Sin Has Changed Us

"A general dissolution of principles and manners will more surely overthrow the liberties of America than the whole force of the common enemy. While the people are virtuous they cannot be subdued; but when once they lose their virtue then will be ready to surrender their liberties to the first external or internal invader."   -- Samuel Adams (letter to James Warren, 12 February 1779)

          When I read this, and I know the intent of Samuel Adams was political, but I saw something else.  If we look at certain words and check for synonyms, the word “virtuous” can be compared to “morality.”  By rereading the quote from Samuel Adams “While people are [moral], they cannot be subdued, but when…they lose their [morality] then they will be ready to surrender…”

              The problem I am attempting to relate to isn’t political, but by tying this to you and I, our church, our Bible, and our lives, we should be able to see that as we surrender our morality, (sin,) we will sink deeper and deeper. Then we are more willing to give up other freedoms so we can hang onto our besetting sin.

              We can see this in our church attendance.  I don’t know why some people have left this church in the past, except I know that most aren’t going to church anywhere. Others are openly reveling in their sin.  I imagine they left because of their besetting sin.  It may have only been in the infancy when they left, yet it continues to abide with them.

              Another thing we will do is allow the character of our church to deteriorate into an apostate church by denigrating our Holy Bible to some perverted translation and yet calling it the Holy Bible.  We will accept that change, because sin has changed us.

Joel 2:12 - 13 (KJV)  Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:  ¹³And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.  

          God has asked us to come back.  He doesn’t want our things He wants our heart.  Samuel Adams has told us what will happen when we denigrate ourselves to sin.  Now is the time to listen to God.  Put away the sin and come back to Him.