Better Than Your Vice

Proverbs 26:11 Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats his folly.

When it comes to the issue of fighting sin, people get really dishonest with themselves, and with those who are in their community. There’s a number of reasons why we are so dishonest. The primary reason is self-righteousness, another is the shame, guilt, and fear of being cast out.

We convince ourselves that the issue really isn’t that bad. We tell ourselves that we are ok, and don’t struggle with it anymore, even though yesterday you were enjoying your vice. So we return to behavior modification, which has never worked, but we convince ourselves that it will this time. We do this because we convince ourselves that we don’t really want that vice anymore. The problem with this is, you do want it, and the best thing you can do is acknowledge that you want it, but know that Christ is so much better.

Christ is so much better than your vice. He is better than your comfort sin, your safe sin; your secret sin that you think no one knows about (people do they just aren’t telling you). Everyone has their vice (comfort sin) that they return to like a dog returns to its vomit (Proverbs 26:11, 2 Peter 2:22)

Peter argues, and he’s right because he was inspired by the Holy Spirit to write canonical scripture, that it would be better for them to have never known the truth than for one to return to their former way of life (2 Peter 2:20). These people who Peter is referring to have seen, and tasted the goodness of Christ, yet they want to return to their own vomit (2 Peter. 2:22).

If we aren’t careful we will read passages like this one and just further our self-help and modify our behavior some more, which isn’t the point to this passage or any of them for that matter. Jesus is better than the latest self-help book. Jesus is better than anything this world has to offer. Jesus is the living water (John 4:10) who is better than the nasty busted cistern (Jer. 2 :13), yet we go to it looking for living water.

Christ is better than your sin. Christ has defeated your sin. Christ has forgiven your sin, more than that, he took on himself the full wrath of God to forgive the very sin you return to. Christ took it all, and he gives to you everything that you don’t deserve, and took on himself everything you do deserve. Look to Christ and rest in Him (Matthew 11:28-30).  

In Christ you’re forgiven, repent of your sins and trust in him for the hope of salvation that can only be found in him.