We recently vacationed in a town with several extensive bridges over large bodies of water. I am one who is bothered by crossing bridges in a vehicle. Not necessarily a fear, but not exactly comfortable. However, after being in this town for a few days, traveling these bridges frequently, I began to acclimate. I no longer rolled down my window and prepared for the worst case scenario in my brain. Instead, I became somewhat more comfortable, although the thoughts still briefly crossed my mind.
When we left, I felt called to realize that we tend to do this with sin.
Once our eyes are opened to sin (being well aware of what Scripture proclaims as sinful and answering the call to repentance), we can choose to prepare ourselves—avoiding those sinful behaviors by creating boundaries. Sin bothers us, and we take necessary precautions. However, some individuals are so conditioned to a sin that it becomes comfortable. They may not even see it as a danger, and they fail to realize an immediate need to act (one reason why it is crucial to bring sin to light for others in love – Ephesians 5:11; Acts 26:17b-18). Or, other individuals may realize the sin, but through compromise—little-by-little—they acclimate to a particular sin and don’t comprehend how ensnared they have become.
Don’t allow sin to become the norm. Read and study Scripture, staying in His Word constantly. Pray, communicating with the Father openly and frequently. Walk by the Spirit, not the flesh, by setting boundaries and sticking to them. If you find your sin is in a bottle, set the boundary to never put yourself in any situation involving alcohol. If you find your sin is in pornography, set the boundary to limit screen time for yourself, cutting off all devices after a certain time or when you are alone (maybe to the point of canceling streaming accounts or the like). If you find your sin is in the words dripping from your lips, set the boundary to maintain silence if someone begins to provoke. If necessary, walk away altogether, and be honest with others when gossip ensues, letting them know you cannot be part of it. These are just a few examples.
There are many struggles out there in which boundaries can offer proactive help. May you remain steadfast in Christ, in His Word, and living by the Spirit.
“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”
Romans 6:12-23
“Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification. For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”
“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”
References
All Scripture (unless otherwise noted): English Standard Version Bible. 2021. BibleHub.com and
English Standard Version Bible. 2016. Crossway