The Habit of Sin

The Habit of Sin

“I tell you most solemnly, everyone who commits sin is a slave.  Now the slave’s place in the house is not assured, but the son’s place is assured.  So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.”  (John 8: 34 – 36)

Sin is slavery to passion, to self, food, drink, money, habit, etc.  Every sin involves the law of compulsion.  It is said:  Sow a thought, you reap a word and sow a word and you reap a habit; sow a habit and you reap a character. Sow a character and you reap a destiny.  The habit or slavery to sin does not happen all at once.  The addiction to cocaine does not happen with the first sniff.  The very first act sets the stage for the next one and the next one until the habit is formed.  Then the law of compulsion takes over.  At this point, the stuff says:  “Hi, I am here, you must use me now.”  And the addict can no longer say No.  

Jesus says that he has come to set us free from this compulsion to act sinfully.  When sin as alcohol says to me, “Come and drink me now.”  I am free to respond:  Christ said:  “Man does not live by drink alone.  There is life for him in every word that comes from the mouth of God.”  For every temptation, there is a script (scripture) for it.  We must become like good actors familiar with the appropriate response.  The word of God makes us truly free because it exposes the lies and errors of the devil. Let the habit of eating the word of God everyday become second nature to us.