The Love in Truth

The Line That Separates Temptation and Action 

     You say, “I am allowed to do anything,” but not everything is good for you. And even though “I am allowed to do anything,” I must not become a slave to anything (1 Corinthians 6:12). 

     Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth 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 forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death (James 1:13-15).  

     Did I love my puppy?  Sure, without question.  Yet, did I love him enough to do all that was possible to keep him safe - even if he briefly hated me for it?  No.  The puppy tragically died by my own hand in a horrible accident.   

     I failed to warn him of the danger of his actions.  I needed to go so far as to punish him for that behavior.  Yet, I was too tolerant of his actions.  Why?  I did not want to offend him.  I wanted him to always like me at all times.  How could I scold him?  How could I spank him?   

     If only I had offended him - he would have lived.  If only I had scolded or spanked him - he would have not then felt the pain of the accident and the death that followed.  If only I had not been so selfish as to want to receive, at all times, all of his love when by doing so I was placing his life and future in danger.  I actually needed to love him enough to secure his future, risking his love for me by handing out punishment for his misbehavior. 

     Do you love your children?  Do you love them enough to secure their futures by telling them the truth even though it may risk their love for you?  Have you spoken with your families about the concept of absolute truth?  Truth is truth.  Our world is quickly converting itself to the politically correct agenda that anything and everything is truth - if a person believes strongly in his heart that it is true for him on a personal level.  Therefore, everything must eventually be tolerated for fear of offending someone.   

     What the world has forgotten or ignored is the fact that just because you want something so incredibly bad does not make getting it or doing it right.  Every child knows the incredible enticement to get all that they desire.  If their parents lovingly refuse to give in to their every whim, they are teaching them that some things are good for them and some things are bad for them, regardless of how much they want it.  However, our society is becoming tolerance based.  Today’s generation of parents are befriending their children more than parenting their children.  They have become so frightened of offending their little ones that they are putting their lives in danger by not teaching them the dangers of lust, greed, blasphemy, thievery and disrespect for authority.   

     There is actually a fine line between temptation and action.  When we are tempted by something that we have an inner attraction for, we then become lustful for that attraction.  If we then continue dwelling upon that lustful attraction it will manifest within our desires to the point that we will find a way to get that object of desire and justify it by saying that we cannot help it because we want it so badly.  Yet, here is the truth: If we had initially recognized the wrongness of it when we were at first tempted and then had made the decision to turn away before it became a lustful need, we would have escaped the inner desire that ultimately became a life’s necessity, or so we therefore eventually conditioned our conscience to believe.   

     If the person had only turned away at the beginning, before they crossed that fine line between temptation and action, they would not have spiraled down the slope of lust and desire to become enslaved body, mind and soul.  Sin, once given in to, becomes very difficult to overcome.  Just like a drug or alcohol, saying no in the first place is much easier than quitting once addicted.  The addict truly comes to believe that he cannot live without it.  The drug becomes a desire that they need and they will justify it to the ends of the earth and, sadly, many to the ends of their lives. 

     Be brave in spite of the world’s current politically correct agenda.  Speak truth with the love that is unselfish and requires nothing in return.  Learn or relearn the Laws of God.  Many will say, “If God is love then He will let me love who I want......”.  God is without a doubt a great loving God.  Yet, he also hates sin.  He hates it when we lie.  He hates it when we steal.  He hates it when we hate and murder.  He hates it when we use His name disrespectfully.  He hates it when we lust sexually for those other than our husbands and wives.  These are some of God’s Laws.  When we break those Laws, God hates those acts of sinful behavior.  Is God guilty of hate by our politically correct standards?  Many would say yes and therefore refuse to accept Him or merely deny then His very existence.  Yet, even though He hates the sins that we have committed by breaking His Laws, He actually loves us beyond human comprehension.  How is that possible and is there any proof? 

     God sent His son, Jesus, to be born as a man yet still fully God.  He was tempted in every way, yet, remained free from sin and guilt.  He was condemned to die as an innocent man, crucified on a cross.  Somehow, supernaturally and miraculously, your sin charges were transferred to Him.  They became His sins to die for and He took them to the grave never to condemn you for them again at any future judgment.  But, there is one caveat, you must accept His great sacrifice.  You must ask forgiveness and then repent of your sins by turning away from your sinful desires and choosing not to willfully cross that fine line between temptation and action.  You need to actually turn away and face toward the cross where Jesus suffered and died for the sin that is awaiting just across that line toward action.  That is repentance - turning away from sin and running toward the Savior seeking His strength and/or forgiveness.  His Spirit will literally enter your heart giving you the strength and courage to remain on His straight and narrow path to victory and ultimately a home in His Kingdom. 

     As we grow into adulthood we may no longer have a parent who will teach us the difference between right and wrong.  There may be no person who can then implement the necessary strategies to guide your course in the proper direction.  However, God says that if we Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths (Proverbs 3:5-6).  Let the Lord God of the Bible lead you in the proper direction, one that is on a straight, narrow and truthful course toward Eternity.   

     The puppy I had as a child died because I refused to teach it right from wrong.  I refused to punish its defiant behavior.  Therefore, it died needlessly and tragically by getting in the way of a swinging bat.  I loved it but love was not enough.  I needed to teach that puppy to obey, even if it disliked me momentarily for it.  A child that has never been disciplined will be inclined to think that he can do whatever he wants and it is ok.  As he grows ever older, his behavior will only grow worse, ultimately becoming an adult who believes that anything and everything is ok as long as he enjoys it.  The Bible, to people who were raised like this, is old and outdated and filled with all manner of hate regarding the things that they enjoy doing.  Our cities are now filled with young adults who have had very little true parenting.  They are unruly, undisciplined, unmotivated to change for the better and crime is escalating on an unprecedented scale. 

     God said in the Bible that we need to Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it (Proverbs 22:6).  Teach your children the truth with proper discipline.  Back up your actions with truths from Bible scripture for it is the actual Word of God.  It addresses all aspects of our lives including our daily living and behavior, even down to the most inconsequential areas of our existence - money, sex, marriage, work, etc.  Seek to know God.  Read His Words and believe in His truth and love.  You have a God who is not hate-filled when He condemns you for your sins.  He loved you enough to die to save you from those sins.  Choose God.  Choose Truth.  Therefore instead of lusting after worldly things, let your desires be As the deer pants for streams of water, so I long for you, O God. I thirst for God, the Living God (Psalm 42:1).  When your thoughts go astray and become seemingly uncontrollable, before crossing the line that separates temptation and action, let the word of God teach you how to think when He says, Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things (Philippians 4:6-8).  Then, make the conscious decision to turn away from the temptation toward the cross of Jesus. 

     For the world offers only the lust for physical pleasure, the lust for everything we see, and pride in our possessions. These are not from the Father. They are from this evil world (I John 2:16). 

     You have heard that the law of Moses says, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust in his eye has already committed adultery with her in his heart. So if your eye, even if it is your good eye, causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your hand, even if it is your stronger hand, causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell (Matthew 5:27-30). 

     I made a covenant with my eyes not to look with lust upon a young woman (Job 31:1). 

     Run from anything that stimulates youthful lust. Follow anything that makes you want to do right. Pursue faith and love and peace, and enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts (II Timothy 2:22). 

     You have had enough in the past of the evil things that godless people enjoy—their immorality and lust, their feasting and drunkenness and wild parties, and their terrible worship of idols (I Peter 4:3). 

     You say, “I am allowed to do anything,” but not everything is good for you. And even though “I am allowed to do anything,” I must not become a slave to anything. You say, “Food was made for the stomach, and the stomach for food.” (This is true, though someday God will do away with both of them.) But you can’t say that our bodies were made for sexual immorality. They were made for the Lord, and the Lord cares about our bodies.  And God will raise us from the dead by his power, just as he raised our Lord from the dead.  Don’t you realize that your bodies are actually parts of Christ? Should a man take his body, which is part of Christ, and join it to a prostitute? Never!  And don’t you realize that if a man joins himself to a prostitute, he becomes one body with her? For the Scriptures say, “The two are united into one.” But the person who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him.

     Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body.  Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body (1 Corinthians 6:12-20). 

     And the men, instead of having normal sexual relationships with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men and, as a result, suffered within themselves the penalty they so richly deserved (Romans 1:27). 

     Don’t let me lust for evil things; don’t let me participate in acts of wickedness. Don’t let me share in the delicacies of those who do evil (Psalm 141:4). 

     Don’t lust for her beauty. Don’t let her coyness seduce you. Can a man take fire into his lap and not get burned? (Proverbs 6:25 & 27) 

     Throw off your old evil nature and your former way of life, which is rotten through and through, full of lust and deception (Ephesians 4:22). 

     So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual impurity, lust, and shameful desires (Colossians 3:5). 

     They commit adultery with their eyes, and their lust is never satisfied. They make a game of luring unstable people into sin (II Peter 2:14).

© 2015 G. R. Workman  

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