Sin is entrapping and destructive to many. It has a hold on people and enslaves them. Many want out of the cycle but struggle with allowing it to entangle them.
One of the reasons you still might be stuck in some sin is that you give it too much time. What do I mean by that? When your sin is pointed out, you don’t run from it. instead, you think about it.
There are several easy ways that sins can be pointed out to us. We can hear something in a sermon about our sin. We can be reading the Bible and doing our own devotions and hear about sin. The Holy Spirit can convict us of sin. A good christian friend can point out our sins.
No matter how we are convicted or find out that we are in sin, the answer is to run from it quickly. It can destroy usIf we do not. If we don’t flee it immediately, it can catch us back in its claws. We need to run while we can.
In the book of Exodus, we hear a story about slavery and deliverance. Egypt had enslaved Israel for 400 years. God uses Moses to help free the Israelites. God sent 10 plagues to get Pharoah’s attention and let him know he doesn’t want to be the enemy of God even longer.
At the 10th plague, where Israel was freed, God had them get ready to have their final meal in Egypt, the passover. He instructed them to eat and run. They were not to use any yeast in their bread in part so they can bake and eat quickly (Exodus 12:8). They also were to eat as if they were traveling, with their belt and shoes on (Exodus 12:11).
Why these rules? It is because after 400 years of slavery, God was going to deliver them. He also knows that while Pharoah will want them out, eventually Pharoah will change his mind and try to hunt the Israelites down to bring them back to slavery.
This is also how we are supposed to flee sin. Paul tells Timothy that we are to “flee youthful passions (II Timothy 2:22).” Why is that? Because sin is the same as Pharaoh. Every time we try to leave sin it wants to hunt us back down. It wants to enslave us again.
The mistake people often make is that when their sin is pointed out, they don’t flee sin quickly enough. They often take time to think about their sin. They mull it over and many times convince themselves that their sin isn’t that bad, or they are the exception to the rule, or they will give it up down the road. But the apostle Paul says, “you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness (Romans 6:16).”
To be delivered, we need to run from sin. We need to understand that it is enslaving us. We need to see it for what it is and not give it time to hold us down again.
Think About It
What sin is in your life that is enslaving you? What are the consequences of that enslavement? How can you not just walk away from it, but flee it?
Thanks for taking time to read this Maddening Theology post. If you enjoyed this content you can find Pastor Tim’s sermons at www.cornerstoneforestcity.org. You can also join us at 520 Marion St. Browndale, PA 18421 on Sundays at 10 AM. To make following the blog easier you can also register. You can also join us on Facebook at Cornerstone Forest City. Also, don’t forget to download our APP on iTunes or Googleplay.