Set Apart: Daily Living for a Holy Purpose

SUNDAY, 10 AUGUST 2025

TEXT: JOHN 3:22-36

22: After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized.

23: Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were coming and being baptized.

24: (This was before John was put in prison.)

25: An argument developed between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing.

26: They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified about—look, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.”

27: To this John replied, “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven.

28: You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.’

29: The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete.

30: He must become greater; I must become less.”

31: The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all.

32: He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony.

33: Whoever has accepted it has certified that God is truthful.

34: For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit.

35: The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands.

36: Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.

(New International Version Holy Bible)

TOPIC: JOHN THE BAPTIST OVERCAME ONE OF THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS

The seven deadly sins, also known as the capital vices or cardinal sins, is a grouping and classification of vices within Christian teachings. According to the standard list, they are: pride, greed, anger, envy, lust, gluttony and slothfulness. John had the grace to conquer all the seven, but we are picking one as a sample.

John was baptizing at Aenon, near Salim. Jesus and His disciples were also baptizing within the same area. John the Baptist's disciples were disturbed by this news because it suggested that John's influence was waning while Jesus' influence was growing. Yet John was comfortable with his God-given role of promoting Jesus and refused to be envious.

Envy is one of the seven deadly sins. These are root sins that many other sins grow out of. The Bible says, "Where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice." Note that envy causes 'disorder'. Whenever envy raises its head, it creates disharmony, competition, conflicts, confusion, division, violence and factions.

The Bible is filled with examples of envy-based crimes: Cain killed his brother Abel out of envy; Joseph's brothers sold him into slavery out of envy; Saul tried to kill David out of envy. The Bible clearly states that the religious leaders put Jesus to death because they deeply envied Him (Matthew 28:18, Mark 16:10).

QUESTION: Are you struggling with the seven deadly sins, especially envy?

PRAYER: Dear Lord, of the seven deadly sins in Jesus' name, Amen.