Go back to this post and re-read it.
Now ask yourself this question:
In the same scenario, if all the women were handed a note that read, "The Cake that was brought into the room is laced with a lethal dose of arsenic", would any one of the women be "tempted" to take a piece?
For those deep thinkers: No, none of the women in the room are feeling suicidal.
Let us reason together: Would a note that read, "Leave the room immediately, so that you are not tempted by the cake" work with all of them? Would a note that read, "Stay strong; don't give in; resist it" work with all of them? Would a note that said, "Don't be tempted and then you can come to the "accountability group" tonight to share your victory over temptation" work for all of them? Would a note that read, "Remember, you wanted to loose weight and that is more important to you than that darn piece of cake-you can do it; your are strong; I believe in you" work for all of them?
If not, why not?
So, what is my point? I will revisit this again once we have had a chance to think and ponder.
Now ask yourself this question:
In the same scenario, if all the women were handed a note that read, "The Cake that was brought into the room is laced with a lethal dose of arsenic", would any one of the women be "tempted" to take a piece?
For those deep thinkers: No, none of the women in the room are feeling suicidal.
Let us reason together: Would a note that read, "Leave the room immediately, so that you are not tempted by the cake" work with all of them? Would a note that read, "Stay strong; don't give in; resist it" work with all of them? Would a note that said, "Don't be tempted and then you can come to the "accountability group" tonight to share your victory over temptation" work for all of them? Would a note that read, "Remember, you wanted to loose weight and that is more important to you than that darn piece of cake-you can do it; your are strong; I believe in you" work for all of them?
If not, why not?
So, what is my point? I will revisit this again once we have had a chance to think and ponder.
Comments
Even as a Truth seeker, I have wished sometimes that I didn't know. That I could go back to the innocence of ignorance.
I have refused to eat cakes that I have watched family members bake as they lick the knife that they are spreading the frosting on with. The same goes for salads tossed by hands that were unwashed. Gross
No temptation there.
But I saw others eat and not get sick. And they spoke about how scrumptious the cake was. And I wonder if I am being too anaytical about germs and cleanliness.
Relating this to sin: Now more than ever as I get older, my desire to sin has become less. And when I mean sin, I mean to do something God has asked ME not to do. It may not necessarily be a universal sin. The obvious, kill, murder, steal...etc. More personal than that. God tells me that the devils hands have been in the particular pie that I want to eat....he tells me the bondage it will carry if I eat it. So I don't. I think about it of course...but then go do something else God is asking me to do instead and turns out to be very rewarding.
Gen 2:9 And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
Gen 3:6 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
But of the fruit of the tree which [is] in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.And when the woman saw that the tree [was] good for food, and that it [was] pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make [one] wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they [were] naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves apron. END
There will always be temptation, but I have learned to look for that open window or door now because I know it's there. I have chosen not to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil....it only brings shame and false truth. Took a long time for me to learn this...and I'm sure many more lessons...but the good things is..I'm learning.
You have touched on something here that is so important, when you said, "Now more than ever as I get older, my desire to sin has become less. And when I mean sin, I mean to do something God has asked ME not to do."
I have felt burdeoned to write about "legalism", "liberty", "why obey God?"
Thank you for blowing on the embers of what has been in my heart, lately. Hopefully, it will result in a warm, glowing fire; not a blazing inferno. :-)