There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil. Job 1:1

Someone once suggested that when many Christians flee from evil, they leave a forwarding address. They may not want to be immersed in sin, but they do want to stay in touch.

Job, on the other hand, was blameless and upright. How could he maintain such a spotless reputation? Because he did more than fear God; he also shunned evil. The word translated “shunned” can mean “to rebel” or “to revolt.” You could say that Job found sin revolting.

It was certainly not because he couldn’t afford all the pleasures that lead to sin; Job was one of the wealthiest men of his time (Job 1:3). Nor did he live in some backwater village. The land of Uz was highly populated and had several kings or “sheiks” (Jer. 25:20). But Job had an attitude toward sin that left it no chance to get a toehold in his life. This man didn’t simply avoid sin; he ran from it. And he gave no opportunity for it to contact him later.

It’s not enough for Christians to avoid the sins they find attractive but stay in the vicinity where they can be found. Under those circumstances, you can be sure that you and your sin ultimately will get back together again. The only wise solution for those who want to live blameless and upright lives is to separate themselves far enough from enticing sin that no contact can take place.

If you’ve put a sin behind you, put everything associated with that sin behind you as well. If it’s pornography, don’t simply store your magazines out in the garage. Destroy them. If it’s alcohol, don’t leave a bottle in the house. Pour it down the drain. If it’s gossip, cut your “grapevine.” Don’t attend those functions that degenerate into gossip sessions. You can do more than just refuse to participate; you can put some space between you and your temptation.

FLEE SIN AND BURN THE BRIDGES BEHIND YOU.

WOODROW KROLL
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