8 Words of Warning
Sin Lies to You
Scripture tells us that sin is deceitful. We are often deceived into believing two lies, as we step outside of God’s boundaries and do what he has forbidden. The first lie is that no one will know. That may be true of the people near us.
You can hide your sin so that those around you are unaware. But our sin is never hidden from the eyes of the Lord. His eyes are always on his children. You and I will never escape to a place where he is unable to see what we are doing. Hidden sin is a delusion. The second lie is that we can sin without consequences. I have sat with many adulterous men, with marriages in shambles, and thought to myself, “Where did you think this story was going? How long did you think you could have a relationship with a woman other than your wife and still have a healthy marriage?” I am amazed, in my own life and in counseling others, at our ability to convince ourselves that things are okay that are not and never will be okay.
Everyday Gospel
Paul David Tripp
In the Everyday Gospel devotional, Paul David Tripp leads readers through the entire Bible in a year, helping you connect the transforming power of Scripture to your everyday life.
Numbers 32:23 contains eight words of warning that not only were important for Israel, but are vital for us to hear as well: “Be sure your sin will find you out.” Moses spoke these words because God had not only blessed Israel with the land of promise, but he had also called them to fight in his power to drive out all the enemy nations. The tribes of Gad and Rueben decided they didn’t want to fight, so they settled outside of the promised land. This was not just an act of cowardice; it was direct rebellion against the commands of the Lord. What were they thinking? Did they actually think that God wouldn’t care, or that he would say, “Okay, have it your way.” God always sees, and he will never accommodate us by compromising his holy commands. Did the tribes of Gad and Rueben think that their refusal to do what God commanded wouldn’t have consequences?
Sin is deceitful, but God’s grace is up to the task.
These words have been recorded and preserved for us by our loving heavenly Father. They have been recorded for us as a defense against sin’s deceit. Just as with the tribes of Gad and Rueben, our sin is never secret or without consequences. It’s wonderful to know that our Lord meets us in our weakness and not only warns us but also empowers us to live inside of his boundaries. It is encouraging to see that God’s warning to Gad and Reuben was not in vain. They did finally heed God’s warning and obey his command. It is also good to know that rather than hiding, because of the completeness of Christ’s work on our behalf we can run to him, confessing our sin and receiving his forgiveness once again. Sin is deceitful, but God’s grace is up to the task; it will expose sin’s lies again and again until we’re on the other side and sin is no more.
This article is adapted from Everyday Gospel: A Daily Devotional Connecting Scripture to All of Life by Paul David Tripp.
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