Temptation is terrible because there is always a chance of falling for it and therefore sin against God. It is possible to sin and not offend anyone else but God. Therefore, the one who matters most is He who has a Heaven and power to condemn souls into hell (Matthew 10:28). This line found in Matthew 6:13 ‘Lead us not into temptation...’ comes from Jesus’ teaching on prayer. Jesus knew the power that comes with temptation and the potential it has on alienating one from God. Thus temptation is undesirable by all means.
If for any reason (which will never be acceptable to God) you fall into sin, you cause pain to God and in the process you create a spiritual wall that you will have to deal with in restoring your life to God. The Bible teaches us that God cannot behold sin even if it is the smallest in human terms (Habakkuk 1:13). To undo some of the sins you have committed you will have to do some or all of the following:
Restitute your ways – Jesus teaches about restitution. Repentance is towards God but restitution is towards your fellow man. Restitution is as important as repentance is. Let me make an example of a project meeting where someone is absent and you have issues of poor performance with that person. The temptation would be to unveil all inefficiencies you have suffered from this person without even providing evidence. If for any reason you go ahead and unveil these inefficiencies, you will have to confront the person and confess everything you said in the meeting about him or her. If you don’t, you are a gossiper.
Confess and ask for forgiveness from other people – Confessing and asking for forgiveness goes together. When you sin, you may have to confront the person or even groups of people that you have offended by your actions. For example, a pastor who happens to embezzle church funds would have to confess and ask for forgiveness from the congregation. Never make the mistake of leaving out some stakeholders or affected members when you do your confession and forgiveness. If it calls for making a public notice, go ahead and do so because it is better for you to gain favour with God than with men. Seek God’s guidance and help as you go through the process because some people may react and worsen the situation.
Forgo / sacrifice some favours or benefits – In some cases, an offence you make may restrict you from enjoying some favours you had before. In some churches, a pastor who had had extra marital affairs could be banned from all church activities for a certain period of time.
These are just some of the things that you would have to go through to restore your relationship with God. Surely it should be our prayer not to be exposed to temptation in every move we make. We must acknowledge God in all our ways (Proverbs 3:6). In the New Covenant arrangement, God has written His laws in our hearts and we can call on Him at any time for quick reference or guidance.
Sadly, some people never rise up after falling into sin. Many have died in their sins when they were God’s faithful servants in the past. This is a pain to the Lord Jesus Christ. He suffered so much to save us from hell but He cant help if people willingly go against His will. Do not be counted on those that will neglect such great salvation. These are people that will not escape God’s wrath at the end of it all.
Be blessed.
Facebook
Youtube