Marine Corps Base Quantico -- The subject of sin is not a particularly popular topic of conversation these days. Even the term “sin” is not one that is used too much outside of church circles. But the topic and concept is an important one if we want to live healthy, happy and productive lives.

The Greek word for sin principally indicates the idea of missing the mark. The main idea and basic understanding of sin can be seen in the book of Genesis in the history of the fall of man. God gives Adam and Eve one prohibition: They are commanded not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. And if they violated this command the penalty was death. The history goes on to tell us that Satan in the form of a serpent tempted Eve by telling her that sinning (violating God’s command) would not in fact cause her to die, but would be good for her by causing her to be wise. The underlying theme of the temptation was that God was holding out on Adam and Eve. Satan tempted Man to doubt God by deceiving him into believing that God was trying to keep something good from them.

Not much has changed over the years. Satan still tempts us to believe that by violating God’s commands we will somehow find fulfillment, which is a lie.

The reality is that all of God’s commands are there for our protection, not to deprive us of good things. The God of the Bible is a God of love who created man in His own image and desires all of us to live an abundant life full of purpose and meaning.

So how should we regard sin and God’s prohibitions regarding sinful actions? One key idea is to remember that God does love us and is concerned for our welfare. Like any good parent, He doesn’t want anything hurtful happening to His creation. As parents, we don’t want our children playing with boiling water on a hot stove. As concerned parents who love their children, we don’t want our children playing out in the street. It’s not that we are trying to keep something good from them, rather it is that we know these activities are inherently dangerous and have the potential to hurt or kill the ones we love.

The same is true with God. He loves us and only wants what is best for us. Fill in the blank with any type of sinful activity; whether it is illegal drug use, over indulgence in alcohol, sexual immorality, gluttony or pride, the wages of sin is death. The Bible teaches that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever puts their trust in Jesus should not perish, but have everlasting life. If God were to go to such great lengths because of His love for us, it’s nonsensical that He would withhold any good thing from us. No, sin is sinful because it hurts us and ultimately brings death. As the Bible says, the pay check for sin is death.

The story is told about how wolves are hunted in the Northern part of the world. The hunters take a double-edged knife that is very sharp, coat it with blood and allow it to freeze until a relatively thick coating covers the blade. They then take the knife and bury the hilt with the blade exposed. The wolf with its keen sense of smell is attracted to the blood and begins licking the blade and in the process cuts its own tongue. The more he bleeds the more he licks and within a short time the hunters have their prize. The same is true with sin. The nature of sin is deadly. It promises satisfaction but only brings death.

So the next time you are tempted to sin, realize the reality of the situation. Recall that sin is sinful because it ultimately brings pain and death. Recognize that the very power of God is available to help you deal with any temptation if you would just call on the name of God and ask for His help. You can be sure that God will quickly answer the person who calls out for help. For the Bible says, whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.