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Jarrod Jacobs: “I Am Not Bothering Anyone!”

    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 Jesus 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 people for good and not evil (Matt. 5:16; Col. 3:17).

-- You are invited to visit with the Caneyville church of Christ. Times of services: Sun.: 10:00 am, 10:45 am, 5:00 pm; Wed.: 7:00 pm. Website: http://caneyvillechurchofchrist.com Tune in to our radio program 101.5 FM at 5:30 am, Mon-Fri. Questions? Call: (270) 589-4167

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