Given Over to What?

The Bible teaches that man is inherently wicked, not righteous.  Even as gravity exerts the same force on all objects to fall to the ground whether they be living person or an inanimate object, sin shows no partiality among man, woman, or child.  The downward spiral of every human soul towards Hell because of sin is certain and sure.  From our birth, sin has us in its death-grip.  We do not merely tend towards sin but are completely polluted by it, mind and soul.  As we grow older our appetite for sin grows.  Our capacity and desire to sin initially is fettered by childish ignorance and limitations.  It is when we grow out of this fetter that we make larger and stronger ones for ourselves by willfully seeking after sin and embracing it.  Greater bondage occurs because sin is suited to our natural state.  Sin is like a bait perfectly selected for our tastes, even as a fisherman covers the hook with bait to lure an unsuspecting trout.  Those who walk according to the lusts of the flesh are given over to sin.  Instead of the freedom one might think, sin enslaves in eternal bondage.

Though we can relate to being "given over" to sin because all sinned and fallen short of God's glory, the Bible gives us many examples.  Entire cities are described as being given over to fornication (Jude 1:7) and idolatry (Acts 17:16).  Romans 1:28-32 describes people who have no fear of God in plain terms:  "And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; ²⁹ being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, ³⁰ backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, ³¹ undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; ³² who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them."

One of the most eye-opening experiences of my life were the amazing contrasts I saw during a 2005 trip to Israel.  In the Old City of Jerusalem I saw people given over to religious pursuits, tradition, and discussion.  It is a ancient city built with walls and streets of natural stone that reeks of tradition and history.  Orthodox and Russian Orthodox Jews wore traditional apparel, washed their hands according to the manner prescribed by the oral commands, and some wore yarmulkes and tefillin.  Men donned prayer shawls and recited from prayer books before the Western Wall to God.  But near the Old Central Bus Station in Tel Aviv in the heart of the red-light district, I witnessed a startling contrast.  One night, the team and I went to hand out Gospel tracts and talk to people about our Messiah, Jesus Christ.  That part of the city was completely given over to drugs, alcohol, and prostitution.  People crawled on their hands and knees as they feverishly sorted through rubbish in the gutter, looking for a old syringe with a needle still intact.

Within the red-light district there was additional irony.  As we walked through the streets offering the Gospel we encountered veteran prostitutes in grubby clothes and blank, seemingly soulless men who sought them.  It felt like walking among the dead.  The pained faces I saw were not like the advertisements plastered on the sex shops.  Those poor people looked more like zombies or machines "going through the motions" than human beings, high on crack cocaine and heroin.  A painting on a wall showed a bright white light enveloping a joyful embracing couple, as they soared to heavenly heights on the wings of passion.  A man I saw who entered the building did not look victorious as he pushed past us as a goat heading for slaughter.  In his eyes I saw hopelessness and despair.  He looked like he wanted to die.  He bought a lie that could not save but only added to his misery.  A city given over to sin is a city of death.  The world doles out death as fast as man can sin.  The bright lights may obscure the facade, pulsing music can drown out the weeping for a time, drugs can numb and bring euphoria for a moment, but sin is a killer that strangles away your life.  It is a slow, painful death that leads to eternal torment in Hell.

Praise the LORD for the hope we have in Jesus Christ, the Light of the World!  He not only forgives us for our sins, but reconciles us to God.  He is a Deliverer, Redeemer, and Restorer.  He has come to set the captives free.  The prophet points to Jesus Christ in Isaiah 61:1-3: "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; ² to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn, ³ to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified."  If you are brokenhearted, held captive or bound by sin, God has Good News for you.  Jesus has come to seek and save those who are lost and to free those caught in sin's grasp.  Jesus has come to save you:  are you willing to be saved?  We are called to confess our sins and repent, trusting in Jesus for salvation through faith in Him.  God so loved this sinful world that He sent His only Son, so whoever will believe in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.

Instead of being given over to sin, all people are designed and called to be given over to God's worship and service.  Once we are born again of the Holy Spirit, we receive spiritual gifts to be used for God's glory and the edification of the church.  Our lives ought to be consumed for the glory of God.  This morning I read of Paul's exhortation to Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:15-16:  "Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. ¹⁶ Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you."  As a Christian, I cannot give myself entirely to God's work if I reserve parts of my life for myself.  If I am weighed down with unconfessed sins and cares, I am like an sprinter in an Olympic race with a 50-kilo backpack dragging me down (Heb. 12:1).  If I am running to win, I cannot do so with such a great hindrance.  I want to win for Jesus.  He's the One who receives the reward, for all who have been purchased with His shed blood are His inheritance.  All I am and have is His, and Christ is mine.  Let us make a decision to be given over to the service of God for His glory.  As much as we desire to hear from Christ, "Well done, good and faithful servant!" we should desire to truthfully say someday with great joy, "I am your humble servant.  I have only done what is my duty to do."