Saying no to sin; something Bugs Bunny won’t help you with. I love the old Bugs Bunny cartoons, especially the ones with Yosemite Sam. There is this one episode where Bugs and Sam are about to get in a fight. Bugs Bunny drew a line in the sand. He bets hot-headed Yosemite Sam to cross it, and guess what? He did! And not just once.
He passed every line that Bugs Bunny drew with his foot until he stepped right off of a cliff. There is a line for us: one between life with God on one side and life without Him on the other. This line is called sin.
The Line of Temptation | Saying No To Sin
I love how Moses says, “I call the heaven and the earth to witnesses against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Therefore choose life, so that you and your offspring may live” (Deut 30:19).
Joshua said the same thing this way, “Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:14-15)
Along the same lines, Paul said, “Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, 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)
These men of God are all talking about this distinguishable line. We can see this line. It is present in every choice we make. We know precisely where sin starts, and we, like Yosemite Sam, cross it.
The Destruction of Sin
An example of crossing the line is lying to save our skin. Before we lie to others, we often lie to ourselves first. We look at porn and tell ourselves that this is not hurting anyone but ourselves. It is destroying all of the crucial relationships in our lives. Starting with our relationship with God, then moving on to our wives and even our children.
Now each of us knows exactly where this line is. Instead of fleeing from sexual immorality, as Paul said, we inch closer to the edge, step on it, or we cross it entirely.
How We Can Say No to Sin
In times of temptation, we need to choose to be as far from that line as humanly possible, or like Sam, we will step off the cliff and fall. The ‘seductresses’ ways eventually lead down the Sheol!
I bet your church has some gentlemen that can come alongside you to help. So remember what my brother James says, “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” (James 5:16).
Author: Kristopher
For more reading materials on how we can say no to sin, see below:
Very encouraging and convicting. Keep up the good work!
Great article! We definitely need a fellowship of other men to help us overcome temptation and the humility to ask for their help.
Great article and very convicting – it is time to make the necessary changes so not to fall off the cliff!
Porn is definitely a relationship killer. Insight into the industry reveals connections with drug and human trafficking as well. Bottom line…..everyone is hurt by sexual immorality. Great article.
Love the cartoon example, it’s so very accurate. It’s why I wrote, ”Our Struggles are Real”, so guys will know and understand that there not alone. To understand that God wants us to lean on others.
Thanks so very much for this REMINDER of having the common sense that we know what we do is wrong but yet we feel we can TEMP GOD by doing it anyway.
Going on year 3 of finally realizing that God has opened so many doors and working in my life. WHY WHY did I ever think doing what I did selfishly would ever prospure me??
Can I ever really be COMPLETELY free from Porn??? I try, and I try, and I try. God, please help me. I’m a broken man in need of your grace and forgiveness.
I’ll pray for you Paul. There are so many of us struggling with this issue.
It is possible. Fireproof movie was a final nail in the coffin for me. I have not regressed, praise God. When I’m tempted I quickly switch my thoughts to my wife. I keep thinking of her and her great beauty. It helped me transform the desire toward my wife. Hopefully that may help. God bless.
Paul, It is possible to be free from Porn. I was addicted at one point in my life, but then I accepted, instead of rejected, Gods plan for my life. Once you do that, He will give you new desires, ones that honor him, your wife, and your children.
No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. 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.
What is Sin?
Jay,
I would suggest reading the new testament
Here is a short answer…from John Piper
A Definition of Sin
So my definition of sinning is: Sinning is any feeling or thought or speech or action that comes from a heart that does not treasure God over all other things. And the bottom of sin, the root of all sinning, is such a heart — a heart that prefers anything above God, a heart that does not treasure God over all other person and all other things. Or, as I once tried to express it in a message years ago. What is sin? Sin is:
The glory of God not honored.
The holiness of God not reverenced.
The greatness of God not admired.
The power of God not praised.
The truth of God not sought.
The wisdom of God not esteemed.
The beauty of God not treasured.
The goodness of God not savored.
The faithfulness of God not trusted.
The promises of God not believed.
The commandments of God not obeyed.
The justice of God not respected.
The wrath of God not feared.
The grace of God not cherished.
The presence of God not prized.
The person of God not loved.
https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/what-is-sin-the-essence-and-root-of-all-sinning