If you live in my neck of the woods – Ontario Canada – you are likely familiar with the disappearance and murder of Tim Bosma. In the two weeks since the tragedy suspects have been arrested, details have been released and the grieving process has begun. In tragedies like this I have discovered part of the grieving process involves attempting to answer the question of “why”. In the midst of grief there is never a satisfying answer to the “why” question, but we try to answer it all the same.
The added difficulty in dealing with the “why” of the Bosma case is the complete absurdity of the crime. Tim was murdered so that they could steal the truck he had listed for sale. One might conclude it was a crime of need or greed had the main individual accused not been a multimillionaire. A life was taken, freedom was forfeit and families were devastated over an object the accused could have easily purchased for himself many times over.
Although the people God has called me to serve do not know Tim personally, many of them are compelled to try and make sense of this senseless act. The confusing nature of the crime has not been lost on them as they attempt to reason out the why. When they have come to me with their questions, rhetorical or otherwise, I have explained that sin is the ultimate answer to their question. Sin is the reason this crime was committed and sin is the reason why it is so senseless and confusing. When it comes right down to it sin is the answer to the “why” of many of life’s problems. Here, then, are three truths from the Bible one can discover about sin. To some they were costly to learn, but to you and I the lessons, if we choose, are free. I hope you profit by them.
1) Sin does NOT make sense. This is probably the most difficult truth for people to wrap their minds around. Deep down we would all like to think some form of discernable logic fine-tunes the mechanics of our choices. However, with sin logic does not enter into it. It is at best illogical, irrational, deceptive and crazy. That is not to say we are incapable of rationalizing our sin. Far from it. There is not one person – dead or alive – who wasn’t able to defend or justify their sin. However, their rationalizations ultimately only makes sense to the sinner themselves and those who are likewise deceived by sin. Therefore, you should not be surprised when sinful actions run counter to common sense. Rom 1:19-31 Eph 4:17-19
2) Sin is false advertising at its worst. Its packaging is misleading, and the sales pitch is laced with lies. We buy the product simply because everything about it is designed to be enticing. However, when we get it home we discover the product to be both defective and dangerous. Sin ALWAYS destroys, ruins and kills. It can do nothing else. It may start out small and seemingly insignificant, but in short order it grows and evolves into something unmanageable. Do not be fooled, the pleasure of sin is eclipsed by its cost. No wonder we feel duped and cheated by sin. If only we hadn’t lost the receipt maybe we could return it. When we buy into sin we get what we paid for. Prov 5:22 Prov 14:12 Rom 6:23 James 1:13-15
3) With sin there are always casualties. Hear me well; there is no such thing as a victimless sin. Did you catch that? We tend to fool ourselves into believing that if the sin is small enough, and no one knows or is targeted by it, then nobody gets hurt. This is absolutely false. Forget for a moment the impact of sin upon the sinner. Ignore the fact sin will kill, ruin and destroy the sinner’s life. There are most assuredly casualties in this game. Casualties you do not consider nor recognize in the moment, but are eventually revealed in the fullness of time. The Bible is replete with examples of men and women ignorant of the domino effect their sin will have. We need not be ignorant of this fact. Family, friends and strangers are all casualties in the fallout of our sin. However, lest we forget, the one most offended by our sin is the one toward whom all our sin is directed. God himself. Never forget there is no such thing as a victimless sin. Psalm 51:4 1 Cor 8:12