In the book Sir Knight of the Splendid Way, a sort of Pilgrim's Progress, the knight, Sir Constance, on his way to City
Splendid, finds himself fighting against his greatest enemy, the Black Knight, inside of castle
Joyous. Finally after a long and bloody sword fight in the great hall, with
members of both sides watching, the great enemy, the Black Knight, falls to the
ground, about to slay him, Sir Constance takes of his foe’s helmet, and looks into
his own face.
…
As the gun is not the cause of death, but rather the
depravity of man, so is the body not the cause of lust, but rather the sin in
the heart of the one who gazes. Anger is not something directly caused by
circumstance, but rather by our own sinfulness. If most causes for anger were
examined, the idea of becoming angry over such a thing would be so ludicrous as
to be laughed at.
Sin is found in the heart of mankind. The grape is not evil,
nor is money, intoxication with one or the making of the other an idol is. The
internet is not the problem, what it is used for is. The enemy is ultimately
ourselves. We cannot reform the world without first being ourselves cleansed.
We cannot battle the enemy until we have first brought ourselves under
subjection through the power of Christ.
First Corinthians 9:24-27 Know
ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So
run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is
temperate in all things. Now they do
it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore
so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I
keep under my body, and bring it
into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I
myself should be a castaway.
Through His Strength We Will Conquer,
Andrew C. Abbott
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