To Toy With Sin Is To Play With Fire

Common Sense Commentary: Sin, unrepented of, is a spiritual brain cancer. Lust conceives the seed of temptation and sin is born: and the end result of sin is always ... eventual death. "But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death." James 1:14-15 

Temptation is common with every human being. Even Jesus was tempted by Satan, and resisted it. "Yet without sin" (Heb.4:15). But He was God in the flesh.  We are not gods. We are altogether human and must choose to turn to God for deliverance from temptation and sin. Yet, too often, we resist the Holy Spirit of God and yield to temptation, commit the sin, and suffer the consequences. We all have, by our own self will, toyed with sin as if it were an innocuous play thing... and would not damage us in some way. That is an illusion. God's word plainly warns, "The wages of sin is death". That doesn't mean we will drop dead immediately, but sin has been conceived and "when it is finished, it bringeth forth death". Many a person has had cancer for years without knowing it was there... but it eventually ended their life. A similar thing is true of the cancer of sin. "Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil." Ecc.8:11. When we toy with sin, we are like children paying with matches. I have known of several occasions where homes were burned down by a child with a single match. A single sin may look harmless, but when struck, it can burn down Chicago.

Sin has destroyed millions of people, homes, marriages and even nations. A wild-fire that burns thousands of acres of timber and hundreds of homes can begin with a single spark. And so it is with sin. Sin is a transgression against God, a violation of God's law, of God's word, of God's holiness. It may take years, but it's ill effects on mind and body will slowly produce the elements of death.
"The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them. The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way: but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness. The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them: but transgressors shall be taken in their own naughtiness. As righteousness tendeth to life: so he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death." Prov.3,5,6,19

Our only deliverance from the wages of sin is repentance toward our God and faith in Jesus and his death for our sins. "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Rom.6:23. God has provided that we can exchange our sins and guilt for the free gift of God. He will take away our sin and guilt and replace it with forgiveness and life ... through faith in Christ. The longer we wait to repent.... the more difficult it is. The same is true of fire.  If not extinguished quickly ... it gets out of control. RB