WHY SIN IS UNREASONABLE

"What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" (Romans 6:1-2)

Devotion 17 of 23

HE SUFFERED, BEING TEMPTED

The Deity of Jesus did not prohibit Him from being tempted. He even agonized in that temptation. "For in that He Himself hath SUFFERED being tempted, He is able to succor them that are tempted" (Heb 2:18). The effect of temptation upon the incarnate Word challenges our hearts and minds. The abrasiveness of allurement to sin chaffed against His spirit. This contributed significantly to Him being "a Man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief" (Isa 53:3). This condition highlights the unreasonableness of sin.

Strong Crying and Tears

For some, the thought of Jesus crying out to God is virtually unknown. They view Jesus as a superhuman instead of incarnate Deity. However, when He walked among us, confrontation, with sin and the task of expiating it, had an adverse affect upon Him. "Who in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto Him that was able to save Him from death, and was heard in that He feared" (Heb 5:7). Anything that could do that to Jesus is unreasonable. Those that choose to live in sin must ignore the suffering Savior.

The bitter cup

There came a time in the life of our Savior when He must take the responsibility for the sins of the world upon Himself. All of the heinous and despicable sins were laid upon Him, as well as well as the sins of those men imagine are refined and cultured. His spirit had never been soiled with transgression, His mind had never been contaminated with evil intent, and His heart had never been corrupted with the defilement of iniquity. Now, the Father commands Him to bear the sins of humanity "in His body on the tree" (1 Pet 2:24). When the iniquities of the world would be laid upon Him, their defilement would be felt. In agony Jesus thrice prayed, "O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me: nevertheless not as I will, but as Thou wilt" (Matt 26:39ff). Becoming involved in anything that could compel the Son of God to so pray is totally unreasonable!

PRAYER POINT: Father, in Jesus' name, help me to live so close to You that the very temptation to sin will hurt.

-- TOMORROW: MADE A CURSE --