Have you ever noticed how everything starts at one point but never stays there? I remember in High School Physics we studied Newton’s Law. His first law of inertia states that an object at rest stays at rest, and an object in motion stays in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force. A big statement for saying if something is going in one direction it will continue unless some outside force stops it. While Newton was testing and referring to inanimate objects it also applies to our lives. There is a progression taking place in everything we do. In physical, mental, and spiritual growth change is always occurring.
When we were born, we were born with a sin nature. No one had to teach us how to lie. A normal human is born with a desire for self-preservation. This selfish desire will show itself in pride and it will seek what seems best for itself. Through an outside force, usually Mom and Dad, we begin to understand changing directions as we are disciplined. A spanking is an outside force that is not desirable and will cause us to stop and determine if the pain we receive is worth the pleasure we gain from the act we commit. If there are no negative consequences or actions taken, we continue.
In John 16:7-8, Jesus was speaking of His departure to Heaven. He explained the role and need of the Holy Spirit. He was given to comfort us, to convict us, and to stop us from sinning. If we are not Christians, He will deal with us and seek to convince us we need Jesus as our Savior. If we are saved, He will seek to convince us to change. It is an invitation to look at ourselves, to see ourselves as a Holy God sees us, to repent and restore fellowship with God. It goes beyond a feeling of guilt. The Greek word for convict is elencho which means “to convince someone of the truth; to reprove or accuse.” Conviction will bring out the truth, it shows us our wrongs and rebukes us, but it is our response that makes the difference.
John 16:7- 8 “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.”
When a person refuses to listen and obey the Holy Spirit their sin will only progress. While the Holy Spirit was not given to indwell until after Jesus went back to Heaven, He still dealt with men’s hearts. David felt the weight of his sin but would not repent. His sin progressed from a look to a desire to have what was not his. He allowed the lust to grow in his mind and heart and then sent for Bathsheba. This began the progression of consequences that ended in the murder of her husband, the death of their baby, the rape of His daughter by her brother, who was also killed by another son of David. David did not allow the moveable force of conviction to change His direction until generations of damage was done. In Psalm 51 David repents and God forgives but because he allowed his heart to become calloused and hardened much damage was done.
Psalms 51:10-12 “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.”
How does Satan weave his way into our lives today to make sure we are progressing in our sins rather than repenting? The very first thing he does is to watch us. In I Peter 5:8 he seeks us as a lion does his prey. Something happens in our lives that makes things difficult for us to deal with. It may be sickness, financial problems, or whatever. We then begin to look at ourselves instead of God. We feel sorry for ourselves and soon Satan takes his first leap. He sends someone to sympathize with us or stroke our ego. At this point, we are like David on the rooftop. We are lingering because we feel a little comfort in our relationship. No big deal, it’s just a friend. We convince ourselves it is okay to confide in someone who is not our spouse. Soon feelings emerge that we didn’t expect. We then begin to plot and plan as David did how he could cover his sin, and still engage in it. He had Bathsheba’s husband killed and took her as his wife. He thought all was well, but it was only the beginning of a life of pain and heartache for all those in his life. The sin that seemed so private and manageable was ruining the lives of generations. The progression was in place and the only thing that could slow it down or stop it was repentance. We must understand that even after we repent there will be consequences we cannot control.
I Peter 5:8 “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:”
Heed this warning! If at any time you take your focus off God as your source of comfort, joy, or solution to your problems, you are headed for trouble. The force of the Holy Spirit will seek to turn you around to repent and stop the progression of your sin, but it is up to you to obey. Will you allow your sin to follow the progressive pathway? You have a choice to annihilate or escalate your sin.
