A and B Choices

Temptation

Keeping integrity begins with understanding the problem of temptation. Temptation is explained in James 1:13-15;

13 When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;

14 but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.

15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. NIV

Sin entices us by pulling us toward sin by a series of bad choices. We do not generally just fall into sin. We make step-by-step choices each day. “A” choices are choices to obey God and follow his way. “B” choices are choices to indulge our sinful desires and Satan’s way in our lives.

My “B” choices may not be “sin”, but may just be unwise choices that set me up for sin.

Making “A” choices early could have helped our 70 year old pastor greatly.

The pastor could have left the house or stayed in his room when his wife was gone. He could have done other things than giving a back rub. He could have stopped when an impulse hit him to touch her in a wrong place. Through a series of choices he walked into sin.

We can never think that we have arrived and are not subject to the temptations that are common to man. This is pride!

"A" Choices Early

How do we keep faithful to the Lord? We must make the “A” choices early.

If I am an alcoholic stop before I am sitting with a beer in my hand in a bar. If I have a girl friend don’t be alone in private, sitting on a couch with mood music. Those choices set me up for failure.

We all face each day making choices for our lives. Those choices will eventually lead us to be more like Jesus or to be drawn deeper into sin.

Actively Do Good

Actions should not be primarily negative--trying to avoid sin. Actions should be positive --actively doing good. Get involved in doing good and sin won't even be interesting.

The best defense is a good offence.

Rom 2:4-11
4          Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?
5          But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,
6          who will render to every man according to his deeds:
7          to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life;
8          but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation.
9          There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek,
10        but glory and honor and peace to every man who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
11        For there is no partiality with God.   (NAS)

If we are running after God and his ways with all our heart we will not be drawn to sin as easily.

What does it mean to persevere?

We are in a long distance race. We have to keep at it. We can not give up even at 70 years old.

What does it mean to seek for glory and honor and immortality?

The great theologian John Brown said, “Think as God thinks, act as God acts”. Where we put our thoughts will ultimately determine what we do.

Think about the longterm view of life.

If our mind is on eternity--if we think long term, sin does not look as interesting to us. If our perspective is short term, sin will look good to us. Sin for the moment is fun, but its results are devastating in the long term.

Bottom Line: Obey God Early