A Way to Escape.

1Co 10:11  Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. 

Examples, our admonition.

Is it important to recognize that as part of the family of humanity from the very beginning of mankind that we all share a certain fate? That fate is one of our ultimate demise. Because since the beginning we have this end of story life, it is important for us to learn during our life and one way we can learn is by example. We can look to all those who have gone before us. We can read the word of God and in that word we can find many admonitions. Admonitions are cautions, warnings, rebukes- you get the picture. We are given many warnings throughout God's word and you know what? Whenever a person is given a warning if they fail to heed it then that is on them and no other. I can warn someone not to do something until I'm blue in the face, until the cows come home, until the end of time and if they choose to do that very thing it's not for my lack of trying to stop them. Would I feel happy if they chose to not listen? No. I would feel a certain sadness, a disappointment, maybe a little anger too because I only wanted what was best for them. These are all very human emotions, but we were given these emotions by our Creator in order to cope with all the chaos in our lives. The Creator knowing good and evil has reactions to both, and we too have reactions to both- having decided for ourselves that we needed to know good and evil.

We are given admonitions and examples and it is up to us to learn from the examples and heed the warnings. Our choice.

We are furthermore told-

1Co 10:12  Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. 

We can't allow ourselves the luxury of independent hope, we must have a dependent hope and that dependence is on a Savior. If we happen to be standing it is only because we are being held up by the grace and will, the mercy and love of our Savior- on our own we can only fall- this is something we cannot forget.

1Co 10:13  There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. 

There are many who would dispute this Bible verse, they'd pick it apart piece by piece. Doesn't it seem like temptations are individualized- tailor made to each particular human being? While that may be true in a certain way, in another it isn't. We all have basic temptations that are common among us. No, I may not lust after a particular person- the one you are lusting for, but I may lust after another. I may not be tempted toward stealing store items, but I have no lack of being tempted to take credit for something I didn't do and steal the rightful praise of another. We may not have the same sins in the tiny details but categorically we will all face the same temptations.

We all have to face temptations, you can't live in our world without facing them. And as soon as we begin to call the temptations good things, normal things, things that make us human- we are attempting to take away their wrongness so we can indulge in them without guilt. While they may be normal because they exists for us all, they are never going to be acceptable, they will forever need to be forgiven should we give into them. Like it or not, this is truth. We live in a very flawed world and we will be tempted to engage in a lot of the flaws.

We are told this..

1Co 10:13  There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. 

…because it is true. Our temptations, no matter what they are, are common to man. It's because we are flawed whether we are born with the temptation to steal, or towards lust, or towards murder, or coveting you name your temptation and whether or not it is one you were innately born with or a temptation that has been roused over time and exposure to certain things, there will be a way to escape committing the sin from that temptation.

Giving in to temptation. Ask yourself, is there any temptation you can refuse to give into and it will kill you because you did not give into it? 

You are tempted to steal. Will you die if you don't steal? You might be able to answer yes, then let me ask you- is it better to die without sinning?  Most would say, no. Let me ask you, would you die if you don't commit the sin of lust? No. Will you die if you don't dishonor your parents? No. We don't die from refusing to sin, and if we do die from refusing to sin is it better to die yielding to the righteousness of God, or die sinning- disobeying God?

There is a way to escape sinning brought on by temptation. With every temptation there is a way to keep from giving into the temptation and thereby sinning. If there wasn't a way to keep from sinning, we would not be told to sin no more, we would not be guilty of sinning if it wasn't something under our ability to control through God. God makes the way to keep from sinning, God is faithful.

Right now if we are caught up in any particular sin we need to ask ourselves what way has God faithfully made for us to escape this sin?

We need to search for the escape, diligently search if it isn't something blatantly apparent to us. It is worth searching for because to willfully disobey God is to align ourselves with Satan. And, if we know the ending to the story already and who wins and who doesn't, why do we want to choose the losing side?

God help us to choose You! God help us to diligently seek to follow You at all costs knowing the reward is worth any temporary pain mentally, physically, emotionally that we have to endure right now. Save us, Lord, save us from ourselves. Please, Lord, show us the ways we need to go as we acknowledge You are our God, lead us in the way everlasting! All through Jesus Christ!