‘Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. ‘

The brokenness of our world is the result of evil. Jesus came ”to destroy the works of the devil.” That is good news, until we look honestly at our own lives and realize that there are parts of us that are broken and yes, even evil. I’m not comfortable with admitting that I have evil in me, but evil is simply anything that is not good. Jesus came to destroy what is not good. How does God destroy evil without destroying us? Somehow the “seed” he speaks of here makes all of this possible. Well, how does that work?

If you will take a detour with me into the field of chemistry, it might help us understand. Why don’t oil and water mix? There are multiple factors, but the simple answer is that the chemical charge of the molecules is different. Water is a polar molecule, which means it is attracted to other polar charged molecules, while oil is a non-polar molecule and is only attracted to other non-polar molecules. When you poor oil into water they separate from each other because they’re charged differently. There is a way to get oil and water to mix if you use what is called an emulsifier. If you introduce an emulsifier into the water and oil, it allows a stable mixture of the two.

Sin is like an emulsifier. God created humanity in his image as good, and good cannot mix with evil. Good and evil are like oil and water. When we sin, we introduce an emulsifier into our lives that allows evil to mix more closely to us than is natural to being human. Mind you, this is an imperfect illustration, but the seed that abides in the children of God is gradually eliminating sin (the emulsifier) from our lives and separating us more and more from evil. That is why sin is so damaging. It brings us into closer contact with evil rather than good. God purifies his children. We are freed by the seed, if you would. Another text that talks about this separation process is Colossians 2:13-15. Take a moment to read that text and meditate on the work that God has done and is doing in you. Let him separate you from the evil that is around you and avoid the sin that allows evil in.

Colossians 2:13-15: “13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.”

 

By Aaron Bjorklund

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