Making Provisions

      This past Wednesday, my family and I took a trip to Chattanooga. However, we didn’t simply hop in the car and go. Rather, we washed and packed clothes. We went to the store and bought food. We gassed up the car. We called ahead to make sure our family knew when we were coming. None of these actions were actually going on the trip; they were all making provisions for the trip.

      Consider Romans 13:14. “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh to gratify its desires.” This means there are some activities that may not be the sin itself but make provision for the sin and must be avoided.

      For instance, I think about my teenage unmarried years. Was it a sin to be in a closed-door bedroom with my girlfriend alone? I doubt I could argue very strongly that it was on its own merits. However, what business do unmarried people have in a bedroom? None. That was nothing more than making provisions for the lusts of the flesh.

      Paul’s point is we must not only refrain from what we are convinced is sin, but also refrain from what paves the way for sin. It is intriguing how many games we can play with ourselves leading up to sin, telling ourselves we won’t sin. Then when we fall, we wonder what went wrong.

      Think of some examples. What about sitting down in a restaurant to make sure you will accidentally see the waitresses with their low cut blouses and high cut skirts? What about calling that friend you know wants to gossip? Sure you told yourself you needed to call and check up with them, but is that the real reason you called? What about hiding your computer in your room with doors closed and blinds pulled so no one can see where you surf?

      Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying it is a sin to sit facing the restaurant, to call and check up on someone who has a problem with a sin, or to have your computer in your room. However, for some of us, these are just mental games we play paving the way for the sins with which we struggle. We play these games, sometimes subconsciously, so that when we fall, we either won’t get caught or can act like we didn’t mean to. But Paul said make no provisions for the lusts of the flesh.

      Instead, lets make provisions for righteousness. Let’s make preparations to submit ourselves to God (Romans 6:17-23). Let’s keep our doors open, our windows wide, our eyes in the book and on the prize, our minds on what is holy and righteous. Let’s spend time with other people with the same goals of holiness and work to bring others along as well. Let’s make sure that every day our actions are packing luggage for a godly trip to heaven, not an unholy descent to hell.

Edwin L. Crozier