Sin That Kills - The Moth - The Character of Creatures

This is a chapter from the book The Character of Creatures: What the Animal Kingdom Teaches Us About God and His Word.

Sin That Kills – The Moth

Moths are drawn to the light, but that is not as good as it sounds, their draw is one of desire and lust. Have you ever seen a moth come in through a door or a window and then go crazy trying to get at a lightbulb? Before we had lightbulbs, moths would do the same thing with candles and other flames. Moths are unfortunately fragile and the fire would often kill them.

God uses that poor little moth to teach us:

But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. ~ James 1:14–15

Discussion:

1.      The Bible tells us there are three temptations: what feels good, what looks good, and what makes us seem good (1 John 2:16). Each one of these can destroy your soul in many different ways. Take a moment to read Genesis 3:6 and consider how Eve fell like a moth after a flame. How is Jesus better than any of these temptations? Was he ever tempted?

2.     Temptation is not a sin: Jesus was tempted, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15). A moth seeing or desiring a flame is not dangerous, it’s only when it goes after that flame that it becomes dangerous. Did you succeed or fail in resisting any temptations recently?

3.      Temptation never presents itself as something bad, but always as something good. The Bible calls this “craftiness,” and it is how many animals are hunted and killed, with hunters offering something beneficial to the animal. Can you think of any things that seemed good, but then brought pain, suffering, and even death? How can you discern the end of what is promised?

Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay. ~ Greg Laurie