FALLING AWAY

When tragedy hits, it’s easy to run to temptation for escape. Some, in the face of tragedy, are so full of pain that they turn to anything to numb the ache. People turn to, among other things:

• alcohol
• drugs
• sexual immorality
• over-eating

But the problem with this is that it only adds misery to misery. Sin can’t deliver in times of real hardship. It’s not solid enough.

Job struggled with this tendency. We all know that Job experienced pain greater than most. He was a rich man with 10 children, 7 sons and 3 daughters. In an instant, his estate was looted by terrorists, his children were killed in a catastrophe, and he was struck with a skin disease that produced terribly painful boils. Yet he had done nothing to deserve all of this.

He was a good man. But in his pain, he became tempted to turn away from God to sin. A friend of his, the only friend of his who actually gave him solid advice, says to him in Job 35:21:

“Beware of turning to evil, which you seem to prefer to affliction.” (Job 35:21)

And then he tells Job how to protect himself by telling him to audit sin’s cost. If we want to protect ourselves from escaping to sin, we need to audit sin’s cost.

Our Protection: An Audit of Sin’s Cost. Take a look at verses 5-8.

“5. Look up at the heavens and see; gaze at the clouds so high above you. 6. If you sin, how does that affect him? If your sins are many, what does that do to him? 7. If you are righteous, what do you give to him, or what does he receive from your hand? 8. Your wickedness affects only a man like yourself, and your righteousness only the sons of men.” (Job 35:5-8)

Job’s friend is telling him, basically, that if he sins he’ll only add misery to misery in his life and in the lives of others. Sin messes up the mess even more and messes up others in the process.