Some Things Man Cannot Escape

Jarrod Jacobs

            In our society, we are used to people “getting away” with certain things, aren’t we? It has become almost commonplace to hear about a person hiring a “dream team” of lawyers so as to avoid criminal charges and prosecution. Closer to home, we may notice people “getting away” with theft by eating displayed food at the grocery store without buying it; or taking extra time on their breaks at work and getting paid for it. Perhaps someone we know has been dishonest (lying). Don’t men tend to ignore this sin? It seems that we have reared a society which thinks that we can escape certain sins by ignoring them and no one is the wiser. Is this really the case?

            God says there are things we cannot escape in this life no matter how hard we try! Just like Adam and Eve could not escape God (Gen. 3:7-10); just like Jonah could not escape God (Jonah 1:3-17, ch. 2); neither can we escape God (Prov. 15:3; Heb. 4:13; Ecc. 12:14; Rom. 2:16)! Nor can we escape the truth He has revealed.

            We have reared a society of people who are under the impression that they can “bury” their sins deep enough that no one will find out about them. Sometimes, folks have the idea that they can somehow escape the consequences of sin if they pay enough money, run far enough away, deny it, etc. In truth, this is not possible! “Be sure your sin will find you out” (Num. 32:23)! We need to understand that we cannot escape sin independently of Christ and His shed blood (Rom. 6:3-6; Acts 2:38, 22:16)! Whether we are discussing the physical or the spiritual consequences of sin, we cannot escape without Christ! Lest we forget, go back and read Romans 6:23, which tells us, “the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” In addition to this, God compares physical sowing and reaping with spiritual sowing and reaping in Galatians 6:7-8. Be sure, there will be a “bitter harvest” awaiting us if we have sown a life of sin and have not repented nor have been forgiven!

            As hard as men try to avoid it via medicines, vitamins, exercise, food choices, etc., we also know that we cannot escape death! (Heb. 9:27). Death was something God promised as a physical consequence of Adam and Eve’s sin (Gen. 3:19) and it continues to this day. Solomon put it this way: “The living know that they shall die” (Ecc. 9:5a)! How true this is! In fact, “The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death” (I Cor. 15:26). Therefore, be assured we will not escape death because it will be with us until the Lord returns!

            Further, let us remember that there is a Judgment Day coming in which all mankind will be judged by Christ (Acts 17:30-31; Jn. 5:22). Just like death, no one will escape this event! How do I know this? I know this because the Bible reveals this truth to us (Ecc. 12:13-14; Matt. 25:31-33, 46; II Cor. 5:10).

            Can there be any question as to the coming Judgment? Can there be any question as to who is going to be there? We will all be present before Christ in Judgment (II Cor. 5:10). The question is: “Are you ready?” If not, why not?

            Yes, some things we cannot escape! Yet, we can come through anything successfully when we are in Christ. Are you in Him? (Eph. 1:7-13; Gal. 3:26-27)

Once You Admit It, Will You Stop It?

Jarrod Jacobs

                   There was a cartoon several years ago in the Saturday Review of Literature in which little George Washington had cut down the famous cherry tree. He made his admission that he did it -- after all, he “cannot tell a lie.” Also pictured was his exasperated father, who said, “All right, so you admit it! You always admit it! The question is, when are you going to stop doing it?”

                   The cartoon was amusing, but it makes a good point that deserves our attention. Once we admit that we have committed certain sins, will we stop?  Perhaps you know of those who readily admit that they are a sinner and in need of salvation. At the same time, these people will not take that next step, which is to turn from those sins and obey the Gospel (Mk. 16:16; Acts 2:38). Many have said that one of the most difficult aspects of any problem is admitting that you have one. It seems like some people have “conquered” this fear of admitting their sin, but will do nothing beyond this. A friend of mine said when it gets to this point, the person is no longer confessing sin, but bragging! I agree.

                   In the Bible, we learn that God not only demands that men admit they are sinners but also demands that men act! In Old Testament days, Solomon said, “Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy” (Prov. 28:13). Notice please that God expects men to confess AND forsake the sin in order to have mercy. It is not enough to merely confess (admit?) the sin and then go on living in sin! In New Testament days, Christ said, “Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish” (Lk. 13:3). What does “repentance” mean? It means turning away from the way you used to live, and living in accordance with Christ’s will! An example of repentance is found in the book of Matthew. Christ spoke a parable concerning two sons who were told by their father to go work in the vineyard. One son said he would go but did not. The other refused, but later “repented and went” (Matt. 21:29). Read Luke 15:11-21, and see another son who was in the same position. In repentance, we see one not only recognizing the guilt of his sin and confessing sin but also stopping sinful behavior!

                   When the apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians, he told them that he knew what he wrote in the first letter would make them sorry, but he rejoiced because that godly sorrow led them to repentance (II Cor. 7:9-10). Notice that when we sorrow over an act that we know is wrong, we still have not done what is right! Godly sorrow leads us to repentance, but we must still repent!

                   When one learns that he has sinned in the sight of God, he must not only admit/confess the sin, not only be sorry about the sin but also turn from sin and do what is right! Only then can one be in a right relationship with God.

                   Dear friend, examine your life. Are there things you are doing which contradict the will of God? In what areas of life are you guilty of sin? In those cases, not only must you face up to the fact that you are guilty, but then also take the necessary steps to get out of that sin. If you’re outside of Christ, then waste no time in repenting of your sins, confessing Christ as the Son of God and being baptized for the remission of sins (Acts 2:36-38, 8:36-38; Mk. 16:16). If you’ve done those things already, but have been caught up in various sins, then turn from your error in repentance, confess those things and pray for God’s forgiveness (Acts 8:22; I Jn. 1:9). It is not enough to admit you have a problem. You must stop the sin and do what is right (Isa. 1:16-17)! God is longsuffering. Therefore, let us repent and live for Him (II Pet. 3:9; II Cor. 5:14-15).

Shoplifting A Bible

Jarrod Jacobs

                   It came to my attention a while back that the most shoplifted book in the world is the Bible! Whether this is true or an “urban myth,” just think of the irony of a Bible being stolen!

                   It is ironic because there are many Bible passages which tell us not to steal (Ex. 20:15; Lev. 19:11, 13; Deut. 5:19; Eph. 4:28). Imagine someone stealing something that plainly states, “don’t steal.” Too, we are told in this same book that someone who is guilty of stealing will be lost in Hell (I Cor. 6:10)!

                   How ironic that a book saying, “don’t steal, and if you do, you endanger your eternal soul,” is stolen so frequently! Yet, this got me to thinking about human nature in general. Is it not true that often, the very things we are told not to do are the things we do?

                   From the beginning, man has been tempted by Satan to contradict the will of God (Gen. 2:16-17, 3:1-6). Sadly, man contradicts God’s will more than he obeys it (Rom. 3:23; Ecc. 7:29). Yet, this is not because he has no choice. In fact, it is the opposite (Jas. 1:14-15)! Due to man’s free moral agency, he has often chosen to turn from God’s will and walk in his own selfish way.

                   In addition to not stealing, we are also told throughout Scripture:

• Do not murder (Ex. 20:13; Rom. 13:9; I Jn. 3:15; Rev. 21:8)
• Do not lie (Ex. 20:16; Col. 3:9; Eph. 4:25; Rev. 21:8)
• Do not lust after others (Matt. 5:28; Job 31:1; II Pet. 2:14-15)
• Do not be lazy (II Thess. 3:10; Prov. 24:30-34)
• Worship God only (Matt. 4:10; Jn. 4:24)
• Be baptized (Mk. 16:16; Acts 2:38, 8:35-38, 10:48)
• Live faithfully (II Tim. 4:6-8; Rev. 2:10; I Cor. 15:58)
• Treat others kindly (Eph. 4:32; I Cor. 13:4; Matt. 7:12; II Pet. 1:17)
• Love God (Matt. 22:37; I Jn. 5:2-3)
• Love our neighbors (Lev. 19:18; Matt. 22:39; Jas. 2:8; Gal. 5:14; Rom. 13:9)

                   This is just a partial list! In observing the items on our list, can we not also think of folks (perhaps us) who blatantly contradict these commands, too? Why are we surprised, then, when we read of someone (or many people) shoplifting a Bible?

                   Some might reason, “If a person stole a Bible, it might turn out good because he might then read that Bible and learn the truth.” The response that comes to my mind is the apostle Paul’s statement where he denied the doctrine of: “Let us do evil, that good may come” (Rom. 3:8). He said it was “slanderously reported” that they taught a doctrine that has come to be known as “situation ethics”. So also today, we do not justify a wicked act by trying to find some supposed “good” that can come from it.

                   More can be said about this, but the point is that we as God’s creatures have to decide to do what is right, and then continue daily to decide to do what is right (Jas. 1:27; Matt. 7:13-14; Lk. 9:23; Rev. 2:10; etc.). When we decide that we will not do what the Lord says, in spite of His clear statements in the Bible, then we are setting ourselves up for spiritual ruin and an eternity in a devil’s Hell. Should the Bible be the most shoplifted book, then let man repent of this sin (as well as all others) and live for the Lord while we still have the time and opportunity to do so (II Cor. 6:2).

“I Am Not Bothering Anyone!”

Jarrod Jacobs

Often we find folks who justify their sinful behavior by saying, “I am not bothering anyone.” This excuse may sound thoughtful, but it is not. In fact, it is quite selfish to justify sin by saying, “I am not bothering anyone.” When we go to the Bible and study the nature of sin, we learn that when we commit sin, any sin, we “bother” others!

Let us begin by noting that when we sin, we have “bothered” the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit! Remember, sin separates us from God (Isa. 59:1-2). Therefore, sin demands a sacrifice if we are to be reconciled to God (II Cor. 5:18-20). Friend, it is our sin that nailed Christ to the cross! Christ came to this world so that He could die (Jn. 18:37). From Genesis 3:15 to the end of the Bible, we see our Lord Christ as the sacrifice for our sins (Rev. 13:8)! At the same time, we read in the Bible about the degree of love possessed by God. He loves man so much that He gave His only begotten Son as the supreme sacrifice (Jn. 3:16; Rom. 5:8; I Jn. 4:9-10). Finally, sin affected the Holy Spirit, for He inspired men to preach and to write about sin and salvation from every aspect (Jn. 16:8-13; II Pet. 1:20-21; etc.). Therefore, let us not say that when we sin, we are not “bothering” anyone! The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit will disagree with that statement!

The statement, “I am not bothering anyone” is a misnomer, for our sins often “bother” others! When we sin, our sins affect the lives of our parents (Prov. 10:1, 29:15). Though we may not always recognize it, it is the truth! Further, some sins will affect our spouses, and our children. This would include, but is not limited to, such sins as fornication, abuse, drunkenness, and similar sins (I Cor. 6:9-10; Gal. 5:19-21)! In addition to this, there are some sins (ex: theft, murder, lying, etc.) that can result in society (through taxes) paying for our housing and food for a time (i.e., prison)! Let this stand as more evidence that our sins “bother” others. At times, our sins can affect not only friends, but also strangers.

Yet, if it could be proven that there is not a sin which “bothers” Deity, nor any person on earth, remember that sin has an effect upon the one who has committed it! Sin is compared to a stain (Isa. 1:18), to disease (Isa. 1:5-6), to a heavy burden (Ps. 38:3-6), filth (II Pet. 2:21-22), and debt (Matt. 6:12-14). Sin will result in spiritual death (Jas. 1:15; Rom. 6:23)! Knowing that this is the case, who can believe that man can engage in sinful activities, but “bother no one”? It’s impossible!

The truth is that our sins have an effect upon Deity, upon self, and upon all mankind. “For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself” (Rom. 14:7). Let’s stop offering excuses for sin. Rather, let us admit our sin, repent of it, and live as God wants us to live (Acts 17:30; Jn. 14:15)! In so doing, we can have a positive effect upon ourselves and others, influencing folks for good and not evil (Matt. 5:16; Col. 3:17).

“I Am Debtor”

Jarrod Jacobs 

                   When Paul wrote the Romans, he said, “I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise” (Rom. 1:14). What did that mean? It meant that Paul was under an obligation to preach the gospel to the Romans (Vine’s, p. 279). We are debtors as well.

                   Romans 8 says that we are debtors to Christ to mortify (put to death) the deeds of the body. Paul shows that when we do this, we will live spiritually (v. 13). If we wish to please God, and if we wish to be joint-heirs with Christ (v. 17), we must put off the “old man” of sin (Rom. 6:3-6; Col. 3:9).

                   As Paul was fighting the false doctrine of the Judaizers in Galatia, he said, “For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace” (Gal. 5:3-4). This is a lesson many need to learn. When we try to justify our actions by Old Testament teachings, we are a debtor to all the Law. Paul said we can and will fall from grace if we become indebted to the Law of Moses.

                   Finally, we are also a debtor to God. God sent Jesus to die for us (Rom. 5:8). We could never repay this great sacrifice, but we can give our life in return (II Cor. 5:14-15). Why not give your life to Him instead of wasting your life with Satan (Jas. 4:7-8; Mk. 16:16)?