Christian Living

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Larry Lilly's Letter Friday August 18, 2006

I read the other day that the rate of failed marriages in the United States both in the 'secular' society and the society 'religious' is running at 54%. Over half of all marriages fail and the rate for failure in the second time around is through the roof.

These figures made me wonder if there is any other institution that suffers/enjoys a higher rate of failure. At first thought you would think such a thing impossible, but then, ah, but then you look at the 'failure' rate of good, Jesus loving, sin hating born again folks in their commitment to the local church and you near faint.

As long ago as 30 years the numbers for aggressive Bible believing churches were appalling in that the service life of the average member to the church of which they were then a member would be in the neighborhood of five years and then off to another church, hopefully, more often than not back to what the left nostril singers called the 'wild side of life.'

Just as I was putting this piece together a friend sent me a quote from a dear saint of years ago. The name, Mae West, is well known among those who worship pleasure. The dear departed one said:

"When it comes to finances, remember that there are no withholding taxes on the wages of sin."

I sure know many who at one time toted their Bible and would have walked through fire to serve the Lord and now for whatever reason, Mae West would seem to be more their role model than the Lord Christ.

I seriously doubt if Mae West was much into theology or hermeneutics, but she hit the nail on the head concerning the wages of sin. Sin has no tax, in spite of what states and localities would have you believe. Sin takes the entire apple, core and all. When sin gets done with a person there is nothing left. In all likelihood the statement was given in jest, but as is often the case sometimes fools mistakenly preach a healthier truth than well meaning preachers do on purpose.

Our Lord taught the obvious truth that "To whom much is given, much is required." This expectation is apparent in all of life. We make excuses for those among who as one well versed Yale grad put it, "Aint had the benefit of good raisen." Keep tuned to ESPN and you will hear a plethora of similar statements. We somehow expect more from a Yale or Harvard grad than say a 35 year old man who finally matriculated day care. I am not ridiculing such men as I have taught several to read over the years. I am saying that the many in any town that you want to name who have had the benefit of five years of teaching concerning the things of Christ who bail out on their commitment to Christ's church are playing a game, a game that Mae West would heartily, laughingly approve.

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2006 Use with credit.

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