Not long ago, a friend recounted a phone conversation with his out-of-state adult daughter. To hear him tell it, she is not, well, a great housekeeper. During the call, she complained that a mouse was running past her chair. Alarmed, he told her to take care of it immediately. She was unfazed, calmly noting that she would pick up some items from the store when she had a chance. The next time they spoke, he immediately asked if she had purchased the materials. She told him she kept forgetting and coolly added, “There aren’t that many.” He tried warning her that it could quickly turn into a major infestation, yet there was no urgency. It was never spoken of again.
I imagine you are as wide-eyed reading that account as I was when I first heard it! It’s hard to comprehend such indifference to something so unpleasant. Under the right conditions, a small group of mice can rapidly multiply into dozens or even hundreds. Of course, a single mouse can show up just about anywhere at some point, but it’s an easy problem to solve if you address it immediately. A delayed response, however, can be costly.
The same goes for sin. Paul acknowledges the ongoing presence of sin in the Christian’s life, writing, “For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out” (Rom. 7:18). The corruption of the sinful nature persists in this life, even among believers. The only acceptable response, then, is to determine how quickly you can exterminate it before it multiplies. That’s what Paul meant in his first letter to the Corinthian church.
Like “a little leaven,” these sins can become a manifestation. He warns against the idea that you can exhibit sincerity and truth while clinging to a bit of malice and evil. This is also why Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin” (Jn. 8:34). To practice it is to submit completely to it. What starts as dabbling ends in subjection.
The good news is that, like a black light for mice, there is a surefire way to find hidden sins, accompanied by a guaranteed way to kill them. It is the combination of the law and the gospel.
The law reveals the presence of sin, and the gospel wipes it out! Do you submit yourself to the searching light of the law and run to the cross to be cleaned, or are you comfortable letting sin scamper around your life? How motivated are you to address your known sin? Do you seek Christ without delay to have it exterminated, or do you risk manifestation by taking the “when I have a chance” approach? Be sure that unaddressed sin will not stay hidden or inactive. To believe it will go away on its own is self-deception.
Don’t ignore sin droppings, and don’t turn a deaf ear to the clicking of their nails on the floor next to you. Exterminate them!