Before we get to today’s article, I just want to mention that am writing from the perspective of a man that has experienced many of the challenges of which I write…. and those spiritual battles continue daily. The articles are implications of what it means to obey the commandment to raise your children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. They require some reflection and are particularly for Christians who, as Peter would say, are diligently seeking to confirm their calling and are making every effort to supplement their faith. Said more succinctly, serious Christians. If you know other believers who desire to walk more faithfully with the Lord, please forward an article to them and tell them to sign up for future articles. Thanks so much!
So, we are back at it. Back to looking at some additional facets of sin, and if there are scripture passages that teach us about sin and God is good, we can not conclude anything else other than God has them there for us to think deeply about them. Yes, we’ll get to the positives, but those positives are only as great as we contrast them to the negatives.
We have looked at the definition and origin of sin, now let’s look at the extent of this disease. Ryle brings to our attention two powerful verses. First, from Genesis 6:5, every imagination of the thoughts of his heart is by nature evil and that continually. The second, from Jeremiah 17:9, the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Personally, when I read these verses, there is something in me that wants to push back, but upon further consideration, I must admit that I don’t even know where some of the crazy wicked thoughts I get in my mind come from. So yes, it is true.
He goes on to say that he believes that the greatest proof of the extent and power of sin is how it cleaves to a person even after they are converted. The roots of sin remain alive in the bottom of our hearts and like the mold in the walls of a house; we never get rid of it until our bodies are dissolved. Yes, it is checked and controlled because we are new creatures and the ultimate dominion of sin has been conquered, but we must fight a fight daily.
Concerning the guilt, vileness, and offensiveness of sin in the sight of God, Ryle says that he does not think a mortal man can even fathom the exceeding sinfulness of sin in the sight of a holy and perfect God. Because of our imperfections and weaknesses, we are only able to form the most inadequate conceptions of the hideousness of evil. “We have no line to fathom it and no measure by which to gauge it.” We must settle it firmly in our minds that sin is the abominable thing that God hates (Jeremiah 44:4, Hab. 1:13, James 2:10, Ezekiel 18:4, Romans 6:23, Romans 2:16, Mark 9:44, Psalm 9:17, Matthew 25:46, Revelation 21:27).
From Ryle- “nothing, I am convinced, will astonish us so much when we awaken the resurrection day as the view we shall have of sin and the retrospect we shall take of our own countless shortcomings and defects.”
Regarding the deceitfulness of sin, you can see how sin works in the hearts of men as they are prone to regard sin as less sinful and dangerous than it is in the sight of God and how ready they are to make excuses for it and minimize its guilt. “What’s the big deal? You are being too extreme, what’s the harm?” Those are not uncommon responses. And then, there are the children. Ryle says, “you may see it in the tendency even of believers to indulge their children in questionable practices, and to blind their own eyes to the inevitable result of the love of money, of tampering with temptation and sanctioning a low standard of family religion. I fear we do not sufficiently realize the extreme subtlety of our soul’s disease.”
Of course, this made me recall my own child raising years and not only the indulgences that I permitted, but the things that I actively instilled in them that did not align with God’s ways. I realize now that some of the things I introduced to my kids were things that I loved in my earlier pagan years. Some of the places I had been, the music that we sung, the bands that we followed, the movies we watched, the speeding down the road with an overstuffed car full of friends- good times! The things that we got away with, the minor crimes that we committed, all in the name of fun. Those life experiences made me who I am today. Or did they?
One of the experiences I had just prior to my conversion was seeing a movie that featured a charming story of robbery and deceit along with a great deal of humor, a splash of nudity, and fair amount of foul language. My wife and I thought it was hilarious and we couldn’t wait to share the fun with some of our family members. It was about a year later that we became Christians (myself, my wife, my 2 brothers and their wives) and had the opportunity to entertain my recently converted brothers and their wives in our home. After dinner, we cranked up the VCR and hit the play button. It was only ten minutes into the movie when with considerable embarrassment and shame, I picked up the control and hit the stop button. You see, the things that we applauded previous to our new life with Christ were no longer enjoyable and in fact, they were offensive.
Well, back to those other things that I did and loved prior to being born again. Was God happy with me hearing, seeing, and doing those things before I was a believer? No. And now that I had claimed the blood of Christ for my salvation and had been adopted into the family of God, was it any different?
Actually, for me and you to go on loving the sinful things in our pre-Christian days is worse. Yes, it is worse. Before we were blind and the devil was our father, but now we have been given eyes to understand the goodness and grace of God as well as a knowledge of what is pleasing to Him. We now know that those former loves are the things that non-Christians love- they are worldly things. Therefore, to go on holding onto the things that we did in our previous life is an absolute slap in the face of our holy God.
If you are doing this (still loving and clinging to the old things that displease God) you have created what is called a secular sacred dichotomy in your home. That is, on certain occasions, you are an obedient person to Jesus who seeks to please Him, yet on other occasions you practice what he hates and look just like a non-Christian. Furthermore, you are teaching your children that that is the way of the Christian life; a life that the Bible says is impossible to live for Christ (1 John 2:15).
In response to reading the above, you may be ready to reject the seriousness and respond with:
- You are being ridiculous! It’s not serious, just some fun.
- You are majoring on the minors!
- You are being legalistic!
It is at this point that I need to look to the scriptures and listen to what God commands. These truths not only apply to us as adults, but also fold into how you raise your children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord:
Seek the things God loves. Realize that your loves will often become the things that your children love
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things (Philippians 4:6-8).
What you love and teach your children to love has consequences
Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:29-30).
Music and lyrics matter
Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ (Ephesians 5:15-21).
Pursuing Holiness is no small thing to God
Therefore, lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord (Heb 12:12-14).
For the person who brings temptation to others, there is a terrible warning
Temptations to sin are sure to come, but woe to the one through whom they come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were cast into the sea than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin (Luke 17:1-2).
If you are still loving the ways of the world and introducing your children to the same way of thinking, I encourage you to begin making the break today. It will be tough, but God will help you to do it.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17).
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Last modified: December 2, 2022
