NEW YORK (Reuters) – Tiger Woods has only begun the long road back to recovery as a credible spokesman for corporate sponsors who have lavished a fortune on his stellar golf career.

John 10[10]  The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. 2 Peter 2 [19]  While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.

The power of temptation and sin to destroy could not have been more evident as it was with Tiger Woods.  Sin will surely cost you and it is quite expensive. You cannot afford this costly luxury expense in good times and certainly not in recession.  This post is not focused on Tiger’s discovered adultery, its huge cost nor about his public repentance but summarises some related thoughts on sin.  Today, we are promised liberty…and anything more laborious than a yawn in the sanctuary is termed to be “works”.  All attempts to warn of the dangers of a virulent destroyer have been labelled and shunned as “legalism” and many hide and suffer in bondage – too ashamed to uncover the bitter reality of enslavement.  We toy with a wise destroyer who sneaks through the cracks of “innocent” entertainment, leisure and expression of natural freedoms to drop his poisons and explosives. We are deceived to imagine concealment of sin equates to escape from its consequences and so perfect the art of covering our tracks.

In his book “God’s Call” Charles Finney also writes “While it is true that men have this attribute of moral liberty, it is equally true that they are morally enslaved to evil – they are in moral bondage.  They have liberty through their created makeup; the bondage comes by voluntary perversion and the abuse of their powers. The best of human beings are in voluntary bondage to appetites and passions, alcohol, love of money, fashions of the world and opinions of other people and bondage to selfishness.  Everyone who is led counter to his convictions of duty is enslaved.”

A school of thought would want to legalise as much of bondage as is decently possible as though making poison legal reduces the potency of the venom. How flawed and naive a defence against a destroyer intent on complete devastation of body, soul and spirit. Charles Finney also writes “No matter what the form of the temptation may be, moral conscience convinces us of our duty to fight and not feed it…but every time we do not resist we become more and more helpless and commit more and more to the control of the iron-hearted master. “

The tempter deceives the victim to believe that no harm or cost is intended – only pleasure. The serpent is admitted and slides under the sheets to be embraced…there seems to be no immediate hurt done…only a momentary and oftentimes lingering and addictive pleasure.  Temptations continue with a strong and fearful delusion that the victim is getting better because he receives temperance lectures and has noble thoughts but the next day is left as drunk and helpless a victim as ever…as the victim falls again.  But there is a cure.

Jesus – the friend of sinners says – come. I have the cure to sin. The cure is a double cure that cleanses from the guilt of sin and its power to destroy.

Romans 6[20]  When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. [21]  What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! [22]  But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. [23]  For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (NIV)

Nowadays, Christians do a lot of things in the name of liberty.  God says He is coming to fight against those following and sponsoring wrong doctrines. 

Rev 2[14]  But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. [15]  So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate. [16]  Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.

The sin associated with your business is the most significant expense item on your income statement.  Repent – go to Jesus for His rescue plan.

listen to this message on the rescue plan …

Bode