My Weblog: The Gospel Preacher.

In John 13:2, it is written, " 2 And supper being ended, ^a the devil having ¹ now put into the heart of Judas Is-car´-i-ot, Simon's son, to betray him. "  The apostle Paul ( see Ephesians 1:1 ) has warned us ( see 3:1 and 4:1, for example ) about the devil, for in 4:27, it is written, " 27 ^aNeither give ¹ place to the devil. "  The equivalent translation for the word " ¹ place " is the phrase " ¹an opportunity. "¹

Verse twenty-seven has a cross-reference to Romans 12:19, which reads as follows, namely: " 19 Dearly beloved, ^aavenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, ^bVENGEANCE IS MINE; I WILL REPAY, saith the Lord. "  This means that, as Christians, we must give the Lord an opportunity to do His will, and not the devil.  In James 4:7, it is written, " 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God.  ^aResist the devil, and he will flee from you. "

The writer of the book of Hebrews warns us concerning the spiritual condition of our heart, for in 3:12, it is written, " 12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. "  God says that we have an evil heart if we desire to depart from Him.  In Ecclesiastes 12:13, it is written, " 13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: ^aFear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. "

Jesus ( see John 14:9 ) said in verse fifteen, " 15 ^aIf ye love me, keep my commandments. "  Since Jesus' word is God's word ( see John, chapter 8 ( especially verse 26, for example ), for example ), when we keep the commandments of Jesus, we are keeping God's commandments.  In 1 John 5:3, it is written, " 3 ^aFor this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and ^bhis commandments are not ¹ grievous. "

Since God's commandments are not grievous, there should be no hindrance to performing them.  Our own will hinders us from doing God's will, for in Genesis 3:6, it is written ( please read all of chapters two and three to get the immediate context ), " 6 And when the woman ^asaw that the tree was good for food, and that it was ¹ pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, ^band did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. "  Thus, near the beginning of the gospel message ( see also Acts 15:1-21 ( especially verse 7, for example ) and Ephesians 1:1-14 ( especially verse 13, for example ), for example ), we see that our own will is sin.

The temptation to commit sin is the root of the problem.  In James 1:13-15, it is written, " 13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 14 but every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own ¹ lust, and enticed.  15 Then ^awhen ¹ lust hath conceived, it ²bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is ³finished, ^bbringeth forth death. "  If there were not lust or desires and enticement to commit sin, then there would be no sin.

This world is full of opportunities for us to experience desire and enticement to do, say, or think something contrary to God's will ( see Matthew 7:21-27; 15:1-20 ( especially verse 19, for example ); and James 1:22, for example ).  In 1 John 2:15, 16, it is written, " 15 ^aLove not the world, neither the things that are in the world.  ^bIf any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, ^aand the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. "  In Romans 6:11, it is written ( please read all of this chapter to get the immediate context ), " 11 Likewise ¹ reckon ye also yourselves to be ^adead indeed unto sin, but ^balive unto God ²through Jesus Christ our Lord. "

Scriptural baptism is the primary solution to the problem of sin ( see also Luke 13:3, for example ).  Such baptism enables us to be free from our past sins ( see Romans 3:21-31 ( especially verse 25, for example ) and Revelation 1:1-8 ( especially verses 4-6, for example ), for example ), while also providing a means for forgivess of sins committed after baptism ( see Acts 8:1-25 ( especially verse 22, for example ), for example ).  The goal is to resist the devil and be dead to sin.  Please study the Holy Bible. 🕮

1. The Holy Bible: containing the Old and New Testaments, King James Version, REFERENCE EDITION, center-column references, translation notes, concordance, and maps, Words of Christ in Red, THOMAS NELSON PUBLISHERS, Nashville, Copyright © 1989 Thomas Nelson, Inc., pp. v, 979.