Nov
16
Written by:
Bob Flynn
11/16/2009 7:00 AM
“To love sin is far worse than to commit it, for a man may be suddenly tripped up or commit it through frailty.” Arthur W. Pink, A Fourfold Salvation
“Saved from the pleasure and love of sin. What multitudes of people would strongly resent being told that they delighted in evil! They would indignantly ask if we supposed them to be moral perverts. No indeed: a person may be thoroughly chaste and yet delight in evil. It may be that some of our own readers repudiate the charge that they have ever taken pleasure in sin, and would claim, on the contrary, that from earliest recollection they have detested wickedness in all its forms. Nor would we dare to call into question their sincerity; instead we point out that it only affords another exemplification of the solemn fact that ‘the heart is deceitful above all things’ (Jeremiah 17:9).” Arthur W. Pink, A Fourfold Salvation
Virtue from the secular standpoint would be defined in actions. However, for the believer, the very center of our thoughts must be examined. If we think that we are virtuous and yet still enjoy or delight in sin, we fool ourselves and (according to the Apostle John) “the truth is not in us.” Thus the title of the aforementioned book, The Fourfold Salvation. Salvation includes deliverance from the penalty, power, presence, and pleasure of Sin. The blessing of this salvation appear in "Kairos" time and not "chronos" time. We have been delivered from the penalty of sin but that will not be fully realized or recognized until the day of judgment. We have been delivered from sins power but our vessel is flawed so we continue to sin because of our unbelief and/or disobedience.
“To love sin is far worse than to commit it, for a man may be suddenly tripped up or commit it through frailty.” Arthur W. Pink, A Fourfold Salvation
"O sons of men, how long will my honor become a reproach? How long will you love what is worthless and aim at deception? Selah." (Psalms 4:2 NASB)
"The LORD tests the righteous and the wicked, And the one who loves violence His soul hates." (Psalms 11:5 NASB)
"You love evil more than good, Falsehood more than speaking what is right. Selah." (Psalms 52:3 NASB)
"'How long, O naive ones, will you love being simple-minded? And scoffers delight themselves in scoffing And fools hate knowledge?'" (Proverbs 1:22 NASB)
"'But he who kills an ox is like one who slays a man; He who sacrifices a lamb is like the one who breaks a dog's neck; He who offers a grain offering is like one who offers swine's blood; He who burns incense is like the one who blesses an idol. As they have chosen their own ways, And their soul delights in their abominations,'" (Isaiah 66:3 NASB)
"I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your forefathers as the earliest fruit on the fig tree in its first season. But they came to Baal-peor and devoted themselves to shame, And they became as detestable as that which they loved." (Hosea 9:10 NASB)
"'You who hate good and love evil, Who tear off their skin from them And their flesh from their bones,'" (Micah 3:2 NASB)
"Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (1 John 2:15 NASB)
“The contemporary church has the idea that salvation is only the granting of eternal life, not necessarily the liberation of a sinner from the bondage of his iniquity.” John MacArthur, The Gospel According to Jesus
Copyright ©2009 Robert Flynn