Day 21 - Considerations that Keep Us Safe

5  Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.


Prov 3:5-6 (ESV)

"This is the work of faith; it is faith; it is to live by faith."

John Owen, Temptation Resisted and Repulsed

Truths that Keep Us Safe in Temptation

There are truths we need to remember and dwell upon (consider) and principles we need to follow so that we might fight against temptation. Today we see what these major truths and principles are as well as four dangerous practices that Christians partake in that makes us much more susceptible to giving into temptation.

Three Truths to Remember and Dwell On

1) Remember the presence of Christ in you.
Christ is concerned about you and desires for you to resist temptation. As Owen puts it, "The soul knows that Christ is concerned for his honor, list his name should be evil spoken of on his account; and that he has a loving concern for him, having the firm intention of presenting him holy, blameless and beyond reproach in his presence (Col 1:22)...The soul knows that Christ is concerned for his gospel, its progress, and its reception in the world." That is, we need to remember Christ desires for you to resist temptation because it impacts His glory and the advancement of the gospel.

2) Remember that Christ was tempted on your behalf and was victorious.
In remembering Christ was tempted and was victorious, it compels us to want to do the same. We remember Christ did this for us, for our good, and we want to resist temptation for His glory and His good.

3) Think what disappointment it would bring to Christ and broken fellowship with Him it would bring if you gave into temptation
As we face temptation we must have "sorrowful thoughts" about what it would do with our relationship to Christ if we gave into temptation. Savor the love relationship you have with Christ more than the temptation you face.

Two Principles to Follow

1) Live by faith in all things and be in governed by it all your ways (Gal 2:20)
Owen puts it beautifully: "...faith, put into practice, has the power to preserve  from temptation, first because it empties the soul of its own wisdom, understanding, and sufficiency, so that it may act in the wisdom and sufficiency of Christ...[Proverbs 3:5-6] is the work of faith; it is faith; it is to live by faith." Owen goes on to say, "By making the soul poor, empty, helpless, and destitute in itself, faith engages the heart, will, and power of Jesus Christ for assistance."

2) Love the saints (Eph 1:15)
Our love for other believes should compel us to not want to bring harm to them. Owen again: "A selfish soul whose love is turned wholly inward will never be able to abide in a time of trial."

Four Dangerous Practices

There are four major practices that we must be aware of as they keep us from obeying the word of Christ and, thus, lead us into temptation and sin.
1) Conformity to the world
2) Neglect of our Christian duties
3) Strife, disagreements, and debates among ourselves
4) Self-sufficiency and selfishness

These four summarize the major categories of actions we take that lead us into temptation rather than resisting it. And, so, we must examine ourselves and carefully consider in our lives are we partaking of any of these.

Our Challenge

What is it that you dwell on constantly? What is it that you live by? Who is it that you love? And what dangerous practices are you partaking in? Examine yourself to see if you are doing things that put you in danger of entering into and ultimately giving into temptation.