The Murderer # 2

The Murderer # 2

1. Mark the Stealthy Character of Sin's Approach.

Creeping, entwining low upon the ground, comes "the Murderer" as it approaches its victim. Just so, the sin which ruins the soul, too often comes stealthily, secretly, and unobserved!

Behold in Paradise the parents of the human family. Holiness, peace, the love of God, dwell within them, but sin approaches: "By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin." Eve loiters near the forbidden tree. The Tempter suggests the pleasure and the advantage to be derived from tasting it. The eye glazes - the ear hearkens - the foot tarries - the heart desires - the hand takes - the man falls! and the dark plague-spot of iniquity has fastened upon our earth, from which it has never since been free.

A godly king, a man very dear to God, is walking in the eventide upon the roof of his palace. The eye wanders - sinful passions arise. Thence comes a dark cloud of evil; murder and adultery follow close one upon the other. Two full years pass, and that sin lies yet upon the conscience. The face of the Lord is turned away from His servant. The remainder of life is darkened by the family sorrows that arise, as the bitter consequences of that single glance.

Oh! how secretly - with how much of the subtlety of the serpent does sin come near! How carefully does it conceal from us its true character! Gladly would deceitful lusts persuade us that the thing which God has forbidden is yet comparatively harmless! Gladly would the great enemy cover with a fair name many a foul act of iniquity! Gladly would a deceitful heart hide from the the deadly issue of the sin we love! Would you be safe from the deceit and the craft of the adversary? Then watch and pray evermore. Be ever watchful over yourself. Watch diligently every avenue of sin's approach. The eye, the ear, the tongue, the hand, the foot - above all, the heart - require a constant guard. Then abide near the mercy-seat. Put your soul continually into the hand of Christ, and you will be safe.

It was the saying of a godly woman, "A hundred times a day I pray myself out of my own keeping, into the keeping of Christ." Follow her example: "pray without ceasing." "Keep me as the apple of the eye - hide me under the shadow of Your wings."

Oh keep me in Your heavenly way,
And bid the tempter flee;
And let me never, never stray
From happiness and Thee.

2. The strong, mighty grasp with which sin cleaves to the soul. The stem of the matador is firmly united to the trunk of its victim, so that it becomes as one tree. The numberless rings also put forth by the plant tightly grasp it. So is it with sin. It cleaves with mighty power to the soul of man. It becomes one with him. It is bound up in his very being. It leavens his whole nature. Not a single power in man is exempt from its fearful tyranny.

The understanding is darkened.

The conscience becomes but a doubtful guide - too often does it resemble the frozen thermometer, refusing to perform its proper function - giving no true indication of the state of the soul.

The imagination, so noble a power when, guided by the Scripture, it enables a man to realize something of the future glory - is too often defiled and debased by the attractions of the world.

The will is perverted, so that it chooses the evil, and refuses the good. 

The affections are turned away from their true pole and center - a God of infinite mercy and love - and are fixed merely upon earthly objects.

So completely, is every power of the soul and spirit enslaved by the sin which dwells in us.

So great, too, is the power of this tyrant, that no judgments, no warnings sent by God, have ever yet been sufficient to overcome it.

There came a flood, and destroyed the old world - yet, immediately afterwards, God declares that "Every inclination of his heart is evil from childhood!" (Genesis 8:21).

There came fire from Heaven, and burnt up the Cities of the Plain - but sin burst forth afresh in the only family that was delivered from the flames.

The earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up those who rebelled against God - yet the very day following did those who had witnessed it begin again to murmur.

~George Everard~

(continued with # 3)