The Pleasure of Sin for A Season

Amidst the corona virus and all the things happening in our world right now, the word “pleasure” stands out. These are the areas that are hit the hardest by the fear/threat of the virus: trips, pleasure cruises, anything having to do with large crowds, mainly entertainment, sports, and other “pleasurable” activities. This is a very clear and strong message, I think, to re-consider our priorities, namely to put God first above all else. Seek the Giver more than the gifts. Love God with all our heart and soul and mind. Place no other gods before Him. Trust in God, not in money and material wealth.

Travel has got to be one of the most desirable activities there is for the sheer pleasure of leaving the sometimes drudgery of the day-to-day, and instead jet set off to a warm and desirable climate.  Or go and explore the world’s best of history, art, and architecture!  Yet, one of the Bible’s most notable patriarchs, Moses, made a different decision.

Heb 11:24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; 

Heb 11:25  Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; 

Heb 11:26  Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward. 

Heb 11:27  By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. 

Moses chose to trust in God rather than choose a life of pleasure and ease in Egypt under the Pharaoh’s favor.  How many of us secretly or openly want the opulent life, as representative in Egypt, rather than take the narrow road, and trust in God for something much better later on (namely, eternal life)?  And if we are already professing Bible-believing Christians, do we need to allow God to do some searching and heart-cleaning to ensure our hearts are right before Him?

The following Scriptures are a sombre warning, and ones to pay attention to:

Warning to the Rich

Jas 5:1 Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.
Jas 5:2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.
Jas 5:3 Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.
Jas 5:4 Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.
Jas 5:5 Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.
Jas 5:6 Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.

Without heeding the above Scriptures if they apply to us, and all we want when this is over is for life to continue as it was, do not be naïve.  God is not mocked: we reap what we sow.  If we do not learn from this experience, I shudder to think that something even worse than this could very well unfold. I am speaking from life experience, when David Wilkerson, a dynamic, well known author (The Cross & The Switchblade), New York evangelist came to Winnipeg, and preached using this exact same Scripture.  It shook me to the core because I had a great-paying job, lots of credit, and a gorgeous brand new car outside, and felt that nothing could touch me. Wow, was I convicted! I changed my tune after that, and put away my idols.  I eventually moved on in my career, and about 10 years later I went through a similar experience, only this time I ended up with no income at all! God challenged me once again, to put away my idols; He has to come first. 

Let’s be encouraged that this humbling experience we are in now, will change us in a good way, and cause us to be humble and grateful for all of God’s blessings in our life, which we assuredly do not deserve.