Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.
1 Corinthians 10:12
There is no vaccine that protects you against sexual temptation. There are no treatments you can take, no courses you can complete, no self-help groups you can join, that will prevent you from being tempted to look at pornography or to masturbate. You may find ways to reduce your symptoms, but you will always have the disease of sexual immorality lurking about your body.
This is the sad but true reality for Christian men. No matter how sanctified we become, no matter how close we draw to the Lord, we are still vulnerable to sexual temptation. I am not saying that we will be tempted, or that we will fall when tempted. I am simply saying that healthy progress along the path of sexual purity does not cure us of temptation.
This is partly what Paul is referring to when he tells the believers in Corinth to beware if they think they can’t be tempted. “Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall,” warns Paul. In other words, let the one who thinks he stands firm, immune to temptation, being overconfident and self-righteous, take care that he does not fall into sin and condemnation (Amplified Bible).
Paul refers back to the children of Israel, and how they sinned while wandering in the wilderness. He warns the believers in Corinth, and you and me today, to not follow their example. They lusted after evil things, they became idolaters, they committed sexual immorality, they tempted Christ, they complained.
All these things are examples to us, says Paul, that we should not do the same. And not only that, but we should also not think that our halo is arriving today by FedEx. We should not think that we stand immune to temptation. We should not be overconfident or self-righteous. No matter how much victory we have against the flesh, no matter how many days of so-called sobriety we have under our belts, no matter how many medallions we have collected at our 12-step recovery meeting, we must be prepared to face temptation. We are not immune. Victory comes with humility.
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