07/24/2020
Do we claim to be Christians, saying that we value The Word of God, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but keep being led astray by our past passions, and the desires of the flesh? Are we receiving manna from heaven, but continue to think, and dream, about the way our old lives smelled or tasted? We can successfully resist making a meal of the great sins we once knew, but what tempts us most is the lingering scent of them... the small tastes, and pleasures that lead us time and again to the physical doorway of those sins. We crucify the sin, but do we nail the temptation of them to the cross as well?
“And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”
Galatians 5:24 ESV
I was reading a devotional message this morning that was written by Richard Baxter who was an English Puritan theologian of the 1600s. I don’t agree with some of his writing, but found great truth in a particular though he conveyed. He was writing about separating ourselves entirely from the sins of our past, and wrote this thought...
“Temptation comes from something that men see as good, to entice them from the Chief good. Apparent evil is no fit bait for the devil’s hook.” - Richard Baxter, A Christian Directory
Sometimes Satan boldly confronts us with the allure of sin, but most of the time he deals with us subtly by way of lies and carefully constructed temptations as he leads us to our fall. A good Biblical example is how he tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden. He didn’t tell her outright to disobey God, no, he convinced her first that God had not told her the truth, and that she would not die if she touched or ate the forbidden fruit. He wove together a set of intricate lies that led her to fall... it won’t kill you, it is good, it is tasty, it looks delightful, and it will make you wise. He led Eve step by step until at last she succumbed.
“So 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 to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.”
Genesis 3:6 ESV
Interestingly enough, we think that Eve was lost when she took a bite from the forbidden fruit, but if you read what she said about God’s warning you will find that she didn’t have to eat of the fruit at all, no, she simply had to touch it. So when she stretched out her arm and touched it... she was lost. She didn’t have to eat it, or even pluck it from the tree, no, a simple touch was all it took.
“And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’””
Genesis 3:2-3 ESV
We often think that we can flirt with sin; we can think about it, smell it, and even touch it, but as long as we don’t take a bite, or do it, then we are sin free, but is that true? Can we deal legalistically with sin... go right to the brink of it and then withdraw safely?
““You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
Matthew 5:27-28 ESV
I have written before about my great fear of heights, and falling. Many people have this fear, and some even have reoccurring nightmares in which they are falling. I don’t have such dreams, but when I come close to a cliff’s edge my fear overcomes me mentally, and I have a strong physical response to it. I am terrified, sweat, and even find that I get vertigo and feel like I am leaning towards the precipice. I don’t have to actually fall before I react both physically and mentally. It is the same with sin... we don’t have to sin in order to feel the ramifications of it. We are negatively impacted both spiritually and physically long before we succumb to the physical sin itself. What is in our heart influences every aspect of us.
“But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.”
Matthew 15:18-19 ESV
We are told to transform our minds, and in this way know what is good. This sounds so easy, but Satan is a wily one, and tempts us in such subtle ways. He comes for us in our sleep, and sends his minions to woo us in the guise of those we trust; our friends and family.
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Romans 12:2 ESV
So how do we resist? How do we keep our thoughts pure, and clear away the scent and taste of things we once took pleasure in? Well there are two ways that come immediately to mind; the first is to partake in the solutions that God has provided us which are good, and lead us away from sin. One of the most profound of these is in resisting sexual immorality. God gave us marriage for this very purpose...
“The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.”
1 Corinthians 7:3-5 ESV
The second is to stay fixed on scripture, and think about those things that are wholesome and good. In this way we leave no room for the subtleties of sinful thought. If you find yourself being tempted turn to scripture as a defense against it. If you find that you are beginning to think on unsavory things then concentrate on those thoughts which are good, because God has given them to us... then do them.
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”
Philippians 4:8-9 ESV
So as our past passions and desires tempt us, and seek to lead us astray, remember that their very presence in our hearts is detrimental to our soul, and that they cause us to stumble in our walk of faith because sin will be evidenced by its eruptIon into our physical lives, but it always originates in our heart... this is where it is conceived, given birth, and resides.
Prayer:
Father, thank you for your Son Jesus Christ who has redeemed us from sin and death. Thank you Father for all of the defenses against the reoccurrence of sin, and the subtleties of Satan, that you have given us in your Word. Help us to clear our minds and our hearts of all the baggage of our past lives, and the whispers of the dark one as he seeks to devour us with teeth of cunning and lies. Show us our hearts Lord, not as we have been led by the world to see them, but as you know them, then lead us in your way, and towards paths of righteousness, and purity. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God who has made provision for our salvation, and for the resistance of every sinful obstacle that might cause us to stumble and fall. Great are you whose armor is without weakness, and whose sword and shield serve us as we are transformed into warriors against sin. Praised be your name for every escape you have provided us against temptation, and for each sinful thought that is defeated in us. You are amazing in your mercy, and grace, and long suffering as we struggle to become like Jesus... loving, pure, without sin, obedient, and holy. We worship you in spirit and truth Father, and long to be judged righteous, and abide with you forevermore. Hear our prayers, and cleanse our hearts.
“I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.”
Ezekiel 36:25-27 ESV
Rich Forbes