The Big Apple and Sin

I used to shop in New York City. I loved going to visit the Big Apple. The lights, all the moving billboards, the yellow blur of taxis, Central Park, and thousands and thousands of people. 

One of my favorite parts was visiting Chinatown. There are hundreds of shops lining the streets, selling every kind of bauble you can imagine. I filled my bags with bargains.

But there were people there that would "bump" against you and whisper famous name brands of popular items such as purses, watches, brand new hit movies, expensive cologne, etc.

They were wanting to let you know that these things were available for sale if you were willing to pay their prices. AND always these items were illegal in some way. Either they were stolen, illegal knockoff imitations or just exploitation of tourists.

I have to admit that on more than one occasion I participated in purchasing some of these items. It seemed exciting to me. I felt like I was really getting good bargains. But usually once I got the stuff home, you could see the true value of the "junk" that you bought.

I wonder if New York is called "The Big Apple" because of the temptation for sin like in Eden?

It can be easy for us to justify why we do things that aren't godly, at least in our own minds. God expects better of us.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9 NASB)

Everyone sins. All of us sin every day. Each of us, no matter how hard we try not to, still commit sin every single day.

But we don't want others to know that we do. We want to "hide" from it, just like Adam and Eve did. 

We are ashamed and feel that people will think less of us if they see us acting unrighteously.

But I believe that it speaks volumes if people see you admit your wrongs, show your sorrow and then change your behaviors.

We need to be confessing our sin to each other. We need to be helping each other to be holy.

Hold each other accountable. Please, hold me accountable.

 Let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near. For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries. (Hebrews 10:24-27 NASB)