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Rebranding sin

By Chidi Okoroafor
16 September 2018   |   4:21 am
We are living in a generation of intelligent sinners. People no longer call and treat sin for what it is. We are living in a time people call evil good.

Chidi Okoroafor

Text: Isaiah 5: 13- 21
Key Verse: Isaiah 5:20, “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” (NIV)

We are living in a generation of intelligent sinners. People no longer call and treat sin for what it is. We are living in a time people call evil good. We exploit the poor and call it lottery. We reward laziness and call it welfare. We neglect to discipline our children and call it building self-esteem. We pollute the air with profanity and pornography and call it freedom of expression. We ridicule the time-honoured values of our forefathers and call it enlightenment.

Today in our world, most sinful acts have been categorised as fewer offences and no longer seen as sin. For example, cheating on your spouse is seen as wrong and not sin; sex before marriage is seen as not so wrong; racism, which is discrimination in disguise, is seen as not sin, etc. We cannot rebrand Biblical doctrine of sin to suit our sinful lifestyle.

Sin is an untreated disease that poisons the whole system. Sin is like a virus that destroys the computer hard drive. Sin pollutes the sinner and makes him/her dirty before God. The Bible says in Revelation 21:27 that no unclean thing shall enter Heaven, the kingdom of God, “But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who practices an abomination or a lie, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”

We must not trivialise sin because it leads to death. The Bible says in Romans 6:23, “For sin pays its wage–death; but God’s free gift is eternal life in union with Christ Jesus our Lord.”

We have become experts at using language to hide the reality of our situation. We don’t hear much about homosexuals; instead we talk of those with an “alternative lifestyle.” Fornication is now referred to as “cohabiting with a significant other.” It’s not a new game — the Pharisees neglected the welfare of their parents, but called it “Corban” (dedication to God).

Changing the wording doesn’t change the sin. Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! (Isaiah 5:20).

How do you live a life free from sin? By keeping a close walk with God. If you keep close to God, you will keep from sin. But if you sin persistently, you will fall away from God. Then you will rename the sin. You will not talk about pride, the great sin; you will call it “self-esteem,” “self-worth,” or what is “due to me.” You will not talk about gluttony and materialism; you will talk about “the good life.” You will not talk about disobedience; you will talk about “shortcomings.” You will not talk about the Commandments of God and your violation of them; you will talk about your “mistakes.” It is only when you draw close to God that these things will become increasingly sinful in your sight.

Sin, no matter the name, is still sin. A wicked society doesn’t become wicked over night. It usually comes very subtly and slowly. One of the ways society falls into wickedness is to rename their sins. Sin used to be called sin and people actually felt bad and convicted about it, and tried to change their ways.

The danger is that men and women now have excuses for hardening their consciences in sin. People consciously commit iniquity but treat it as infirmity. Instituted corruption is branded “Family Support Programme.

Beloved, sin is still sin and the wages of sin is still death (Romans 3:23). If we must attain righteousness as a people, we must not rebrand sin.

When we call sin sin, we bring out its harshness and so make it difficult for people to be comfortable in it.
Today’s Nugget: Re-branding sin does not change its nature and consequences

Prayer: May I never treat sin less than what it is in Jesus Name, Amen.
Prayer lines: 09078154261.
E-mail: evangelgospel@yahoo.com
Dr. Chidi Okoroafor
General Superintendent
Assemblies of God Nigeria

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