Trying to hem sin in by building fences, making rules and forbidding behavior won’t do the job.
We need “the expulsive power of a new affection,” as Thomas Chalmers said. We need something more beautiful and desirable than the sin that’s tempting us. We need a delight that’s more delightful than the empty delights promised by sin. We need the beautiful one, Jesus, to fill our eyes.
In Greek mythology, the Sirens would sing enchanting songs, drawing sailors irresistibly toward the rocks and certain shipwreck. Odysseus filled his crew’s ears with wax and had them tie him to the mast. This is like the approach of legalism. We bind ourselves up with laws and disciplines in a vain attempt to resist temptation. Orpheus, on the other hand, played such beautiful music on his harp that his sailors ignored the seductions of the Sirens’ song. This is the way of faith. The grace of the gospel sings a far more glorious song than the enticements of sin, if only we have the faith to hear its music. – Tim Chester, You Can Change
If all we focus on is trying not to sin, it won’t work. Turn your gaze on Jesus. Ask him to show you his glory. When you’re tempted, draw near your great high priest and ask him to fill you with delight in him. Sin won’t satisfy, though it whispers it will. Jesus, the glorious one, the fountain of delights will satisfy you.
Remember, “the grace of the gospel sings a far more glorious song than the enticements of sin, if only we have the faith to hear its music.”
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Nice analogy Mark. Something that the Lord has graced me with is the consistent prayer for God to provide me opportunities to hear His "gospel song" and provide safe passage around the sirens songs of temptation.
On another note: The picture above reminds me of how I endure those times when I let my youngest daughter control the car audio.
That's really funny, Barry! I bet you're a great dad.
My pastor used that some comparison yesterday. What a profound contrast, and so helpful!
Your pastor must be reading the same book I am…
Thanks for posting, Mark. I understand the point you're trying to make, and I love the part about the song of the gospel of grace being better – it’s so true! — but I’m wondering: does it have to be either/or? Is there no benefit to external controls? Do they always denote legalism? Consider the example of a man who struggles with lust who just tries to keep thinking about Jesus but does nothing (by way of external safeguards) to keep sexual images from his eyes, because to do so would be legalism. Would it really? I don't think we can say categorically that a certain action "is like the approach of legalism." Legalism is a condition of the heart. I think we can say that an action may be done out of a legalistic heart, but not that an action IS legalistic.
I recently came across the etymology of the word "siren," and of course the story of Odysseus was part of the explanation. I admit that I thought it was cool that he did what he did. Could it be that it wasn't legalism at all, but prudence? He knew his frame and his heart's capacity for being led astray and took strict measures to avoid temptation. ("Strict" does not necessarily mean "legalistic.") Are Christians not to do the same? Certainly to take these measures in one's own strength, without the context of the gospel of grace and the power of the Holy Spirit, could be legalism. But I don't think that all external measures taken to avoid sin (for example, refusing delivery of the S.I. swimsuit issue, having an accountability partner, not keeping problematic food or drink in the house) are necessarily indicative of legalism. What about Paul’s warning Timothy to flee youthful lusts, or the Proverbs that say not to look upon the wine in the glass or that tell us that a wise man sees trouble ahead and prepares for it? (Seems to me that that’s what Odysseus was doing.)
Tim Chester's use of the words "laws" and "disciplines" in the same sentence troubles me. The "spiritual disciplines" are certainly a good thing. Can we really say that "bind[ing] ourselves with disciplines" is "a vain attempt to resist temptaton"? Sounds like good protection to me. Again, I'm not saying there aren't some good points here, and certainly we do need “the beautiful One, Jesus, to fill our eyes.” But I think it’s a false dichotomy to make resisting temptation an either/or. I believe scripture teaches that it’s a both/and.
Great points, Lisa. I agree, we should "flee temptation," and take any steps necessary in our fight against it, like having accountability partners, blocking stuff on the internet, avoiding tempting situations. I think Tim Chester's point was that trying to do these things ALONE won't stop us from sinning. The Pharisees were disciplined, but had no heart for God. He wasn't satisfying or delightful to them. I know of teens whose parents put all kinds of restrictions on them, built every fence known to man, and the teen still found ways to get around these and sin, because they had no heart to obey.
When Jesus is our satisfaction and we are saved and his Spirit and grace are at work in our lives, we will hate sin and want to flee from it. He changes our hearts and then tells us in light of who we are in him, flee temptation, put sin to death, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness, etc.
All this seems to be what you're saying. The problem with blog posts is at times because of their brevity you can't hit every nuance of a subject. I probably could have done a better job though and included some of this. So thank you adding to the post – great points.