Sin is deadly and should not be treated lightly. The Bible warns, “Fools make a mock at sin” (Proverbs 14:9). How do people mock sin?
1. Some people mock sin by changing its name. W. E. Sangster, the late Methodist preacher, said, “Years ago I attended a joint meeting of doctors, psychiatrists, and ministers to discover ways in which we could work together. There was a great deal of talk about premarital and extramarital sexual relationships. I knew, of course, what they were meaning by all that, but there was one old rural parson present who was confused by the terms and couldn’t keep his feet in the conversation. Finally, he said, ‘Do you mean fornication and adultery?’ I can recall now the astonishment those plain biblical words created in that assembly. Sin should be called by its right name.”
2. Some people mock sin by blaming their circumstances. Here is a man who gets involved with a woman. He excuses himself saying, “I was lonely.” But other people are lonely and don’t have affairs. Loneliness was only a factor. The real cause was moral weakness and a failure to claim God’s help.
3. Others mock sin by saying, “Times have changed.” They pretend that God’s moral code is outdated. Cultures change and customs change, but moral principles are eternal. The person who mocks sin is a fool.
The only way to deal with sin is to face it frankly and confess it to God. He alone can give us victory over the power and penalty of sin.