The Contagion of Sin by H.

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Jul 28, 1909

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 36, No. 29.

The Contagion of Sin

By H.

THE presence of sin in the life stains and taints all the surroundings. Whatever the pretensions of the life, whatever the ceremonies observed, whatever the efforts to hide the faults, the sin is manifest in barrenness of good results or in positive evil. For sin spreads. Like disease, it is transmitted to others by association and contact. Like disease, it is contagious.

With sin in the life, there is no hope of bringing good to another. The prophet Haggai expresses the thought in a characteristic way: “If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt do touch bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any food, shall it become holy?” Will the presence of the law, the truth, the Gospel, avail while sin remains? “The priests answered and said, No.”

Instead of bringing holiness, sin brings uncleanness always, even tho it bears a holy burden. Said Haggai, “If one that is unclean by reason of a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean? And the priests answered and said, It shall be unclean,” Hag. 2: 12, 13. The “holy flesh” in the skirt can not make bread holy; contact even with righteousness is not assurance of holiness. But contact with sin brings uncleanness. Like the touch of the loathsome leper is the finger of sin to man.

But there is a healing touch. There is One who can and will heal, One who is ready to put forth His hand and touch the kneeling sinner with a cleansing power that removes every taint of sin. He it was who promised repentant Israel in Haggai’s day, “From this day I will bless you.” Still that promise holds good. Even yet when the sinner pleads for cleansing, the Master says, “I will: be thou made clean.” H.