When to Flee Temptation and When to Stand Strong

The Big Wave: A Lesson on Fleeing Sin

As a child, I remember reading a small book by Pearl S. Buck called The Big Wave. In this tragic yet hopeful book, a small boy watches from a hill as his village and his entire family are swept away by a tsunami. For his family, there was nowhere to run, nowhere they could flee to. For them, all there was, was death. In the Bible, we are told many times to flee from sin. The result of not fleeing is often exactly what happened to this little boy's family—destruction, whether physical or spiritual.

Understanding the Biblical Call to Flee

The Greek word we translate as" flee" is used 31 times in the New Testament. It means to run away or escape, often from a terrible danger or evil. Since we are warned so many times, we know it is something we need to heed. It implies that we will actively avoid situations that could cause us spiritual harm or perhaps even destroy us. Not fleeing, staying still, will end in disaster.

Fleeing Sexual Immorality and Idolatry

One of the temptations we are told to flee from is sexual immorality (1 Corinthians 6:18). Think about it. We are not told to pray first; nor are we told to be strong or to quote Bible verses, we are told to run! In 2 Timothy 2:22, we are told to "flee youthful lusts." Is there any time when we are tempted as much to sin in this way as when we were young? 1 Corinthians 10:14 instructs us to flee idolatry. Anything that we put before God should be avoided. Both sexual immorality and idolatry were rampant then, just as they are now.

But we also flee from other things. These timeless warnings about idolatry remind us that the battle between sin and righteousness isn’t confined to ancient times. Today, even technological advances like artificial intelligence can lure us away from God if we're not careful.

Currently we face an unusual crossroads. The growth of artificial intelligence will be a society-changing event like no other human invention. It would not be difficult to understand how people could idolize knowledge in the form of AI. Instead of seeking God and His wisdom, many in our world will be tempted to simply ask AI. Be careful how you let yourself think about AI. Many people today who use it openly confess that they react to it as if it were alive. Artificial intelligence certainly offers benefits to our world, but remember, it is created by man—just as the Tower of Babel was built so long ago.

How do we flee idolatry when it isn't so obvious as bowing before the image of a false god? Hebrews 12:1-2 gives us an idea of how to do this. The author says this, in part, "let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus." We look to our Savior. 1 Corinthians 10:13 reminds us "But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it." Many times, sadly, we forget to watch for the way out that He has given us. The closer we are to Him, the wiser we will be in fleeing temptation.

Chasing Righteousness: Pursuing the Right Path

1 Timothy 6:11 explains that we should "flee these things." These things include useless disputes and the love of money. Instead, we should "pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness." The word pursue here in Greek means to chase after or to pursue eagerly. It's not just a simple desire or something nice to have, but something that we are actively working toward. So, whether we are fleeing evil or pursuing good, it is something we do fervently. But fleeing alone isn’t enough—we must be intentional about what we run toward.

Pursuing Love and Peace in Scripture

1 Corinthians 14:1 says we should pursue love. Just as we flee evil, we should also pursue love. Love is our most important goal: love of God and love of others. Romans 14:19 describes the importance of pursuing what fosters peace and mutual edification (building each other up). Paul tells us to run with endurance.

Resisting Evil: Standing Against the Devil

Interestingly, it isn't just Christians who are described as fleeing. In James 4:7, we are told to "resist the devil, and he will flee from you." The Greek word translated "resist" in this verse means to stand against, or oppose, your enemy. Again, these words imply action. We don't just dislike evil or the temptations of the devil; we stand up against him. We take up the whole armor of God to stand against him (Ephesians 6:13). Evil is not overcome by our power, but by God's (Ephesians 6:10-18).

Fleeing as an Act of Faith and Obedience

There will be a time for standing and fighting, and there will be a time to flee. It is not a lack of courage that will cause us to flee, but rather our obedience to the word of God. Some temptations are so great that our Lord's advice is to run for our lives. Sexual immorality is such a temptation. Just as Joseph fled from Potiphar's wife's advances, leaving his shirt behind, so we should not toy with serious sexual temptation.

Real-Life Consequences of Not Fleeing Temptation

I heard a story about a young woman in an unhappy marriage who got her dream job. She loved going to work and found her new boss to be very kind and fascinating. As time went on, the boss began to make advances which she initially shunned; however, over a long period of time she was worn down by them and eventually had an affair. What she should have done was to flee! But especially being young, she didn't see that as a viable option. She let herself believe that she was strong enough in her faith to resist the temptation. Sadly, there was a heavy price to pay for not fleeing.

Reflecting on Personal Idolatry and Temptation

What situation have you found yourself in that you should have fled? Has idolatry taken over your life? Should you have removed yourself from its temptation? It may be something as simple as refusing to join friends for a palm reading. It might mean not attending services of other religions and honoring their "gods." It could mean making Sunday's off limits for anything that doesn't honor God.

Confronting Modern Idols: Money and Power

We might realize that money has become our god because gaining it has become more important to us than anything else. Have we heaped up treasure only for ourselves? Do we withhold giving to the Lord? Do we work seven days a week and ignore the Lord's house on Sunday?

Or do we idolize power? Is being in charge and telling others what to do so important to us that, if we aren't in charge, we feel life is just not giving us what we deserve? Do we push and shove our way into positions where not only are we more powerful, but we also receive much more recognition and honor? Have we forgotten that God honors humility above all?

Rethinking Priorities: Family, Fame, and False Idols

Our idols can include sports teams, drugs, and even our own children. When something comes before God, we need to flee from it. Do we abandon our family? Of course not. We treat them with love and respect, but perhaps we reorder our priorities, while not neglecting our responsibilities, and simply realize they are not perfect. Perhaps we take them off of the pedestal we have placed them on.

The Urgency to Flee: Acting on Instinct in Danger

So, is it easy to flee? Not always. But when we are in imminent danger, we don't think—we just act. We recognize danger and don't just stand frozen like a "deer in the headlights," as the saying goes. We see the tsunami coming, and we don't analyze how many minutes we have until it is upon us. We run! We flee sin in the same way. Fleeing from sin is necessary, but there are also times when we’re called to stand firm.

The Challenge of Standing: Embracing Spiritual Warfare

Is it easy to stand? Also, not always. Standing requires the armor of God. It requires putting our faith and trust in Him alone. Standing requires obedience. Often, standing requires suffering and sacrifice.

In Daniel 3:16-28, we read the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Only these three stood and refused to bow to the image of the king. For this they were thrown into a fiery furnace. Thanks to God's intervention, they were spared death. But they had been willing to stand, even if it meant death.