Hating Sin

Hey,

So over the last while I've been able to speak to a guy and recently we had some really in depth conversations and got to know each other better.

Somehow the topic of video games led to him sharing like his biggest secret with me, and revealing like the thing he struggles with the most that he has carried for the last ten years, since before he was a Christian. Before he told me he made me promise we'd still be friends.

Ultimately, it is a variety of masochism. He desires to be hurt and crushed.

My reaction (to the specifics) was not that he was weird or to start avoiding him. My reaction was first to get a better understanding, but as he continued explaining my reaction was just like heartbreaking. To hear him say he'd love to die by being crushed by an elephant? To hear him desire for others to hurt him? I almost cried.

I hate hearing about the depth of sin my brothers are in; the twisted and corrupted desires which lead them to seek satisfaction in actions that ultimately mutilate the body rather than glorify God. Made in His image and as the temple of the Holy Spirit, how can we degrade ourselves like this?

Interestingly, there is also quite a bit of overlap in our largest areas of temptation, so it's been cool to be fully open with each other. But the cooler thing is that it is really opening my eyes to how disgusting sin is.

Rom1:18-32 really just shows how far we have fallen, exchanging God for images made by man; exchanging natural relationships to the degrading of our bodies; inventing new ways to sin.

But He has made us new in Christ. He has removed our sin as far as East is from West. He has purified us and we now have Jesus' imputed righteousness. May His Spirit truly work in us and danctify us.

May I remember how terrible sin is and that it does produce death, despite the temporary pleasures it may provide.