I heard a story, probably apocryphal, about the principal of a small middle school who had a problem with the girls starting to use lipstick. After applying it in the bathroom, they would then press their lips to the mirror and leave lip prints.
Before it got out of hand he devised a plan to stop it. He announced that all girls who wore lipstick should meet in the girls’ restroom following their lunch break. When they arrived they found the principal and the school custodian waiting for them.
The principal explained that it was becoming a problem for the janitor to clean the mirror every night. He told the girls that he didn’t believe they understood the problem they were created by leaving their lipstick prints on the mirror.
He nodded to the custodian to demonstrate. The janitor took a long brush, dipped it in the nearest toilet, moved to the mirror and proceeded to remove the lipstick.
That was the last day the girls pressed their lips on the mirror!!!
I know. That’s gross! But it’s no more disgusting than the defilement of sin in all of putridity.
In this second of three posts on sin, I want to share 4 things about sin that are destructive and despicable.
(1) Sin enslaves the Will. God created people with the freedom of choice. Volition. Determination. Preference. But sin makes people a slave to their emotions. To their fleshly desires. To the sensual appetites.
Jesus said, “Whoever commits sins is a slave of sin” (Jn. 8:34). Think of the millions of people who are enslaved to alcohol. Drugs. Or painkillers. Many are in bondage to sexual addictions and perversions. It’s true that we first form our habits, then our habits form us.
(2) Sin stains the soul. Babies are born sinless. Innocent. Undefiled. However, in time everyone sins and falls short of God’s glory (Rom 3:23). The Bible says sin is like a prized pig that was washed and returns to wallowing in the mud. Sin is seen in the dog that returns to his vomit. (1 Peter 3:22) Sin is the Jewish boy who lived a wanton life, wasted his inheritance in riotous living and landed up in a pig pen (Lk. 15)
Sin soils the soul! Sin is sordid! Sin is sickening!
(3) Sin scars the conscience. When sin is repeated over and over again, it leaves its mark. “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. (Gal. 6:7-8).
The consequence of repeated sin is a calloused conscience. A hardened heart. An uncaring attitude. The impact of sin will linger longer than the sin itself. “Sin will take you farther than you want to go: Keep you longer than you want to stay; and cost you more than you want to pay.”
(4) Sin severs relationships. The sin of adultery destroys marriages. The sin of rebellion ruins relationships between parents and children. The sin of selfishness hurts homes.
Sin can disunite brethren. Stir up trouble. Cause division in churches. Sin hinders the work of God. Discourages faithful Christians. Results in souls being unsaved.
Sin separates us from God (Isa. 59:1-2). And severs our spiritual fellowship. Dietrich Bonhoeffer put this way. “Sin demands to have a man by himself. It withdraws him from the community. The more isolated a person is, the more destructive will be the power of sin over him, and more disastrous is this isolation. Sin wants to remain unknown. It shuns the light. In the darkness of the unexpressed it poisons the whole being of a person.”
Ultimately, sin will separate us eternally from the glories of heaven. Sin is serious. Sin is often subtle. Sin is always destructive. As John Mason once wrote, “If you don’t want the fruit of sin, then stay out of the devil’s orchard.”
–Ken Weliever, The Preacherman
ThePreachersWord 
I love this post!! Truths about sin that we need to be mindful of. Thank you Ken!!!
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You’re welcome, Pam! Thanks for reading and commenting.
Ken Weliever 400 NW Highcliffe Dr Lee’s Summit, MO 64081 Home Phone: 816-600-5001 Cell Phone: 813-507-1726 Church Office: 816-761-2659 preacherman@weliever.net web site: http://www.weliever.net/ blog: http://www.thepreachersword.com/ Church web site: http://hickmanchurch.com/
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Reblogged this on My Favorite Bible verses and blogs.
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Thank you Ken… another for our local bulletin… kind of sounds like putting lipstick on a pig!!! It just doesn’t cover it!!!
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Thanks, Ken
Ken Weliever 400 NW Highcliffe Dr Lee’s Summit, MO 64081 Home Phone: 816-600-5001 Cell Phone: 813-507-1726 Church Office: 816-761-2659 preacherman@weliever.net web site: http://www.weliever.net/ blog: http://www.thepreachersword.com/ Church web site: http://hickmanchurch.com/
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