world hate you for sharing the Gospel. Let people throw stones and call names because you choose to stand up for what's right. Be willing to stand alone if that's what it means. This world cannot defeat us, we're fighting for the King!

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