The High Cost of Low Living (Part 3)

“For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow.” 2 Corinthians 7:10

The cost of the dance cuts the head off of repentance. When John the Baptist was executed by Herod and his wife, his voice was silenced. All of the talks that he had with Herod about changing his lifestyle came to an end. The voice of conviction was cut off.

When you compromise and do things that you know are sin, you will often hear a voice that says “stop and repent.” That voice is a blessing. It is dangerous when you no longer hear that voice. That was the price of the dance Herod had to pay and it is the price that you will pay if you continue to sin. The voice of repentance in your heart will cease. Things that used to convict and disgust you and temptations you wouldn’t even go around suddenly stop bothering you. You become comfortable with them and you no longer hear God’s voice.  

When God’s voice is silenced, the cry to change is gone. There’s no sense of guilt or wrong-doing. If you don’t feel convicted by sin anymore, you are in a scary place. You have already “paid the dancer.” There’s no godly sorrow and when you do wrong and feel no guilt, you’ve lost the voice of repentance.  

There comes a time in every sinner’s life that the party will be over and then you realize the cost. Notice that the moment Herodias told him the cost of the dance (John’s head), he was exceedingly sorrowful. That’s how the flesh nature is. It’s funny how you can quickly go from exceedingly glad while sinning to being exceedingly sorrowful.  

The high cost of low living will cost you the “voice of John.” If you lose the voice of conviction and repentance then you lose the presence of Jesus.

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