“Not the Bait but the Bite”

Proverbs 6:27”Can a man scoop a flame into his lap and not have his clothes catch on fire?” I have often said that it is not the bait that constitutes sin; it is the bite. For temptation to be effective, there must be a desire on our part.James 1:14 says, “Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away.” For the Devil to succeed at tempting us, we must first listen, yield, and most importantly, desire what he offers. We can be walking along, minding our own business, when all of a sudden, some horrible thought or temptation comes to mind. We’re shocked that we could even think such a thing. It doesn’t mean we’ve done something wrong because we have been tempted. But it does mean we need to resist and recognize that it isn’t from God.I have seen intelligent people who know the Bible make the worst decisions imaginable under the power of sin. That is why the Bible warns us about the allure and trickery of sin. When I hear of someone who has run from God, my prayer is, “Lord, help him come to his senses. May it even happen at this moment, wherever he is, whatever he’s doing.” Sin is like a form of temporary insanity, although sometimes it isn’t so temporary. We rationalize our way though it and say the things that have been said so many other times: “I will just go so far and then stop. . . . I’ll never do it again.”The Bible asks, “Can a man scoop a flame into his lap and not have his clothes catch on fire?” (Proverb 6:27). People think, I will get out of this. I always find a way out. Then one day, they don’t find a way out. They realize it’s over, and they are going to reap the consequences of their sin.