Take the three vices discussed earlier:
1. Anger.
2. Anxiety
3. Adultery
Each of these have specific causes. And as Jesus said,
"If your right eye CAUSES you to sin, pluck it out and cast it away from you."
"If your right hand CAUSES you to sin, cut it off and throw it away."
Jesus also taught his disciples to pray,
"Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."
Again, on the night Jesus was betrayed, He told his followers, "Pray that you do not enter temptation. Your spirits are willing, but your flesh is weak."
Therefore, the first and foremost escape from temptations is to avoid THE CAUSES OF TEMPTATION!
Every temptation has a cause, a series of cause and effect relationships.
For example, the apostle Paul said, "Flee sexual immorality."
Solomon says similar things:
"Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evil men.
Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way."
"Keep to a path far from her (the adulteress),do not go near the door of her house..."
"Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, and after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed with me!”
And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her."
In each of these verses, this truth is displayed:
Stay away from everything that causes temptation!
Do not go near them!
Avoid them!
This of course implies:1. Every temptation has a cause.
2. Every cause is known, or can be known.
3. Every cause can be avoided.
If the causes of temptation are removed ONCE AND FOR ALL from a person's life, then when Satan or a sinful person comes to tempt, they can easily and consistently be resisted, if not completely avoided.
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