Cedarville Magazine, Fall 2018

CHAPEL NOTES February 12–13 Andrew Peterson Musician, Songwriter, Author Nashville, Tennessee February 27 Andy Naselli Associate Professor of New Testament and Theology Bethlehem College & Seminary Minneapolis, Minnesota This morning in our time together, I want to draw several lessons from Proverbs 7 to help us avoid temptation. Number 1: Avoid sin. My Christian brothers and sisters, we’re bound twice over — once by God’s creating love and again by His redeeming love that we’ve known in Christ. We are conscience bound to resist the temptation to sin. Number 2: Avoid the temptation to listen to a defense of sin. “I perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. My husband’s not at home” (vv. 17, 19). Some pleasures are morally wrong. As Christians, our chief concern is not what pleases us but what pleases God. Number 3: Avoid passivity in the face of temptation. “She took hold of him and kissed him and with a brazen face she spoke to him” (v. 13). Jesus wasn’t passive when He was tempted by Satan. He quoted Scripture and He prayed. Flee. Involve others in your soul care. Do something. Number 4: Don’t ignore the attraction of temptation. Other people can have a powerful influence in your spiritual life. You want to find godly friends who know your life and will help you be more Christlike. This doesn’t mean you don’t have non-Christian friends, but make sure your Christian friends know about these relationships so they can honestly counsel you. Number 5: Avoid going toward temptation. There’s an increased gravitational pull the nearer you are to the attracting object. That’s why you and I should avoid going toward temptation. We don’t need to go test its strength. We should just go the other way. Train yourself to have other people around you. Watch being alone; let other people help you avoid a situation you may be struggling with — alcohol, pornography, greed, slander, coveting, sexual immorality, gambling. Number 6: Consider the end of temptation. Sin leads to death. Christ, who was God incarnate — truly God, truly man — died on the cross. He died as a substitute in the place of all of us who would turn from our sins and trust Him. Number 7: Embrace wisdom. “My son, keep my words and store up my commands within you. Guard my teachings as the apple of your eye” (vv. 1–2). To survive such temptations, we need wisdom. Paul called Christ the wisdom of God. He is the One that we are to embrace by faith. This is a world full of temptation, and you and I are to join the community of people who don’t go along quietly with it, but who object and work against it, who avoid temptation, and who embrace God’s wisdom, Jesus Christ. Repent of your sins; trust in Christ. Mark Dever is the Senior Pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., and the President of 9Marks. The Basics of Discipleship: Avoid Temptation The following is an excerpt from a November 7, 2018, chapel presentation by Mark Dever as part of the 9Marks Pastors Conference. Listen to his full remarks at cedarville.edu/chapel . Consider the end of temptation. Sin leads to death. Cedarville Magazine | 31