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Our cleanup team recently discovered what was not a toy snake. It was, in fact, a real live baby rattlesnake. We called for support troops, who came with a shovel and proceeded to kill the slithering creature.

The process of terminating its activity was not as simple as I would have hoped. The shovel was dull, and it took an uncomfortable stretch of time to separate the head from the body. I’d like to forget that image of the body continuing to flail all over the cement while we disposed of the head by proper burial procedures.

Reflection on this event facilitated the emerging of some Biblical truths for me. We are told in Romans that the wages of sin is death. In the same book, Paul says that in order to live, we must put to death the deeds of the body. Sin equals death. Just as embracing that little snake could have meant death through injection of poisonous venom, embracing sin leads to a infectious death of the soul.

We can’t just toss a rattlesnake out the door, no matter how small. It will not just disappear. We had to kill it, or it would have threatened to inject some other life with its poison. We dare not ignore sin , hoping that it will go away. We must take a deep breath, raise the blade of the sword of the Spirit and cut off the head, to separate it from us. It was no fun killing the snake, it is nor are their pleasant emotions associated with killing sin, but it is essential. The double-edged sword is the tool for victorious life.

We must also have more than a dull shovel. We must keep the sword of the spirit sharp, so that it pierces and divides. A dull tool is dangerous.

Furthermore, we need community. It took several of us to really identify the snake for what it was. Sometimes we need the help of others to identify sin in our lives. We are instructed to approach on another in love. We need help in killing sin.

Killing sin can be messy. The snake can flail within our spirits, minds and hearts long after we’ve dealt with slithering sins. But by His empowerment we can truly recon ourselves dead to sin, choosing life IN Christ.

Praise the Lord that he has given us his Son as the ultimate protection against the powers of the evil one. He has also graciously given us his Word and Spirit as powerful weapons against sin. I am so thankful that, even though it is hard, we serve a righteous God who leaves no room for sin and loves us too much to leave us to our own resources in a den of serpents.

(by Kelly Lombard....Student, Simpson University)