"Like a ship sunk in the mouth of the harbour, which is more dangerous to others than if it had perished in the open sea. There is less scandal by the sins of the wicked, who sink, as it were, in the broad sea of profaneness, than in those who are convinced of sin, troubled in conscience, and miscarry so near the harbour, within sight, as it were, of saving grace. Tempted souls can hardly get over these without dashing." — William Gurnall, The Christian in Complete Armour
Loose lips sink ships, but loose morals do too. And the closer to harbor they sink, the more dangerous they are to other ships. A ship deep in the throws of immorality sinks at sea and other ships sail over it without even knowing, but a ship that sinks close to harbor is a great danger to other ships seeking safety. In other words, a reprobate who dies in his sins far from God is no snare to a Christian seeking the Kingdom, but a hypocrite who sinks near the harbor is a snare to those genuinely seeking asylum after he sinks. His hypocrisy haunts the harbor.
1 Timothy 1:18-19
This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare; Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck.
We must fight the good fight and look out for sunken ships. Because it is a war, some ships must be sunk and because it is a long war, there is a history of hypocrisy and a harbor full of underwater hurdles to navigate. We cannot merely see the harbor and head full bore toward home. There are snares everywhere and until we've arrived, we'd do best to keep our heads on a swivel, lest we stumble in sight of the finish line.
1 Corinthians 9:24
Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
In other words, we must take the harbor with gratitude and not for granted. We must have grit and avoid ingratitude.
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