14 but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.
It is important for us to understand the life-cycle of sin if we are ever going to end its tyranny in our lives. The first thing we need to realize is that sin is an internal force, not external force. That does not mean that sin is not present in the world apart from you. What it does mean is that the battle against sin is a very personal one. Each of us has our own unique sin-wiring. We are tempted by a unique set of sins that others are not drawn to in exactly the same way. But sin is also universal; we all are tempted in many of the same ways. Sin can’t be blamed on anyone else. We each are prompted by our own evil desire, a desire that is inside us, wired there by sin itself. We must take full responsibility for our own sin. If we sin, it is our doing. No more excuses! But sin has a power that goes beyond us as well. Once we have yielded to it, it takes the steering wheel and drives us to places we did not expect. Sin changes the way we view life. We become sin’s slave. Sin is in control. When we give it power, it takes the power. It drags us away from all the fulfillment of a life of obedience to God. What we value gets changed by sin. Our views about everything get changed by the sin itself. It is as though we voluntarily submit to an intense advertising campaign to sell us a whole line of products that we never wanted in the first place, but before we know it we, get our the credit card and place the order. Advertising makes it look better than it really is. Advertising leaves out the downside of the product. Remember all the small print and monotone voiceover in medicine commercials! Just like the old cartoon with a carrot on the end of the stick, you never get the carrot. The benefits of sin do not exist, other than the momentary pleasure that sin affords. But just like the Turkish Delight candy offered in The Chronicles of Narnia, the bitterness of the consequences far outweighs the momentary sweetness. So stop blaming others and take responsibility for your sin. Draw close to God, ask for forgiveness, and go and sin no more.
The Arnold Journey 