Sin And Pleasure
Moses would have been forty years old when he made his big choice. And the word used here describes calculated, deliberate decision making, rather than an impulsive whim.
Moses looked at his current lifestyle, and as he made his life selection, we learn two vital truths that faith realises about the nature of sin. Two words are used here about sin - enjoyment and pleasure. Let’s be clear: sin can be highly enjoyable, and bring a lot of pleasure. Temptation’s power is found in the offer that it makes; sin might be selfish and superficial, but indulging in it can feel very good indeed. Sometimes Christians try to pretend that they’ve left nothing behind them that was scintillating and fun. And in pretending that, we miss the point.
But we also need to see that the enjoyment and pleasure associated with gratuitous living is fleeting and hollow. It doesn’t last long. It brings regret. Relationships are often damaged. Bodies are hurt by unhealthy patterns of lifestyle. Emotional damage comes when we throw ourselves headlong into the temporary thrills and spills of a life that centres on sin rather than Christ. And God has the franchise on everything good, as James explains to us (James 1:17).
So, when we call people away from sin, we can’t promise them that what they’re leaving behind isn’t fun for a while. But we can certainly tell them that it isn’t good. Perhaps it’s time for some of us to look with the eyes of faith at the pattern of behaviour that’s developing in our lives right now. Let’s look beyond the surface, and beyond the moment, and see the truth about sin. And choose well, like Moses did.