As children, my boys were adept at providing an excuse for why they had done wrong. While to an adult the reasoning was sometimes comical, it was always obvious they knew better. The same is true for us as Christians. We love to use the term "peer pressure" to justify our actions. But Jesus knows our heart and he knows better. We may try to convince ourselves but we know that the Spirit convicts us of our actions.
Solomon directs us to refuse. Not try to reason or justify our actions, simply refuse. In chapter 4, James provides us strict warnings regarding our attempts to please our worldly desires while trying to be a Christian. The key verse is James 4:7, "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." Both verses require action from us; refuse and resist. We can not remain true to Christ in a passive mode.
Don't expect the heavens to open and angels to sing every time we resist temptation. Look at Joseph in Genesis 39 - he resisted temptation by his master's wife. An admirable thing to do but more importantly he knew he would sin if he submitted to the temptation. And the reward for his resistance? Being thrown in prison. He had risen to being the overseer of all that his master owned to being thrown in prison. What a reward for doing the right thing! But look closely at Genesis 39:21-22. "But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him mercy and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison. " What a blessing to know that the Lord will be with us and show us mercy when we resist the sins of this world.
And we know how the story goes - Joseph moves onward and upward to be over all of Egypt. Quite a lofty change from being over a household, as a slave. Jesus has great plans for us as well. We need to demonstrate our commitment to him and he will reward our actions in due time.
