Some Jesus Things: Pleasures of Sin

Pleasures of Sin

Let’s face it! If there were not some sort of pleasure or immediate gratification in sin; nobody would do it. The reality of sin is that it starts off giving us what we want, while decomposing our health and happiness in the end.

There is no long-term joy or sustainable pleasures in sin. Sin demands that you keep coming back for more. Ultimately the pleasure found in the beginning passes forever, with no way to get it back. That first high, first drink, first sexual encounter, or the rush of doing something you know to be wrong and got away with.

Moses was a man who knew the pleasures of sin; with all of the accoutrements of sin that great wealth and fortune can bring. Yet, Moses also knew these things had a season and were temporary. Such things could not last and were passing, fleeting, and reproachful to the Lord. When Moses came of age having had his fill of sin; he turned his back on the sins of Egypt, and decided to wholly follow the Lord.

By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. (Hebrews 11:24-26)

Do Not Love the World

Moses had it all. He lacked for nothing in his life. Yet! Moses was not happy. Moses ‘grew-up and gave-up’ on Satan’s sinful lures and lies. Moses became the man of God that he was born to be.

Moses chose God and his people over the Egypt’s passing pleasures of wine and women. Moses chose the light of God over Egypt’s neon nightlife. Moses chose Christ’s truth over the lies of the Magi. Moses chose the one true God over the myriad of false gods taught by the High Priest/Priestess of the pharaohs court and temple.

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. (1 John 2:15-18)

Moses was not alone in teaching the passing pleasures of sin. Peter wrote a letter to a group of Christians scattered throughout the northern areas of Asia Minor that included both Jews and Gentiles.

The First Epistle of Peter was written during the final years of Nero’s reign before he was arrested by King Herod in Acts. (Acts 4:3, 12:1-3)

Peter was not speaking to separate segregated groups of Jews or Gentiles. Peter was addressing them as one group who had become Christian Believers as Followers of Jesus (The Church). Teaching Christians to live their lives in such a way that they were to be examples set apart from the surrounding sinful culture.

Peter’s teachings are just as pertinent today; so are the reactions of the carnal world when we choose to live for Christ.

For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you. (1 Peter 4:3-4)

Satan’s Perversion

Make no mistake Satan does not want you to ‘Wise-up.’ He wants you to ‘Give-up and Give-in’ to all the worldly lusts of your own fleshly desires.

But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. (James 1:14-15)

Satan and his fallen angels are masters of deception who will do anything and everything to draw you into their web of lies.

But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. (2 Corinthians 11:3)

For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works. (2 Corinthians 11:13-15)

Satan deceitfully convinces humanity that there is great joy and happiness in the passing pleasures of sin that lead to Hell. Fooled into a life of sin that steals the years of your life, wasted in the devil’s lair; wallowing around in his den of deceptions. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. (1 Peter 5:8)

Satan has convinced humanity that it is morally and ethically acceptable to dine at his table and drink the fruit of his vine. Satan’s churches are disguised as Night clubs and Bars. These are in Satan’s unholy domain; where people can worship his ways with blasphemous music, false disciple’s, and soul numbing nectar. This is where his followers can indulge in all the passing pleasures of sin.

Woe to those who rise early in the morning, That they may follow intoxicating drink; Who continue until night, till wine inflames them! The harp and the strings, The tambourine and flute, And wine are in their feasts; But they do not regard the work of the Lord, Nor consider the operation of His hands. (Isaiah 5:11-12)

They sing to the tambourine and harp, And rejoice to the sound of the flute. They spend their days in wealth, And in a moment go down to the grave. (Job 21:12-13)

Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21)

There are many who may read this article and say, “I am being legalistic, taking the Jesus thing too seriously and that I just need to lighten up.” This is because, these are the people who have found pleasure in unrighteousness.

that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (2 Thessalonians 2:12)

These are the people whose hearts have been hardened to the call of Jesus. These are those who can no longer discern right from wrong. People who disdain righteousness; seek pleasure in heathen ways as a means of defending their immoral faith.

Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. (Hebrews 3:12-13)

Abundantly Blessed

Life is too short to waste a single day. There is a better way! Are you unhappy in your own Egypt? Like Moses, are you ready to ‘grow-up and give-up’ on Satan’s sinful lures and lies? Become the Man/Woman of God that you were born to be.

When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. (1 Corinthians 13:11)

If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. (Colossians 3:1-2)

Forget what the world thinks. Don’t worry about winning a popularity contest or being a part of the next big thing. Realize that you are worthy of far more than the passing pleasures of sin designed for you destruction.

He who loves pleasure will be a poor man; He who loves wine and oil will not be rich. (Proverbs 21:17)

Following Jesus is the only way to lasting contentment and joy.

On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” (John 7:37-38)

Who cares what the world thinks? Are penitentiaries filled with good people? Ask the drunkard who lost his wife and children if Bud is Weiser. Go ask those terminally ill from a disease contracted in sin if they would do it again? Ask a prostitute who has lost her beauty, health and dignity if the pleasures of sin were worth it? Go ask those disfigured in an accident cause by drugs or drink if Satan paid in truth or counterfeit lies. Go ask the elderly heathens who have wasted their youth if they are still having fun?

Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, Before the difficult days come, And the years draw near when you say, “I have no pleasure in them”: (Ecclesiastes 12:1)

The Lord can and will give you the desires of your heart. God wants to bless us with as much of His blessing as you can contain.

Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. (Psalm 37:4)

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, (Ephesians 3:20)

There are those that think the way of the Gospel is a life of poverty and solitude. This is a lie of Satan. Satan wants the sinner to think he is the only way to prosper. God can and will bless us if we trust and wholly follow Him in all our ways.

As for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, and given him power to eat of it, to receive his heritage and rejoice in his labor—this is the gift of God. (Ecclesiastes 5:19)

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:8)

Real Lasting Pleasures

God designed the human body with pleasure in His design. The most obvious is our multifaceted sensory organs. Why does a rose smell so good? God gave us taste buds that delight us with the taste of chocolate and well as lemons. What about a massage from your spouse given with a tactile touch?

God intended us to know the joys of wholesome lasting pleasures. ‘After all’ pleasure was God’s idea.

I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well. (Psalm 139:14)

You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. (Psalm 16:11)

God doesn’t leave us hanging out to dry; He provides us with a pathway to escape from the temptations of common sins. Sins are committed because of poor choices. If we stop and think about it there is always another choice.

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)

Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. (James 4:7)

God is not up in Heaven just waiting to lower the boom or to throw the book at us. God delights in your joy. God sings songs of rejoicing full of His love for you.

The Lord your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save;
He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love,
He will rejoice over you with singing. (Zephaniah 3:17)

I’m not saying that your life will always be perfect without any pitfalls. Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. (2 Timothy 3:12) I am saying that your obedient life with Jesus will be full of joy, love, contentment, and abundantly blessed with all God’s treasures straight out of Heaven.

“The Lord will establish you as a holy people to Himself, just as He has sworn to you, if you keep the commandments of the Lord your God and walk in His ways. Then all peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they shall be afraid of you. And the Lord will grant you plenty of goods, in the fruit of your body, in the increase of your livestock, and in the produce of your ground, in the land of which the Lord swore to your fathers to give you. The Lord will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. (Deuteronomy 28:9-12)

There are those who think that keeping the commandments of the Lord are burdensome. They think that life is too strict or hard to do the right thing. Thinking that it is no fun unless it is a sin. Many feel that it is just easier to bend or break the rules rather than follow them.

If this is how you feel? Then, know this is Satan and his influence over your life. “You are living a life full of the passing pleasures of sin. Hanging on to your fleshly carnal nature.” because, “You desire your sin more than a Savior.”

You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord’s table and of the table of demons. (1 Corinthians 10:21)

To be a Believer and Follower of Jesus is not hard or full of hardships. Following the commandments is just a natural way of life. Being a Christian does not mean giving up on the pleasures in life; it does mean abundantly receiving all the pleasures that are profitable, rewarding, wholesome, and real.

By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. (1 John 5:2-3)

Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me. (John 14:23-24)

Now that you know the truth about the passing pleasures of sin which lead to Hell; you must make a decision and act upon this knowledge. All you have to do is speak it and believe it (Romans 10:9-13) (John 1:12).

Get Real! Get Jesus! Get Saved! Get Free!

Pray Now!! Pray this simple prayer to trust Jesus as your Savior:

“Lord Jesus, I am a sinner and I need a Savior. Right now I will turn away and repent from my sin and accept you as my Lord and Savior. I trust and believe that You are the Son of God, my Lord and Savior for my salvation, I know and believe that You died on the Cross and rose again from the grave to pay for my sins. I thank you for saving me. Amen.”