Sin Gives Birth to Sin
A dog gives birth to puppies, and a cat gives birth to kittens, but our sin gives birth to more sins. Perhaps the clearest example of this is found in the account of David and Bathsheba’s adultery (2 Sam 11). Here’s how I understand it: David coveted a woman who was not his wife, the sin of coveting led to the sin of adultery, and the sin of adultery led to the sin of murder.
Covet → Adultery →Murder
While it is easy to see how one sin gives birth to another in this situation, have you considered how covetous desires in our lives have lead us to sin? Here’s how our cycle of sin seems to work
Covet something→ Sin to acquire it
or →Sin to cover up sin committed
→ Sin to acquire the happiness you believe you are missing out on
EXAMPLES:
1. Coveting another’s house/possessions → sinful ways of acquiring a bigger house (stealing, improper borrowing) or sinful ways of handling your inferiority (slandering those who own the house or houses like it) → Justifying your sinful behaviors
2. Coveting another’s spouse → lustful thoughts in the heart → lustful actions (either outright committing adultery or fantasizing one’s mind )→ lying to cover up lusT →shifting blame of sin to the spouse or situation or biology.
3. Coveting another’s position/influence/status → lying to oneself (thinking too highly of exalted person or too lowly of self) → sinful ways of being recognized (boasting, lying of about accomplishments) or sinful ways of handling feeling of inferiority in status (assuming that the person acquired the position through sinful means, judging the person in power or those who look up to them, etc.) → justifying sinful behavior by denying the Bible’s standards of ethics or behavior
4. Coveting another’s intelligence/strength/body image/youth/age → sinful ways to show to others that you are not inferior (quoting someone recognized as smart, proving your strength or maturity just to be seen, etc.) or sinful ways of handling your feelings of discontent (gossip about the person, making excuses for one’s feelings or sinful behavior) →justifying sinful actions and further hardening your own heart.
Can you think of other ways that sin gives birth to sin? What things in our culture are most coveted and then lead us deeper in our cycle of sin?
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