Abhor that which is Evil!

(Romans 12:9) “Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.”

A question came up last night around a meal, what is sin? We all had much to say about what we thought sin was and from there specific sins were examined. Before we run off on some goose chase nitpicking, singling out the sins of others and excusing our own. We have now understood that as God’s children when we ask we most certainly receive; “Ask and we shall receive”, this is very apt when we sin as we ask for forgiveness and then receive it. This is a daily exercise or should be!

Suppositions about this question needs to be shelved and we need to find answers from God’s Word the Bible, what and how does God view sin? It must also be the way we learn to view it; “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.” (Romans 12:9)

Love can be measured on how we abhor that which is evil and how we hold fast to that which is good. Sin is everything that God is not! It is evil, as it looks to oppose God who is good. In fact it took an ultimate sacrifice from God through the death of His only begotten Son to allow God to once again accept sinful men and woman back into his holy presence. Sin caused separation between God and man! There is nothing that the Lord  detests more than sin. Sin has now been dealt a final blow; “But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.” (Hebrews 10:12-14)   

Sin therefore has in God’s economy been dealt with once and for all, although it still plays its part in this world, as we see that which is evil often unjustly victorious, but this will only last for a time as sin and all that opposes God will eventually be made Christ’s footstool. The work of the cross has far reaching considerations that we have yet to discover. However, what I am persuaded about is that it is a complete and perfect work, nothing can be added to it and nothing can be taken from it, even though sin continues to nag away in the lives of believers, it does not and never will change the fact that Jesus Christ our Lord has defeated Satan, sin and the final enemy death. The work is finished! God the Father is well satisfied and proved it by the resurrection of His Son.

Now as Christians we need to Abhor what is evil and cling to what is good, and yet we have a tendency to want to cling to what is evil because of these bodies of death that persistently look to avoid that which is good. We know that it is impossible to please God in the flesh and it must be understood in order to battle away with any precision! Our minds are where the battle begins, it is where we process the information we receive; “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.” (Romans 7:25)

Sin is everything that opposes God’s law! We can see the fruit of sin which is manifest as it plays out its part in actions. If we are carnal and walk as we once did prior to salvation, with no regard for the Spirit of God then the fruit to our lives will be obvious not only to ourselves but to those around us. On the other hand if we walk by and in the Spirit we will be those who cling to that which is good and abhor that which is evil. Why? Because God abhors that which is evil, we then would want to please Him, and therefore walk obediently before our Holy Father.

Finally can sin be measured? I suppose that would be true; the test to see how we fit into being obedient children would be measured by the fruit we produce.

With that said if we are led by the Spirit we are no longer under the law as they once were, praise the name of Jesus now and forever more! However the works of the flesh are easily seen; “Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21): - these then are the fruits to all that which is evil and we must not only avoid them but abhor (detest, loathe and despise) them!

The only way we will every achieve this goal is if we walk by the Spirit; “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:22-25): - And these are the fruits we must cling to because they are good!

Signing off

Tyrone