What is it about sin that is so attractive? The above Scripture tells us what sin really is. John describes it in one word: lawlessness.
The Greek word represents not only a person without the knowledge of God's law but one without law. period. he is one who gives no thought at all to the violations of any divine decree.
And when I sin I personify that very one. I'm not referring to a momentary lapse of weakness and thereby stumble into sin—no! I am speaking of deliberate, premeditated, unrestrained lawlessness. I become the very one that John rebukes in this epistle.
In short, I declare my freedom from the One who purchased me and defiantly say to Him, "I love myself more than I love you."
I certainly don't utter those words when I sin, and they certainly don't cross my mind in the throes of my rebellion. But if I'm honest with myself—if we're all honest with ourselves that's exactly what the action of lawlessness is. At the moment we decide to cross the threshold of iniquity we have decided that we love our flesh, and therefore ourselves, over God.
But what if we all paused momentarily before plunging into depravity and considered this very thing? I believe this simple action would cure a lot of our sin "problems." Perhaps there would be less addiction to pornography or less adultery in our marriages. Maybe there would be more personal holiness.
Perhaps. Maybe.
But it must begin with my own commitment and my reslove to stop loving myself more than I love God.
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