I believe that it is a mistake to suggest to our children that sin is just nasty and no fun at all. They will notice that there is a law against children drinking, having sex, smoking etc but no law against eating dirt. They will conclude that it must be because the illegal things are fun and grownups just don’t want children to have any fun. They become curious and envious, they are open to trying;they then indulge and find a huge rush of dopamine. Since it feels so good, “how can it be wrong?” Soon the pleasure is gone and the destruction sets in but they have become slaves. What did they expect? “Know ye not that to whom you yield your body members slaves to obey, that is whom you will become enslaved to? Romans 6:16 As a result these poisons are creeping their way into younger and younger ages.
The scriptures say that Moses gave up the “pleasures” of sin because they are just “for a season”. He chose instead the reproach of Christ, keeping his eye on the future reward and on “the invisible one” that he walked and talked with. Hebrews 11:23
Sin is fun, and the fun is often intense and immediate. Godliness is not as strong at releasing dopamine but it does not burn out the reward system and it produces pleasure that is deep and lasting and “addeth no sorrow with it” Proverbs 10:22. In fact anything that releases too much dopamine too rapidly will first imprint the urge centers of the brain to seek more and then burn out the reward system leaving the urge system miserably intact. We find ourselves doing what we really don’t want to and which brings no reward and much emptiness but can’t quit. Romans 6. God wants us to do all things with moderation. Philippians 4:5 God wants us to do all things for the “end” goal of pleasing him and never as an end in themselves. The end of everything must be a closer relationship with Jesus, a better understanding of Jesus, and life forever with Jesus the alpha and omega of all, the author and finisher of our faith.
What about enjoying the intense pleasures of sin and then, when burned out, giving my burned out husk to God,the “big spoil-sport in the sky”, or even trying to indulge in sin but planning to quit before I get too damaged,?” The problem with this plan is that all sin causes damage and pain far beyond any “gain” from the pleasure and even the pleasure is mitigated by a sense of empty hollowness. Then when if I repent and return to godly obedience I find it robbed of it’s ability to reward because my brain is comparing it with the original pleasure surge of sin. We used to tell drug and alcohol addicts to, “Get high on life”. NO! All getting high causes damage. I need to get satisfied, strengthened, filled with peace and inner contentment. Having food and clothes to be content. 1Timothy 6:8
God’s ways are not as dramatic but they are real, solid, and in the end much more intense and never damaging and last forever. When we wait till marriage to imprint on one spouse as a spouse and all other women are mothers sisters and daughters or on men other than our husband as fathers brothers and sons, then when we are intimate with the God given partner we can experience deep pleasure with bonding and spiritual wholeness not superficiality and spiritual deadening. 1 Timothy 5:2 The same is true for our experience of food, nature, sports, clothing, travel or any other pleasure. Used according to God’s design they are to be enjoyed but not indulged in.
“Lord help me to see the adder in the bottom of the wine glass and not be enticed by the smell and taste of the wine!” Proverbs 23:31
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