There was a mountain man who was discussing the state of the world with a friend. His friend said the world is in a dilemma. The mountain man considered the word, and then asked, “What does dilemma mean. You must have learned that word at the University.” The friend said, “I will tell you. It’s Latin for the mess we’re in.”
The world in the first part of the 21st century, is in a terrible condition. Anyone who reads the newspapers, watches the news, or follows Twitter, knows something is terribly wrong. There are wars and rumors of war.
There is economic uncertainty, and social unrest. Armies are marching and lining up on boarders posed for armed conflict. National leaders are posturing with nuclear arsenal for power, respect, and recognition. Dictators refuse to leave the countries they have ruined.
The Progressive (Regressive) Left is trying to rewrite American History, and gain a political advantage with the Black community. Illegal immigrants pour across national borders to destabilize the economy, drain the national resources, and plunder the wealth of the nation. Militant Islamic figures strike terror whenever, and wherever possible.
Investigation into the institutions established to protect civil liberties have found them to be abusing their vast state powers. The national debt in America is over twenty-one trillion dollars.
Babies are being slaughtered every day through the butchers of the abortion industry in Planned Parenthood.
In every area of life there is room for concern. There is the area of trust. People will simply not tell the truth. The Fake News only reports what their political bias wants to promote. The lie is being told that people of the same sex are married, when, in honesty, they are simply committing acts of fornication. Individuals lie to themselves that they are not biologically a male, or female.
Some, who are concerned, are beginning to ask questions. “Why is the world in such terrible condition?” “Is there a cure for the problems of society?” “Is there any hope for the future?”
The Bible has the answer for each of these inquiries. To the question of “Why is the world in such terrible condition?” the answer is sin. The Bible says that man has a terrible disease called sin. Sin is defined, and therefore diagnosed, in the Bible by several words.
There is the word lawlessness. “Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness” (1 John 3:4, NIV). Lawlessness is the transgression of God’s will. When a person omits to do what God’s law requires, or by doing what God’s law forbids, there is sin.
The Bible says, “Thou shalt not steal.” Individuals steal time, money, and property. In America, a property crime offense is committed every 3.9 seconds. A burglary offense occurs every 20 seconds. A larceny-theft occurs ever 5.5 second. A motor vehicle theft takes place very 44.6 seconds (FBI – Crime Clock).
The Bible says, “Thou shalt not murder.” According to the FBI statistics, a murder occurs in the United States every 35 minutes.
Go through all of the Ten Commandments, and the evidence abounds that they are being broken. That is lawlessness, and lawlessness is sin.
Another word used for sin in the Bible is ungodliness. Romans 1:18 says, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness.”
There is another word for sin which means “to miss the mark.” The mark for which people are to aim is the character of God. “Be ye perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect.” When we are less than virtuous in our thoughts, and actions, we miss the mark of holiness.
Mankind has a disease. It is the disease of sickness, and the only cure is Jesus Christ. Individuals should seek for the cure for sin, because the Bible says that the mystery of iniquity is already working (2 Thess. 2:7).
When sin is at work in a society, and in the soul of a person, it produces death. The Bible says, “The wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23). Wages is what we earn, or deserve. We earn the wages of sin. The Bible says, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way” (Isaiah 53:6). We are like sheep. We have turned from God. We think we can handle life on our own. We believe there is more fun, and more pleasure without the restraints of religion. We turn from God. By turning from God, we turn to death. We earn death, which refers to separation of one entity from another.
When Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, they died. The moment Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit, their sin immediately severed them from having intimate fellowship with God. That was gone in an instant.
Every person who has ever done wrong knows that terrible feeling of spiritual separation the moment they sin. The conscience is violated, and there is a sense of dread that overwhelms the soul. If there is a God conscious thought at the moment of sinful behavior, there is also a realization of being separated from God. Psychologist might call that feeling guilt, and depression. The feeling of guilt is rooted in the sadness of separation from fellowship with God.
If a person does not confess the sin they have committed, then the heart grows hard, and that is another payment by sin. A well-known late night talk show host heard about the death of his political rival. “I hope his death was painful,” he said. When the heart is hard it speaks words of cruelty, and commits the most incredible acts of barbaric behavior.
The actions of the hooded, and blacked clothed Antifa members, reflects the cruelty of sin. It also testifies to how cowardly sin is. While sin is militant, it is also cowardly. Sin appears like a roaring lion seeking whom it may devour, but, when caught, sin leaves the heart to melt, and tremble, with fear of being judged.
Sin is wicked.
Sin is cruel.
Sin is barbaric.
Sin breaks the law of conscience.
Sins breaks the Law of Moses.
Sin in the heart causes individuals to commit rape, murder, robbery, and to blaspheme God.
Sin is cowardly. It trembles in the presence of God, and all that is holy, just, and good.
Because of sin, every soul is placed under the judgment of God.
It is at this point that the gospel comes to the person who has sinned, and shares the good news.
Sin will flee before the righteousness of Jesus Christ, which will be inputted to every person who believes.
There is a cure for the deadly sin that afflicts the soul, and the cure is found by looking to Jesus Christ.
The Bible tells the story of the Hebrew people being bitten by poisonous snakes. They had violated the will of God, and were suffering the wages of their sin. In mercy God told Moses to fashion a brass snake on a pole, and lift it high. Those who looked in faith to the pole could be saved.
Jesus said, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:14, 15).
“Come, every soul by sin oppressed,
there’s mercy with the Lord,
and He will surely give you rest
by trusting in His word.
Only trust Him, only trust Him,
only trust Him now;
He will save you, He will save you.
He will save you now.”
John H. Stockton, 1874
If you want to be cured of the sickness of sin, then look to Jesus with the eye of faith. Confess your sin. Ask the Lord for forgiveness. Repent of what you have done, and turn to walk in a new direction. “Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Cor. 5:17).
Even if the world remains in a terrible state, your personal condition can be better. The Lord is willing to give you abundant life. God is willing to forgive every sin you have ever committed. He is willing to give you eternal life and remove the curse of spiritual death. You do not have to live a life of separation from God. Look to Christ, and live. May the Holy Spirit enable you to do that in this very hour, as you call upon the name of the Lord.
Pray to God.
“Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner. I know I have broken the Law of Moses. I ask you to forgive me. I want to be different. I want to walk in the newness of life. I do believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. I receive Him now as my personal Savior, as I desire to live for Him. Thank you for saving my soul. Thank you for making me whole. Thank you for giving to me, eternal life. Regenerate me by Thy Holy Spirit. That is my prayer. In the name of Jesus, Amen.”
