Whatever Happened To Sin?

Steve Taylor is a brilliant song writer and performer, often taking a unique perspective of social issues as well as problems within the church and Christiandom. One such Taylor classic, asks the question, Whatever Happened To Sin?

It's a question as relevant today as it was upon it's release in 1983 on his album, I Want To Be A Clone.

I bring this up, because I got to thinking about just how much we allow into our lives, that distracts and detours us from God, our relationship with Him and what plans He would have us to be about in our lives. We are all tempted and face battles and struggles of various kinds. There are times when there is a knock upon our door, because the one who stands outside doesn't know us and other times, because there is a familiarity and comfort level that exists in our relationship.

Obviously, Christ has told us that He stands at the door and knocks upon our hearts. So too, though, I believe sin also knocks... repeatedly.

This sentiment seems to be a shared theology as a day or two after I considered this concept, about sin knocking on certain doors because of it's comfort level with a person, I passed a church marque sign that read: When sin knocks on your door, let Jesus answer it.

Which is a great, theological response. Christ lives and reigns in this heart, sin. Get lost!

However, what if we don't allow Christ to answer the door, and we give way to sin's knock and sadly, regrettably, fail to turn down it's request to enter and be entertained. Are we too comfortable with sin? Perhaps, if 35 years ago, one musician asked why we've stopped calling it out for what it is? Has anything changed? Well, besides the fact that it is becoming more unacceptable to call it what is. And that hinders a great deal of whatever effectiveness for the kingdom of God that we are attempting to achieve.

Let's pray, this #effectiveSunday, that we would not grow accustom and comfortable with sin, both within our personal lives and in our world-at-large. Pray that we would not allow sin to take up residence in our lives, to the point that it knows better than to even knock on our door. May we follow the advice on the sign and allow Jesus to respond to sin's desire to be a part of our lives. Pray that we would remain ever so focused upon our relationship with God and be about the calling and purposes which He has placed upon our lives.

That we would recognize sin
And call it out for what it is...
A destroyer of the soul.
As we remain committed to the lover of our soul,
Jesus Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit.
For the glory of God.

- PNC