Do we foolishly imagine we can charm the serpent of sin, to render it harmless in our lives? It will not work; sin can be relied upon to bite us. Here is an illustration of man’s failure to use God’s remedy, which is the only remedy that will work. The serpent, of course, is associated with sin and temptation from the start of the Bible. If we think we can get through life living in such close proximity to sin and not be bitten by it, we are wilfully naïve. Sin is all around us, seeking to devour us, and it is also within us, even from birth. For us, there may be periods of enchantment. Human beings can be cultured, so charming. Take the showbiz world – such charm, such smooth behaviour, and yet behind-the-scenes a cauldron of envy, hatred, back-biting. Sin always shows up no matter how long we keep up the pretence. In front of cameras, people may be polished and genteel, but afterwards another side comes to the surface. Have we ever faced up to our nature? The person God would have us to be is kindly, helpful, honest, and clean. We are swallowed up – consumed by our own words. We like our opinions, views; we are taken in by our boasts, our venomous, proud, dishonest words, our opinions and self-justification. You may be no good at speaking to others but, when angry or full of some other sin, we can all be masterly with words. We begin disbelieving in God, thinking that the great purpose of life is to enjoy ourselves. Life is hazardous and people bite. You think you will handle life, manage it, work your arts, spread your charms. No – suddenly you are fired, or recession comes, or friend lets you down. Before you can charm life, there is trouble. Don’t think this is a snake you can handle. Some plan their whole life against the day of retirement. But they die and life has bitten. Without Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, you live life on a knife edge, playing with sin.
The gospel is the power of God for the salvation of all who believe. It tells us how God has cancelled the debt of sin for all who believe in the Christ’s perfect sacrifice, and how we can receive a new nature and be born again. We can be delivered from the guilt of sin, and from its dominion over us, so that we are able to deny ungodly lusts and live lives of obedience. But how many avail themselves of this salvation, though God invites all without exception to come? How foolish it is to be bitten by this serpent when God has done so much to deliver us from it! ‘As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life’ (John 3:14-15). If we fail to seek the Lord, the gospel is still there and it will save others, but it will be no use to us. Like medicine that is left untouched while a man lies dying on the bed in reach of the medicine cabinet, so men and women perish needlessly.