Covert Sin

Romans 7:12 So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.
13 Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure.


Some things are easy to identify. I spent last week in Togoville, Togo. It is considered the world wide epicenter of voodoo. Child sacrifices are still apart of this extremely dark and gloomy practice. It is not hard to identify those who have given themselves over to this wicked religion. The voodoo priests take sharp rocks and knives and cut marks of "ownership" in the faces and over the hearts of the people who give in to this religious practice. The effects of sin and false worship are clearly evident and impossisble to miss.

On the plane ride home I had plenty of time to think through this and many other things. It was beautiful to see those people with marked faces that Christ had redeemed. It was also clear to see who was walking in a particular well defined darkness. It has been said that a problem well defined is half solved and that is true. It is what Paul is saying about the usefulness of the Law in Romans 7. He is saying that the law is a mirror that reveals to us the sins of our souls by defining them in a distinct manner. If we are able to identify them clearly, we then can turn to the great mediator Christ in repentance. If we can not identify them, they will overcome us. He clearly says in verse 13 that the purpose of the law is "that sin may be shown to be sin". Praise God for the law which marks the things that separate us from our God. Thank God for the grace of Jesus who brings restoration for those who submit to God's law and submit to the merciful reign of Christ over their lives.

If we turn our attention back home to the good old US, the marks of sin are not as clear cut as facial scars at first glance. Pride, vanity, lust, greed, control and self promotion can be glossed over and we are masters of doing just that. These sins are impossible to miss to those who stop and allow God to highlight them in our lives. These covert sins are like a spiritual cancer that eat us from the inside out. For some time, the outward effects of the cancer are unseen and so we think every thing is fine. Eventually though its damage becomes clear to all.

We all need to be very careful not to miss the heart of what Paul is saying. We must allow God to identify our sins through the law and then repent of those sins at the feet of Jesus. If you stop for a second and look at our society, the effects of our sin are as clear as facial scars from a witch doctor:

Look at the divorce rate
There are billions of dollars spent on pornography and females consumers are the fastest growing part of that mix.
Look at a magazine rack or turn your tv on and you will see vanity in its clearest form, as we all are invited to be beautiful.
Look at the billions of dollars spent on vain cosmetic surgeries and diet pills and equipment that will draw attention to us.
Look at the number of homes who have no father because he is too busy working as he empowers himself with pride.
Look at how we spend dozens of hours each week glorifying ourselves in the name of our kids little league sports and activities.
Look at our cars and houses and they are markers of our desires of self elevation.
Look at man made justification of sexual immorality like homosexuality, even among those called churches

Just stop and look at oursleves, and what we have done with the blessings of God. We are abusing them greatly and we need to identify them as individuals and churches and get on our face before God and repent. He has sgiven us the tools to see them in the law and His word, and the power and opportunity to be restored in Christ.

We must not casually engage with God any longer and trample the blood of Christ.