The Turning Point: Thoughts on Temptation, Sin, and Repentance
A financially troubled man is tempted to steal from his neighbor, but in the examples below, which man is actually guilty of theft?
But never gets off his couch. (temptation, but not the sin of theft)
He drives over to his neighbor's house, never opening the car door, turns around and drives back home. (lust, sin in the heart)
He drives over to his neighbor's house, opens the car door, walks up to his neighbor's front door, turns around and drives back home. (lust, sin in the heart, but getting closer)
He drives over to his neighbor's house, opens the car door, walks up to his neighbor's front door, turns the knob and opens the door just a bit, but then turns around and drives back home. (lust, sin in the heart, and getting way too close)
He drives over to his house, opens the car door, walks up to his neighbor's front door, turns the knob and opens the door just a bit, immediately shuts the door, and then turns around and drives back home. (lust, sin in the heart, unauthorized entry, breaking a neighbor's trust)
He drives over to his house, opens the car door, walks up to his neighbor's front door, turns the knob and opens the door, grabs the TV but on the way out of the house he turns around and places the TV back on its stand and quickly leaves, shutting the door behind him, and then drives back home. (lust, sin in the heart, unauthorized entry, breaking a neighbor's trust, possibly theft)
He drives over to his house, opens the car door, walks up to his neighbor's front door, turns the knob and opens the door, grabs the TV, runs back to his car, and proceeds to drive home. Halfway home he changes his mind and goes back and places the TV back on its stand and leaves, shutting the door behind him, and then drives back home. (lust, sin in the heart, unauthorized entry, breaking a neighbor's trust, possibly theft. Some would argue that he really did not "steal" at this point because he repented, though he committed a number of other crimes against his neighbor.)
He drives over to his house, opens the car door, walks up to his neighbor's front door, turns the knob and opens the door, grabs the TV, runs back to his car, and proceeds to drive home. When he gets home he takes pictures of the TV to sell online, but at some point he says... "This is not right" and quickly loads the TV back in his car and restores the TV back on the stand where it belonged. (lust, sin in the heart, unauthorized entry, breaking a neighbor's trust, possibly theft. Some would argue that he really did not "steal" at this point because he repented, though he committed a number of other crimes against his neighbor.)
He drives over to his house, opens the car door, walks up to his neighbor's front door, turns the knob and opens the door, grabs the TV, runs back to his car, and proceeds to drive home. When he gets home he places the TV on his empty TV stand and plugs it in, immediately realizes his mistake, and asks Jesus for forgiveness. He sits back comfortably and watches a show. (lust, sin in the heart, unauthorized entry, breaking a neighbor's trust, theft. In this case it could be argued that until he returns the TV, he is actively living in sin.)
He drives over to his house, opens the car door, walks up to his neighbor's front door, turns the knob and opens the door, grabs the TV, runs back to his car, and proceeds to drive home. When he gets home he places the TV on his empty TV stand and plugs it in, immediately realizes his mistake, asks Jesus for forgiveness, and then begins to mentally chastise his neighbor in his mind because his neighbor should know that "we all are sinners," and Jesus has already paid for the thief's sins on the cross. He sits back comfortably and watches a show. (lust, sin in the heart, unauthorized entry, breaking a neighbor's trust, theft. In this case it could be argued that until he returns the TV, he is actively living in sin, and is using Jesus as a prop to justify his sin.)
Look how many chances he had to turn around, even after he committed the act. (Though at that point, he had committed so many other sins along with the TV theft.)
What if he were caught "in his sin"? What do you think the neighbor would have done to him if he caught him in his house, uninvited, touching his TV?
Which man is guilty of theft?
Which man truly repented?
Which man's actions would show his neighbor that he truly repented?
#ChristianLiving #Repentance #BibleStudy
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