Prayer

Reading: Prov 1:10-14.

Meditation.

One thing we need to recognise from this passage is that the enticements of the world are dangerous because, on some level, we find them to be truly attractive. They have a magnetic power to the sin that remains in our hearts. There is something in us, even as Christians, that answers to and desires to respond to these temptations. One of the reasons that we need to beware of worldly attractions, is because we may well find ourselves attracted. We must especially beware when we notice in our hearts that we are being drawn toward certain sins. When Eve was in the garden, the temptation gained power over her. When the fruit and what she thought it offered got a hold on her heart, she was truly attracted to it.

Here then is the danger of sin. No one is attracted to a spoonful of rat poison, but when that rat poison is hidden in a big piece of warm, moist, chocolate cake covered in icing, well, that’s another story. But why is sin so attractive to us? It seems insane! I think that we see in our passage the answer is this, sin promises fulfillment: “we shall find all precious goods, we shall fill our houses with plunder”. A basic aspect of human nature is that we go after things that we think are good, and we avoid things that we think are bad. Those general rules apply to almost everything we do in our lives. Even the things that we don’t want to do, that we don’t think are good, are often done in pursuit of something else we do want. For example, you might not like your work, but you do want to get the pay packet.

The desire that we have for good things is designed to find it’s fulfillment in God, for God alone is good and the source of all that is good (Mt 10:18). The problem with sin is that it tries to make God replacements. It looks at the creation that he has made, and it idolises the creation over the Creator. The problem is that sin always lies. It says something will be good, but in the end it leads only to death. The fruit in the garden was the original example. Satan deceived Eve, and she thought it would be good to eat the fruit, but it was a lie because eating brought only death and judgment. Every sin follows the same pattern, it promises something good but delivers a spoonful of poison. Lust will promise fulfillment, but leave you empty and hollow. Money will promise you power if you devote yourself to it, but you’ll always want more. Anger will promise justice, but it will itself destroy you. Fame will promise you attention, but your soul will still be parched and empty. Sin promises fulfillment, but it does not deliver. As verses 18 and 19 in our passage say: “these men lie in wait for their own blood; they set an ambush for their own lives. Such are the ways of everyone who is greedy for unjust gain; it takes away the life of its possessors.”

Be ye doers of the word…

The application for our lives in this is quite simple: don’t be deceived by sin. When you’re tempted to commit some sin, and something in your heart feels the pull of it, look your heart in the face and preach the truth to it. Don’t be sucked in to the lies, don’t believe for a second that sin can offer what you’re looking for. It will give you a flash of pleasure and then leave you worse off than before. Measure your desires by the Word of God, and seek your fulfillment in Christ alone.

You can’t beat something with nothing, and what is needed to beat the temptation of sin is total fulfillment in Christ. That is the way of wisdom. Psalm 16:11 says: “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” The invitation of Isaiah 55:1 comes to all of us: “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live.” Do you know what it is from experience to be satisfied in Christ? This is is central to our faith, Christ must be our first love. It is only as we continue in the love of Christ that we gain the needed strength to shut the door on sinful temptations. So then, seek fulfillment in Christ alone.

If there are any young people reading these words – again – these verses are especially directed to you. As you look at the world, you might see that there are all sorts of pleasures and possibilities on offer. You may be tempted to go out and sample some of them. The attraction that the world lays before you is a lie, because there is no satisfaction to be found there. All you will find is a temporary fix of pleasure, and then misery to follow. Be wise and learn from Solomon, remember your Creator in the days of your youth. Find satisfaction in your soul through Christ, and if that sounds strange to you, talk about it with your parents. Talk about it with one of the elders in your faithful, local church. All of us must come to Christ – whether we are young or old. If you are not young, consider sharing this post with a young believer. SDG.

Prayer of Confession & Consecration.

Dear Lord, I thank you for the warning of these words. I pray that when I am tempted to sin today, and in days to come, that you may bring them to my mind. Help me always to consider the emptiness of sin and the promises of fulfillment that it offers. I pray that your people in my local church may likewise become more and more aware of these lies of sin, and that all of us may come to see and know that only Christ can satisfy. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

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Ep 145: Sin's empty promises (Prov 1:13).