The Root of the Problem (Part 11): Curiosity

While Paul was in Athens waiting for Silas and Timothy to meet up with him, he spent his time talking with the people of the city about Jesus and the resurrection. Some of the philosophers with whom he spoke took him to the Aeropagus (Mars Hill) in order to hear more about this new teaching. Luke explains why this was done:

“Now the Athenians and the strangers visiting there used to spend their time in nothing other than telling or hearing something new” (Acts 17:21).

We can surely relate to the people of Athens. They wanted to learn more about what Paul was teaching. When we hear of something that interests us, it piques our curiosity, and we want to learn more. What constitutes an interesting subject will vary from person to person. Regardless, we see that humans are naturally curious. There is a reason for this – God made us this way. Paul explains this in his address at the Aeropagus:

“The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us” (Acts 17:24-27).

Paul affirms to the Athenians that God created us. From the time of Creation, among all the other great things He did, He instilled in mankind a sense of curiosity. Why? It was so “they would seek for God.” Our curiosity is designed to make us ask certain questions: Where did I come from? Why am I here? Where am I going? Pursuing answers to these questions should lead us to God.

But curiosity can also get us into trouble. Satan took advantage of Eve’s curiosity to lead her to sin in the Garden.

“The serpent said to the woman, ‘You surely will not die! For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’ When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate” (Genesis 3:4-6).

Satan uses our curiosity to get us to experiment with sin. We do something just to see what it is like. In order to use our curiosity against us to commit sins we have not previously committed, he must minimize the consequences of sin. That is what he did with Eve. Notice that he did not try to convince her that eating of this tree was not a violation of God’s law. He conceded the fact that it was a transgression. But he did not want her to allow the penalty to deter her from seeing how she could benefit from it. She understood the penalty of death that came with violating God’s instruction. But Satan said, “You surely will not die,” and then told her what she could gain from her sin.

Satan continues to try to minimize the consequences for sin today, telling people, “No one else will know,” “No harm will come of it,” and “There’s always time later to change.”

The Danger of One Sin

Why not experiment with sin if it is just one sin? The reason is because sin has dire consequences. The quantity of sin, in many ways, is irrelevant. Giving in to just one sin out of curiosity is dangerous.

One sin can separate us from God, thus putting our souls in jeopardy. When Philip went to Samaria to preach, one of the people who obeyed the gospel was a man named Simon, identified as one who was previously a sorcerer. Later, Peter and John came from Jerusalem to impart the Holy Spirit to those who had been baptized. Simon was impressed and wanted to have this ability as well. He even offered the apostles money in order to obtain it. Peter issued a sharp rebuke to Simon:

“May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! You have no part or portion in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity” (Acts 8:20-23).

Simon needed to repent. His soul was in jeopardy and he needed forgiveness. Peter told him his heart was not right before God, that he had committed wickedness, and that he was in the gall of bitterness and the bondage of iniquity. All of this came after just one sin. It is as James writes:

“For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all” (James 2:10).

Not only can one sin put our soul in jeopardy, but we risk again becoming entangled in and ensnared by sin. Peter warns us about this condition that exists both in the false teacher and the one who heeds his destructive message:

“Promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved. For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first” (2 Peter 2:19-20).

Sin is not something to be toyed with. When we take one step down the path of sin, we often find that we end up much further along than we originally intended. Many have experimented with drugs and alcohol and have become addicts. Others have engaged in illicit sexual relations and have contracted deadly diseases. Still more have allowed a curiosity of pornography to turn into an addiction. Remember the example of David and his sin with Bathsheba. When he first saw her, it is doubtful that he envisioned the whole episode ending with him arranging to have her husband killed in order to cover up a pregnancy that resulted from his affair with her. Yet that is where he found himself in the end.

Do not experiment with sin. The consequences, both physical and spiritual, can be disastrous.

We Do Not Need to be Curious About Sin

There are many things which we may be curious about that cause no threat to our soul. But sin is not something we should allow ourselves to be curious about. Why? We should know enough already. Each one of us has had enough experience with sin, having engaged in it many times in many ways.

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).

“For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties and abominable idolatries” (1 Peter 4:3).

We have sinned in the past. There is nothing we can do to change that fact. But that does not mean that we should continue in sin. There were some in Corinth who previously had rather wicked lifestyles. Yet they were no longer living in these ways. Peter says that whatever time we had in the past before following Christ, that was our time to live in sin – not now. Now we are to live for Christ. We should not be curious about sin. We have experienced it already.

In addition to our personal experience with sin, we also know others who have sinned in many more ways. We can look at both the people we personally know, as well as those we know about – including the ones whose examples we read of in the Scriptures. When Paul writes to the church in Corinth and discusses the Israelites’ sins and subsequent punishment, he calls them examples, implying the need for us to learn from their failings.

“Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come” (1 Corinthians 10:11).

Did the Israelites’ situation ever improve on account of their sin? No. In fact the opposite happened. Sin always came with negative consequences. We should remember this whenever we are tempted to experiment with sin.

Another reason why curiosity about sin is foolish is that the satisfaction that comes with sin is short-lived. The pleasure we may derive from sin is only temporary, whereas the reward of God is eternal.

“By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward” (Hebrews 11:24-26).

“The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever” (1 John 2:17).

If we are tempted to sin through our curiosity, wondering what it could be like, we must understand the evil that will come through our willful experiments into sin. These are damaging to ourselves and others and have eternal implications. As Jesus said of those who practiced things contrary to the Father’s will, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness” (Matthew 7:23).

Do Not Give Up Your Curiosity

Curiosity is not wrong. Just because we should give up our curiosity about sin, that does not mean we should cease to be curious about all things. We just need to find different avenues in which to satisfy our curiosity. There are many things we can learn more about:

Learn more about God’s will for us (Ephesians 5:17). The Bible is such that we can study it for a lifetime and still not reach a point in which we can no longer learn from it. We can always dig deeper into God’s word, while still needing to reinforce what we have already learned.
Learn more about the peoples and places talked about in the Bible (history, geography, archeology, etc.). This type of study can give us a clearer picture of the events recorded for us in the word of God.
Learn about the wonders of God’s creation. The world around us is a testament to God’s “eternal power and divine nature” (Romans 1:20). His work is truly remarkable. The more we learn about it, the more our faith in Him will grow.
Learn how to use the resources in the natural world to sustain us. God, in His providence, has created a world that can sustain life, providing resources for food, clothing and shelter. We can learn ways to use the things God has given us.
Learn about others. This can open doors to helping and teaching them.
Learn a skill that will help us either in service to God or in fulfilling your responsibilities in this life.

This is certainly not an exhaustive list. But the point is that we can use our natural curiosity for good, rather than to experiment with and open the door for sin.

Summary

Too often, sin is committed because one is curious about it. Yet curiosity itself is not wrong. God made us curious beings in order to help lead us to Him. But sin is not something you should be curious about. One sin can separate you from God. Besides, you know enough about it already – personally and through others. However, do not abandon your curiosity. Find other ways to satisfy your curious spirit.