Each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away. (James 1:14, NIV)
Sinclair Ferguson says helpfully:
The enemies we face attack us from outside our own hearts and move inward…to draw our affections toward themselves; away from our Lord. But their power rests on a further factor, namely the ‘landing ground’ they are able to find within our own lives.
Ferguson goes on to point out that there was “nothing in our Lord’s character… [that] could be employed as a natural fulcrum by which Satan could lever his way into Jesus’ life. Jesus could say ‘Satan has no hold on me.’ But for us, there is still in the Christian, a base of operations from which Satan is able to work.”
[tweet_box design=”default”]Sin is not your master, but it will always be your enemy.[/tweet_box]
The flesh provides a “landing place” for sin. As long as you are in the body, you will experience the struggle (one that every Christian knows) with temptation. Sin is not your master, but it will always be your enemy. When Christ comes into your life, he overthrows sin’s rule, but he does not eradicate sin’s presence in this lifetime.
Think about the difference between Teflon™ and Velcro™. Teflon is a non-stick surface – you fry your eggs and they slide off beautifully. But stuff sticks to Velcro – you have to pry it off. Sin is like Velcro – it sticks to the flesh. The flesh provides a landing place for sin in your life. Sin is the enemy with which you will always have to contend.
How have you thought about your own ability to deal with sin and temptation? Have you thought of yourself more like Teflon or Velcro? What difference does it make?
