Our sins mess up God’s best and we get less than the best, at least in this world…

Yes, God forgives our sins. Yes, He will wipe our record clean. Yes, He will give us His kingdom as our inheritance. But in this world, our sins will damage and diminish His best for us.

In Ezra 3, the Lord allows the Israelites to come to back their land and rebuild the temple that had been destroyed because of their rebellion. This was a cause for great celebration among the Israelites. Many are rejoicing that the temple is being rebuilt. However, there were many who were weeping also – the older ones who remembered the original temple – because the second temple is so much less glorious than the original temple.

Ultimately, we curb ourselves from sinning because it vanishes our joy and delight in the Lord. But there is another, lesser, motive not to sin – that is, because our sin will make us miss God’s best for us.

Matt 5:29, “If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell.”

Be ever watchful against sin. Do not lose sight of our glorious King in Jesus. Do whatever you can to avoid sin.

PH