Sin Wears a Mask
“Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin” (Hebrews 3:12-13).
This is both a warning and an exhortation to God’s children. To become “hardened” is to become morally obstinate and stubborn. It signifies an unwillingness to listen to instruction, especially instruction which comes from God. The word “deceitful” means “that which gives a false impression, whether by appearance, statement, or influence.” The writer is, therefore, warning children of God lest they become morally obstinate (unwilling to listen to God at all) because of the deceitful appearances and impressions of sin.
It Wears the Mask of “Beauty”
All should prayerfully and seriously consider the deceitfulness of sin. Sin is deceitful because it wears a mask; it appears to be other than what it actually is. Sin can (and does) wear the mask of beauty just as surely as an ugly person may wear a mask and appear to be very beautiful. Young men and women, think of sin as an ugly monster who wears the mask of beauty.
It Wears the Mask of a “Servant”
History abounds with instances of kings making alliances with other kings believing they could make the other their servant. Often the reverse is true. Young men take up the habit of strong drink or of narcotics believing they could make such habits their servant to bring them happiness. But instead the habit became their masters. Men look at a life of sin and believe they can make it their servant. They believe that they can make falsehood, deception, immorality, become their servant to bring them a life of happiness. But they find that sin will not fill the role of a servant. Sin is always the master of those who engage in it. Paul pointed out that before the Roman brethren had obeyed the gospel, they had been “servants of sin” (Romans 6:17). Young men and women, look upon sin as a cruel master who wears the mask of being a servant.
It Wears the Mask of Being “Attractive” or “Advantageous”
Sin promises more than it gives. It discounts what it actually does give. The serpent put a deceptive mask on sin for Eve to see: “Ye shall be as gods . . .” When Eve looked at the tree, she saw it as one “to be desired to make one wise.” But to her (and Adam’s) sorrow, she found that sin was only wearing the mask of being attractive and advantageous.
This mask also discounted what sin actually does bring. “Ye shall not surely die,” the serpent said to Eve. It was as if sin wore a mask which cried out: “Do not be afraid, the things which God has told you about sin are but fairy tales. Nothing of real consequence will happen to you because of sin. Why not go ahead and enjoy these pleasures and advantages? The consequence is insignificant in comparison with these pleasures.” Young men and women, think of sin as an ugly, destroying monster who wears a mask of beauty and advantage.
It Wears the Mask of Being “Right”
“There is a way that seemeth right unto a man but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Proverbs 16:25). It is easy to think one is in the way of life when he is in the way of death. Many think they have been saved by “faith only.” Yet the Bible plainly says that men are not saved by “faith only” (James 2:24). Members of the body of Christ may think they are pleasing the Lord even when they are actually nauseating to Him (Revelation 3:15-17). Sin wears the mask of being right and says: “Come, live this way; study God’s Word very little, apply little of what you read to yourself, be little (if any) concerned for the soul of your neighbor, curse a little, tell a few lewd jokes, drink just a little, engage in’ just a little immorality (so long as you go to church at feast once a week), and you can be certain of going to Heaven when this life is over.” But such a message is a falsehood. Beware lest you be led into going to the Bible to justify a practice in which you are already engaged instead of humbly sitting down before God in readiness to walk in whatever path that Word demands. It is easy to believe a lie if one wants to believe it (2 Thessalonians 2:8-12). If one goes to the Bible determined to prove sin to be right, it is likely that he will convince himself (Ezekiel 14:4). Young men and women, look upon sin as a deceiving monster wearing the mask of “right” who is trying to damn your soul by enticing you to live other than how God instructed men to live.
It Wears the Mask of Reaping What It Does Not Sow
Paul said: “Be not deceived, God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7). One cannot turn up his nose at God (make things turn out other than God said they would turn out). God said that every seed would bring forth after its own kind. If a man should plant turnip seed and reap apples, it could be truthfully said of him that he had “mocked” God! This, of course, no one can do—but sin promises to do it! Sin wears the mask of promising to reap a harvest of happiness, joy and peace from the sowing of the seed of sin. But the fruit which comes from such seed is: 1) in this life: degradation, misery, fear, frustration, unhappiness, loss of fellowship with God, loss of true communion with loved ones, and 2) in the world to come: eternal separation from God and everything that is holy and good, the loss of everything that is of any worth or value to human existence, the suffering of terrible torment throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity (Revelation 20). One can no more reap a harvest of happiness from the sowing of the seed of sin than he can reap a harvest of beans from the sowing of onion seed. Young men and women, look upon sin as a lying monster who tells you that by the sowing of the seed of sin you can escape a harvest of misery, suffering, and degradation and reap a harvest of bliss.
“. . . exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”