© 2012 by Tom Boynton (editing by Kathy Boynton)

Have you ever made preparations for sinful actions you thought you might want to perform later? Have you acquired the things needed to carry out that imagined action? Have you then committed that sin and suffered severe pangs of conscience as a result? If you are a Christian, you have probably answered “yes” to all three of the above questions. However, if you are able to sin with no resulting twinge of conscience, you are probably not saved and are without the Spirit of Christ which dwells within every true believer. His indwelling Spirit causes us to want to please Him and forsake sin.

This issue is so important that the Apostle Paul wrote to Christians in Rome telling them, “…put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof (Romans 13:14).” Stockpiling the things needed to perform a particular sin, makes the performance of that sin almost certain. If you don’t want to sin, don’t surround yourself with the temptations to do so.

There are many ways in which we can sin. Paul lists only some of them in the verses preceding his instruction to “make not provision for the flesh.” However, Jesus made it clear that sin occurs even before completing the act. He said, “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart (Matthew 5:27-28).” If you don’t want to engage in dirty thoughts, don’t buy pornographic magazines or access explicit websites. If you don’t want to engage in gluttony, don’t stockpile junk food in your house, and stay away from the all-you-can-eat buffets! If you don’t want to break the speed limit, don’t buy a radar detector.

Have you been stockpiling the aids to sin? Cry out to the Lord Jesus and ask Him to apply His redemptive blood sacrifice to your heart. Ask Him to save you from the presence and power of sin.

 

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