Chains of Sin

In both my class study and the sermon on Judges this Sunday, it was clear that sin's chains bind and lead to devastating downfalls. 

Tragically, in Judges 19, we see that the Benjamites in Gibeah had fallen to such depths of human depravity and sin that they did what the Canaanites in Sodom did in Genesis 19, right before God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah in judgment for their wickedness.   How had the people of God fallen so low; and why did it take such a shocking occurrence like the Levite sending cut-up pieces of his concubine to each of the twelve tribes of Israel for them to wake up, assemble before the Lord, and take action against sin?  This can serve as a warning for the Church today.

Similarly, the story of Samson is one of tragedy because of sin.  He never dealt with his problems; and his collapse was due to a slow leak, not a blowout.  My pastor gave five principles for breaking the chains of sin, and, as in Samson's case, particularly that of sexual temptation:

• Flee lusts (1 Corinth 6:18-20)
• Fix our thoughts on obeying Christ (2 Corinth 10:5)
• Face temptation with personal accountability (James 5:16)
• Fortify your life by memorizing the Word of God (Psalm 119:9,11)
• Forsee disaster by learning from the failure of others (1 Corinth 10:11)

Praise God that the "blood of Christ is infinitely more cleansing than sin is defiling".