Sin Archives - Bulletin Digest

Only One Right Way

[237 words] There is only right and wrong. In true religion, there is only one right way, and that way is made plain in the Bible. King David learned this. His decision to have an adulterous affair with Uriah the Hittite’s wife was wrong. His adultery with her violated God’s law in the Ten Commandments…

Lessons from a Skunk

[146 words] Back when I was a teenager, I and my brother were helping my dad with his lake cabin. While I was unloading some plumbing supplies, Gary was pulling off some trim from the crawlspace. Suddenly, my brother let out a yell, and a distinctive smell filled the air. It was the smell of…

Inconceivable!

[284 words] In James 1:14-15, James explained the process that leads to the birth of sin. “Each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin.” It’s interesting to note that temptation isn’t something that enters into people; rather, people…

We Must Learn Our Lesson

[218 words] What was God’s response to the sins of Israel and what will His response be to our sins? God would beat His fist in anger at the violent crimes of Israel. “Behold, therefore, I beat My fists at the dishonest profit which you have made, and at the bloodshed which has been in…

Pardon Without Penalty?

[333 words] According to Numbers 13, when the spies returned from their forty days of investigating the land God had promised them, there was a divided opinion presented to the people. It was not a difference involving facts. All twelve spies agreed that the land was good. In fact, it “flowed with milk and honey”…

Annie’s Death

[323 words] Charles and his wife were devastated. Their little girl, Annie, had died. Charles blamed himself and his wife because they were first cousins. While such inbreeding can cause birth defects, this was not the cause of Annie’s death. She, most likely, died of tuberculosis (TB) caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. In other words, Annie…

What I Have Learned from the Covid-19 Pandemic

[494 words] Covid-19 is like sin. Covid-19 has quickly spread around the globe, and although not everyone gets this virus dies, it has caused many deaths and has disrupted many lives. It reminds me a lot of sin, yet sin is far more dangerous. Rom. 3:23 states, “for all have sinned and fall short of…

No Cheap Repentance

[423 words] Sin has a cost. That’s a concept we should be careful not to forget. If we do committing sin becomes much less of a big deal. (At least in our own minds). I think this is a reason why Israel’s law commanded a thief to give back more than he stole. Think about…

Yes, It’s a Pandemic

[395 words] Uncontrolled disease can be horrific. With the current worries about the spread of a new coronavirus dubbed “COVID-19,” we have heard the terms “epidemic” and “pandemic” tossed around quite a bit. An epidemic occurs when a disease affects a greater number of people than is usual for an area, and a pandemic is…

Why is Our Society So Sinful?

[413 words] Why will a man throw away the wife of his youth and the children she bore him, all for a “one night stand?” Adults use profanity in public and in front of children. Society is plagued by constant news reports of murder, abuse, rape and theft. Even in a small community, the gossip…

The Irrational Nature of Sin

[192 words] Willing participation in sin just does not make any sense. To defy the will of God is not only wicked and damning, it is irrational. Knowing that sin separates one from God (Isa. 59:2), who would venture down such a path? The answer is disturbing: all of us (Rom. 3:23). But such does…

Desensitized by Saturation

[343 words] The practice of desensitization by saturation is very common one. Just take a moment and look back in your life and compare your past to what is allowed and permitted in our culture today. I understand that there is nothing new under the sun (Ecc. 1:9) and the sin we deal with today…

What Should We Do About Sin?

[485 words] If you, as a Christian, know for a fact that your brother or sister is living in sin, what are you to do? Depending on the sin, you might say. If it is a private matter, Matthew 18:15 and following give the prescription for the matter. If the brother or sister refuse to…

Sin Has Created the Need

[260 words] Sin Has Created the Need “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.”…

Is Our Sin God’s Fault?

[423 words] None of us ask to be born, yet we were given life anyway from our Creator (Job 10:8-9; Ps. 100:3; 119:73; 139:14). And yes, we have all sinned (Ro. 3:23; Eccl. 7:20; 1 Kg. 8:46), but isn’t that partially God’s fault? Our omniscient God knew we would be tempted of the devil and…

How Small is a Small Sin?

[176 words] How small is a small sin? Before you answer we need to ask another question: Who holds the measuring stick ? We tend to think my sin is small and God will take no notice, but your sin is another matter. According to an old story the devil one day gave a man…

Elements of a Depraved Culture

[500 words] No God. People have many gods, but not God. They have the god of pleasure. They worship the god of money. Their “god is their belly” (Phil. 3:19). Though the creation plainly declares God (Psa. 19:1), they still refuse to acknowledge Him. No Fear. When men turn to themselves, they become presumptuous, self-willed,…

You and Satan

[368 words] The Scriptures warn us about the devil. He is not our friend, he is our foe. He doesn’t love us, he hates us. He is not for us, he is against us. He indeed is our number one enemy; therefore, Peter admonishes, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like…

That’s Disgusting!

[317 words] Stephen doesn’t feel disgust. Ever. After years of attempting to find a reason for his lack of ability to feel emotions, Stephen’s doctors finally diagnosed him with a little-known condition called alexithymia. People who fit into this category are unable to feel excitement, shame, disgust, anticipation, or even love. One might think that…

Are We Being Consistent with Sin?

[404 words] My son is in school at Bear Valley Bible Institute. He told me of a student that went to the president of the school with an idea that might be too controversial. The president okayed it because it raised a tremendous point. This student was to bring a lesson in one of his…

Sour Grapes and Justice

[566 words] Ezekiel 18 is a marvelous chapter on the fairness and justice of God. Its message is in an Old Testament setting, but it portrays an attribute of God which is unchanged; and it should be read today—with care. The Israelites had a proverb: “The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth…

Not One More

[251 words] June 28, 2014 marked the 100-year anniversary of the assassination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie, of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Their deaths led directly to World War I, which would begin exactly one month later on July 28. The Archduke and his wife were shot as they rode in an open-air…

When Band-Aids Are Not Enough

[231 words] Every medicine cabinet should have a supply of Band-Aids of various sizes. They are excellent for keeping small cuts and scrapes clean and making “boo-boo’s” feel better. However, Band-Aids are inadequate treatments for cancerous tumors, broken femurs, or blocked arteries. This insight is true in our personal lives as well. A smile and…

Lost Pit Viper

[332 words] “Danger: We believe there may be a dangerous pit viper lost somewhere in the apartment complex. Please watch where you step!” This may sound like the first line from a low-budget horror movie, but for some renters in South Carolina it is all too real. Management at an apartment complex found a snakeskin…

Great Chapters from the Greatest Book: Exodus 32

[186 words] Sin has severe consequences: Upon God’s threat to destroy the nation, Moses prayed and asked God to destroy him also (Exodus 32:32). God told Moses, “Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book” (Exodus 32:33). We will face severe consequences because of our sins, unless those sins are…

Time to Re-Evaluate

[218 words] Modem people have a hard time getting around the concept of hell and a “loving God.” They can’t imagine a loving God consigning multitudes of people to an eternal punishment. We have come a long way, it seems, from the “hell fire and damnation” sermons of a by-gone age. We have also ignored…

The Sin of Sodom

[420 words] The Bible relates that God destroyed the city of Sodom because its inhabitants “were wicked and were sinning greatly against the Lord” (Gen. 3:13). What was the wickedness which brought God’s wrath down upon them? Some homosexual advocates try to make the sin of Sodom that of inhospitality. They argue that because the…

Sin

[454 words] We’ve all heard the story of the preacher who was asked, “What are you preaching on Sunday?” He responded, “Sin.” The querist retorted, “Well are you fer or agin it?” It seems sin is a taboo topic in our world today. The politically correct movement wants us to use words like “illness,”…

How Do I Keep from Doing a Sin That I Want to Do?

[478 words] In a Bible class that was discussing the topic of homosexuality, a 13-year-old girl asked, “What about someone who really doesn’t want to have those feelings but can’t seem to stop them?” That is such a great question, for there are many who are struggling with homosexual desires but they don’t want…

The Irony of Sin

[202 words] King Ahab called Elijah the prophet the “troubler of Israel” (1 Kings 18:17). Of course, the prophet wasted no time in pointing out that it was Ahab, not Elijah, who was the real trouble in Israel because he had abandoned the commandments of the LORD (1 Kings 18:18). A few years later,…

Hide and Seek With a Spider

[368 words] As I made my coffee one morning, I noticed the movement of a brown object down on the floor. It was big enough to catch my eye and big enough to make me jump. It was a large (silver dollar-sized) spider that quickly ran and took refuge under a chair. While I…

‘This Woman was Taken in Adultery, in the Very Act’

[320 words] “And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act” (John 8:3-4). I’m not sure why I chose the story of the adulterous woman brought…

Behold, the Lamb of God

[320 words] Sin has a way of demanding our attention. Whether it is a sin someone has committed against us or our falling prey to our own evil desires (James 1:14), sin has a way of becoming our focus. All sin is against God and carries with it the spiritual death sentence demanded by…

Freedom from Sin: Before or After?

[105 words] Read Exodus 14:9-31 and 1 Corinthians 10:1-4. Now, when did Egypt lose their power over Israel? Before or after Israel was baptized into Moses? When did Israel find their freedom from bondage? Before or after they were baptized into Moses? How did Israel end up receiving their God-given freedom from slavery? By…

Psalm 119:1

[142 words] “How blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD.” Some folks have been known to lament that there is little enjoyment in a life lived under the restrictions of biblical morality and teaching. The most enjoyable life, we’re told, is in a life without moral…

We Can Win The Battle

[332 words] As I type, Monday is knocking at the door! Challenges lay ahead, temptation is on both sides of the road, and Satan is waiting for me to step off the path I walk with Jesus. You and I will battle sin every hour and every day this week. The Good News is Jesus…

A Pool of Sin

[152 words] Getting into sin is a little like getting into a swimming pool. When you first get into a pool, it feels cold and uncomfortable. However, after just a few minutes, you get used to the water temperature and it doesn’t feel uncomfortable anymore. In fact, if you stay in the pool for very…

When ‘Magor-Missabib’s’ Disguise Themselves as ‘Pashur’s’

[172 words] In Jeremiah 19, God’s prophet was instructed to warn the people of Judah and Jerusalem that, because of their unrestrained sin and stubbornness, a harsh, but just, judgment was coming. Despite the clarity of the message which spelled doom for the unrepentant people there were leaders who promised peace, and who also treated…

Enabling Bad Behavior is as Sinful as the Behavior

[324 words] You’ve probably watched a few programs on TV. or heard of them where families make interventions for a loved one who has an addiction problem. Years of coddling a child, friend, or loved one who has an addiction, only adds to the problem. It seems that the sooner a person hits rock‐bottom the…

National Clean Your Desk Day

[442 words] Cathy brought to my attention Monday morning that Jan. 8 was National “Clean Your Desk” Day. And just for those who have been terribly concerned about my desk “clutter”, here is a picture of my hard work Monday morning. Now just for clarification, I did not clean the desk because of a “National…

Losing Our Senses

[179 words] When unusual behavior is observed in another, someone may say, “They have lost their senses.” It seems proper, based on certain observations, to say that many people today seem to have lost their senses! Some have lost their: Sense of God. More and more a practical atheism is getting around (Titus 1:16). People…

Christians Who Are Afraid Of Heights

If you’ve been to the Grand Canyon, you might have had that certain itching feeling, the crazy urge to walk right up to the edge of the cliff. For those of us who aren’t afraid of heights, there is something extremely invigorating about walking up to the edge. It’s almost as if we get to…

Crucified with Christ

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” Galatians 2:20. If we replay the gospel backwards from the religious confusion we have today,…

The Speeding Ticket

Recently, a man in Florida went to great lengths to get out of a simple speeding ticket. When the police officer who pulled him over was out of earshot, the man dialed 911. He told dispatchers that a murder was about to take place. He passionately described how a person was holding a gun and…

The Tick

Ever had a tick on you? Ticks are small blood sucking mites. They spend a good bit of time just waiting in bushes, grass and woods for a victim–you! Once you happen by, they jump on and attempt to quickly crawl to a protected spot on your body. Then they sink their mouth parts into…

When is a Shark Not a Shark?

[225 words] Surely you saw it on TV about a man who was going to race a great white shark. I didn’t see the show but I believe the shark won the race. But then the rage started. People found out that the shark was not real. It really was all a stunt, a farce.…

‘At the End of the Day’

[373 words] For about a month or so, recently, news reports were marked with frequent mentions about an ongoing kidnapping case. It involved a fifty-year-old-man (who was a public school teacher) and a fifteen-year-old girl (a student at the school) from Tennessee. The media reported how the teacher persuaded the young girl to go with…

The Five-Second Rule

If you accidentally drop a chicken nugget onto the floor, do you eat it? “Five-second rule!” is the usual reply, meaning that if you pick it up within five seconds, it’s ok to eat it. Germs and bacteria will not have had time to latch onto that tasty nugget. Science has again spoiled our fun.…

At the End of the Day

Choose to ‘Do Well’

[284 words] While watching a movie entitled An Old Fashioned Christmas on the Hallmark Channel, I scribbled down an outstanding observation a character made about choosing a path in this world. In this movie, which is based on a story set in the 1880’s by Louisa May Alcott, one young man took a house guest…

The Speeding Ticket

Ticks and Sin

[289 words] Ever had a tick on you? Ticks are small blood sucking mites. They spend a good bit of time just waiting in bushes, grass and woods for a victim–you! Once you happen by, they jump on and attempt to quickly crawl to a protected spot on your body. Then they sink their mouth…

Is the Devil Responsible for Our Sins?

Satan desires one thing, which is the spiritual demise of all humanity. He wants every soul to end up in hell with him (Mat. 25:41). Satan accomplishes his mission by getting people to live their lives in sin. Satan “entered in” Judas and caused him to betray the Lord (Jn. 13:27; 18:1-5). Satan “filled’ Ananias’…

A Clean Heart

How does a worm get inside an apple? Perhaps you think the worm burrows in from the outside. No, the worm comes from the inside. But how does he get in there? Simple! An insect lays an egg in the apple blossom. Sometime later, the worm hatches in the heart of the apple, then eats…

Are You Hitting the Mark?

An old evangelist was telling another man how he might improve his lifestyle. “You know,” answered the fellow, “I’ve been aiming to do that.” “Well,” said the preacher, “quit aiming and start shooting.” The Bible says, “Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness” (1 John 3:4). This literally means to miss the…

Sin By Any Other Name…Still Stinks!

“We need to call sin by its right name and expose it before the world for what it is…We might label a bottle of strychnine some soft drink but doing so would not change its nature…We can’t sugar-coat sin, Underneath the surface it is still sin and that is all one can make of it.…

The Mosquito Truck

When the clouds of immorality and doctrinal departures waft our way, would to God our response was as prompt and energetic as our closing the windows when the mosquito truck drives up the street. We are sorry, but this content is for Trial, Annual, and Lifetime members only. You either are not yet a member…