Sin Spreads
When bread is made, there has to be something added to make the dough rise. Leaven or yeast is what is usually used. My wife, Chris, uses sour dough starter. Either way, once the yeast or starter is put into the dough, it spreads through the entire lump of dough, so it will rise well. In the Bible leaven represents sin. It is a good analogy for sin, because sin spreads to affect all those around the one who is sinning in one way or another.(I Corinthians 5:6) All of us need to remember this lesson.
Sin is contagious. When we sin, we tend to act like what we are doing is alright, so that those around us are tempted to sin, too. Then, they start sinning, so that the sin spreads and spreads. Let me give you an example or two. If a lady has some problems in her marriage, and she talks to the ladies at work or in the neighborhood about those problems, it could lead to big trouble. If there is another lady who has already been divorced, she will often make it seem like that is a great option for this lady, because she wants to make her decision look good. This helps sin spread. If a child acts up at school, the other children will see and be tempted to do the same things. Sin spreads.
The fact that a little sin spreads to become more sins and bigger sins makes it imperative for us to cut if off from the people who might be infected with it. That is why Paul tells the Corinthian Christians not to keep company with any other believer who is living in sin. It might seem harsh to do that, but it is not. It is the wise thing to do, so that the spread of the sin is contained, and so that the person sees that his or her actions are wrong. Without this type of "tough love" many people will be harmed by even a little sin, but especially by a sin with many consequences. God hates sin, and He has commanded us to limit its spread in our families and churches in this way. It is truly the loving thing to do. If we do not follow God's command then, the person keeps sinning, and it spreads to more and more people. That is the opposite of love.
Tomorrow, I intend to read I Corinthians 6-8.
Sin is contagious. When we sin, we tend to act like what we are doing is alright, so that those around us are tempted to sin, too. Then, they start sinning, so that the sin spreads and spreads. Let me give you an example or two. If a lady has some problems in her marriage, and she talks to the ladies at work or in the neighborhood about those problems, it could lead to big trouble. If there is another lady who has already been divorced, she will often make it seem like that is a great option for this lady, because she wants to make her decision look good. This helps sin spread. If a child acts up at school, the other children will see and be tempted to do the same things. Sin spreads.
The fact that a little sin spreads to become more sins and bigger sins makes it imperative for us to cut if off from the people who might be infected with it. That is why Paul tells the Corinthian Christians not to keep company with any other believer who is living in sin. It might seem harsh to do that, but it is not. It is the wise thing to do, so that the spread of the sin is contained, and so that the person sees that his or her actions are wrong. Without this type of "tough love" many people will be harmed by even a little sin, but especially by a sin with many consequences. God hates sin, and He has commanded us to limit its spread in our families and churches in this way. It is truly the loving thing to do. If we do not follow God's command then, the person keeps sinning, and it spreads to more and more people. That is the opposite of love.
Tomorrow, I intend to read I Corinthians 6-8.