Devotion in Motion
Midweek Inspiration
Romans 6:26
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”
The drunk husband snuck up the stairs quietly. He looked in the bathroom mirror and bandaged the bumps and bruises he’d received in a fight earlier that night. He then proceeded to climb into bed, smiling at the thought that he’d pulled one over on his wife. When morning came, he opened his eyes and there stood his wife. “You were drunk last night weren’t you!” “No, honey.” “Well, if you weren’t, then who put all the band-aids on the bathroom mirror?”
That’s what most people think, isn’t it? They think they can get away with sin. They think no one will notice. But The Lord notices. The bible declares “whatever a man sows that shall he also reap”
And as Paul declares here, Sin is never free. It costs, there are wages that are eventually paid to sin. It’s like that old commercial ” You can pay me now or you can pay me later” And we can find out just what Paul means by going all the way to the beginning.
”Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the LORD. Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the LORD respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering.” Genesis 4:2-6
Once, a church in Minnesota published a newsletter that contained an embarrassing blooper. It read, “Bible Study on Genesis. Were Adam and Eve really naked in the Garden? Come and see for yourself!” Woops! It is true that Adam and Eve were naked… It’s true, until they tried to cover up their sin by sewing together fig leaves. But They fig-ured wrong – our redemption involves more than turning over a new leaf!
Human effort – good works, and charitable deeds, and religious rituals – is never enough to blot out sin and satisfy a Holy God. God insists on a sacrifice. Romans 6:26a says “The wages of sin is death” – so God killed an innocent animal, and covered Adam and Eve in fur coats. And I’m sure their two sons knew this background. When Cain and Abel come to offer their sacrifices they’re very aware of the truth of Leviticus 17:11, “it is the blood that makes atonement…” Abel the shepherd sacrifices a lamb that God accepts, but Cain the farmer lays on the altar a horn plenty… that turns out not to be enough.
And we ask why wasn’t it enough? Well simply put–Cain assumes his own achievements, his own work, will merit God’s blessing.
But Abel trusts in the blood of a sacrifice.
There are still only two ways to come to God and only 2 ways.
1st: You can come on your own terms, or 2nd: on God’s terms. Abel came on God’s terms, and offered what God required. Cain relied on what he fig-ured – he came on his own terms – and was rejected. And as a result, “Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.” God saw that Cain was upset and depressed, so we’re told in verse 6, “the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen?” If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.” The NIV renders it, “sin is crouching at your door”.
Sin is like a wild animal ready to pounce on its prey. If not dealt with, sin will wreak havoc and destroy everything in its path. When Adam bombed in the Garden of Eden, an atom bomb was detonated in the world – and the fallout continues to this day. Sin sets off a chain reaction that leads to death. Sin is destructive… Sin causes more sin… until it’s disarmed. And how do you disarm an Adam bomb?
You confess your sin – and do whatever it takes to turn from that sin – and then trust in Jesus, not your own efforts. You get re-clothed in His power, strength, and righteousness. Notice the 2nd part of Romans 6:26b “But the Gift of God is Life Eternal through Jesus Christ our Lord ”
Sin is not Satan’s bait but is a by-product of the fall of Adam in the garden of Eden because of disobedience to the word of God, And is now a part of his flesh life. that’s what Paul meant when he said in Romans 7:15-20 “For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me”
Paul knew that he was saved in the inner man, the real him but his outer man was ruled by the flesh. Before Christ he was powerless to overcome his flesh but with the power of the Holy Spirit he can. But there were times that Paul did sin and so he cries out in vs 25 “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? If you give into sin it will rule over you, just like it did with Cain just as Paul says in Romans 6:16, but Just as Abel’s sacrifice of the animal was accepted by God through obedience of what he requires–the only way to come to God is by accepting the sacrifice of the Lamb of God on the cross and being covered by the blood of the lamb, that way it has no power over you. vs 7:25b I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!
Remember
“Temptation usually comes in through a door that has deliberately been left open”
Amen
Victor Tafoya
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