The High Cost of Low Living

“Jesus answered, ‘I tell you the truth, everyone who lives in sin is a slave to sin.’” John 8:34

In Mark 6 there is a story about Herod and John. John had been arrested because he preached a message that embarrassed Herod and his wife. Because of the message, Herod arrested and imprisoned John. But notice verse 20 says, “Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just and a holy man, and he protected him…He liked to listen to him.”

The story goes on to say, 

“Then an opportune day came when Herod, on his birthday, gave a feast for his nobles, the high officers and chief men of Galilee. And when Herodias’ daughter herself came in and danced and pleased Herod and those who sat with him, the king said to the girl, ask me whatsoever you want, and I will give it to you. And he also swore to her, whatever you ask me, I will give you up to half of my kingdom. So she went out and said to her mother, what shall I ask? And she said, the head of John the Baptist. Immediately she came in with haste to the king, saying I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter. And the king was exceedingly sorry. Yet, because of the debt of the oaths, and because of those who sat with him, he did not want to refuse her. Immediately the king sent an executioner, and commanded his head to be brought. And he went and beheaded him in prison, and brought the head on a platter, and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother.”

John had told Herod that it was not right for him to be married to his brother’s wife. Herod’s wife became infuriated and she hated John the Baptist from then on. Herod wasn’t a bad man. Even though he had John arrested and thrown in prison, he showed him special favor. Herod took care of him and would even go down and listen to him as he preached to the other prisoners. Herod wasn’t a bad man, but he was a weak man. When you become a weak person and don’t deal with the weakness, it’s only a matter of time before you start doing bad things. Herod got in the wrong atmosphere with the wrong people and eventually did the wrong thing. It was all fun and celebrating until he had to pay the dancer.  

The Bible says there’s pleasure in sin for a season. Whatever pleases the Herod in us breaks the heart of the king in us. Every man and woman has two natures inside of them.  The nature of the Herod (the flesh side) or the king side (which pleases God). And if you please the Herod side, you will always make the king side exceedingly sorry. You can be a Herod, who lives for the pleasures of the flesh or you can be a child of God who lives for His will but you cannot be both.

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