Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. — Galatians 6:1
If you take away sin, what is left?
Think about it. I think this is a very important question that most people haven’t considered, yet it is the reason so many people have so many problems.
I think most Christians would say that if you take away sin you are left with righteousness or obedience or goodness. But I disagree. If you take away sin, you are left with a vacuum. You are left with an emptiness that longs to be filled and will be filled quickly with something. It might be filled again with the same sin. People who wrestle with addictions understand this. They try to stop, and they can’t. Or this vacuum might be filled with self righteousness. Often it is, and this is why people get such a bad taste in their mouths for what they believe to be Christianity.
Jesus made it clear that if you drive out an evil spirit, that it will come back, and finding the house unoccupied, rounds up seven worse spirits and re-enters the house. It’s the vacuum principle.
You can bet those evil spirits wouldn’t be at all interested in returning if they knocked on the front door and Jesus answered.
(More tomorrow.)
Be encouraged!
Dwight
Dwight Clough is the author of four Christian books and is an active member of Lake City Church in Madison. This devotional is also available via email and you may review the archives back to 2002. To contact Dwight or Kim, use their contact form. You may also support their ministry.