When a great cat of the African wild apprehends a victim, the feline attacker often takes down a prey many times larger than she is. A number of skills enables her to do this, including cunning, stealth, a keen sense of smell, and practice.
However, there is one physical attribute that is pivotal in the cat’s success. The cat must be able to hold her victim until a killing bite is inflicted. To do this, she has razor-sharp claws that dig into the skin, giving her a literal toehold that her victim cannot throw off.
Sin that seems small to us at first will grab us in a toehold, sink deep claws into us, and bring us to the ground to chew us up and spit us out. At first running with sin seems fun, and before we realize it, we have become addicted to the adrenalin rush of the chase. Then, sin’s incisors cut our spiritual jugular vein, and down we go. Our only option is to be wary and to run as fast as we can when sin comes near. We will find our protection amidst a great crowd of believers where we can stand bathed in the enveloping light of the Lord.
God’s Word gives us repeated admonitions that can help keep us from becoming sin’s unwary victim.
Admonition #1 – This is God’s first step to freedom from sin.
1 John 1:9. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Admonition #2 – We must remain faithful to our promises to our spouse, so that God will honor our marriage vows.
Hebrews 13:4. “Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.”
Admonition #3 – Those with an elevated position in the church are held to a higher standard.
1 Timothy 3:8. “Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain.”
Admonition #4 – Our natural human desires must be put aside in order to follow after Christ.
Colossians 3:5. “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.”
Admonition #5 – Strong drink weakens our self-control, and what we cannot control, we cannot prevent.
Ephesians 5:18. “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit.”
Admonition #6 – From destroyed relationships to STDs and AIDS, there is no greater human tragedy wreaked upon man than that which stems from our sexual drives.
1 Corinthians 6:18. “Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.”
Admonition #7 – We cannot let even those things that are acceptable before God become masters over us.
1 Corinthians 6:12. “ ‘All things are lawful for me,’ but not all things are helpful. ‘All things are lawful for me,’ but I will not be enslaved by anything.”
When we let the world scratch our backs, it will feel good at first. However, we must be aware of the claws that will soon dig into our skin. We cannot have one without the other. Rather, when sin whispers in the underbrush, we must run to the Father, where we will find our spiritual protection and eternal safe haven.
Sin is a tease meant to trap us, but God is truth meant to free us.
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