Cascading Sin - Mark 6:14-29

Sin begets sin: one sin leads to another and they compound.

John the Baptist spoke truth to Herod and Herodias, which impressed Herod, but angered Herodias; some people are attracted to the Holy Spirit, but some are repelled. When Herod, weakened by fleshly desire for Herodias' daughter, offered her anything she wanted, Herodias used the opportunity to have John the Baptist killed. And so Herod's sins had built upon each other and multiplied, eventually bringing him to order the death of an innocent man.

Satan tempted Jesus when he was at his physically weakest; this is when temptation of all kinds has the strongest pull. Among the deadliest of all of Satan's arrows is sexual sin. As we consider that sin can travel in family circles as children imitate their parents, we must flee from sexual immorality!

If Herod had repented, as deep into sin as he was, God would have forgiven him. Though Satan will accuse endlessly, we should never get caught in the trap of thinking our sin is too big for God to forgive! If we've been washed clean by the blood of the lamb, all our sins, past, present and future, are already forgiven, so we give our guilt to God. We can rest in full assurance of our faith and take shelter in the Lord Jesus Christ!

If we sin again after being forgiven, repent. Accept his forgiveness and live it: be free, be made useful, and glorify God! We are not outside his grace, so we should be the most joyful people in existence!