5. The path to sin is easy to find. I am confronted daily with opportunities to sin. Not big sins, just little ones. Each day what I will think about, how I will speak to others, what I will imagine doing or saying. These little sins lead to bigger ones. I know how the process works, but sometimes that just becomes academic. I have to remind myself that it's more. I have to remain vigilant to look not only for the grace that forgives me when I fall, but for the grace that keeps me from falling. I've known people that have gone from the protected life within the boundaries of Christian community and have turned to a completely different life of great sin. I've wondered if they had to be given lessons on how to sin so greatly. But I know the answer, simply they wandered into little sins and when sufficiently practiced, they became experienced in greater sin, until ultimately they are expert sinners. I suppose we're all expert at sin at some level, but I want to be an expert at crucifying myself daily so I'm not held in the grip of sin, rather in the grip of grace. When people stop calling you pastor, and the public stops paying attention to your choices and life it is very tempting to believe that he stakes have been lowered. In fact, the stakes have never changed the penalty for sin is death, but God's gift is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
--Ben
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