God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.(1 Corinthians 10:13 – ESV)
One of the difficulties of being a pastor, or anyone who disciples others, is to see a person who gets on board with God, but then thinks just because they made this one decision that they are now instantly strong enough to resist temptations that had been dogging them for years. However, it is not your decision to start, but your determination to stay that counts for the long haul. Discipleship and victory over sin is not a finished product, it is a building process. Overconfidence breeds under whelming results. People like this just found a new outlet for their willpower instead of actually depending on Christ, and their pocket Jesus won’t be able to pay that check their flesh is trying to cash.
But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires (Romans 13:14). These people are not overcomers they are overconfident. They don’t understand the battle they are in. They think that Jesus is now on their side, and they can just call on Him to show up when they walked down that sorry road of sin again, all the while Jesus telling them to turn around. They don’t put Him on they put Him in their pocket like they can wield him as a talisman anytime temptation appears. Jesus is no magic charm, however.
They think 1 Corinthians 10:13 doesn’t work because they look for an escape after they have already made provision for the flesh, they missed the last turn off and now they can’t turn back on their own, and they left Jesus at the last depot. They think they can wait and enjoy their guilty pleasures all the way to the last possible second, and then be able to call on Christ to deliver them from that pit when they still have the shovel in their hand. They don’t realize that they must not live to give opportunity to the devil (Ephesians 4:27). When they fail they fade away, out of sight, out of church life, or secretly hiding away in the secret sin once again.
They think that everything is okay if they can just talk the talk, but we all know they don’t walk the walk. We are trying to help them and admonish them and they go off like they are the ones who are dishing out the discipleship plans. They don’t have as much ability as they think, and they don’t have as much humility as they need. They cannot fool God’s salty saints; mature, seasoned believers know something is up. They may not be able to put a finger on it, but when they hear this novice spout off like they know what they are doing when they mature know that they don’t it leaves us with a heavy sigh. We see their spouse or someone else roll their eyes as they pontificate and show us all just how off-track they really are.
If this is you, listen up: you are not putting one over on us you are pulling the wool over your own eyes. Yes indeed, God is stronger than your sin, but Satan is stronger than your self. Get over yourself, and get under cover, your exposed to enemy fire.
5 comments:
It's interesting to me that I "get" this now, but if I would have read this when I was thinking and acting that way, I wouldn't have thought you were speaking to me.
Thank you Father for helping me to see myself....if only a little more clearly!
Indeed, it reminds me of the post "It's YOU I'm Talking To"...
Nice. And amen to it all.
I agree with Chris. When I was there 100%, I would have said..'Not me!' Now, I seek guidance from those I consider mentors in most of what I do, because God showed me my pride.
I love the 'The minute you think you've got it, you've lost it.' Maybe humility is akin to not being a sinner. It's something no man can achieve.
I shall continue to ponder....I call it Humble, others call it Pride.
Was that a prideful comment? Oh geez. Thank you God that Your grace has opened my eyes so that I'm only there 99.9% now.
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