Leaving Beyond – Grounded In Scripture

Written by: April J. Buchanan

Sin loved and meditated upon in the heart is never hidden from the eyes of the sovereign and holy God. The unregenerate man not only indulges sin in secret, but often finds delight in speaking of it, exposing it to others, and drawing satisfaction from their reaction, whether approval or shock. His boasting reveals a heart that treasures what God hates.

Yet when such a man comes into contact with one whose mind is shaped by the Word of God, whose own sin is being exposed and put to death daily, there is often a different aim. He seeks affirmation. He desires that the one who claims conviction might soften, might stumble, or even join him in his boasting. But when he is instead met with truth, with love that refuses to affirm sin and stands ready to speak of Christ, he retreats. He hides behind weakness, behind excuses, and often behind others who claim love yet refuse to deal honestly with his sin or his unregenerate condition. They shift the focus, silence the matter, and insist that all is well.

But it is not well.

It is not well for the one who boasts in sin, nor for those who encourage him in it while claiming the name of Christ. Sin is not merely against man, nor only against earthly authority. It is ultimately against God, who is perfectly holy and will judge with perfect righteousness. What men dismiss as insignificant is often a mercy from God, a lesser exposure meant to reveal the heart and warn of a greater judgment to come.

Men may mock parents, governing authorities, and even the church, which God has established as means of order and grace. They may even seem to escape consequences through the failures or corruption of others. Yet such distortions do not reflect the God of Scripture. God is not corrupt. He is not partial. His judgment is perfect, and even the best judgments of men fall infinitely short of His.

Men mock and do not tremble because they do not yet see. They do not yet feel the weight of the holiness they have offended. But God will not be mocked. Every careless word, every cherished sin, every act of rebellion is known to Him.

And yet there is hope. Our hope is in Christ alone, the only mediator between God and man. Flee to Him. Repent, for your days are short. You may forget your sins, but God does not. You are born in Adam, under sin and judgment, and you must be born again in the second Adam, Jesus Christ. He is truly God and truly man, born of a virgin, without sin, who died in the place of sinners, who was raised on the third day, and who will return as King.

None will stand before God on their own merit. None will enter His presence apart from His Son.

Repent, O sinner. Flee to Christ.