Do Not Sin
“We shall not find any ground for complaint against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God” (Daniel 6.5) Oh, let this be said of me! (Daniel 6.4) The Persian officials had “sought to find a ground for complaint against Daniel… but they could find no ground for complaint or any fault…”
Thankfully, the why is included to tell us what allowed for Daniel to have such success: “because he was faithful, and no error or fault was found in him.” What can we learn here? IT CAN BE DONE! Quickly quote Romans 3.23- “all have sinned…” and let me point out that “have sinned” is not the same as “continue to sin”. 1 John 2.1 says that the things written are given to us so that we “may not sin” and continues to explain forgiveness for the exception (times when sin is committed). We do not have to sin, nor should we continue to! Romans 3.23 is not written to train us to think that sin is normal or going to happen whether we want it to or not.
Peter warns us in this way: “Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage ware against your soul. Keep you conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.” (1 Peter 2.11-12) We know that our adversary prowls around inviting us to sin and we are told to RESIST (1 Peter 5.8-9). James 4.7 does not say that we will lose to some invitations to sin, it says “Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” 1 Corinthians 10.13 tells us that with EVERY temptation God will provide a way of escape!
Truthfully, sometimes we are just not willing to escape. What a sad statement. But some temptations are more difficult to overcome than others. We are told, “in your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood”, indicating some temptations are harder than others. You may fall to temptation but consider what it means to STRUGGLE against the things that tempt you. Do not lazily quote Romans 3.23 as an excuse, my brother. STRUGGLE faithfully, that there be no grounds for anyone to complain against you without finding fault with your God.