It's definitely the age of doctors who are specialists. Including one of the latest, new specialties - the spin doctor. The spin doctor is actually to be found in the world of politics. As soon as some news breaks that might be damaging or embarrassing to a political leader or candidate, someone on their staff talks to the press about it - and they find a way to put a positive or undamaging "spin" on those revelations - to put their man or woman in the best possible light. The more powerful you become, the more "spin doctors" you need. And depending on how good the "doctor" is, a lot of people may end up believing the "spin" rather than the truth!
Well, I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You about "No Spin On Sin."
These days "image" is often what matters more than the real condition. Except to God. When it comes to sin, there is no "spin" you can put on it that will work with God.
Now, in the Old Testament, King Saul had been commanded by God to go perform spiritual surgery. The Amalekite nation had openly defied God and morally poisoned many around them. God had promised they'd be destroyed, and He sent Saul and his army to fulfill that promise. They were to destroy everything, and keep nothing from their conquest. Saul didn't do everything God told him to do, but just like us, he tried to put a convincing spin on his sin.
According to our word for today from the Word of God from 1 Samuel 15:13. As God's man Samuel approached, "Saul said...'I have carried out the Lord's instructions.' But Samuel said, 'What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears? And what is this lowing of cattle I hear?'"
Saul and his men had brought back some of the goodies that they were supposed to have destroyed. But does Saul confess he's disobeyed the Lord? Oh no! He comes out with a very positive testimony! "I've done what the Lord said." Great spin - not true. Oh, he had partially obeyed the Lord, but he tries to cover up his disobedience with impressive spiritual words. Some of us have learned just the right things to say in Christian settings - how to even give a pretty impressive testimony, but God knows that spin is covering up a dark disobedience in our life.
When Samuel confronts the evidence of Saul's sin, Saul answers, "The soldiers brought them from the Amalekites; they spared the best of the sheep and cattle...but we totally destroyed the rest." Spiritual words - and now let's try to turn God's attention to what others are doing wrong. Let's talk about them - and maybe I can get off the hook. Let's pass the buck - "They did it." "God, it's her fault, it's his fault, it's because of them." But God doesn't buy that anymore than He does the beautiful spiritual speeches.
Saul made one last try at being his own spin doctor. "'But I did obey the Lord,' Saul said. 'I went on the mission the Lord assigned me. I completely destroyed the Amalekites...the soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to God, in order to sacrifice themto the Lord your God.'" How about this one! I did this so we could do something really spiritual - have a big sacrifice to the Lord. We seem to think that if we get busy doing some real Christian things God may give us a pass on the sin we're covering up.
But God allows no spin on sin. Samuel answers, "To obey is better than sacrifice...Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has rejected you as king" (verses 22-23). God's message is clear: no amount of godly words, no pointing at the sins of others, no amount of spiritual activity can cover or make up for that sin you have not repented of.
And if this message is meant for you, I know God's Holy Spirit is letting you know what sin that is. Living in an age where image is what matters and a good spin can rescue you from the ugly truth, you may have hoped that might work for you with God. It didn't work for God's chosen king of His people - and it will not work for you.
It's time to bring that sin to the foot of Jesus' cross where He died for it - and dump it all out at Jesus' feet. A spin on your sin never fools God - it just deceives you into thinking that you're getting away with what God will surely deal with.