On the Matter of:

On the matter or Temptation: A test of loyalties. That is what it boils down to. Not something to be feared or abhorred, but a gift. We will be tempted many times every day. Some more than others, this fact is scary. However, we have hope in the fact that with every temptation we have the ability to respond rightly with the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. At every temptation we hit a fork in the road. We can go left or right, one way is sin and the other is holiness. The first look at a girl places this fork before us, the temptation. At that moment I have a choice: Look again, or set my eyes upon Jesus. To take a second look is to indulge in sin. To divert my eyes is to pursue purity, holiness, and righteousness. In life we are daily tempted with a “second look.” Daily we are presented with this test of loyalties. Are we loyal to Christ? or to our flesh? Every day, multiple times a day I choose the flesh. But every day, multiple times a day I get another chance to be loyal to Christ. That is the gift. It goes all the way back to Adam. He was tested with the tree. He chose the tree over relationship with God, but from that moment and on... every day, multiple times a day he was presented with an opportunity to be loyal to God. This changes everything. With this revelation we are now free to decide against that second look, not because of requirement, but because we have Jesus in us. Every temptation is an opportunity to reflect Him.

On the matter of Holiness and sin: Rather than being the purpose or the aim, overcoming sin is merely the byproduct of the purpose which is relationship with Christ. In this there is freedom.