Flee

 

1 Corinthians 10:13-15 “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. I speak to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say.

 

The Bible tells us to “turn and run as fast as you can” from four things. The first is idolatry. The Greek word for “idolatry” is “eidōlolatria” and you can actually see the word idolatry in it. The meaning of this Greek word is basically the worship of false gods. This stems from the first two Commandments of God’s Moral Law in Exodus 20:3-5a “You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them. What God is saying is that we are to have nothing between His face and our face; nothing above, over God in our elevation or pre-eminence. The 1828 Webster’s dictionary goes into greater detail, defining the word as: “The worship of idols, images, or anything made by hands, or which is not God. Not just the worship of images, statues, pictures, etc. made by hands; but also the worship of the heavenly bodies, the sun, moon and stars, or of demons, angels, men and animals. It is the excessive attachment or veneration for anything, or that which borders on adoration. Nothing comes before Creator God.

 

Secondly, flee from youthful lusts. 2 Timothy 2:22 “Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” The Greek word for “lust” here is “epithymia”, meaning the youthful craving, longing, desire for what is forbidden”. It has been called “sowing your wild oats” in the past, meaning behaving gratifying the desires of the flesh in an uncontrolled way, engaging in rebelliousness or promiscuity in one's youth. It is sinful (the voluntary departure of a moral agent from a known rule of rectitude or duty, prescribed by God). Seek God and what is pleasing in His sight, not lustful desires and pleasures of youth.

 

Thirdly, flee from materialism. The excessive desire, the preoccupation with or emphasis on stuff, that considers material possessions and physical comfort as more important than spiritual values; that money, possessions, and comfort are the most important things to obtain in life. It is covetousness (the strong or inordinate desire of obtaining and possessing some supposed good) in its purest form. 1 Timothy 6:9-11states that “they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.” I have witnessed the driving force of true mental additions of materialism and its destructive consequences. And I bet that you have also. Love God and others, and use things; not vice-versa.

 

Fourthly, Flee from sexual immorality. 1 Corinthians 6:18 “Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body.” The incontinence or lewdness of persons, male or female (including viewing pornography, adult videos, strip clubs and intercourse) in thought, word or action. The Greek word for “sexual immorality is “porneia”, which is defined as human passions of  illicit sexuality that includes adultery, fornication, homosexuality, lesbianism, incest, pedophilia, rape, etc. (consensual or not) because it is outside of God’s design and His intent for human sexual relationships. Though fallen mankind deems them politically correct in our culture, God sets the standard; not sinful men and women. Sexual immorality is a form of idolatry also; a forsaking of the true God, and worshipping of the idol of self and sinful self-indulgence. 

 

Do we have Holy Scripture to back that up? Plenty. Matthew 15:19, “For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.” 1 Corinthians 6:13b tells us that “The body is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.” Galatians 5:19 “The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery or lasciviousness.” Ephesians 5:3 “But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.” Colossians 3:5 “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.” 1 Thessalonians 4:3“It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality.” Jude 7 “In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire (aka Hell).” 

 

We are told to” flee these four things because we cannot win that battle. So, put on your “cross-trainer” running shoes and “get out of Dodge” as fast as you possibly can (do not walk, but run). Galatians 5:16, 24-25 tells us, Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Align your life to God’s Word, Will and Way. 

 

In Christ, Brian