Have you ever been in a situation and thought, “I have got to run away!”? Maybe it was some kind of danger you encountered or an aggressor was approaching and running is all that you could think of at that moment. Some view running away as cowardly and think that one must always put up a fight. When we think of fight or flight, regarding spiritual matters, there are times for both. Christians are in a spiritual warfare, and thus must be hard, fighting soldiers (Ephesians 6:10-17; 2 Timothy 2:3-4), but at the same time, there are situations in which those in combat just need to run!
The New Testament is full of warnings and admonitions for Christians to guard against going back to the old life of sin (Romans 6:5-14; 1 Corinthians 5:6-8; Galatians 5:16-21; Colossians 3:1-11; Hebrews 10:19-31; James 1:21-27; 1 Peter 4:1-3). In so doing, the Holy Spirit through the apostle Paul used strong terminology at times. He directly told the church at Corinth, “flee fornication” (1 Corinthians 6:18). This command came after rebuking Christians there for not disciplining a brother for this very sin (1 Corinthians 5). We see that there were sexual addiction problems in the 1st century similar to what we see today in society. (It is seemingly worse today due to the fact that TV and the Internet have allowed people immediate and private access in their homes.) Fornicators in the church! May it not be! Sadly, we know all too well that even God’s people do not run from this sin. Those who give into fornication have made themselves members of harlots. They forget that God, in adding them to His church, has made them members of the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 6:15). They forget that they belong to the One Who purchased them (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). They forget God will bring judgment on fornicators (Hebrews 13:4)!
What is the answer to avoid fornication? Continue reading in 1 Corinthians 7 about marriage! Of course, it must be marriage God’s way to keep one from fornication. Faithful, loving husbands and wives give the affection, love and respect due one another, and they do not deprive one another of sex (1 Corinthians 7:2-5; Ephesians 5:33). Marriage, God’s way, is for life (1 Corinthians 7:10-11).
Likewise, to Timothy, Paul instructed to “flee also youthful lusts” (2 Timothy 2:22 NKJV). As Christians in this spiritual battle for souls, we cannot give into the idea that it is all right to get really close to sin without partaking of it. In our self-gratifying and entertainment-seeking culture, we are tempted to think, “I can watch this movie, show, etc. and fast-forward through the sex scene” or “I know she always dresses immodestly, but I enjoy being around her and talking with her.” Sadly, many have let themselves be overtaken with lust and do not attempt to guard against sexual sins. This has resulted in the destruction of souls, many marriages ending in divorce and children being raised without two committed parents. We must remind ourselves with constant and diligent Bible study that God wants us to run away from “every form of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:22). Let us be like courageous Joseph in Potiphar’s house and flee from “this great wickedness” (Genesis 39:6-12).
In 1 Timothy 6:11, Paul said to “flee these things.” He just discussed the desire to be rich and the love of money (1 Timothy 6:6-10). Verse 10 is sometimes misquoted by stating that money is evil, but the Scripture says, “the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.” Pursuing wealth and gain from an attitude of discontentment is covetousness – not godly living as Paul described (vs. 6-8). The deceitfulness of riches has caused many to stray from the faith. The Lord gave the image of a plant being choked out by thorns (Matthew 13:22) and said that it is very difficult for the rich to enter the kingdom (Luke 18:24-25). He warned “to beware of covetousness” and proceeded to tell the parable of a certain rich man whom God called a fool (Luke 12:15-21). In this very materialistic world, we all must take heed and diligently escape the temptation to lay up treasure for ourselves on earth, “for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Luke 12:34; see also v. 21). We must be wise and remember that material possessions (and our physical lives on this earth) are like the flowers of the field – pretty for a while, but soon they perish (James 1:9-11; 1 Peter 1:22-25). What remains is the Word of God and that imperishable crown He promises to those who are faithful (1 Corinthians 9:25; James 1:12).
Paul further told the Corinthian Christians to “flee from idolatry” (1 Corinthians 10:14). This was right after he reminded them of Old Testament Israel’s sins after God delivered the Israelites out of Egypt. It is interesting that 1 Corinthians 10:6-13 could be an outline of this very study. Notice the sins Israel committed in the wilderness: lusts, idolatry, fornication, complaining and discontentment with God’s provisions (covetousness). Paul penned in Colossians 3:5, “covetousness, which is idolatry.” When we are not content with God and do not fully trust Him, we seek and put our trust in such vain and dumb things like pleasure, power, lusts of the flesh and material wealth (1 Corinthians 12:2). Everyone in the world is influenced by these idols, but God’s people should be actively running away from such worthless endeavors. Sadly, many Christians today need to turn from idols to serve the One, True and Living God (1 Thessalonians 1:9). They profess Christianity, but their hearts are in fellowship with demons (1 Corinthians 10:20-21). Again, they have forgotten that, as the church, they are the temple of God in which there is no communion with idols (2 Corinthians 6:14-18). God’s people should be seeking “first the kingdom of God and His righteousness,” remembering that He will take care of our needs (Matthew 6:33). Let us not be like old Israel, who did not flee idolatry, but remember 1 John 5:21, which reads, “Little children, keep yourselves from idols.”
We have seen that there are times in a Christian’s life when one must run! As we are tempted in this evil world, we must look for that way of escape and have the conviction to flee through it (1 Corinthians 10:13). When we run from sin, we draw near to God and resist the devil – causing him to flee from us (James 4:7-8)! As we fight the good fight of faith, may we remember to “…be imitators of God as dear children and walk in love… But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints… For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God” (Ephesians 5:1-7).