DAILY DEVOTIONAL FROM PASTOR WESLEY July 15, 2024

Dealing With Immorality

Therefore, consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him-- a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all. Colossians 3:5-11

How can you live a moral life in an immoral society? When the appeal of the world’s standards is strong, you may feel powerless to resist, but that’s not what Scripture teaches. Through Christ, you have everything you need to live righteously. However, if you repeatedly follow your own desires, then in a moment of temptation, you won’t want to obey God.

The time to stop sin is not at the moment of the act but in the desire for it. Scripture says our old self has been crucified with Christ and we’re to consider ourselves dead to evil desires (Rom. 6:6; Colossians 3:5). Sin once held dominion over us, but Jesus has broken its power and set us free. Now we have a new self-created in His image (Colossians 3:9-10).

Instead of giving in to sinful desires, we should respond to temptations on the basis of who we are in Christ. Sin no longer fits us, because we are new creations with divine power at our disposal. That means we can now resist evil lusts and instead make God-honoring choices.

Begin today to reflect on the power of Christ within you, and trust Him to guard you against future sins.

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