The Progression of Sin

 As Christians, we are called to holiness. What does it mean to be holy?

Holy: set apart, to be distinct, to be different from those around

1 Peter 1:15-16 “But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do, for it is written, ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’”

God is absolute holiness. Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty! His holiness is the reason that He can send people to hell and be glorified in doing so. He doesn’t desire to send people to hell, but because of how holy and set apart He is, imperfection cannot enter His presence. (Thank you that our imperfections are paid for by the blood of Christ).

In Leviticus 20:22-24, God is telling the Israelites that they are set apart from the nations, and must act as a separate people, following His laws and decrees.

God makes it clear that as followers of Jesus, we are called to be distinctly different from “the world.” How do we become distinctly different?

We sin against God with thoughts, words, and deeds.  David writes about each of these in his psalms:

Thought: Psalm 139:23-24 “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

Word: Psalm 19:14 “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.”

Deed:  Psalm 15:1-2 “Lord, who may dwell in Your sanctuary? Who may live on Your holy hill? He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart.”

Thoughts lead to words, and words lead to actions.  Because of the constant progression of sin, we have to stop it right when it starts! Our thought lives are so important! If our thoughts are dwelling on the things of God, our words and actions follow.

Thoughts à Habits à Character à Destiny

            2 Corinthians 10:5 “Take every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ.”

Romans 12:2 “Do not conform any longer by the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

When a caterpillar turns into a butterfly, it is clearly transformed. A butterfly would never desire to go back to being a caterpillar! In the same way, we have been transformed into new creations if we have been born again in Christ. Second Corinthians 5:17 says, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” As ‘butterflies,’ or ‘new creations in Christ’ or ‘Christians’ for that matter, we are called to holiness. Let us walk in the light of Christ.