Willfully Sinning
by Ed Smith
via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 17 No. 3, 30 September 1991
Experience told me the cause of the old building’s demise as I looked over the sagging eaves: it was the result of a series of events that had progressed to this point. A leaky gutter allowed water to saturate the timber framing; damp wood invited termites to feast, and eventually the insects robbed the wood of its structural integrity. Prevention would have been simple: fix the leak. It could have been performed many times along the way. But now it was too late, and the chain of events had led to considerable (and costly) damage.
As Christians, we find ourselves in similar circumstances all too often when sin enters our lives. A little prevention at the beginning will prevent disaster, and there is usually time for mitigation along the way. But letting it go unchecked is an invitation to havoc.
In Hebrews 10:26-27, we are warned of the ultimate consequences of willful sin. Webster tells us that something done (hekousios) proceeds from one’s own choice or consent; there is no plea for ignorance. It is easier for us to overcome this type of sinful behavior if we remind ourselves of the process involved and fight it at the beginning. The betrayal of Christ by Judas (Luke 22:3-5) is a vivid illustration of what occurs when a person willfully sins; the accounts of Eve in the Garden and of David with Bathsheba are other notable examples.
Satan Plants
The first step (Luke 22:3) says that "Satan entered Judas." Satan would enter every one of us to turn us away from God if he could. That doesn’t mean that we are ripe for demonic possession as found in the first century. God promises us a means of escape from temptation (I Corinthians 10:13). But He is not going to force us to escape temptation; He will allow us to pursue our own "vile passions" if we insist (Romans 1:24;26).
Too many times, Christians underestimate the power of Satan in attempting to turn us away from God. Instead of feeling threatened and wary of his desire to devour us (I Peter 5:8), we try to ignore or devalue his presence. We read in Revelation 12:7-12 that Satan has been cast down from heaven to the earth: he is near, and he is none too happy with his circumstances. (It is interesting to note that Christ did not refute Satan’s claim to have the authority to give and take the kingdoms of this world to whomever he pleased - Luke 4:6).
Satan eagerly seeks every opportunity to enter us in any way he can. It may be through the desire for knowledge, as in the case of Eve. It may be through greed, tempting us to steal or be less than honest. It may be through pride or revenge, tempting us to lie or to slander somebody. Or, it may be through the music we hear, the entertainment we seek, or the friends that we choose. Peter’s warning about Satan being on the prowl comes from firsthand experience: he had been "sifted as wheat" in front of the Savior (Luke 22:31-62).
Man Consents
By his actions (Luke 22:4), Judas evidenced that he had given in to the temptation. Though Christ had not yet been turned over to the Jewish leaders, Judas had committed the betrayal in his heart and "willfully" sinned by agreeing with the chief priests and captains. As Christ taught in Matthew 5:21-30, sin had already been committed in the heart, although not yet in action.
In the progression of sin, this is the point at which a penitent heart can avoid some of the ugly consequences of sin. Imagine if Cain had turned back to God and put aside his jealousy toward Abel. If David had at this point repented and turned away from Bathsheba - not inquiring of her, not inviting her to his chambers, not committing adultery with her, not murdering Uriah, etc.
We must continually exercise our senses to discern both good and evil (Hebrews 5:14), as we mature. A child may play with matches, but an adult will know of the dangers involved. Likewise, a mature Christian will not toy with the idea of giving in to temptation, but will discipline himself to flee from it.
Seeks Opportunity
After Judas made his bargain of betrayal, there was still time for him to extricate himself from the events set in motion. Instead, Judas began to seek an opportunity where he could satisfy the evil intents of his heart (Luke 22:6).
Paul tells us in Romans 13:14 to "make no provisions for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts." How often are we more like Judas than Paul? We think of a lie to tell the boss for not having done something his way. Or we think of ways to blame others for our own shortcomings that created a problem. Like the adolescent sneaking alcohol or tobacco, we create opportunities to act according to our own desires, not according to God’s.
In Galatians 5:13, we are told how to avoid becoming opportunity seekers: "For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love, serve one another." If more of us sought opportunities to love and serve one another, we would have far less time to pursue our own selfish desires.
Fulfilling the Act
Although he had ample opportunity to turn back to God, Judas continued in his willful sin until Jesus was finally taken by the multitude and condemned to death (Luke 22:47-48). As a consequence of his willful attitude, Judas is filled with remorse and hangs himself (Matthew 27:3-5) while an innocent Man is crucified.
Sin often has devastating effects on the lives of those involved, both the innocent and the guilty. Jobs may be lost, families may be broken apart, and even lives may be lost. Even when its effects are not so obvious, we are separated from God: we crucify again the Son of God and put Him to an open shame (Hebrews 6:6).
In all this, there remains hope. David, after his sins with Bathsheba and Uriah, asked God to create in him a clean heart and a renewed spirit; the old spirit and the old heart were broken and contrite (Psalms 51). John tells us that, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (I John 1:9). But we are not to continue in sin that grace may abound (Romans 6:1); we are to resist it from the beginning.
Willfully sinning can be an almost instantaneous process: it is very easy to become a liar when caught in the middle of an unexpected and uncomfortable situation. At other times, the progression is slow, like the spouse who finds someone else more attractive and encourages encounters and adultery, ignoring ample opportunities to repent along the way. We need to condition ourselves so that in either case, we can put Satan behind us and look to God for strength and guidance.
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