“Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour.” (Eccl. 10:1)
Sin is everywhere, the possibility of avoiding it is impossible, our only response each time we encounter it, whether it attempts to persuade us, we willingly search it out for ourselves, or we meet it unawares in others, this planet is covered in a curse, (Gen. 3:17) and sin is everywhere, what we do when it approaches is what defines us, if we fall into temptation, we have sinned, it matters not what the sin is, we did not accept and take the way out from it. (1 Cor. 10:13)
Here is where many become confused, as it were, in this one question, did Adam sin when he took the first bite of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, or when he determined within his mind to do so. Each of us need to come to a place where first we can recognize just what sin is, and contrary to what you may have been taught, sin is not an individualized concept, it is clearly spelled out for us in the Word of God. In today’s world, truth is more or less a concept to many people, and this is basically step one, the first move away from the precepts and ordinances of God, we believe the truth to be something different than what is written down in the Scriptures.
If these statements were not true, then we would not have untold different religious ideologies across the planet, and every law in every nation, county, and parish would be exactly the same, we would all know exactly what sin is, there would be no variance. This is not to say that all would obey the laws, they do not obey them now, why would that change anything, what would be different is that sin, rebellion against the Almighty, would be clearly spelled out, there would be no questioning of the laws.
Cain’s sacrifice was refused (Gen. 4:5) because he did not do as he was commanded to, he interpreted the commandment of the Lord in his own manner, and here is where our adversary has found his niche, our opinions on a matter, our beliefs of what the Word of God actually says. I have never spoken to a mid or post tribulationist yet who can define what they believe as truth without taking certain verses out of context, yet even when presented with the truth, and not the truth as I see it, but truth that is clear and concise in the Scriptures while still adhering to 2 Peter 1:20, “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation,” they will not relent their position.
I could of course have used the analogy of the Jehovah’s Witnesses or the most lenient of those in the Lutheran faith, without the Scriptures kept in context, without the Holy Spirit, man steps in, gives his opinion, and churches, if you care to call them that, are born.
I am looking forward to seeing my wife and I’s mansion in the kingdom of God, I am looking forward to eons of exploring the universe, and knowing that I have barely started to see all of God’s creation, I am looking forward to pleasures forevermore, (Psalm 16:11) but I will confess, in a sense, I am looking forward the most to when the Lord Jesus sits on the throne of all creation and His laws and precepts are known by all, there will be no questions or opinions of what is right and what is sin, there will be clear and visible truth that all those present for all eternity will obey with joy and love, willingly.
The flies are going to buzz around the ointment, some of them are going to land on it, but the ointment will retain its usefulness, as long as you do not allow them to die on it. You have the ability to know and understand the Word of God with clarity and in truth, accept it as such, and serve in it. Far too few are doing this today.