AN ILLUSTRATION – THE COFFEE CUP
I don’t prefer strong coffee for it has a couple of effects on me. My wife bought these coffee bags that had “intense” on the packets.
I know I might horrify some people but I found I could use these coffee bags 4 times. They only need to be in hot water for a few seconds to make what it satisfying to me. Then I lift the bag out putting it in a cup to be used again in a similar way later on.
This morning I used the bag for the fourth and last time and it was still strong enough for me not to be able to see the white bottom of my 900 ml mug. As for taste, I found no difference between this last one and the first one even though a couple of days separated them.
I hope that does not appal a coffee connoisseur but it was good for me. However as I looked down into the full 900 ml mug and saw the brown liquid, a thought came to me. The coffee was a murky brown colour as coffee is, because I could see it for what it was.
Then I thought, “If I took this coffee in the mug and poured it into 5 000 litres of pure crystal clear mountain stream water then after a couple of days, when I looked into the water it would be crystal clear as it was when I first took it.
What was the difference? To the eyes there was not a slightest difference, but I know there was a difference. The pure water was adulterated. Sin will dilute itself to the undiscerning eye.
This is exactly what sin does. It waters itself down to appear all fine and acceptable. We play around with sin and it becomes more and more acceptable and all the time it is looking quite clear to us, but in the eyes of God it is discoloured, as was the coffee in the mug.
Sin is subtle. It is devious. We are led into it in apparent innocence as Eve was – {{Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made, and he said to the woman, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?”}} To Eve, Satan made the coffee cup look looked filled with clear mountain spring water. Later she found the waters were poisoned.
The lust of the eyes and the lust of the flesh and the pride of life mislead us. Then we swim in crystal clear water but our connections with God are adulterated for sin has taken hold and we do not realise it. {{1John 2:16-17 “All that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world, and the world is passing away, and also its lusts, but the one who does the will of God abides forever.”}}
Once we start sinning it all deceives us into thinking everything is alright. Only the Holy Spirit can convict us and make us aware of our error and we need to run back to God as fast as we can with these verses being our banner – {{1John 1:8-10 “If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.”}}
They Lord bless and help each one of us in the matter of discernment.
Ron Ferguson