We speak of God’s secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 1 Corinthians 2:7-8 (NIV)
When the soldiers were nailing Jesus to the cross, they did not know who he was. They did not know what they were doing.
You may never stand up and say “I defy God,” but every time you curse or lie or swear or break God’s law in any way that is what you are doing, whether you realize it or not.
You haven’t really understood sin until you begin to see who it is that you sin against. Sin is much more serious than breaking a moral code. It is an offense, an affront, an insult against God. That’s what makes it so serious.
Think of some sin to which you are likely to be tempted. If, at that very moment when you are tempted, you could see the full horror of the hell that this sin brings, and the full glory of the heaven that it shuns, and if you could see how this sin spits in the face of God, you would not fall into that sin.
So, use this as a defense against sin in your own life. When you are tempted, say to yourself: “This is a sin that shuts people out of heaven and prepares an eternal hell. This is a sin that crucified Christ!” This truth will help you learn to throw off temptation when it comes to you.
Identify one sin you are likely to be tempted with today. When this temptation comes, will you tell yourself the truth about sin to defend against it?