How Do I Flee Sin?

How Do I Flee Sin?

This past Sunday, I preached on 1 Timothy 6:11-12. In v. 11, Paul commands Timothy to flee the sins that the false teachers were known for.

But fleeing sin can be difficult to picture because how do you flee “the love of money” for example? How do you flee “foolish and harmful desires”? Those are internal realities.

So, can we put some practical meat on the bones? Let’s try to do that.

 Here are some practical measures to help us flee our sins. . . .  

1)    You need to stop your sin and resist it with all your might.

If you’re pursuing sin, at some point, you just have to stop. If you claim to know Christ, you can’t keep sinning without interruption. You have to resist it. So, is that fight in you? That’s a mark of a true believer.

2)    Regularly read God’s word and pray for God’s help.

Scripture teaches, reproves, corrects, and trains you in righteousness so that you’re equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17). But it’s not just mindless reading. You have to treasure up God’s word as precious jewels in your heart (Psalm 119:11).

There’s no substitute for the private worship of Christ to help you grow.

Also, ask God not to lead you into temptation (Matthew 6:13). This will often mean praying quick, short prayers in the heat of temptation.  

Along with word and prayer, consider memorizing Scripture, listening to praise music, listening to sermons, and reading good Christian books.

3)    Rehearse specific Gospel-truths that tie into your sin.

In 1 Corinthians 6:12-20, Paul writes about sexual immorality. This passage is driven by the phrase, “do you not know.” This means you have to think about and believe certain truths related to your particular sin.

Regarding immorality, here are the gospel-truths Paul reminds us of:

• Your body is a member of Christ. You’re united with Him. So, whatever you do with your body, you’re bringing Christ into that act! (6:15-16)

• Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who lives inside you. So, your body is not your own (Cor 6:19).

• Your body was “bought with a price,” the blood of Christ. Therefore, you ought to “glorify God in your body” (6:20).

Notice how minding gospel-truths helps you flee from sexual immorality and run to sexual purity.

4)    Share the burden with another believer.

Sin loves to hide in the darkness where it can grow strong without surveillance and interference. Starve it by bringing it to the light. Ask someone help you in the battle. 

5)    Stay away, if at all possible, from tempting situations that make it hard for you to flee sin.

For example, if I’m controlled by envy or discontentment, I might stop going to the mall or Amazon for a time. Because maybe I’m tempted to sin by overspending or being consumed with thinking about what I don’t have and what I want.

Or, if immorality is a major struggle, consider deleting social media accounts if that enflames your sin. Look into getting accountability software on your devices so that someone else knows what you’re looking at. Don’t watch anything or browse at night while your spouse sleeps.

If you’re single and live alone, that last step is harder. So, you may have to take drastic measures if you’re struggling with lust.

*Now, please be careful with this step! If you work remotely, I’m not saying you have to quit your job and do something that doesn’t require a screen. It also doesn’t mean you can never browse, window-shop, or watch TV. Or that if you fail one time by window-shopping, you are sinning.

The measures suggested in this step are often temporary. But for some, they may have to be permanent. Each person’s conscience and vulnerability to sin are unique. 

6)    Fifth, spend time with others in fellowship, especially corporate worship.

Fleeing sin is an individual call. But every believer is a part of the body of Christ. You cannot grow in isolation. So, you can’t fight sin in isolation.

Fleeing sin is immeasurably aided by other believers. One of the ways it’s helped is through corporate worship – as we gather together to sing, pray, and hear God’s word. God uses that time to uniquely stimulate us to hate sin and love Him more.

So, here are the practical measures summarized:

1)    Stop, avoid, and resist your sin.  

2)    Regularly read and treasure God’s word and pray for God’s help.

3)    Rehearse gospel-truths tied to your sin. Remember how Paul does this with immorality in 1 Cor 6.

4)    Bring another person into your fight against this sin.

5)    Avoid, if at all possible, externally tempting situations for a time. Give yourself some space so that you can engage in the fight against sin afresh.

6)    Fellowship and worship with others.

By God’s grace, we can flee sin and pursue Christlikeness. We have new hearts, the indwelling Spirit, and His word as power-sources to fight the good fight of faith.