Fleeing From Sin

“I can’t believe your faith is so fragile that you can’t watch the movie and know you’ll be fine.”

“You can still do [insert sin here] and still be Christian.”

“It’s not like you’ll go to hell if you do [insert abomination here]”

Oooo friends, you know you know!  Don’t tell me you haven’t seen these comments on social media or I know you lyin’!  Or you were talking to that wayward friend while trying to convince yourself to do what you know you weren’t ‘sposed to do.  These are even the thoughts that you and I both know we’ll toss around from time to time while dipping our toes in the filthy waters of sin.  Sooner than you know, you can find yourself drowning in it, tossed about and you are covered in dirt. 

Who hasn’t been there?  But let me tell you, it’s one thing to entertain the lie and another to buy it.  Let’s be clear: we should not do either.  However, I want to address those who have bought the lie that you can sin freely and still be in good standing with Jesus.  We are talking about those who think they can do what the world does and still be counted among the righteous.  “I can do this and my faith is strong enough that it won’t be shaken.” WRONG!  You better make like Joseph and flee (Genesis 39)!  You better be outta that temptation pit so fast you don’t even have time to think about grabbing your coat!  In other words, the waters of filth are before you and you walk away from them without dipping your toe in the water.  You putteth your sock on, then your shoe and power walk as far away as your legs can take you.  You see the path of destruction and then you turn 180 degrees and walk that way.  Even Jesus didn’t tempt himself at the end of His 40-day fast during His encounter with the devil!  But listen, I am getting ahead of myself.  Let’s talk about fleeing from sin.  You know we always have to start with scripture. Proverbs 4:26-27 says:

Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.  Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.

Remove your foot from evil, friends.  Don’t even dawdle and entertain it.  Romans 13:14 says:

But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

Do not give yourself the opportunity to sin.  If you know you have trouble with alcohol, why go to a bar with friends?  “I am going to go, but I won’t drink,” said the liar.  You can justify anything in a moment of weakness, friends.  If you know there could be some pre-marital shenanigans afoot if you go to your fiance’s house alone, make some other plans y’all.  Ponder the path of your feet.  Think beyond your fleshly desires and ask yourself, “What could happen if I go there?  Would that please the Lord?”  Even if nothing happens, do not put yourself in position for sin to happen.  That is step one.  When I was growing up, my mom would always quote 1 Thessalonians 5:22 to me:

Abstain from all appearance of evil.

Because she was married, she would never even go out with male friends for a one-on-one meeting.  It could be as innocent as catching up over coffee, but she would never go by herself to avoid even the possible appearance of infidelity.  Men, there are ample warnings in Proverbs to flee from the strange woman. 

Proverbs 2:16-18

To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words; which forsake the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God.  For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead.  None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life.

Proverbs 5:7-8

Hear me now therefore, O ye children, and depart not from the words of my mouth.  Remove thy way FAR from her, and come not nigh the door of her house…

Proverbs 6:24-28

To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.  Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids.  For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life.  Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?  Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned?

In other words, leave her to the streets!  Don’t even look in her direction or come near her vicinity.  Proverbs 6:25 says not even to lust after her beauty in your heart.  Don’t even let your mind continuously think about how good looking she is, what it would be like to be with her, what she looks like without clothes on.  We are crossing a line there, buddy.  James 1:13-16 says:

Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempted he any man: but every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.  Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth for sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

Same for us too, women.  The more we think about it and desire it, not only are we sinning in our hearts, but we get closer to sinning and defiling our physical bodies.  Worst of all, we sinning against God.  1 Corinthians 10:5 says:

Casting down imaginations, and every high things that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ…

If you know it’s not right, do not think about it, do not entertain it and do not put yourself in a position to be tempted by it.  It can be as simple as trying to stay away from sugar and it can be as complex as staying away from a woman.  But let me tell you that there are people who claim to be Christians out there who do not believe these principles. 

Let’s take an example of something I saw on social media.  Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson had a super hero movie come out in 2022 called “Black Adam”.  At first glance, I was like “Ahh cool.  I want to go see that.”  Then I was told there was a lot of demonic elements to it and then I was like, “Nah, we’re not going to go see that garbage.”  Why?  I don’t play with fire.  I’m not watching anything where they are casting spells, summoning spirits, talking with demons, etc.  You have to guard your soul and that includes being careful of what you watch and listen to.  BUT when a Christian pointed out that they left the movie theater after they discovered the same thing, there was a comment of this effect left on the social media post: “It’s wild to me that you are so insecure in your faith that you can’t even watch a movie and be ok.”  Every time I see a comment like that, I feel this flash of sudden rage because it’s SO ignorant and a flagrant disregard to the word of God.  You can’t jump into the mud and not get dirty.  You are inviting spiritual discord into your life.  Light and darkness can’t co-exist.  What you are watching and listening to will directly impact your spirit.  Sometimes, you literally are inviting curses and demonic activity into your life.  “But I’m a Christian.”  Yes.  You are Christian that is inviting curses and demonic activity into your life.  If these things did not affect you, why oh why does the Bible keep telling you to stay away from evil?!

You can’t do what the world does.  You just can’t.  Jesus did not either.  If He did, wouldn’t we all be doomed to hell?  “Well, we can’t be perfect like Jesus.”  I’ve heard this one too y’all.  It’s the excuse I hear when Christians decide to live a life separated from the word of God.  Does the Bible not say in 1 Peter 2:11:

Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul…

How many Bible verses do you need to convince you that you cannot be of the world and still be counted among the righteous?  How many Bible verses do you need to tell you that you must be in pursuit what is good and holy.  You can’t be engrossed in darkness and produce light.  You can’t serve two masters (Matthew 6:24).  Some of you may be wondering why you are going through trials and tribulation, not realizing you have opened the door to your own demise.  You’re on knees asking God why, but YOU opened the door for the enemy to attack you.  You are warring in your own soul because you’re trying to pursue light in the darkness. 

Let me make another point.  You can claim to be Christian, but if you don’t believe in the Word of God, you have no legal rights to the promises in Jesus Christ.  John 3:16 says:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have every lasting life.

The caveat is that you must BELIEVE.  You can’t hang onto your parents’ faith, go to church and then live however you want to without the word of God.  Of course, we can’t know everything about the Word and there is revelation that comes in time, but a Christian that does not pursue Christ, is hardly a Christian at all.  After it is all said and done, the end of the path of sin is death, even if you’re a Christian.  The end of the path of following Jesus Christ, who is the Word, is abundant life. 

Now don’t get me confused.  I am not saying you sin once and you’re going to hell.  There is redemption.  What I am saying is, you cannot live a life void of Jesus Christ and expect the benefits of Jesus Christ.  You cannot place your foot in the path of evil and expect no evil to harm you.  We have to make a decision to do our best to avoid sin and get rid of it from our lives.  There is no sin that is welcome to stay.  “But the Bible says homosexuality is bad and my aunt is gay.”  You need to pray for her.  I will repeat: there is no sin that is welcome to stay.  If the Bible says it’s a no-no, then it’s a no-no.  Let’s not play the game “I choose what I want to believe in the Bible” when 2 Timothy 3:16 says that ALL scripture is inspired by God.  Should you go to her house and start dousing her with holy water?  No, don’t be annoying.  Continuously pray for her.  Ask the Lord for an opportunity to speak the Word into her life. Go about these things spiritually and ask for guidance and wisdom. 

I am telling you to choose today between life and death.  It is that serious.  You don’t mess around in sin and come out unscathed.  You are planting seeds for an unfortunate harvest.  BUT there is the blood of Jesus Christ that can redeem you from even the worst of sins.  His blood is enough.  You may have murdered someone in cold blood and are doing 25 to life, but you can still save your soul by believing in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior whose blood washes away all your sins.  That is the power of the blood.  The next step is to repent and move on, even if that means you’re praying powerful prayers in jail for the rest of your life.  That’s an extreme example, but you get it.  Repent and live a life for Christ.  You don’t know what that looks like?  Open your Bibles. 

Thank you all for joining me today.  My prayer for you is Psalms 51:  May the Lord have mercy upon you according to His lovingkindness.  According to His multitude of tender mercies, I pray that he blots out your transgressions and washes you thoroughly from your iniquity and cleanses you from your sin.  I pray that you receive revelation and conviction of your sin and iniquity that you may identify it and put it behind you and receive ALL the benefits of our covenant with Jesus Christ.  We bind and rebuke the enemy and close all open doors and portals that we have opened due to lack of knowledge and/or the lusts of our flesh.  We rebuke premature death and we decree and declare your feet are bound to the path of righteousness.  I speak over you life and life abundantly according to the will of God.  May He lengthen your days and they be filled with the peace and the joy of the Lord.  Amen.