Brothers, the Word of God is True!
No doubt most of you have heard the news of the murder of former NFL quarterback Steve McNair. As the strange details of the case have emerged, it now appears that the 36 year old husband and father of four was murdered by the twenty year old young woman with whom he was having an extra-marital affair, who then took her own life.
Before mentioning some lessons we may learn from this, let me acknowledge that this is a terrible human tragedy. We are constantly barraged with instant news reports and updates of so many of the world’s tragedies, crimes, sins and scandals. As Christians, we must fight to maintain a soft heart toward human suffering and the tragic consequences of sin. One headline referred to this case as similar to a “CSI episode.” If we’re not careful, we will begin to think of real life and real death as just another movie or TV show. Instead, we should mourn the violent sweeping of never-dying souls into eternity. We should be grieved by the works of the devil, the father of lies who has such a hand in acts of adultery and murder. We should mourn for the widow and fatherless. We should be grieved that sin has so marred the image of God in man and brought us so far from living up to the good purpose for which we were made.
That said, we are fools if we fail to recognize in this tragedy the confirmation of this one unalterable and prevailing reality: Brothers, the Word of God is true! (Yes, sisters too!) You see, one of the lies permeating our culture and perpetuated by the entertainment industry is that sin, and sexual sin in particular, has no consequences. It couldn’t be further from the truth. Steve McNair’s violent death reminds us of the chilling words of Proverbs 7:21-23:
Proverbs 7:21 With her enticing speech she caused him to yield, With her flattering lips she seduced him. 22 Immediately he went after her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, Or as a fool to the correction of the stocks, 23 Till an arrow struck his liver. As a bird hastens to the snare, He did not know it would cost his life.
God does not always bring this text to pass with such vivid and swift literalness in every fornicator’s experience in this life. But that never means that God’s disposition toward sin has changed. Apparent silence never means He is unaware and sin’s consequences are being averted (Psa. 50:21). The Word of God is forever settled in the heavens. It will not be changed. The wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23). Sin brings forth death (James 1:15). It cannot be altered. Not every adulterer is murdered or contracts a deadly disease. But you can take it to the bank: “be sure your sin will find you out” (Num. 32:23; e.g. SC governor Mark Sanford). And if not every bitter consequence is reaped in this life, the full and just penalty for such sin will be meted out in the life to come:
For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. (Eph.5:5)
Praise God, every form of sexual sin may be forgiven for those who repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. But the point here is this: heed the warning! God’s Word is true! Repent! Turn from any and all forms of sexual sin! You can’t take fire to your bosom and not be burned (Proverbs 6:27). Let the tragic death of Steve McNair cause every man (and woman) to hear with fresh conviction the words of Proverbs 7:24-27:
Proverbs 7:24 Now therefore, listen to me, my children; Pay attention to the words of my mouth: 25 Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways, Do not stray into her paths; 26 For she has cast down many wounded, And all who were slain by her were strong men. 27 Her house is the way to hell, Descending to the chambers of death.
