Sin

David Jeremiah has observed, "Almost weekly we hear about a new computer "virus" that is spreading around the world - deleting files, crashing hard drives, and souring attitudes. Software viruses act like their biological cousins - they spread from one computer to another. The surest way to prevent them from infecting other computers is to delete them as soon as they're discovered.

"Hitting the "delete" button on a computer is a simple and effective way of staying virus-free. But the language of the New Testament pictures staying sin-free as a little more involved. Paul describes sin almost like a virus. He calls it leaven, the bacteria that makes bread dough rise. Once leaven gets in a lump of dough . . . well, getting it out takes some effort. Far better never to let sin get into our lives to begin with. But if it does, what do we do then? We must repent - that is, make up our minds to go a different way. Then confess - agree with God about what we've done, and receive His forgiveness. Finally, put on the armor of God: faith, righteousness, and the Word of God. Don't let the virus of sin multiply in your life. Far better to deal with our own sin than to have God deal with it for us."

(Turning Point Daily Devotional, 7/25/03)