Two Great Lies
The tempter tells two great lies: one fall doesn't matter, and it's hopeless after falling, both of which are false.
James Stalker emphasizes the deceitful tactics of the great tempter, who first minimizes the consequences of sin before we fall, and then convinces us of the hopelessness of redemption after we have fallen. Stalker warns against the falsehood that one fall does not matter, highlighting the irreversible loss and the slippery slope of sin that leads to further falls. He stresses the importance of not underestimating the impact of sin, as it not only affects us but also influences others, creating a cycle that is hard to break.
Text
"Ye shall not surely die"
(Gen. 3:4).
The great tempter of men has two devices with which he plies us at two different stages. Before we have fallen, he tells us that one fall does not matter. it is a trifle; why should we not know the taste of the forbidden fruit? We can easily recover ourselves again. After we have fallen, on the contrary, he tells us that it is hopeless: we are given over to sin, and need not attempt to rise.
Both are false.
It is a terrible falsehood to say that to fall does not matter. Even by one fall there is something lost that can never be recovered. It is like the breaking of an infinitely precious vessel, which may be mended, but will never be again as if it had not been broken. And, besides, one fall leads to others; it is like going upon very slippery ice--even in the attempt to rise you are carried away again. Moreover, we give others a hold over us. If we have not sinned alone, to have sinned once involves a tacit pledge that we will sin again; and it is often almost impossible to get out of such a false position. God keep us from believing that to fall once does not matter!
Sermon Outline
- I. Two Great Lies of the Tempter
- A. Before we fall, he says one fall doesn't matter
- B. After we fall, he says it's hopeless
- 'II. The First Lie: One Fall Doesn''t Matter'
- A. It's a terrible falsehood to say one fall doesn't matter
- B. One fall leads to others, like slipping on ice
- C. We give others a hold over us with one fall
Key Quotes
“It is like the breaking of an infinitely precious vessel, which may be mended, but will never be again as if it had not been broken.” — James Stalker
Application Points
- We must not believe that one fall doesn't matter, as it leads to others and gives others a hold over us.
- We must be careful not to get into a false position after sinning once, as it's hard to get out.