It’s amazing the different ways God and I treat sin.
He hates it. I love it.
When sin entered the garden, he sent the sinners out. I would have hung out with them, let them be my friends, and eventuall be eating some of their Fruit Loops and Fruit by the Foot.
When sin filled the world, he sent a flood to wash it clean. I would have protested, saying that if the people all heard a reasonable reason why they should stop sinning, they would. I would have been outside the ark asking for more time, eventually cursing Noah.
When Sodom and Gomorrah was filled to the brim with sin, God sent down fire and brimstone to burn it clean. I would have probably tried to change them by marrying myself to the town (proverbially), living in it and eventually becoming of it, become a Sodomite and Gomorrahite myself.
When the Israelites were making the golden calf, God got mad and almost wiped them off. I would have said “Guys, let’s ease up on this whole calf business. Slowly, bit by bit, let’s wean ourselves off worshipping it” And sooner or later I’d be singing “All Hail King Golden Calf” with the rest of them.
When the Israelites came into the promised land, God had them kill any and every tribe or city of people with different gods, so they could remain pure. I would have said, “Hey, let’s live side by side, and then once a year have a picnic and respect each other by worshipping eachother’s gods” (or if I hadn’t said it, I would have done it)
When Saul made a wrong offering just to be well regarded by his troops, God said he couldn’t be king anymore. I’d have probably just told him not to do it again and tap him across the head. Then at his next BAALapalooza party, I’d politely decline.
When David did that whole deed with Bathsheeba, God made him lose a child. I would have told him it was bad and winked, and then forgot about the whole deal, like we do these days.
When the kings of Israel sinned terribly and beyond imagination, God promised to clean the city by removing everyone into captivity, and He did so. I don’t know what I would have done.
When Manasseh sacrificed his own son through fire, I don’t know what I would have done.
When the city of Jerusalem began to sin once more, God’s servant Nehemiah threw out all of the furniture of the non-Israelite leader that was given permission to live in the temple.
I wish I could be more like Nehemiah, more like God in his view of sin.
Throw it out.
Get rid of it.
Kill it.
Smother it.
Die to it.
Rid yourself of your chains.
Go to God for freedom from it.
Run away from it.
Hate it.
Associate it with every bad thing.
Call it what it is.
Don’t tolerate it.
Don’t accept it as normal.
Refuse it.
Spit it out of your mouth and rub it into the ground.
Refute Satan’s temptations and the flesh’s longing’s with Scripture.
Despise it.
Purify yourself of it.
Never go back to it every again.
Never.
More like Nehemiah Lord.