This verse reminds us:
For all that is in the world— the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world.
It's from John's first letter, chapter 2 and verse 16. It is a universal compendium of the nature of sin.
One of the things it reminds me of is a good friend Nozi, from Melbourne University days, who was blind. She was told by some theologically charismatic loonie from her home country of Zimbabwe that if she had enough faith she would be healed of her blindness (She was born blind because she was many months premature). But she had very great faith, and one avenue of sin that had been closed off to her, in the providence of God, was 'the desire of the eyes'.
I don't say it was good that she was born blind. Who would? In heaven she will see truth, and her Saviour Jesus, with perfect sight. But she couldn't care less about many of the things that seduce the rest of us.
7 comments:
Nozi was - and is! - such a great inspiration. That she was perfectly fine with saying "see you later," and the number of people who simply forgot about her being blind (like the person who one came up behind her and *put their hands over her eyes*, to trick her!) is quite incredible! Her faith in God has always humbled me. And with her now being home - well, I think it would be that much harder to be in Zim and *not* be looking forward to something so much better.
Hey, Alex, and how lovely that you've kept the friendship.
Is sin a greater enemy than the devil?
If the devil were the originator of sin, then he would be greater than sin, since cause is necessarily greater than effect.
But do we know where sin comes from?
Forgive my pedantry Gordo - my question really comes from 1 Thes 3 which I'm preaching this week - & I have been struck at Paul's identification of the attacks of the evil one on him and the Thessalonians.
I'm quick to believe in the reality and power of sin - since I've been a Christian I have no doubt about sin as a great enemy of mine.
What I'm slower to believe is the reality and power of Satan as an enemy of mine. If I'm blind to him but can see sin I wonder if he is a greater enemy?
Praise God that Jesus defeats sin, the flesh, and the devil!
Hey Mike,
Forgive my pedantry Gordo
Nothing to forgive! I do wonder, however, if your question is answerable.
If I'm blind to him but can see sin I wonder if he is a greater enemy?
He is the enemy that has blindsided us, anyway.
It is pretty difficult to pick a 'greater' out of the puritan (and I think biblical) triumvirate of the world, the flesh and the devil—all three of which partake of the nature of sin, as in, they represent sin and its power.
But I'm not even sure I understand what sin is. I can give you some of its defining features and discuss its characteristics and effects, but I'm not really sure I 'get' it.
Praise God that Jesus defeats sin, the flesh, and the devil!
Amen.
Yes! - haven't spoken to her in ages, but Zoe and a couple of others keep me updated. We send 'care packages' every now and then, but the Zim postal service is... crap...
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