An Appetite for Sin

Peter Beck, Assistant Professor of Religion at Charleston Southern University, writes in his article, An Appetite for Sin, "Looking is just the beginning. Looking is what got Eve into trouble. Moses tells us that she found the forbidden fruit pleasant to the eyes. David couldn’t stop looking at a bathing Bathsheba and couldn’t stop himself from taking what was not his. Once you look, it’s hard not to touch." He makes a good point. I struggled with abusing alcohol in the past. Therefore, as I have often said, it wouldn't make sense for me to take a job as a bartender knowing my weakness. This is the same for just about any sin, especially those that we struggle with the most. However, while I agree with Professor Beck's assessment, I don't think he goes far enough in his article. In his conclusion he states, "Don’t just try to close your eyes to sin. Open them to God’s provision instead. Ask God for help. Pray that you will be filled with the Spirit not with the things of this world. Keep your eyes on the grand prize not earthly consolations." Close but, not close enough.

What is God's provision? Should we pray for the filling of the Holy Spirit when He is already indwelling us? This concluding statement sounds good, but is very vague in describing anything of substance for a believer to hold on to. When he says that looking is just the beginning, I think he is forgetting something very important. Just prior to destroying the earth God "saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time (Genesis 6:5)." Sin begins in the heart. It may manifest itself in what we look at and, eventually, in what we do, but it is trying to satisfy the desires of our heart that leads us to sin. Eve was tempted to eat the fruit and David was tempted to sleep with Bathsheba because each of them believed that what sin offered would satisfy what they didn't believe they already possessed. And that is the case with all of us when we sin.

As Christians God "has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ (Ephesians 1:3)" and "has given us everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3)." Now, if we have all of this in Christ, what would we possibly expect to receive through sin? Part of God's provision for us is that He has fulfilled the deepest needs of our heart through faith in Christ. Every individual is looking for unconditional love, acceptance, meaning and purpose to life. When we fail to understand all we have in Christ our only alternative is to turn to the world in an effort to find it. All the world has to offer can only be received through engaging in sin. In spite of having the life of God indwelling her, Eve desired to "be like God" and ate the forbidden fruit. David believed that committing adultery and murder to be with Bathsheba would fulfill the greatest needs of his heart. Both were terribly wrong and suffered the consequences for their sin.

Both the actions of Eve and David displeased the Lord. Eve contributed to Adam eating the forbidden fruit which led directly to their spiritual death and sin entering the world. The sin of David led the Lord to declare, "the sword will never depart from your house (2 Samuel 12:10)." All of us can insert our own set of consequences we have experienced for our sin. My drunkenness nearly took my life when I briefly dozed off while driving home one night. As Christians, our lack of faith in what God has freely given us is what leads to our futile attempts to search for in the world what we already have in Christ. Sin begins in the heart. If we feel something is missing it will eventually materialize into some sort of sin. We must realize that the condition of man is that we are all born into this world spiritually dead to God in our sins. But, God's one and only provision is eternal life in the gift of His risen Son, Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit, the very life of God once lost when Adam sinned, is now freely given to all believers "as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come (2 Corinthians 1:22)."

It is in the life of God that we have received, as a free gift, everything our hearts desire. Is it love that you desire? "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are (1 John 3:1)!" You are totally loved in Christ. Is it acceptance that you seek? "God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us (Acts 15:8)." In Christ, you are totally accepted. Are you still searching for meaning and purpose to your life? "Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires (2 Peter 1:4)." By understanding what you already have in Christ you will not be looking to the world for what it can only offer through sin. Therefore, you will be able to share with others that which you have received in Christ so as to turn them from the sin of the world and towards Christ. When the desires of our hearts are filled by what only God can offer in Christ, our appetites will be for the "bread of life" and not for the "forbidden fruit" of sin.