Inspecting for Sin Damage

We had a guy come in the church building and do a termite inspection this week. He checked all throughout the building, inside and outside, even climbing into the crawl space underneath to take a closer look. It’s not that we’d been seeing any signs of termite activity, but it’s a good idea to make sure. You can’t necessarily see the damage they may be causing behind the walls.

Maybe you schedule regular termite inspections at your home or place of business. Termites cause an estimated $2.5 billion annually in property damage and repair costs. Most of that damage goes on undetected for up to five years, as the termites work undercover, day and night, eating up the wood hidden within the walls of your home. Often by the time a property owner knows they’re there, it’s already too late to prevent huge losses.

Termites are very well organized and persistent as they scour out new sources of food. Needing only a 1/32 of an inch for an opening, they can easily enter most structures through some means. Once inside they’ll not only eat up wood, but also anything containing cellulose, wallpaper, books, boxes, carpet backing, drywall and furniture.

I remember seeing a “Popeye” show where an army of invading termites goes to battle against Popeye. He tries all kinds of ways to keep them away from his house, but they always eat up every defense. Finally they get to his house and within seconds they’ve reduced it to nothing. Then Popeye pops in a can of spinach and rebuilds his house, this time out of metal from top to bottom, furniture and all. The termites wear themselves out trying unsuccessfully to chew it up, though they do eat the pipe right out of Popeye’s mouth.

So why I am going on and on about termites? No, I didn’t cut a deal with our inspection guy and offer him some free publicity here. But I do see a parallel with the way termites work on a building and the way sin works in our lives.

Sin often goes undetected in our lives for a long time before we really begin seeing the damage it has caused. And by the time we’re forced to deal with it we’re already facing huge losses.

Sin works on us night and day, mostly undercover. The ruin usually comes from the inside out. On the outside everything looks great. But behind the walls sin eats away at the very foundation of our souls, weakening our lives and threatening to destroy us altogether.

And have you noticed that sin doesn’t need much of an opening to enter in? You hardly need to hang a welcome sign inviting sin, for it finds its way in through the smallest of weaknesses, and then summons all its wicked-minded buddies over for a party.

The mastermind of misery, Satan himself, never tires of inflicting as much destruction on us as he possibly can. His modus operandi is to kill, to steal and to destroy. He is a thief, a robber, a liar and a deceiver. He is like a roaring lion, prowling around for someone to devour. He can masquerade as an angel of light, only to lure you into the dark and stab you in the back and leave you for dead.

Maybe you’ve been fooled by his schemes. He entices us to sin by casting doubt upon the Word of God. Remember how Satan handled Eve in the Garden of Eden? He promises pleasure but produces pain. He’s well organized and persistent in his attacks against the church of Christ, against individuals and against nations.

Is it time you had a sin inspection done on your life? Maybe there’s already been much damage caused by sin’s advances. Maybe sin’s reduced you to nothing. But you’re never too far gone that you cannot be saved! As long as you’re still breathing God offers you salvation – not through a can of spinach and a metal house – but through His Son Jesus Christ.

He’s already provided the way, He’s already shown you His mercy and His grace, and He’s already proven His love for you by sending Jesus to die on the cross for the forgiveness of your sins. Will you turn away from your sin and receive Jesus as your Savior and Lord today?

Perhaps you don’t see any signs of sin in your life, but it’s still a good idea to do an inspection to make sure sin hasn’t crept in. Not an annual inspection, mind you, but a daily one, as you allow God to search you thoroughly and shine the light of His Word even into the furthest corners of your heart.

I’d like to invite you to join us March 14-17 for revival services. You know you need it. Please come.