1. The problem with letting a little sin, a little selfishness, a little nastiness, a little rebellion, a little worldliness, a little crudeness, a little arrogance, a little anger, a little jealousy, a little deceit, a little evil desire... the problem is that it is sin, it is selfishness, it is nastiness, it is rebellion, it is worldliness, it is crudeness, it is arrogance, it is anger, it is jealousy, it is deceit, it is evil desire, in other words, it is corruption of heart and it separates from God.
2. Just a little of any of these corruptions, corrupts your entire being, but "just a little" is the beginning of a complete takeover.You start out by having a certain view, a certain attitude, a certain behavior, but before you know it, that view, attitude, behavior has you. The forbidden pleasure becomes the ruling master. Sin really will take you further than you can imagine that you will ever go. Sin is a cruel taskmaster.
3. Even if you have only one of these (or other sins) in your life, the fact is that being guilty of one sin makes you guilty of all sins, because the law of God is one law, and to break one law is to break the entire law.
God commands us to be holy, but we cannot be holy if we are disobedient to God's will and directives. Holiness of heart and life is the outcome of faith in Christ. Faith in Christ comes by hearing and obeying the word of God. The word of God comes from faithful preachers. We cannot become holy, we cannot remain holy if we resist, reject, neglect the word of God, if we are not being faithful to God's word, if we are not receiving God's word, if we are not following God's leading, through His chosen messengers.
1 Peter 1:13-16 (especially vs. 15)
(13) So make your minds ready, and keep on the watch, hoping with all your power for the grace which is to come to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
(14) Like children ruled by God, do not go back to the old desires of the time when you were without knowledge:
(15) But be holy in every detail of your lives, as he, whose servants you are, is holy;
(16) Because it has been said in the Writings, You are to be holy, for I am holy.
2 Peter 3:10-13 (especially vs. 11)
(10) But the day of the Lord will come like a thief; and in that day the heavens will be rolled up with a great noise, and the substance of the earth will be changed by violent heat, and the world and everything in it will be burned up.
(11) Seeing then that all these things are coming to such an end, what sort of persons is it right for you to be, in all holy behaviour and righteousness,
(12) Looking for and truly desiring the coming of the day of God, when the heavens will come to an end through fire, and the substance of the earth will be changed by the great heat?
(13) But having faith in his word, we are looking for a new heaven and a new earth, which will be the resting-place of righteousness.
This is why God planned for His people to be TRAINED IN RIGHTEOUSNESS, because WITHOUT HOLINESS, NO MAN SHALL SEE THE LORD.
