Sin is too broad a term to explain why we are perishing. I know many people would argue that we are suffering because of the devil and disobedience which is factual but how exactly that happened remains a mystery. Let’s unravel that mystery together.
We are surrounded by diseases of all kinds curable and incurable, appalling famines, horrible injustices, racism, tribalism and all types of bad phobias, dreadful crime, violence, immorality and atrocious wars. If you turn back the hand of time it all points to but one small talk. It wasn’t a sermon or a catastrophic event that sparked the whole polemic we are in today. What was this small talk you may ask?
Gen 3:1-7
1 Now the serpent was craftier than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” 2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, ‘you must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.'” 4 “You will not surely die,” the serpent said to the woman.
5 “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.
This less-than-a-minute conversation between the devil and Eve was what sparked it all. Doesn’t that astonish you? How much impact one small conversation has had over our entire lives? We search for peace we cannot find, for happiness in vain for health and prosperity only to reap strife and illness. Words have so much power that nothing else could contend with them.
As the saying goes dynamite comes in small packages. Never underestimate the power small conversations can have over your life. Man and woman can be talked into drug and substance abuse, adultery and fornication, hate crimes and racism, theft and murder, suicide and every other crime and sin that exists in the world today.
James 3:3-8
3 When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4 Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go.
5 Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
Words have a strong influence on people especially when they are most vulnerable. Consider how the devil tried to utilise the moment when our Saviour was at his weakest point to tempt him. The Bible says that after fasting for forty days and forty nights Jesus was hungry.
The devil saw that as the best opportunity to seduce him. He succeeded with our first parents and has succeeded for generations and continues to do so even today. Many people fall into this same trap every day but I urge you dear friend to be alert and be on guard because he is seeking your life to destroy it entirely.
Prov 18:21
The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
It has been discovered that most learners are influenced to a larger degree by their school teachers because they stand in front of them more often than anyone else. What other thing should stand before us more often than others? Shouldn’t it be the word of God? Here is what the psalmists had to say about the word of God.
Ps 119:11
I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
Today we are unconsciously being talked into sinning by the small conversations that we habitually listen to more often than the word of God. The devil continues to whisper over radio and TV programs, social media events, music and entertainment including the people that we admire as idols and icons to lure us into disobedience.
The word of God is our sure defence against Satan. The Bible is the voice of God to men. We should read it to be wise. Believe it to be safe and practice it to be holy. Dear friend let your icon be Jesus. Strive to be like him. Read and listen to him speak to you through the Bible and he will direct your paths.
God help you as you consider these words. See you in the next lesson
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