Walking with the Wise #445: Unavoidable Results

“The one who plots evil 
will be called a schemer.


A foolish scheme is sin,
and a mocker is detestable to people.”
—Proverbs 24:8-9 (HCSB)

There are times in life when we believe that no one will know what we are doing and that we can get away with sin. And while it might go undetected for a little while, we can be sure that our sin will find us out (cf. Numbers 32:23) and we will suffer the consequences for it.

God calls an individual who plots evil a “schemer” (HCSB), or as one translation puts it, a “troublemaker” (NLT). Committing sin is bad enough, but to plot to do it, to take the time to plan it out, knowing that what you are about to do is sinful—is even worse. Such plotting leads to people hating you—inevitably leading to you earning a reputation that will prove hard to shake. Hitler was such a man. Driven by racial superiority, arrogance, hatred, and a thirst for power and glory, he led the Third Reich to commit some of the most heinous crimes in history. And how is he remembered? As an evil man.

It is highly doubtful that any of us will scale the evils of Hitler, but we can be sure that the principle of being labeled by our actions will stick with us. If we plot to do evil, we will receive a bad reputation that will prove unshakeable. Our names, if they are remembered at all, will be remembered with derision and hate—and such is the outcome for all of those who seek to do evil—it is unavoidable.

Fools concoct elaborate plans to sin, fantasizing in their minds how they will do one sin or another. Unchecked, they will become mockers, which literally means they will become an “abomination” in the sight of God and people. Knowing that such thoughts come from our fallen flesh (cf. Mark 7:20-23), we must not let such thoughts take root. Instead, we must follow the Bible’s admonition to...

“…destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ”—2 Corinthians 10:5.

Take your thoughts captive! Reject fleshly thoughts by loving God with your mind and by filling it with spiritual things through reading and meditating upon His word! Know that your schemes of sin will be found out! Take up His cross, knowing that He was crucified for you, enabling you to be freed from your sin! And then experience the peace of God that comes by mortifying our flesh and entering into His resurrection life! Amen.