“You are going to love me; you have no choice in the matter. You’re going to like me; you have no choice. We are going to be friends; you have no choice.” Sound fair? Would any of that be real love or friendship? No, because there was no choice in the matter. Choice means freedom. C.S. Lewis said that the only way for real love to actually exist is by choice. God, in His infinite wisdom, knew this from the beginning. That’s why the snake was allowed to tempt Eve—there had to be choice involved so that there could be real love between mankind and God. The catch-22 with choice is that there are two options to choose from, in our case: sin or God. We have sin in this world and we have an Enemy who wants to see us fall. Satan wants us to choose our sinful nature. God wants us to choose the nature of the Holy Spirit, and God has not left us to our own devices in this struggle. God is faithful.

“The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)

First of all, you are not alone in your temptations. Satan wants you to think you’re alone or disgusting or that no one could understand what you are going through because no one is tempted like you are. Satan is the father of lies. The temptations you face are no different than what others experience. Secondly, God will not allow the temptation you face to be more than you can stand. This is both an encouraging and convicting verse. It’s encouraging in that we know that God is with us, He’s equipped us to face the temptation, God’s in control. It’s convicting because all those times we have given in to temptation, it was all on us, it was all our choice. We have a choice in this life: follow Jesus or don’t. There is no middle ground in that. In fact, those who are in the middle about following Jesus, those who are not hot or cold—they disgust Jesus.

“‘I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!’” (Revelation 3:15-16)

Don’t hang out in the middle. Don’t be lukewarm about your faith or walk with Jesus. It’s all or nothing for Jesus and the ones who fall in the middle will be spit out.

“Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?” (Romans 6:1-2)

“We know that God’s children do not make a practice of sinning, for God’s Son holds them securely, and the evil one cannot touch them.” (1 John 5:18)

“The time is coming when everything that is covered up will be revealed, and all that is secret will be made known to all.” (Luke 12:2)

“Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear.” (Philippians 2:12b)

“When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.” (Galatians 5:19-21)

“We know that God’s children do not make a practice of sinning, for God’s Son holds them securely, and the evil one cannot touch them.” (1 John 5:18)

“Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.” (Galatians 5:24-25)

“Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God.” (Matthew 3:8)

So what choice will you make? It’s not a one and done thing. Once you make the choice to follow Christ, you’ll have the Enemy attacking harder and harder, longing for you to choose your sinful nature. Prove by the way you live that you choose God. Work hard to show that you choose God. Every day when you wake up, choose whom you will serve. When the temptation comes, remember that God is faithful, the temptation is no different than what others face, God will not let it be more than you can stand, and He will provide a way out. Take a breath, make your choice, because it all comes back to choice.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.