“Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden?’”(Genesis 3:1 ESV)
Not everything that is fun is sinful, but most everything that is sinful is fun, interesting, or exciting--or else, we wouldn’t be tempted by it. Young people are notorious for making poor decisions, especially when they are influenced by peer pressure. Thus, many parents teach teenagers to ask the following question before they make choices: Is what I’m about to do immoral, dangerous, or stupid?
Evil has not changed much since the story of Adam and Eve. It still uses the same techniques of deception, confusion, and manipulation. Many of us continue to give in to temptation, even when we are old enough to know better. The serpent still whispers the same question, only the vocabulary might be different: “Is it actually THAT bad? Isn’t morality subjective? Isn’t danger relative? Don’t be so uptight and boring. Lighten up and have some fun!”
“He that will play with Satan’s bait, will quickly be taken with Satan’s hook.” (Thomas Brook)
Many of us imagine that we can nibble at the edges of the bait and still remain safe from the hook. Resisting evil requires us to be alert and aware. We have to acknowledge our weaknesses and avoid situations that lead us to make poor choices. Do not rely on your intelligence to save you, for it is useless against temptation. We have all seen very smart people who fall for evil schemes. The Predator is cunning. Ask God for spiritual discernment and protection. Pray that you do not fall prey to evil.
“Don't let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.” (Matthew 6:13 NLT)
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