1 Corinthians 6:18 AMPC Amplified Bible, Classic Edition

Shun immorality and all sexual looseness [flee from impurity in thought, word, or deed]. Any other sin which a man commits is one outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.

Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)

Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation

1 Corinthians 6:18 English Standard Version (ESV)

Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.

There is a trap set for us by Satan in playing games with words. His version sounds like this; “You already thought it. Too late.” That is not what the verse says. It says flee. Lingering on these thoughts is like a festering wound. If gone untreated it becomes gangrenous.

1 John 1:8 English Standard Version (ESV) If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

We know what we are and we know our advocate. He fights for us not just on judgment day but He fights for us against every impure thing, thought, word or deed. If we do not believe that we are in danger of allowing sin to fester.

I had a wise elder tell me to go ahead and sin all I wanted. He knew the Holy Spirit was leading me and it turned out I didn’t want to sin. Sin I did, but I didn’t want it. We are human and it is the human condition to live in this world, in this body and in it there is the capacity to sin. Capacity is not the same thing as inclination. Incline to sin and correction will soon fallow.

I offered up the harsher AMPC version as it expands to areas we tend to overlook because it isn’t easy to control every thought.

Fleeing is easy.

2 Corinthians 10:12-13 English Standard Version (ESV)

¹² Not that we dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who are commending themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding. ¹³ But we will not boast beyond limits, but will boast only with regard to the area of influence God assigned to us, to reach even to you.

What do we know of the world outside of our limited travel? There is the travel channel. We can see foreign lands, sights and wonders. The animal channel allows us to see animals we might not ever see otherwise. Behaviors and social order is told to us from an observer’s point of view. It can be very entertaining, if that is your interest.

The comparing of social norms in entertainment gives the screenplay a sense of reality, even if it is wrong. In order to make money in that industry they have to compete with one another to draw the viewer into their realm of influence. Now we have television channels geared towards special interest such as cooking, travel, buying and selling of homes and jewelry.

When did influence turn into authority to tell you how to think? How did we stray so far from the word of God into a position of declaring sin to be acceptable? Sin is now glorified and simple murder isn’t entertaining enough, it has to become more violent. Video games glorify violence to the point that it has desensitized us to the point of acceptance.

What are our influences? Are they leading us to peace and harmony or to destruction?

It is not for me to politicize a devotional, only to warn readers to be careful about influences in our lives.

A Christian’s Godly behavior and language should influence those around us to inquire about this God we serve.

As a child my family was not a godly influence. God found others to influence me.

Now is our time to be influential.