My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. (Prov. 1:10)


I really love short phrases in the Bible that are easy to remember right in the moment of temptation. This phrase–”Consent thou not”–is one such phrase.

Professing Christians sometimes tell me that they can’t stop sinning against the Lord, and they are continually in a cycle of backsliding. Often they have wicked friends they refuse to stop spending time with. Because they spend time with these friends, they are influenced to do this or that. After all, refusing to do this or that might get them labeled a “holier-than-thou”! Besides, what’s wrong with having a couple of drinks? What’s wrong with listening to a secular radio station? What’s wrong with a little “harmless” flirting with a worldly person of the opposite sex? What’s wrong with this movie that takes God’s name in vain?–after all it has some good morals in it!

As Christians, we shouldn’t be asking, “What’s wrong with…” but rather “What’s RIGHT with this?”…”Will this help me to be closer to God?”…”Will this help my neighbor to be holier?” If the answer isn’t a clear YES, the truly wise man will reject the activity rather than risk hurting his relationship with God, or stumbling his neighbor. If you are seeking to justify questionable activities, rather than actively pursuing activities that are unquestionably pure, you have a divided heart.

Professing Christian, you must work out your own salvation with FEAR and TREMBLING (Phil. 2:12). This is no game. The Lord is testing your heart and your mind (Psa. 7:9) to see if you love Him more than your life on this earth, including your friends and your fleshly desires. If you love the world or the things in the world, the love of God is not in you (I Jn. 2:15), but you have become an enemy of God (James 4:4).

You certainly CAN stop sinning–for you can do ALL THINGS through Christ who strengthens you–and you MUST separate from those who are stumbling you. Come out from among such people and STOP touching unclean things, and THEN God will receive you and be a father to you! (2 Cor. 6:17-18) If you think you are accepted while you continue to choose the vile over the good, you are deceived. You are not tempted more than any other person, and God is faithful to not allow you to be tempted beyond your ability to withstand; He provides a way out of every temptation, but you must take that WAY (I Cor. 10:13)–you must choose the good and reject the evil.

Often the Way out of temptation is simply this: “If sinners entice thee, consent thou not.” You must say no to sin. You must, at times, say no to friends, family, & co-workers. You must make a covenant with God in your heart that you will not join sinners in their sin, and that you will separate from those who continually tempt you–”Make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.” (Rom. 13:14)

If your friend asks you to go to the bar for a few drinks, consent thou not.

If your friend asks you to look at a perverted web page, consent thou not.

If your friend wants you to laugh at a dirty joke, consent thou not.

If your friend wants you to cheat or lie, consent thou not.

If your friend wants you to stop living for Jesus in any way, shape, or form, consent thou not.

Who will be like a fruitful and green tree, bringing forth holy fruit in season? The man who “walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night.” (Psa. 1:1-2)

Remember–If sinners entice you, Consent Thou Not.

God bless you!

http://israeliteindeed./2011/06/02/consent-thou-not/

You also missed reading this one , Snowyy ,

Well done.