Morning, March 11

Charles Spurgeon · Morning and Evening: Daily Readings

"Sin ... exceeding sinful."

  Romans 7:13

   Beware of light thoughts of sin. At the time of conversion, the
   conscience is so tender, that we are afraid of the slightest sin. Young
   converts have a holy timidity, a godly fear lest they should offend
   against God. But alas! very soon the fine bloom upon these first ripe
   fruits is removed by the rough handling of the surrounding world: the
   sensitive plant of young piety turns into a willow in after life, too
   pliant, too easily yielding. It is sadly true, that even a Christian
   may grow by degrees so callous, that the sin which once startled him
   does not alarm him in the least. By degrees men get familiar with sin.
   The ear in which the cannon has been booming will not notice slight
   sounds. At first a little sin startles us; but soon we say, "Is it not
   a little one?" Then there comes another, larger, and then another,
   until by degrees we begin to regard sin as but a little ill; and then
   follows an unholy presumption: "We have not fallen into open sin. True,
   we tripped a little, but we stood upright in the main. We may have
   uttered one unholy word, but as for the most of our conversation, it
   has been consistent." So we palliate sin; we throw a cloak over it; we
   call it by dainty names. Christian, beware how thou thinkest lightly of
   sin. Take heed lest thou fall by little and little. Sin, a little
   thing? Is it not a poison? Who knows its deadliness? Sin, a little
   thing? Do not the little foxes spoil the grapes? Doth not the tiny
   coral insect build a rock which wrecks a navy? Do not little strokes
   fell lofty oaks? Will not continual droppings wear away stones? Sin, a
   little thing? It girded the Redeemer's head with thorns, and pierced
   his heart! It made him suffer anguish, bitterness, and woe. Could you
   weigh the least sin in the scales of eternity, you would fly from it as
   from a serpent, and abhor the least appearance of evil. Look upon all
   sin as that which crucified the Saviour, and you will see it to be
   "exceeding sinful."