Can you imagine sitting down to have a big bowl of yummy Froot Loops® only to find when you poured out the contents of the box there weren't fruity loops inside, but rather stale black loops with a horrible smell.
I'm sure you would push the box and the bowl of putrefying contents from you as quickly as possible. The most anticipated bowl of fruit loops had quickly become "unfruitful."
God says our attitude toward sin needs to have the same response as our attitude toward stale food. We want nothing to do with it, we push it away, it disgusts us, and is totally unappealing.
For those who are walking with God, we should have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness. What are these unfruitful works? Galatians 5:19, speaks of dark things: selfishness, anger, jealousy, arguing, drunkenness, immorality, filthy thoughts, idolatry, hatred, etc. We are to expose them by living righteously; scripture says it is shameful to even speak of such things (Ephesians 5:11–13).
If you know the Lord, we are to walk as children of the light. When we choose disobedience, sin hurts us and affects others-and God is dishonored. When Achan sinned, he sought to hide his sin of theft and the whole camp suffered (Joshua 7).
David thought He could cover up his sin of adultery by his own schemes and plans; lives were lost and damaged as a result (2Samuael 11-12). Now, can you imagine a person sitting down to actually enjoy such a disgusting bowl of cereal? Pouring the black rings into their bowl, delighting at its appearance, taking it into their body and enjoying every rotten bite?
This is a picture of people who have never come to know Jesus, people who are living in their sins. They have been blinded by the god of this world and do not even realize what they are practicing is spiritual sickness and, if continued, ends in eternal death.
The Bible says our payment for sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 6:23). Sadly, we as sinful creatures love to delight in sin's short-lived pleasures. As a result, we find ourselves in a great deal of pain, dysfunction, and misery. Worst of all, we are separated from the very God who came to give us life to the full so that we can live colorful, fruitful lives with Him and spend eternity in His perfect Heaven. (According to Galatians 5:22–23, the fruit of the Spirit is: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control).
God's perfect Son suffered our judgment. His sinless soul became guilty for our wretched, putrefying sins (Romans 8:3). He died and rose again so that your sins could be paid for, so that you can enter into the joy of the Lord in this life and for all of eternity!
If you will trust Christ as your savior and turn away from your darkness, you can become a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). God will give you new desires and power to be fruitful instead of fruitless.
What are you taking pleasure in today? Oh taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the person who trusts in Him (Psalm 34:8)!
Becky Kew shares good news at Sandy Bay First Nation, Manitoba, Canada. BeckyKew@ outlook.com
