“For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee.”
(Psalm 5:4)
Sin brings pleasure “for a season” to those who practice it (Heb. 11:25), thus the draw to it. But sin in every form and degree is the ultimate affront to a holy and righteous God. “Your eyes are too pure to look upon wickedness, and the sight of evil you cannot endure,” the prophet Habakkuk declares to the Lord (1:13). Further, every sin we commit in some way defaces the image of God fashioned in us at creation, as well as the model of holiness established in ages past in the Law of God (Col. 3:9-10).
Sin that resides in a child of God gives Satan a foothold in relative arenas of our life. It makes us vulnerable to his accusations and afflictions (as the Father allows). Each subsequent default widens the separation between us and the Lord’s daily mercies. It darkens the comforting light of his countenance on us. It hinders the course of his graces. It robs us of both his temporal and spiritual blessings.
Further, sin provokes the anger of our loving Father against us, as the rebellious obstinance of children do their parents (1 Cor. 10:22; Exod. 4:14, 24; John 22:17-18). It ignites the jealousy he has over his children and strains his patience. John Brinsley said, “Sin brings distrust of God’s providence, and weakens our faith in all his promises by the same example of a lewd child continuing to be obstinate against the parents in any fault. So we cannot say that God is our God, or that we are his dutiful people and children, and in his favor so long as we continue in sin. The trial of this in our most serious prayers in time of trouble is most evident.”[1]
Additionally, sin burdens our physical composition. It taints reputation. It injects disharmony into relationships. And more sadly, it identifies us with the world and its ways instead of distinguishing us as people of God and heirs to his kingdom.
And finally, and perhaps the most disturbing of all its destructive effects, sin grieves the Spirit of God who dwells in the believer, causing the guidance and comfort of Christ to depart from us. We cannot pray, hear his voice, or perform any good work that brings honor to him while sin reigns in us. And it will cause us to experience continued sorrow until we bow in humble repentance before our Master, seeking forgiveness and recovery.
For all these reasons, the most significant of all duties to our Lord and Savior is to continually take heed to the condition of our heart before him. As one of Christ’s last lessons to his disciples in the upper room before his death demonstrated, it is essential that we regularly cleanse our “walk.” To that end, we should continually pray with the psalmist, “may the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord,” (Ps. 19:14).
Contemplations:
- Lord, I know that sin wounds the conscience, which is one of the most damaging effects of sin, and especially continued disobedience. For the conscience will keep a remembrance of our wrongdoing, though it sleeps until you awaken it and call it into account.
- The guilt of sin makes us attempt to hide from God as Adam did. It causes gripping fear, as in Belshazzar. It brings despair as in Cain, Saul, and Judas.
- Harboring sin in my heart immediately severs my fellowship with you, Lord. It robs me of promised joy and peace. It creates turmoil in me that effects every corner of my life. And it will eventually destroy me if I do not soon repent and return to you.
- The terrible majesty of the holy God executes vengeance against all sin, rebellion, disobedience, and wickedness, including examples like casting the angels that rebelled with Satan out of heaven to the earth, driving Adam and Eve from the garden, and raining fire from heaven to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. His fearful and final judgment of all evil on the earth will occur when Christ returns with thousands upon thousands of glorious angels and saints in flaming fire to render vengeance to all who do not know God, to those who have trampled underfoot the blood of Christ.
Further References for Psalm 5:4:
Psalm 11:5; Deut. 25:16; Prov. 6:16ff; Luke 16:15.
[1] John Brinsley, The True Watch (London: G. Eld, 1606), 6.
