DOING EVIL WITH BOTH HANDS

Micah 7:3 That they may do evil with both hands earnestly.

This is a lesson about sin. The text is selected because in indicates the ultimate in sinfulness. The people referred to by the prophet Micah were the epitome of sinners. They sin eagerly, even earnestly. They don't dabble in sin, they eagerly get intoacts of sinning with both hands.

Sin is the breaking of, or the disobedience to, God's laws. 1 John 3:4 says, Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. Further on in 1 John 5:17 we find that All unrighteousness is sin... . James further defined sin when he wrote, Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin (James 4:17).

Where did sin come from? Paul tells us in his letter to the Christians of Rome: Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned (Rom. 5:12). The sin of Adam brought the knowledge of right and wrong into the world. His sin brought death to mankind. The result of this original sin is that all men and women of the world must die.

All people have the capacity of discerning right from wrong. Having this discerning ability, God gave us the laws, found in both the Old and the New Testaments, by which we were, and are,to conduct our lives. Sin, then, is the disregarding or the breaking God's laws.

Being created as free moral agents, all people have the capacity to obey or to disobey God's laws, just as we have the capacity to obey or disobey civil laws. However, knowing God's commandments and civil ordinances, there are punishments for disobeying these laws. Civil punishments could be as little as mild reprimands, curfews, fines, imprisonment or, ultimately, death by some form of execution. Punishment for disobedience to God's law is found in Romans 6:23, For the wages of sin is death... . Death, in this instance, is eternal death. Physical death is not earned. In its natural course, death can result from an untimely accident, sickness, disease, or the natural degeneration of our physical bodies. However, spiritual death is referred to in this text, which is the earned punishment for disobedience to the laws of God.

The opposite of the wages of sin is death is found in the last part of Romans 6:23, ...but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. The reward, for a life of obedience to the will of God, is eternal life in heaven. It is God's desire that all should have eternal salvation. He has provided the way for this to take place through His Son, Jesus Christ. Hebrews 2:17 indicates that Jesus came to earth as a mortal man to fulfill God's plan of redemption. The verse tells usthat, through His Son Jesus, God provided the way...to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

This redemption is available to all. It is universal and is not restricted to any class or nationality. It is available to the person that has lived obedient to God's will. It is also available to the lowest of repentant sinners - even those that at one time engaged in sin with both hands.

Sin is likened to bondage. By continual sin, one sinks deeper and deeper into its grasp. A person can become a servant to sin. Romans 6:20 says, For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. Continuing in verse 22 it says, But now being made free from sin, and become servants of God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

Regardless of the depth of sin one is in, there is a way out. Even if engaged in sin with both hands, God, through His Son, Christ Jesus has made forgiveness is available to all that repent and turn to Him. It may take a lot of "digging" on your part to get out of the pit of sin and despair, but it is possible. The reward is certainly worth the effort. To all men and women that are sinners in God's sight, He pleads with you to start digging your way out now - He tells you that you may have to use both hands!