Our hearts are deceitful and desperately wicked (Jer. 17.9); the law of sin that lingers in our souls is powerful as well (Rom. 7.21-23). We are at all times susceptible to temptation which, if we fail to recognize or resist it, can become a trap door to sin.

We may be tempted to turn away from the Lord by those who are dear to us. They may not be as overt in their invitation to sin as is indicated by our text here, but any suggestion, be it ever so subtle, that we should trust in anything other than the Lord, or give anyone or anything the worship due to Him alone must be resisted and the tempter rebuffed. We’re not going to reach for stones to punish our loved ones. We live in the age of the Spirit and of grace, where such penalties are mitigated by the longsuffering of God and the workings of divine forbearance. But we must rebuke those who tempt us in this way – or any way – so that they may turn from their sin and remain faithful to the Lord.

T. M. Moore

The Law of God is the soil which, fertilized by the rest of God’s Word and watered by His Spirit, brings forth the fruit of Christian life. If you’d like to understand this process better, and how to make best use of the Law in your walk with and work for the Lord, order the book, The Ground for Christian Ethics, from our online store.

Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.