Isaiah 25:15 Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:

No way does this apply to me. How about you? Does this apply to you? For those who are in Christ I suspect you would agree with me, no way!

Let us look at it from a worldly perspective. They say exactly the same thing about us.  They tell us we are cast under a spell of delusion. We are delusional. We refuse to accept the truth. We are the ones hiding from reality.

So what is the difference between us and them?

Those on the path to destruction are being told, you’re good, keep it up, this is so satisfying. Every path gets you there.

We who know Christ are told you messed up there. You should know better. Do it again until you get it right. Stop it. Don’t go there. Here let me show you a better way.

He who is Truth doesn’t sugarcoat it. We are only encourages when we do right. The rest of the time we are trained up in the Way we should go. Training means discipline, the root word for discipleship.

Matthew 7:13-14 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Few find it. Being in the majority does not make you right. That is a lie they want you to believe.

James 1:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

Another way of saying this is that you will never suffer temptation over things which you do not like. We have all had sin in our lives. We did some of it because it pleased our flesh. Lust and enticement come via experience. Your experiences of a past life do not expire.

I’ve chosen a new path, I desire to follow in the Way. That Way takes me through the enemies territory for it is only there that sinners can be found. At every turn I see the sins of my memories being acted out by others.

A man offers me marijuana. The mere smell of it turns my stomach. In days past it would have been nothing to accept but now it does not tempt me. Then there are other sins which do not repulse me. What do I do about those offers?

1 Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

God has said I can resist. In the case of the joint I was not able to resist so God changed me so as I would not be tempted, I do not have that desire any longer. In other cases where desire of the flesh has not escaped me, God says I am able to resist on my own. When confronted there is something within me that makes it possible resist temptation. All I have to do is find that part of me.

1 Corinthians 13:5-7 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

The love of Christ compels me to resist.