Robert Louis Stevenson, in “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” set forth the irrevocable nature of every act we perform. Mr. Jekyll discovered a drug that would transform him into a man devoid of conscience and able to enjoy any vice or sin. Jekyll named this monster Mr. Hyde.
Any time Jekyll wanted to become this monster, he would simply take the drug. Then when he wanted to return to being Jekyll, he took the drug again. But after a time, the desire to be Mr. Hyde overruled the desire to be Mr. Jekyll, and he could not recover himself.
Similarly, our sin progresses, gains power over us, and then one day, there is no turning back. Just read the headlines or listen to the newscasts and hear of the consequences of sin. As a nation, we have progressed deeper and deeper into the monster Mr. Hyde. Socially, economically and morally, we are more filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity than ever before. But the sad thing is that we think we are getting better as a people.
We may know more and have greater technology and communication, but we have not gotten any better as people. As a matter of fact we are so bad that we are accepting wickedness and evil in the world and actually calling it good. The Bible says, “But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.” 2 Timothy 3:13
Oh that we as a nation would begin to understand what sin is and the devastating effect it has had on all of us. We have been deceived into thinking and believing that sin has no consequences. Everybody is basically good and we are all going to heaven. This is deception at its worst!
Romans 3:10-12: “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.”
I read a story this week of a young girl who accepted Christ as her Savior and wanted to be baptized. An old deacon in the Church wanted to find out where this girl was really at in regard to her relationship with the Lord. He asked a few questions.
“Were you a sinner before you received the Lord Jesus into your life?”
“Yes, sir,” she replied.
“Well, are you still a sinner?”
“To tell you the truth, I feel I’m a greater sinner than ever.”
“Then what real change have you experienced?”
“I don’t quite know how to explain it,” she said, “except I used to be a sinner running AFTER sin, but now that I am saved, I’m a sinner running FROM sin.”
Only Jesus Christ can save us from our sin and the devastating destruction that sin will bring us as individuals.
A nation is made up of individuals. We can’t change our nation, but as individuals understand that we are sinners in need of a Savior. In response to that knowledge, we can turn from our wicked ways and then the Lord will forgive our sins and heal our land.
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