Run Away Home

“Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.” 1 Corinthians 10:14

Flee – How quickly are you running away?  If the contemporary condition of Christianity is any indication, we have forgotten completely the Biblical strategy for dealing with sin.  Run away!!!  When you see the crimson eye of evil coming, run away!  When you feel that little prick of conscience, run away!  When you notice that the warning lights have turned yellow, run away!  God wants you to be a complete coward when it comes to sin.  Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can stand up to it.  You can’t!  No human being can.  Let Jesus fight the battle for you.  You run away!

Pheugo, the Greek verb used here, is all about escape from danger.  It’s the big, red warning word.  Get out while you can, there’s danger ahead.  Avoid it at all costs.

But we don’t think this way, do we?  We’re tough!  We’re sanctified!  We’re fill with Holy Ghost power!  We’ve got God on our side.  What is there to be afraid of?

All of this is true.  If God is for us, who can be against us?  We are empowered by the Holy Spirit.  We do have the armor of righteousness.  But we are absolute fools if we think that we can fight sin by ourselves.  Just read Romans 7.  Can you do war with your own body and win?  David cries to God for sanctuary.  That’s the spiritual attitude we need.  God, protect me.  God, save me.  I’m running away from this powerful, seductive enemy within me.  Lord, I throw myself on You.  Fight for me!

We have a serious case of spiritual pride.  We think we are a lot more capable than we really are.  How often do we confront personal sinful temptation and tell ourselves, “It’s OK.  I can handle this.”  About as often as we end up on our knees in confession.  The first line of defense against sin is no line at all.  Flee!  Draw a line in the sand only if you absolutely have no other option.  Then stand behind Jesus and hold your ground.  He is the King who fights at the front of the battle, not you.

When you arrive at the Judgment Seat, how will you answer the question, “Were you running away from sin?”