Putting Sin Out Of Business
“Men, you know that our prosperity is derived from this business. You see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost all of Asia, this man Paul has persuaded and misled a considerable number of people by saying that gods made by hand are not gods.”
Acts 19:25b-26 csb
The U.S. president under whom the most businesses closed during their term is a debated topic, but one strong contender Herbert Hoover (1929–1933) due to the Great Depression.
The Stock Market Crash of 1929 triggered massive economic turmoil.
Between 1929 and 1933, nearly half of U.S. banks failed, and thousands of businesses collapsed. Unemployment skyrocketed to 25%, and the GDP shrank by over 30%—a devastating loss.
Another major contender is George W. Bush (2001–2009) during the 2008 financial crisis. Millions of businesses, both small and large, struggled or shut down for good. (I still miss Borders bookstores!) But if you asked the business owners in Ephesus, they might put the Apostle Paul right up there with Hoover and Bush!
As Paul traveled on his missionary journey through Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey), there was an explosion of growth—not in the economy, but in the Kingdom of God. Lives were transformed, churches were booming, and as a direct result, businesses were closing. But these weren’t just your run-of-the-mill grocers, blacksmiths, tailors, or cobblers. These were idol shops. In Asia Minor, for the right price, you could have a custom-made god to proudly display in your home. But as men and women encountered Jesus Christ through the Gospel, they abandoned idolatry, and the shopkeepers of these grotesque idol-making businesses went belly up!
That’s what happens when the Gospel enters a life—sin goes out of business. Light exposes the darkness, and the darkness cannot comprehend it (John 1:5). God is still in the business of putting your sin out of business. There is no struggle too great, no sin too big that Jesus Christ cannot overcome. When the Word goes in, sin comes out, because a new tenant has taken up residence in our hearts—the Holy Spirit. But sin tries to linger, always looking for an illegal entry into our lives, seeking to make a deal to compromise with you. The way to keep it out? Bankrupt it.
Don’t invest in its desires, and you’ll find that sin cannot stay active in your life—just like the idol shopkeepers in Ephesus, your sin will be bankrupt. Galatians 5:16 (CSB)
"I say, then, walk by the Spirit and you will certainly not carry out the desire of the flesh.” Invest in the Spirit and the flesh will close shop!
Agape, Frank
Choose to Intercede
“But when some became hardened and would not believe, slandering the Way in front of the crowed, he withdrew from them…” Acts 19:9 csb
In my 22+ years as a Christian, I have met people from all over the world. Each person comes with their own worldview, spiritual understanding (or lack thereof), and personal philosophies. I have found that when I share my testimony of how the Lord found me and express my desire for them to believe in Christ, many simply refuse. They flat-out reject it. This can be discouraging—especially when it’s your own family—because you know that what you have found is exactly what they need!
Throughout the book of Acts, the Apostle Paul ministered to people all over the Roman Empire, seeking to persuade them to surrender their lives to Christ. One group he consistently reached out to was his own countrymen, the Israelites. While many did convert and give their hearts to Jesus, many others did not. In the passage above, we see that some Jews in Ephesus not only refused to believe but became callous—more hardened in their opposition to the Gospel—to the point of slandering it! When Paul witnessed this, he didn’t argue, insult, or retaliate. Instead, he chose to leave. He refused to remain where Jesus’ name was being blasphemed.
That is a hard decision to make—when someone rejects the Gospel you share, and worse, when they ridicule the name of the Lord because of your testimony. The reality is that not everyone will believe. As Isaiah 53:1 says, “Who has believed what we have heard?” It is sad and frustrating, but when someone chooses not to believe, we must let them be. The best thing we can do is pray for them. In the Gospels, we see many instances of people coming to Jesus on behalf of others—consider the friends who lowered their paralyzed friend through the roof just to get him in front of Jesus (Luke 5:17).
We can bring others to the Lord in prayer because there are areas of the heart too deep to be reached by words. But the Holy Spirit can access those hidden places and bring conviction. So, we gently depart—but we continue to pray. This is called intercession. Be an intercessor for those who have “become hardened and would not believe.” Put them in the hands of the Lord and watch what He may do.
Agape, Frank