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A Lethal Dose of Peppermint
Dr.
J. Wilbur Chapman told of a distinguished minister, Dr. Howard from
Australia,
who preached very strongly on the subject of sin. After the meeting,
someone remarked "Dr. Howard, you shouldn't talk as openly as you do
about man's guilt and corruption as it may offend someone. And if our boys
and girls hear you discussing
that subject, they will more easily become sinners. Call it a "mistake"
if you will, an "error in judgment", but do not speak so
plainly about SIN."
Dr. Howard took a small bottle down from a shelf and showing it to the
visitor said, "You see that label? It says ‘STRYCHNINE’ --
and underneath in BOLD, red letters
the word 'POISON.' Do you know, man,
what you are asking me to do? You are suggesting that I CHANGE THE LABEL!!
Suppose I do, and paste over it the words, 'Essence of Peppermint'
don't you see what might happen? Someone would use it, not knowing the
danger involved, and would certainly die. So it is, too, with this matter
of sin. The MILDER you make your LABEL; the more DANGEROUS you make the
POISON!" We dare not try to re-label SIN, lest we harm ourselves and
others!
The Bible warns of the TRAGIC consequences of sin: "Do you not know
that the unrighteous will not inherit the
kingdom
of
God
? DO NOT BE DECEIVED! Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor
adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor
drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the
kingdom
of
God
" (1 Corinthians 6:9-10; see also Galatians 5:19-21). OBSERVE THE
WARNING LABEL: “THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH” (Romans 6:23).
The sad news is that “ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”
(Romans 3:23). Yet, because of Jesus, there is hope!
Observe the verses following those listed above.
After stating that sin will cause one to forfeit his inheritance to
heaven (1 Corinthians 6:9-10), the Apostle Paul wrote: "And such WERE
some of you. BUT you were washed, but you were
sanctified [set apart], but you
were justified in the name of the Lord
Jesus and by the Spirit of our God" (1 Corinthians 6:11).
Again in Romans 6:23, Paul’s stern WARNING is followed by words
of hope: "For the wages of sin is DEATH, BUT the gift of God is ETERNAL LIFE in Christ Jesus our
Lord." Indeed, “ALL
have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”
BUT
each can be "justified freely by His grace through the redemption
that is in Christ Jesus" (Romans 3:23-24).
SIN is a serious problem; it is a matter of LIFE
and DEATH (Romans 6:23; Revelation 21:8)!
DON’T try to re-label it -- expose it!
DON’T try to cover it up – confess it!
DON’T try to ignore it – allow God to cleanse and forgive you!
God WILL forgive those who: place their trust
in Him (Hebrews 11:6), repent
of
sin (Acts 17:30-31), confess
Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and be baptized
(immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38). God will
CONTINUE
to forgive those who CONTINUE to walk in the light of His Word as
a way of life
(1 John 1:7).
Make NO
mistake about it: SIN IS POISON!
Will YOU
not accept the Lord’s antidote today?
God bless you!
David A. Sargent,
Minister
Church of Christ at Creekwood
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama 36695
*
Adapted
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