Sin and My Imagination

Sin and My Imagination

Then desire when it is conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. James 1:15

Here is a very insightful devotional from the pen of John Bunyan, author of Pilgrim’s Progress. The devotional was in Voices from the Past (Banner of Truth):

The salvation of the soul is such a wonderful thing that no other thing should come before it. Men are ignorant of the worth of their souls, and their danger. How common it is for men to spend all their care, time and strength, just for their body. Clothes and foolish fancies are all-absorbing. What a loss to entertain sin at the expense of God!

Sin is delightfully admitted into every chamber of the soul, and it hides and excuses it. O what courting is between sin and he soul. O how it entertains sin and pushes God out. The soul and its imaginations actually advances the power of sin. The imagination is a powerful force that all the other faculties cannot withstand it. Sin is presented to the soul, and the soul lifts up its eyes upon it, and the imagination delights in it.

Had the imagination been on God’s side, it would have viewed the sin as ugly and ill-favored. It would resist with great defiance. The sinful soul however entertains the sin by its imagination, and leads the sinner along to the actual fulfillment.

The soul falls before the sin in a flame of love. Sin thus attacks at the level of the imagination. How many times God issues warnings of judgment to the soul! God is such a lover of the soul that he seldom lets it go on in sin, but He cries to it by His Word and providence: ‘O do not do this abominable thing that I hate!’

The Gospel is the sovereign remedy provided for those that have made themselves objects of wrath by the breach of the law. Christ is set forth to save our souls, bearing our sins for us, suffering God’s wrath for us, and fulfilling the law for us. And that, that we might have peace, joy, heaven and glory, forever and ever.

What a powerful teaching on the connection between our heart, minds, and sin! Good reminder. – Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s Keswick

GPS – God’s Positioning System: Numbers 33-34; Psalm 64; Proverbs 9

Compass Pointers: “God promises us redemption, but His sacred path leads us away from safety, predictability, and comfort. Any attempt to fly over the dangerous terrain or make a detour to safer ground is doomed because it will not take us to God. Instead, it leads to a host of other idols that can’t provide us with the confidence of faith, the dynamic of hope or the passion of love we so deeply crave. Each day we either live for God or for other gods. In each moment of hardship we fear either God or man. When we choose to worship gods and fear men our lives will suffer an emptiness and turmoil that is not much different than trying to fill our bellies with dirt. At first we may feel full, but in short order our violation of God’s plan will lead to torment.” Dan Allender

Navigation Rules to Memorize: Level 1: Proverbs 10:9; Level 2: Proverbs 10:27-32

Anchored to the Rock: Prayer is often conceived to be little more than a technique for self-advancement, a heavenly method for achieving earthly success. A. W. Tozer