Volume. XX, No. 50
Sunday, 11 June 2006


From the Pastors heart: Beauty and beast


Most Christians tend to think that sin is like a monster, having more than two horns and looking grotesque.  They think that sin is only in darkness and we cannot but hate it.  Thus, any topic related to sin and iniquity is unpleasant and uncomfortable.  To the contrary, I must view of sin from different perspectives.  I believe that sin is sweet and beautiful.  It is very friendly, too.  It does not behave as our natural enemies.  It is like smiling neighbors whom we cannot resist.  I may personify sin by quoting a poem.  Before I am going to do it, I must seek forgiveness from the readers and Melissa Collette, who is the author of this poem.  I seek the readers’ pardon because what I am going to quote is not Christian, per se, and the author’s intention is not correctly reflected in my use of it, for I am going to use her beautiful love poem, not in the way that she wants to use.  Then relax and read the following:

You’re the thought that starts each morning, The conclusion to each day.
You are in all that I do, And everything I say.
You’re the smile on my face, The twinkle in my eye.
The warmth inside my heart, The fullness in my life.

You’re the hand that’s laced in mine, And the coat upon my back.
My friend, my love, My shoulder to lean on.
You’re my silly, mature, caring, Thoughtful, bright, and honest guy.
The one who holds me tightly, When I need to cry.

You’re the dimple in my cheek, The ever-constant tingle in my soul.
The voice that makes me weak, The happiness of my life.
You are all I’ve wanted, You are all I need.
You are all I’ve dreamed of, You are all of this to me.

You may think of your lover as you read it.  Instead of doing so, if you replace “you” with “sin” throughout the poem, you will describe the nature and work of sin in the most elegant way.  Some people say that sin is a good man’s brother.  Some say, “Everything that is so bad feels so good.”  Sin is pretty, beautiful, attractive, bold, intelligent, and strong.  Otherwise, who wants to sin?  Right from the beginning of the Bible, man has been touched and contacted by the presence of sin.  The attractiveness of sin is powerful and even destructive.  When a man is attracted to sin, his reason becomes dull, and all his logic disappears.  Our first parents, Adam and Eve, were in the presence of God.  The Bible tells us that God walked in the Garden of Eden and talked to them.  The beauty of sin was so splendid that they could not see what they should have seen, even to deny the commandment of God.  The charming of sin anesthetizes especially the mind of people.  Its anaesthetic power is almost invincible that even noble minds could not fight back.  David was a man after God’s own heart.  He knew God’s morality and ethics, but he plunged himself into a murderer’s and adulterer’s place and disgraced himself.  The most wise man on earth, Solomon, professed God to be his Lord, but at the end of his life he bowed himself before idols.  The possessive power of sin is irresistible.  Once a man is caught by it, he will have to fight a long and bloody battle, if he really wants to come out of it.  Sin is beautiful.  Thus, Samson fell in it.  Sin is tempting and self-righteous.  Thus, even Moses fell to be a victim.  


My friends, do not even try to be friendly to sin.  You may think you can handle it.  By the time you think this way, you are already a prey to sin.  The best salesperson of sin is the devil.  The best product Satan wants to sell is sin.  He wraps it beautifully, and advertises it tastily.  It often even feels good at least for a time to dwell in sin. But sin never fully delivers on the promises!  When a man grabs sin to his side, he must know that there are always strings attached to it.  Behind the smiling faces of sin, there is always something that has not been told about such as shame and remorse later.  Sin is not far away from us, but keeps close to us.  God spoke to Cain in Genesis 4:7b, “sin lieth at the door.”  Sin is a liar and very deceitful.  

I’ll quote a part of a song by Sunset Angel, not because of her faith, but because of her poem.  The title is, “Even sin feels good.”

You've heard it all said before; They say "It felt right at the time"
They say they really thought; That they were really doing right
But when it costs someone pain; They didn't understand it then
Didn't see the hurt they caused; Didn't know that it was all just sin
Even sin feels good.  You do things you never would
Makes you doubt your faith; Makes you think it's fate
Gives you such a rush; Can make you think you're in love
Can even convince you it's God's will; But leaves behind pain and guilt
If sin always felt bad or wrong; Then there wouldn't be any sin at all
You'd avoid it if you could; But even sin feels good
Of only they could have known; That someday they'd be ashamed
Embarrassed to tell anyone; Of what they're doing now, today
Turning their back on their beliefs; But at the time it felt so right
Falling down fast to their lowest; They thought they were about to fly

Sin will make us feel good.  It will make our heart glad. But remember that there will be a day of accounting.  The more pleasure we have with our sin, more hurts and harms will be done to us.  Once we become friends of sin, it will refuse to leave us alone.  Hebrews 12:4 says, “Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.”  Those who tasted sin, they may have to fight until bleeding.  Hebrews 3:13, “But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.”  

My friends, stop right there where you are and turn away from your sins right away.  Flee from sin and lust as quickly as possible, as Joseph did from his master’s wife.  “Remove thy foot from evil” (Proverbs 4:27b).  “His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins” (5:22).  “But every man is tempted, when he drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.  Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death” (James 1:14-15).  Is sin sweet?  Is sin beautiful?  Is sin attractive?  Though we may yes to all of them, we also must say, “sin is a beast” that kills you and me.

Lovingly,
Your Pastor

More Lively Hope

 

Announcements

Shorter Catechism Question No. 49: Which is the second commandment? The second commandment is, Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.  

Please pray for health & God’s healing: Rev George & Sis Nan van Buuren, Rev Peter Clements, Rev David Koo, Rev Timothy Tow, Dr S H Tow, Preacher Zhang, Dns Edwin D’Mello & Yaw Chiew Tan; Bros Raphael Ng’s father, Winston Selvanayagam, Thomas Tan, & John Tann; Sisters Kimmy Chong, Nary Li, Myung Ki, Alice Lee’s father, Aranka Rejtoe, Sally Teng, Susan Veradi, & Giok Yeo’s sister-in-law; Auntie Oei, Mrs Sylvia White and others afflicted with viral illness. "He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength” (Isaiah 40:29).

Please pray for – a) Cambodia Missions - Rev & Mrs Luke Kim & ministry (Veal Renh), Cambodian pastors & believers; b) Laos Missions - Bro S Dhamarlingam; c) Pastors & believers in India & Pakistan; d) Sketch n’ Tell Ministry - Bro H S Lim & ministry in S’pore/Malaysia; e) Journey mercies - Sis Hui Wei Chua’s family (Malaysia), and those who are travelling this week; f) Ps Ki - camp speaker and ministry at Calvary Jurong B-P Church, S’pore); g) Session members - when Ps Ki is away; h) High school & university students preparing for mid-year exams.

Praise and Thank God for – a) YAF Bible Study; b) Journey mercies - Ps Ki (S’pore), Rev Edward & Mrs Lehia Paauwe (Perth), Dn Raymond & Mrs Peggy Woo, Bro Winston & Sis Christabelle Selvanayagam (Syd); Bros David Chua (KL) & Henry Heng (Syd); Sisters Sooi Chin Gong & Lydia Tan (China); c) 20th Anniversary Thanksgiving Service - Speaker: Rev Edward Paauwe; Mrs Lehia Paauwe, invited guests & visitors, & Dinner last Lord’s Day.

Greetings for our 20th Anniversary from - Calvary Tengah B-P Church, Elder Boaz Boon (S’pore); Evangel B-P Church, Elder Dr Yew Cheng Lim (PJ); Rev James White (Kanmantoo); Mrs Judy Creamer (USA) & Miss Lin Poh (Kuching).

Special Item of Prayer: For the LORD to provide $12,955 for Pastor’s car.

Looking Ahead: Vacation Bible School, 17-21 July. Speaker: Bro Hai Seng Lim. Helpers needed - please let Dn D’Mello know if available.

 

 

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