THROUGH THE BIBLE IN THREE YEARS
Students of a Sunday School class were asked to write down what they liked best about Sunday School. One little boy, who also happened to be the pastor's son, thought for a moment and remembered all the songs the class had been singing during the year.
His spelling was not as good as his memory, because he wrote: "The think I like best about Sunday School is the sinning.
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Gen 26:6-11
6 And Isaac dwelt in Gerar:
7 And the men of the place asked him of his wife; and he said, She is my sister: for he feared to say, She is my wife; lest, said he, the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah; because she was fair to look upon.
8 And it came to pass, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a window, and saw, and, behold, Isaac was sporting with Rebekah his wife.
9 And Abimelech called Isaac, and said, Behold, of a surety she is thy wife: and how saidst thou, She is my sister? And Isaac said unto him, Because I said, Lest I die for her.
10 And Abimelech said, What is this thou hast done unto us? one of the people might lightly have lien with thy wife, and thou shouldest have brought guiltiness upon us.
11 And Abimelech charged all his people, saying, He that toucheth this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.
KJV
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Even though Isaac received a reassuring "word" from God personally, he was perhaps weak in his faith. He committed a sin much like that of his father Abraham. He lied about Rebecca being his wife.
Be very careful how you interpret this passage of Scripture Christians. Paul said, "Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:" (Rom 5:20).
But in the very next chapter, Paul begins with this question: "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?" (Rom 6:1)
Abimelech strongly reproved Isaac (vs 10), and then gave all his people charge to keep them protected (vs 11). Sometimes our sins are reproved by the Lord. And we shouldn't be surprised if He chooses worldly people to reprove us openly and publicly.
God doesn't want any "bad witnesses" in His children. He will certainly reprove us for sin by His Holy Spirit. When King David sinned, God chastised him publicly. And that chastisement brought David to repentance.
You will note here though, that God kept His people protected for HIS glory, even though they were sinning. This does not mean that Christians can presume upon God's grace. God loves us as His children, and will sometimes chastise publicly in order to keep us "on line" with His Word. ((See Hebrews 12:8))
As Christians, living in this present world, we will never be sinless; but we certainly should sin less!
Love ya,
Bruce