Sin is serious business. If you don’t think it is consider that when Adam and Eve sinned by disobeying God in the Garden of Eden their one sin plunged all of humanity into separation from God. The Bible tells us that we are to be holy and to hate sin. But this is only possible when we realize just how sinful sin really is. J. C. Ryle, who preached extensively on the need to be holy, said something quite insightful when he stated: “I am convinced that the first step toward attaining a higher standard of holiness is to realize more fully the amazing sinfulness of sin.”1
That phrase, “the amazing sinfulness of sin,” got me thinking that we Christians often take sin far too lightly and forget that it is because of our sins Jesus die. Yes, while it is true that the Romans and Jews put Jesus on the cross, it was really you and me and our sins that set Calvary in motion.
My friends we need to get serious about sin if we want to become more holy. And I believe one of the key ways we can do this can be found in (Proverbs 16:6): “…And by the fear of the Lord one departs from evil.” We need to get a fresh glimpse of the “amazing holiness of God,” and as (Proverbs 16:6) says develop a holy reverence and awe for Jesus. And, I believe, that the more we reverence God and stand in holy awe for who He is and just what He has done for us by dying on the cross, this holy reverence will keep us from sin.
No wonder the psalmist said: “Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.” (Psalm 119:11). For the more we read, meditate, and hide God’s Word in our hearts the more we will get a fresh appreciation on just how holy and wonderful Jesus is. And the more we fall in love with Jesus and the more we reverence Him, the less we will want to do anything that displeases Him.
So the next time you are faced with a decision to sin why not pause and take time to reverence God and realize just how holy, awesome, and wonderful He is and how sinning truly breaks His heart. And remember this that the joy we get from obeying God is so much greater than the momentary pleasure that sin offers!